Spider-Man results in CBR's Top 100 Runs

[Mister Mets]

Comic Book Resources readers sent in their lists of the best comic book runs ever, and Brian Cronin tallied it up with commentary.

Five Spider-Man runs made the list.
63. Roger Stern and John Romita Jr's Amazing Spider-Man
44. Stan Lee and John Romita Sr's Amazing Spider-Man
39. Dan Slott's Amazing Spider-Man/ Superior Spider-Man
21. Brian Michael Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man
6. Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's Amazing Spider-Man

Joe Kelly's Deadpool made the cut at 97, which is relevant since he and McGuiness have wrangled in Spider-Man for the new Spider-Man/ Deadpool monthly.

Some team books with Spidey also made the cut...

Brian Michael Bendis' Avengers was in 76th place.
Jonathan Hickman's Avengers was in 27th place.
Jonathan Hickman's Fantastic Four/ FF run was in 17th place.

What do you guys think? Are these the right spots for these runs? Is there anything that got left out?

[DebkoX]

I thought that Slott would be higher, but fair placing. Hickman's Avengers is painfully overrated.

[RD!]

Slott's run is far too high
It's good, but the 39th best comic book run ever ? Especially unfinished

I'd say Bendis USM should've been higher and DeMattesis/Buscema should have been included

[KC]

IMO Stern's run should have been higher.

[WebLurker]

It's always interesting to see lists like this and the reasons. Having only read stuff by Slott and Bendis, I can't comment of the other placers.

I was disappointed that the commentary for Slott's run didn't mention his Renew Your Vows miniseries, given not only did I love that story, but it went on to become its own series, which seems worthy of note. On the other hand, what I've read of Slott's work, I have not liked it at all. I don't think I've read enough to make an accurate judgement if he deserves to be on the list or not, but, from what I've seen, his writing is pretty run of the mill, so I'm not really sure if he belongs so high. (I do respect that people like it, though.)

Now, I do like Bendis's Ultimate Spider-Man a lot (I've made it a mission to collect his entire run of the series in trades -- from the opener with Peter Parker, to the last pre-Secret Wars Miles -- plus some side stuff in the Ultimate lines that involved them in a big way, like Ultimate Team-Up and All New Ultimates). So, I would rank it higher, but that is probably very biased of me. However, I think it's a very strong run, and between it and, even excusing my biases, I think it deserves to be placed above Slott's run. USM has been one of the most influential comics in recent years (it created the whole Ultimate comics world -- which have heavily influenced both Marvel's other comics and the MCU, has defined the movie adaptations of Spider-Man, remains one of the easiest series to pick up and read, and would give a newbie a decent crash course in the basics of the Spider-Man world). On top of that, it's a very solid series, and I think Bendis is arguably the better writer between him and Slott (USM had consistently strong character dialogue and humor, two things I don't think are Slott's strengths).

[Mister Mets]

IMO Stern's run should have been higher.

I'm definitely in agreement here. That was one of the most perfect runs in the series' history (and superhero comics in general.)

[oldschool]

I'm definitely in agreement here. That was one of the most perfect runs in the series' history (and superhero comics in general.)

100% agreed. I was shocked to see that run not in the Top 20. Unlike ASM runs by Slott and JMS (who each have a fair amount of detractors), I don't know of many readers who dislike Stern's run. Plus he introduced us to Hobgoblin, telling what almost everyone agrees are the best Hobby stories early on, gave us the Nothing Can Stop The Juggernaut story, the long overdue and excellent origin of the Vulture and, perhaps most importantly, did all this in a surprisingly short run on the title. Not only did he not overstay his welcome but his run had few, if any, lulls.

[Prof. Warren]

100% agreed. I was shocked to see that run not in the Top 20. Unlike ASM runs by Slott and JMS (who each have a fair amount of detractors), I don't know of many readers who dislike Stern's run. Plus he introduced us to Hobgoblin, telling what almost everyone agrees are the best Hobby stories early on, gave us the Nothing Can Stop The Juggernaut story, the long overdue and excellent origin of the Vulture and, perhaps most importantly, did all this in a surprisingly short run on the title. Not only did he not overstay his welcome but his run had few, if any, lulls.

