Best of the Gang Wars

[Mister Mets]

Spiral is the latest example of something we've seen many times in the Spider-Man comics: the gang war.

What's your favorite of the gang wars? And do you like these kinds of stories?

[oldschool]

Spiral is the latest example of something we've seen many times in the Spider-Man comics: the gang war.

What's your favorite of the gang wars? And do you like these kinds of stories?

I do! Just off the top of my head (and I know I am missing some great ones), my favorites would be:

*The Owl/Octopus War from PP:SSM

*The Green Goblin III saga from ASM # 176-180

*The Green Goblin/Crimemaster arc from the Lee/Ditko era (circa ASM #23)

*The Ock/Hammerhead War---circa ASM #113-115 and ASM #157-159

*Gang War---ASM #284-288


There are others, I am sure, but those are the most memorable to me though it is worth noting that Conway is scripting a very fine addition in the current "Spiral" story. Also, each of the above has it's own flavor and appeal but, by and large, a street-level gang war just fits Spidey in a way that battling would-be galactic threats and even espionage cases don't.

[Keeper of the Crows]

I do! Just off the top of my head (and I know I am missing some great ones), my favorites would be:

*The Owl/Octopus War from PP:SSM

*The Green Goblin III saga from ASM # 176-180

*The Green Goblin/Crimemaster arc from the Lee/Ditko era (circa ASM #23)

*The Ock/Hammerhead War---circa ASM #113-115 and ASM #157-159

*Gang War---ASM #284-288


There are others, I am sure, but those are the most memorable to me though it is worth noting that Conway is scripting a very fine addition in the current "Spiral" story. Also, each of the above has it's own flavor and appeal but, by and large, a street-level gang war just fits Spidey in a way that battling would-be galactic threats and even espionage cases don't.

This is a great list! I particularly enjoyed the Owl/Octopus War and the Crime Master story.

I'm not sure it qualifies as a "war," but I also really liked Amazing Spider-Man #23, when the Green Goblin attempts to take over Lucky Lobo's gang by manipulating Spider-Man into fighting them--only for every member of the gang to end up in jail, leaving ole' Norman with nothing to take over!

[oldschool]

I feel like we're missing some other good gang war arcs, particularly those that may have taken place in the pages of PP:SSM or Web. Perhaps even as minis over the years…..can anyone out there think of them?

[David Walton]

I feel like we're missing some other good gang war arcs, particularly those that may have taken place in the pages of PP:SSM or Web. Perhaps even as minis over the years…..can anyone out there think of them?

The Lobos brothers and Hammerhead.

[oldschool]

The Lobos brothers and Hammerhead.

There ya go!! Yeah, that was a fairly long storyline by Gerry Conway and Sal Buscema (I think) in the pages of PP:SSM sometime circa 1990.

[Prof. Warren]

I do! Just off the top of my head (and I know I am missing some great ones), my favorites would be:

*The Owl/Octopus War from PP:SSM

*The Green Goblin III saga from ASM # 176-180

*The Green Goblin/Crimemaster arc from the Lee/Ditko era (circa ASM #23)

*The Ock/Hammerhead War---circa ASM #113-115 and ASM #157-159

*Gang War---ASM #284-288

Great list! I remember being bitterly disappointed that the DeFalco/Frenz team left (or were booted from) ASM right after #284, the first issue of the big Gang War saga. Had they stayed on, I think that would've been a highlight of their classic run. It's hard to reread those issues without imagining what might've been. As is, it's an adequate arc and, given the amount of characters involved, an interesting snapshot of late '80s Marvel but nothing more.

Of the rest of these, my favorite might be the Ock/Hammerhead war from ASM #157-159. Ock and Hammerhead made for great rivals and the cover for #158, where Ock is choking Spidey while the ghost of Hammerhead (!) closes in on Aunt May, is one of my favorite ASM covers from the '70s. Also, of all the artists who have drawn Ock over the years, Ross Andru's version is probably my favorite.

Gang wars are definitely a staple of Spidey - no matter how big his adventures might yet, no matter how many alternate dimensions or other worlds he visits, at some point writers always have to bring it back to the streets of NYC and have a new gang war for Spidey to contend with. So far, I'm happy that "Spiral" has been one of the better entries in that sub-genre. I just hope it'll lead to more new Spidey stories from Conway.

[Speed Force League Unlimited]

*The Green Goblin/Crimemaster arc from the Lee/Ditko era (circa ASM #23)

That was 26-27.
The 23 story is with someone else.

[Mister Mets]

The Owl/ Octopus war is probably my favorite.

This is a great list! I particularly enjoyed the Owl/Octopus War and the Crime Master story.

I'm not sure it qualifies as a "war," but I also really liked Amazing Spider-Man #23, when the Green Goblin attempts to take over Lucky Lobo's gang by manipulating Spider-Man into fighting them--only for every member of the gang to end up in jail, leaving ole' Norman with nothing to take over!

I think ASM 23 was more of a precursor. ASM 26-27 was the first real gang war.