Underrated/ Overrated Spider-Man Stories

[RobertMacQuarrie1]

What stories do you feel don't get enough credit in Spider-Man's history? Which ones are better than usually remembered, or get a worse rap than deserved?

On the other hand, which stories do you feel get too much attention? Which ones do you feel aren't as good as people make them out to be?

[Mister Mets]

Interesting question. This generally requires an assessment of how the public interprets a story. If both you and I think a story is a solid "B" but I think the story is unfairly maligned as worthless and you've read a few pieces praising the story to the stars, I may think the story is underrated and you might think it's overrated even if our opinion of the quality is the same.

But I'll give it a shot.

Underrated...Torment
I don't think I've seen positive comments about it on this board, at least the new iteration. It's one of the few stories that I read when I was really new to Spider-Man that still holds up. The other is "Arachnomorphosis" from What If? which is too obscure to be overrated or underrated.

Overrated...The Wedding
Often listed as one of the best Spider-Man stories ever. I think there are significant structural problems, especially with Peter & MJ announcing their incoming marriage to their aunts in the same issue in which it happens. There is no narrative reason for it to be so rushed. I could probably keep citing specific stories by Michelinie (The Cosmic Spider-Man crossover, Return of the Sinister Six) as overrated, not because those stories are bad, but because it's stuff that wouldn't be in the top ten of Bendis, Stern or Slott.

[MASTER-OF-SUPRISE]

Underrated: Book of Ezekiel, Doomed Affairs and the story where Aunt May found out Peter was Spider-Man. I forgot what the title to that last one was.

Overrated: The Mr. Negative storyline. IMO it was slow and boring and it didn't exactly help that it came after the worst Spider-Man story ever told One more Day.

[Beacon]

Dan Slott edition:

Overrated: New Ways to Die. It was hyped as the return of Norman Osborn to Spider-Man’s corner of the universe but he’s never gone for long enough for us to miss him so the story doesn’t feel special. Also selling Bullseye as a credible threat to Spider-Man is a laughable proposition.

Underrated: She-Hulk #4. Mostly underrated since a lot of people skip guest appearances since they tend to be pointless money-grabs. I’m glad I read this one because its easily the funniest Spider-Man story in recent memory (and it got me hooked one Slott’s She-Hulk). Plus you have to appreciate the brilliance of Spidey suing JJJ for liable; it seems so obvious but no one else thought of that in 40+ years.

[Rob London]

Underrated...Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man
Nobody ever talks about this anthology series - probably because it was released concurrently with the disastrous Byrne/Mackie relaunch. The first arc, a Mysterio 3-parter by JM DeMatteis and Michael Zulli, is a stone-cold classic, and most of the rest of the series is top-notch - Paul Jenkins' first work on Spider-Man, a DeFalco/Frenz reunion, and a really good Joe Kelly Sandman story. The series does have one big clunker (an ill-conceived tie-in to the Spider-Man Unlimited cartoon), but overall it's good reading.

Overrated...Spider-Man vs. Wolverine
I just find this one a little too bleak in its outlook, too dated in its Cold War setting (admittedly that's not its fault), and honestly not as deep as it thinks it is. Plus the whole death of Ned Leeds/Hobgoblin reveal stuff is too clever by half - and while that was due to editorial meddling, I feel safe in blaming this book for it because it was written by the meddling editor! Thankfully, Jim Owsley/Christopher Priest/Priest would go on to do much better things. Nice Mark Bright art, though.

[ngroove]

Overrated....Fearful Symmetry. To all who says that story, and for a long time, that story alone, instantly thrusted Kraven the Hunter, into a top ten Spider-Fiend, for basically burying Spidey, followed by suicide...."Ooo, hardcore!", hehehehehe.....

Underrated....read Stan Lee's Kraven - Amazing Spider-Mans #15, #34, #47, #49, #111-112, Annual #1 - he's still not "Top Ten" in my list, but he was still a fairly fun Spidey punching bag.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Underrated: "Round Robin; A Sidekick's Revenge". I dunno if that's underrated, but more of a guilty pleasure.
For sure, I'd say the Conway/Buscema run on Spec. Spider-Man in the late `80's.

I'm blanking on overrated right now....

[Beacon]

Underrated: Mark Millar’s Marvel Knights Spider-Man run had some great stuff.

Overrated: Mark Millar’s Marvel Knights Spider-Man run had some horrible stuff.

Those twelve issues are seriously uneven. I don’t think I can ever trust the judgment of a fan who absolutely loves or hates this arc without reservation.

[Metamorphosis]

Underrated: Mark Millar’s Marvel Knights Spider-Man run had some great stuff.

Overrated: Mark Millar’s Marvel Knights Spider-Man run had some horrible stuff.

Those twelve issues are seriously uneven. I don’t think I can ever trust the judgment of a fan who absolutely loves or hates this arc without reservation.

There was lot more good than bad.

People complain about the characterization, of which there has been far worse in the pages of the main Spider-man title for the last 5 years.

[Project Initiative Cascada]

The storyline where Aunt May discovers that Peter is Spiderman is one of the greatest and most underrated storylines in Spiderman history.

[Mister Mets]

The storyline where Aunt May discovers that Peter is Spiderman is one of the greatest and most underrated storylines in Spiderman history.

That one's pretty popular. I don't think it's underrated.

[Project Initiative Cascada]

That one's pretty popular. I don't think it's underrated.

You think so? Is it one of your favorite storylines?

[Mister Mets]

You think so? Is it one of your favorite storylines?

I'd put it in my Top 50.

As did CBR readers.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources...d-master-list/

Some places have rated it even higher.
http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/...er-man-stories

[Beacon]

The storyline where Aunt May discovers that Peter is Spiderman is one of the greatest and most underrated storylines in Spiderman history.

Yep, Amazing #400 is one of the greatest comics ever.

[Aruran.]

Yep, Amazing #400 is one of the greatest comics ever.

I thought they were referring to the JMS one?
Either way both are great stories.