I love Stern's run (it got me back into reading ASM again way back in the day) but I wouldn't say I'm shocked that it didn't make the Top 20. If you're talking about every comic run ever, getting into the Top 20 is a pretty tall order - even for a much-loved run like Stern and Romita Jr's Spidey. I just don't think you can take placements on lists like this too much to heart. It doesn't devalue a run if it isn't ranked as high as you think it should've been.

As for Stern's run not having detractors like Slott and JMS, you have to take into account the fact that time is a factor here. JMS and Slott's runs are recent (with Slott's run obviously still ongoing) so you have the aspect of Stern's more than 30-year-old run being well settled into history by now. Also, Stern's run was very down the middle (not in a bad way) and didn't take the kind of chances with the character that JMS and Slott did. As much as some of those chances were controversial, they were also popular with a large segment of the readership and helped redefine the character whereas Stern applied his considerable craftsmanship to evoking "classic" Spidey without adding many new wrinkles.

Two runs I wish had landed on this list are the Gerry Conway/Ross Andru ASM run and the Tom DeFalco/Ron Frenz ASM.

Conway/Andru is my sentimental favorite among the great ASM runs as it's when I first started reading the book as a kid. I still think it's one of the best eras of ASM with Conway belting out classic tales and Andru at his peak as the most underrated Spidey artist of them all.

And the DeFalco/Frenz run did a stellar job of following Stern's run - no small feat. I loved that era and I think if it had ended strong with the reveal of the Hobgoblin instead of being unfairly cut short by editorial idiocy, it would be much better remembered as a high point in ASM's history.

[John Ossie]

I wouldn't have put Slott ahead of Stern or Lee personally. Interesting to see though I guess.

[WebLurker]

I just don't think you can take placements on lists like this too much to heart. It doesn't devalue a run if it isn't ranked as high as you think it should've been.

Here, here.

As for Stern's run not having detractors like Slott and JMS, you have to take into account the fact that time is a factor here. JMS and Slott's runs are recent (with Slott's run obviously still ongoing) so you have the aspect of Stern's more than 30-year-old run being well settled into history by now.

Makes sense. I'm very curious how Slott's run will be seen in retrospect, given how controversial it's been in the present. Will he considered a genius? Someone who experimented with mixed results? A guy to derailed Spider-Man? Something in between?

Also, Stern's run was very down the middle (not in a bad way) and didn't take the kind of chances with the character that JMS and Slott did. As much as some of those chances were controversial, they were also popular with a large segment of the readership and helped redefine the character whereas Stern applied his considerable craftsmanship to evoking "classic" Spidey without adding many new wrinkles.

Some of us prefer "classic Spidey" over more redefinition (I think some people approach comics more like comfort food than to expand horizons), but that's a reasonable point.

[Mister Mets]

100% agreed. I was shocked to see that run not in the Top 20. Unlike ASM runs by Slott and JMS (who each have a fair amount of detractors), I don't know of many readers who dislike Stern's run. Plus he introduced us to Hobgoblin, telling what almost everyone agrees are the best Hobby stories early on, gave us the Nothing Can Stop The Juggernaut story, the long overdue and excellent origin of the Vulture and, perhaps most importantly, did all this in a surprisingly short run on the title. Not only did he not overstay his welcome but his run had few, if any, lulls.

I think the run is a bit obscure, which is why it doesn't get the attention it deserves. Runs that are more recent, or by better-known writers (Moore, Morrison, Miller) are just going to get more attention.

This was a list that saw Carl Barks' duck stories at 80, so some stuff is getting overlooked.

[yet another]

Slott's run is far too high
It's good, but the 39th best comic book run ever ? Especially unfinished

I'd say Bendis USM should've been higher and DeMattesis/Buscema should have been included

Don't worry, the voting tends to favor newer runs (fresh in memory), but over time it (and most other new runs) will trend downwards.

[George Ndebele]

I wouldn't have put Slott ahead of Stern or Lee personally. Interesting to see though I guess.

slott should not be here at all

[John Ossie]

slott should not be here at all

I won't go that far, but IMO he certainly shouldn't be ahead of Lee/Romita or Stern. Or JMS now that I think about it. Personally speaking of course.

[George Ndebele]

when they say Ultimate Spider-man ,Are they including Miles Morales' comics too??