Web of Spider-Man. Anyone remember that old series?

[Noronha]

When I think of Web this classic immediately comes to mind:

2444179-webofspider_man013.jpg

It was one the first comics I ever had (my mother bought me), and to me, it is one of the best (if not the best) written issue between JJJ and SM.

The way SM after all those years of abuse, finally snaps at JJJ, is one of PAD´s strongest spider-man comic.
Besides, it actually depicts JJJ in a much needed different light regarding SM other than the raging lunatic (which unfortunately he´s revert to) he usually is written as.

If someone gave me this issue and told me that this writer would be the one handling this atrocious "Ben Reilly", it would be enough for me to buy it.

[Hypestyle]

Priest's tenure as an editor is under-appreciated.
Web was a solid book for the first couple of years. The semi-anthology style worked well enough for me.
Also, a cool gimmick was changing the placement of the spider in the masthead every month.

[oldschool]

The original Web series (from the 1980's/1990's) was unfortunately a series that, as others have pointed out, sadly never found it's unique voice. It actually replaced the original Marvel Team-Up series which was thought to be redundant as Spidey had more and more guest appearances in other books (and others guested in his his flagship title).

The turmoil within the editor's office at the time meant the book had no steady creative team nor vision for the first several years; once it established one (sort of), that was derailed by the beginning of the crossover era and the book sadly never had it's own voice. There are scattered good issues among a few great ones and a lot of bad ones; this is definitely a series to cherrypick if one wants to explore it.

[Metamorphosis]

The original Web series (from the 1980's/1990's) was unfortunately a series that, as others have pointed out, sadly never found it's unique voice. It actually replaced the original Marvel Team-Up series which was thought to be redundant as Spidey had more and more guest appearances in other books (and others guested in his his flagship title).

The turmoil within the editor's office at the time meant the book had no steady creative team nor vision for the first several years; once it established one (sort of), that was derailed by the beginning of the crossover era and the book sadly never had it's own voice. There are scattered good issues among a few great ones and a lot of bad ones; this is definitely a series to cherrypick if one wants to explore it.

As Hypestyle said, the book had more of an identity when Priest was editor. ASM was the big over the top adventures book set in the Marvel U, Spec was Spidey's night / street level Black Costume book, and Web was to be the book where Peter had adventures abroad or outside his normal New York setting.

There were also a lot of gems scattered in with the dross:

#8-9: "Local (Super) Hero" with the Smithville Thunderbolt, by Michelinie
#11 - 13: "Peter Parker: Vigilante & Victim" by Mantlo and PAD.
#16 - 18: "Missing In Action" Peter & Joy adventures in Appalachia
#24: fights Vulture & Hobgoblin in Atlantic City
#29 - 30: background of Ned Leeds and Richard Fisk after Leeds death by Priest
#35 - 36: introduction of the villain Phreak by Conway
#37: slasher story written by Priest
#38: Peter drinks spiked punch at a party, fights the Hobgoblin drunk--classic issue written by Fabian Nicieza
#39: Great Looter story also by Nicieza
#40 - 43: "Cult Of Love", excellent 4-parter by PAD
#52: Chameleon impersonates JJJ--brilliant Conway issue

From there on its fairly downhill for the series IMO, despite some good Conway-written issues here and there, & some of the cosmic powers stuff. There was even the idea to have Harry Osborn be a good guy Green Goblin for a few issues.