The Top Ten Most Important Spider-Man Stories of the 1980s

[Mister Mets]

In a discussion on the most important stories of the decade, the question was asked if the current decade was the craziest ever. And that got me thinking about the most important stories of previous decades. The 1980s are my favorite decade of the comics, so it's worth considering the important stories.

Here's my list...

10. Cloak & Dagger debut (Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #64)
9. The Death of Jean Dewolff brings darkness to Spider-Man/ change his partnership with Daredevil (Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #107-110)
8. Kraven's Last Hunt
7. "The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man" is the definitive story of Spider-Man meeting fans (Amazing Spider-Man #248)
6. Black Cat becomes a major love interest (Amazing Spider-Man #226-227)
5. "Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut" is the definitive Spider-Man battle (Amazing Spider-Man #229-230)
4. The Debut of the Hobgoblin (Amazing Spider-Man #238-239)
3. The wedding (Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21)
2. The Alien Costume/ Mary Jane reveals she has always known Peter's secret identity (Amazing Spider-Man #252-259)
1. Debut of Venom & Todd McFarlane (Amazing Spider-Man #298-300)

What do you guys think? Is there something I left out? Would you rank it differently?

I'll note that this is asking about significance, rather than quality.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

What do you guys think? Is there something I left out? Would you rank it differently?

I'll note that this is asking about significance, rather than quality.

Most of the stories in your list is definitely high up in importance and significance. I wouldn't quite rank them that way (or in fact rank them at all because to me they're all equally important). I'd keep 8 of your picks, except these two.

Cloak & Dagger debut (Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #64)

No apologies to Cloak & Dagger fans but why is their debut among the top 10 most significant happenings to Spider-Man in the '80s. I mean as far as crossovers goes, Secret Wars 1984 (which introduced the Symbiote), Spider-Man Versus Juggernaut and Spider-Man versus Firelord, as well as Spider-Man v. Wolverine (significant for being the first time Uncle Ben is attributed to saying "With Great Power Comes Great Responsiiblity"). And as far as most important character debuts in Spider-Man, Monica Rambeau's Captain Marvel who showed up in ASM Annual #16 and was the first female Captain Marvel to boot is far more important in that decade alone.

4. The Debut of the Hobgoblin (Amazing Spider-Man #238-239)

Hobgoblin ultimately became a dead-end and afterthought the minute Venom showed up, and more-or-less defunct when Norman returned, so I don't think he's of great importance and significance in the long run. He seemed that way in his time but ultimately not so much.

IN place of them, I'd add

Secret Wars - The first Marvel Wide crossover event where Spider-Man plays a major role and gets the Symbiote costume and black costume. Defalco's "Black Costume Saga" is good but mostly it's just continuing the baton pass from Shooter/Zeck.

Spider-Man versus Juggernaut - Spider-Man's biggest battle and a story that restored to him his super-strength.


If we were to go top 10+, I'd add:
-- "The Commuter Commuteth" -- PAD's first Spider-Man story a fill-in at ASM that ultimately became influential on Spider-Man Homecoming and other places.
-- Parallel Lives -- The first major Spider-Man OGN, published in 1989 by Gerry Conway and Alex Saviuk.
-- The Owl/Octopus War -- A story of such magnitude that it kind of killed Octopus as a villain for the entire 80s, until David Michelinie's ASM#296-297 had to have Peter psyching Ock up again out of his funk, leading to his revival in the 90s with Revenge of the Sinister Six.

[jb681131]

In a discussion on the most important stories of the decade, the question was asked if the current decade was the craziest ever. And that got me thinking about the most important stories of previous decades. The 1980s are my favorite decade of the comics, so it's worth considering the important stories.

10. Cloak & Dagger debut (Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #64)
9. The Death of Jean Dewolff brings darkness to Spider-Man/ change his partnership with Daredevil (Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #107-110)
8. Kraven's Last Hunt
7. "The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man" is the definitive story of Spider-Man meeting fans (Amazing Spider-Man #248)
6. Black Cat becomes a major love interest (Amazing Spider-Man #226-227)
5. "Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut" is the definitive Spider-Man battle (Amazing Spider-Man #229-230)
4. The Debut of the Hobgoblin (Amazing Spider-Man #238-239)
3. The wedding (Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21)
2. The Alien Costume/ Mary Jane reveals she has always known Peter's secret identity (Amazing Spider-Man #252-259)
1. Debut of Venom & Todd McFarlane (Amazing Spider-Man #298-300)

What do you guys think? Is there something I left out? Would you rank it differently?

I'll note that this is asking about significance, rather than quality.

Well you've probably listed the best of the 80.
It's hard to rank but I would add:

* Hyde in Plain Sight (aka Hyde & Seek) - Amazing Spider-Man #231-232
* Whatever Happened to Crusher Hogan? - Amazing Spider-Man #271
* The Hobgoblin Revealed - Spider-Man versus Wolverin + Amazing Spider-Man #289 + Web of Spider-Man #29-30
* Venom Strikes Back - Amazing Spider-Man #315-317

For your information the Wedding starts in AMS #290-292

[Mister Mets]

Most of the stories in your list is definitely high up in importance and significance. I wouldn't quite rank them that way (or in fact rank them at all because to me they're all equally important). I'd keep 8 of your picks, except these two.



