1960s
Number 1: Amazing Fantasy #15
Runner-up 1: Master Planner Saga ASM #31-33
Runner-up 2: ASM#39-40 (Norman and Peter unmask each other)
1970s
Number 1: The Night Gwen Stacy Died ASM#121-122
Runner-up 1: ASM#90 (Death of George Stacy)
Runner-up 2: ASM #149-151 (Spidey fights his clone, Jackal “dies”)
1980s (too many to list from this era… some difficult omissions)
Number 1: Fearful Symmetry/ Kraven’s Last Hunt
Runner-Up 1: The Death of Jean DeWolff
Runner-Up 2: The Kid Who Collected Spider-Man
1990s
Number 1: Harry Osborn Green Goblin saga
Runner-Up 1: ASM #400 (“Death” of Aunt May)
Runner-Up 2: PP:SM #75 (Norman returns, end of Clone Saga)
2000s
Number 1: Coming Home (first Morlun storyline)
Runner-up 1: Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #1-12
Runner-up 2: ASM #578-579 (“Unscheduled Stop”)
2010s (too few to list from this era… this was a struggle)
Number 1: Spider-Man: Life-Story miniseries
Runner-up 1: First half of ‘Superior Spider-Man’
Runner-up 2: Spectacular Spider-Man#310
Truly an abysmal decade.
And the 2020s aren’t shaping up any better. But thankfully it’s too early to come up with a list!
What’s yours?