Rank the Decades/Eras of Spider-Man from Worst to Best

[Masked Guy]

Your mileage can vary, though I have seen the Harry Osborn saga on a lot of best of lists. I can't say the same for anything for DeMatteis's second Spectacular run.

Most likely because that tends to be a very overlooked period due to being sandwiched in between two of the most infamous eras in Spidey's history (The Clone Saga and the Howard Mackie relaunch). Plus, I don't think someone's work should be disregarded simply because it doesn't appear on "best of" lists. Aside from DeMatteis's second stint on Spectacular, I thought Gerry Conway's Tombstone arc in the late 80s was superb, but it rarely gets much recognition. Does that mean it's a bad story? Certainly not, it probably just got lost in the crowd of other great stories.

[Masked Guy]

I am in my mid 40s

I think that I like all the decades except for 2010s

shrugs
I just straight up love the marriage years. I cannot help it!
I always loved the marriage of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson since I read the marriage issue when it first came out in 1987.
They seemed like a typical married couple with highs and lows except they are prone to much danger due to Peter being Spider-Man.
Mary Jane is just a very appealing supporting character and she was written like the wife that you want in your life even though she was originally written as party girl that didn't seem like she can settle down.

Peter and Mary Jane progressed and matured throughout their years of marriage.
I hate to see all that wiped away with the result of them being regressed and immature.
At least, Stan Lee has them still married in the newspaper comics.

I have been reading the old comics, and damn....they make me miss the marriage a lot more!

I'm also a big fan of the marriage. Erasing it remains one of Marvel's most selfish and pointless decisions to date (especially since they've done absolutely NOTHING of interest with Peter's current single status that couldn't have been done with him married these past ten years). That being said, I'm not going to write off every Spider-Man story to come out after simply because he isn't with Mary Jane. A good story is a good story regardless of the character's marital status. That being said, the 2010s have mostly been a generally weak era for the books. One of the largest and most reoccurring problems with the stories is the constant introductions of new, bland love interests that always fail to take off in any meaningful or interesting manner and end up being written out of the titles altogether not long after. In retrospect, I think it's safe to say that eliminating Peter Parker's longest and most popular romantic relationship has done more harm for the series than good (especially when comparing the current 616 stories to the vastly superior Renew Your Vows books).

[Masked Guy]

@Masked Guy

Hey, dude, thanks for the thoughtful responses!

You are welcome. Thank you for responding to my thread.

[Mister Mets]

Most likely because that tends to be a very overlooked period due to being sandwiched in between two of the most infamous eras in Spidey's history (The Clone Saga and the Howard Mackie relaunch). Plus, I don't think someone's work should be disregarded simply because it doesn't appear on "best of" lists. Aside from DeMatteis's second stint on Spectacular, I thought Gerry Conway's Tombstone arc in the late 80s was superb, but it rarely gets much recognition. Does that mean it's a bad story? Certainly not, it probably just got lost in the crowd of other great stories.

There's a middle ground between saying that something is bad and saying that something is great. If I express my opinion that DeMatteis' second run on Spectacular Spider-Man isn't as good as his first, it doesn't mean I'm saying it's bad. I'm just saying it's just not on the level of a great stretch of issues.

[Masked Guy]

There's a middle ground between saying that something is bad and saying that something is great. If I express my opinion that DeMatteis' second run on Spectacular Spider-Man isn't as good as his first, it doesn't mean it's bad. It's just not on the level of a great stretch of issues.

I respect your opinion.

[Masked Guy]

I discussed this on a previous thread, but I thought it would be appropriate here. Since we're talking about the various eras of Spider-Man, I thought it would be fun to list my ten favorite stories from each decade. I only included five for the 2010s because they aren't finished yet.

1960s:

10.) The Coming of The Scorpion (Amazing vol. 1 #20)
09.) Spider-Man vs. Doctor Octopus (Amazing vol. 1 #3)
08.) Disaster (Amazing vol. 1 #53-59)
07.) The Horns of The Rhino (Amazing vol. 1 #41-43)
06.) The Goblin Lives (Spectacular Magazine #2)
05.) To Squash a Spider (Amazing vol. 1 #66-67)
04.) The Sinister Six (Amazing vol. 1 Annual #1)
03.) Spider-Man (Amazing Fantasy #15)
02.) Spider-Man Unmasked (Amazing vol. 1 #39-40)
01.) If this be my Destiny (Amazing vol. 1 #31-33)

1970s:

10.) And Death Shall Come (Amazing vol. 1 #88-90)
09.) The Green Goblin Reborn (Amazing vol. 1 #96-98)
08.) Just a Man Called Cage (Amazing vol. 1 #123)
07.) The Punisher Strikes Twice (Amazing vol. 1 #129)
06.) 24 Hours to Doomsday (Amazing vol. 1 #191-192)
05.) Carrion (Spectacular vol. 1 #25-31)
04.) The Longest Hundred Yards (Amazing vol. 1 #153)
03.) The Green Goblin Lives Again (Amazing vol. 1 #136-137)
02.) Even if I Live, I Die (Amazing vol. 1 #147-149)
01.) The Night Gwen Stacy Died (Amazing vol. 1 #121-122)

1980s:

10.) The Big Question (Amazing vol. 1 #290-292)
09.) Burn, Spider, Burn (Amazing vol. 1 #269-270)
08.) Return of The Sin-Eater (Spectacular vol. 1 #134-136)
07.) Venom (Amazing vol. 1 #300)
06.) The Owl/Octopus War (Spectacular vol. 1 #75-79)
05.) Tombstone (Spectacular vol. 1 #139-142)
04.) Origin of The Hobgoblin (Amazing vol. 1 #238-239, 244-245, 249-251) (Spectacular vol. 1 #85)
03.) The Death of Jean Dewolff (Spectacular vol. 1 #107-110)
02.) Nothing Can Stop The Juggernaut (Amazing vol. 1 #229-230)
01.) Kraven's Last Hunt (Web vol. 1 #31-32) (Amazing vol. 1 #293-294) (Spectacular vol. 1 131-132)

1990s:

10.) Another Fine Mess (Spectacular vol. 1 #185)
09.) Venom Lives (Amazing vol. 1 #346-347)
08.) The Gift (Amazing vol. 1 #400)
07.) Goblins at the Gate (Spectacular vol. 1 #259-261)
06.) Citizen Osborn (Spectacular vol. 1 #250)
05.) Kravinov's Revenge (Spectacular vol. 1 #241-245)
04.) Night of The Goblin (Spider-Man vol. 1 #75)
03.) An Obituary for Octopus (Unlimited vol. 1 #3)
02.) Funeral Arrangements (Spectacular vol. 1 #186-188)
01.) Best of Enemies (Spectacular vol. 1 #178-184, 189-190, 199-200)

2000s:

10.) Return of The Goblin (Peter Parker vol. 2 #44-47)
09.) Spider-Man & The Human Torch (Mini-Series)
08.) The Conversation (Amazing vol. 2 #38)
07.) Doomed Affairs (Amazing vol. 2 #49-50)
06.) Venom (Ultimate vol. 1 #33-38)
05.) To Have and to Hold (Sensational vol. 2 Annual #1)
04.) Learning Curve (Ultimate vol. 1 #8-13)
03.) Coming Home (Amazing vol. 2 #30-35)
02.) Power and Responsibility (Ultimate vol. 1 #1-7)
01.) Down Among the Dead Men (Marvel Knights vol. 1 #1-12)

2010s:

05.) No Escape (Superior vol. 1 #11-13)
04.) Rage of The Rhino (Amazing vol. 1 #617, 625)
03.) Renew Your Vows (Mini-Series)
02.) Brawl in the Family (Renew Your Vows vol. 2 #1-5)
01.) Death of Spider-Man (Ultimate vol. 1 #156-160)

[nose norton]

The 1980's were the greatest Spider Man period of all time. Then the early 2000's pre OMD, then the 1960's, etc.

Exactly what he said.

[nose norton]

the hundred issues pack a punch in terms of significance, adding more to the mythos than the other decades put together

That last part is a little bit obvious, because they're the foundation of the franchise. In more practical terms, I would personally recommend almost as many issues from the 2nd hundred issues, as I would from the 1st. And 206-294 + Annuals, win by a landslide.

[Mister Mets]

That last part is a little bit obvious, because they're the foundation of the franchise. In more practical terms, I would personally recommend almost as many issues from the 2nd hundred issues, as I would from the 1st. And 206-294 + Annuals, win by a landslide.

It's relevant because it does allow the 60s to be compared to eras that had a lot more comics published (The just under a hundred issues published in the 60s VS the over five hundred published in the 90s.)

[Masked Guy]

That last part is a little bit obvious, because they're the foundation of the franchise. In more practical terms, I would personally recommend almost as many issues from the 2nd hundred issues, as I would from the 1st. And 206-294 + Annuals, win by a landslide.

Both were definitely great stretches of issues for the most part.

[magnum]

#1 1980's
#2 1960's
#3 1970's
#4 2000's
#5 1990's
#6 2010 only because it is still unfinished.

[Masked Guy]

#1 1980's
#2 1960's
#3 1970's
#4 2000's
#5 1990's
#6 2010 only because it is still unfinished.

What would you say are some of the highlights and missteps for those eras?

[magnum]

Sorry.

80's: the era that really struck all chords IMO. Great writers, stories and art
60's: where it all started, the introduction of the best rogues gallery in comics IMO and the foundation for some of the best art.
70's: it was slow in regards to epic stories but the simplicity of the stories and the street level stories is what I enjoyed. Conway!!
00's: Very controversial, lot's of change, writers challenging the status quo.
90's: This is the era I took a break from collecting and from the parts I have bought and read, it was time of trying to find itself. Clone Sage.
10's: Slott has probably been the most polarizing/controversial writer (interactions with fans, stories, etc.) changes to Peter

[Masked Guy]

Sorry.

80's: the era that really struck all chords IMO. Great writers, stories and art
60's: where it all started, the introduction of the best rogues gallery in comics IMO and the foundation for some of the best art.
70's: it was slow in regards to epic stories but the simplicity of the stories and the street level stories is what I enjoyed. Conway!!
00's: Very controversial, lot's of change, writers challenging the status quo.
90's: This is the era I took a break from collecting and from the parts I have bought and read, it was time of trying to find itself. Clone Sage.
10's: Slott has probably been the most polarizing/controversial writer (interactions with fans, stories, etc.) changes to Peter

No apologies necessary. I would agree with most of your sentiments on each era. That being said, I still think the '90s had more good stories overall than the '70s despite all of the schlock that came out during that time.