No apologies to Cloak & Dagger fans but why is their debut among the top 10 most significant happenings to Spider-Man in the '80s. I mean as far as crossovers goes, Secret Wars 1984 (which introduced the Symbiote), Spider-Man Versus Juggernaut and Spider-Man versus Firelord, as well as Spider-Man v. Wolverine (significant for being the first time Uncle Ben is attributed to saying "With Great Power Comes Great Responsiiblity"). And as far as most important character debuts in Spider-Man, Monica Rambeau's Captain Marvel who showed up in ASM Annual #16 and was the first female Captain Marvel to boot is far more important in that decade alone.



Hobgoblin ultimately became a dead-end and afterthought the minute Venom showed up, and more-or-less defunct when Norman returned, so I don't think he's of great importance and significance in the long run. He seemed that way in his time but ultimately not so much.

IN place of them, I'd add

Secret Wars - The first Marvel Wide crossover event where Spider-Man plays a major role and gets the Symbiote costume and black costume. Defalco's "Black Costume Saga" is good but mostly it's just continuing the baton pass from Shooter/Zeck.

Spider-Man versus Juggernaut - Spider-Man's biggest battle and a story that restored to him his super-strength.


If we were to go top 10+, I'd add:
-- "The Commuter Commuteth" -- PAD's first Spider-Man story a fill-in at ASM that ultimately became influential on Spider-Man Homecoming and other places.
-- Parallel Lives -- The first major Spider-Man OGN, published in 1989 by Gerry Conway and Alex Saviuk.
-- The Owl/Octopus War -- A story of such magnitude that it kind of killed Octopus as a villain for the entire 80s, until David Michelinie's ASM#296-297 had to have Peter psyching Ock up again out of his funk, leading to his revival in the 90s with Revenge of the Sinister Six.

"Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut" was fifth on my list.

Cloak & Dagger do have a TV show, although good call on the debut of the Monica Rambeau Captain Marvel.

There's a weird publishing question with Secret Wars in that the alien costume saga was published before Peter got the costume in Secret Wars #8, which was set earlier.

Well you've probably listed the best of the 80.
It's hard to rank but I would add:

* Hyde in Plain Sight (aka Hyde & Seek) - Amazing Spider-Man #231-232
* Whatever Happened to Crusher Hogan? - Amazing Spider-Man #271
* The Hobgoblin Revealed - Spider-Man versus Wolverin + Amazing Spider-Man #289 + Web of Spider-Man #29-30
* Venom Strikes Back - Amazing Spider-Man #315-317

For your information the Wedding starts in AMS #290-292

Hyde in Plain Sight would be one of the best stories of the decade, but it's not particularly important.

I personally don't see the proposal issues as being the same arc as the wedding, kind of how the story where Peter graduates high school is different from the story of where he begins college.

[Hypestyle]

1980 - 89, that's a lot to think about. Hmm.

I'm one of the few fans of the Spider-Man vs. Wolverine one-shot. I felt it gave a kick-start to the evolving relationship with Logan and Peter.

[Mister Mets]

When I made this thread, I forgot that Marvel Team-Up 101 came out in the early 80s. It was the first Spider-Man story by J.M. DeMatteis.

Now I'm wondering if I should swap something out for that.

Roger Stern's first issue was Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #43, which was also the debut of Roderick Kingsley. It depends on how much the first issue mattered to him getting to write more Spider-Man comics.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

When I made this thread, I forgot that Marvel Team-Up 101 came out in the early 80s. It was the first Spider-Man story by J.M. DeMatteis.

Now I'm wondering if I should swap something out for that.

DeMatteis' real breakthrough was Kraven's Last Hunt and Marvel Team-Up 101 did not directly lead to that. At various times, KLH was going to be a DC Story, a Batman-Joker story, and then it came to Marvel where it was going to be a Wonder Man story and so on.

So I don't see how Marvel Team-Up #101 is important.

Roger Stern's first issue was Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #43, which was also the debut of Roderick Kingsley. It depends on how much the first issue mattered to him getting to write more Spider-Man comics.

-- Roderick Kingsley is ultimately not an important character in the Spider-Mythos.
-- Stern's most important Spider-Man stories are The Cat Came Back, Spider-Man V. Juggernaut, The Kid Who Collected Spider-Man, and The Daydreamers.

To be honest, Chip Zdarsky's Spider-Man Life Story already rapped the most-important stories per-decades thing. For the 60s, he chose Norman Osborn revealed as GG, for the 70s he chose Gwen's death and the first clone saga, for the 90s, it was the Clone-Saga, for the 00s, it was Morlun and Civil War, for the 2010s it was Miles Morales and Superior Ock. And for the 80s he chose Secret Wars, KLH, and Venom.