Amazing Spider-Man #23 "THE GOBLIN AND HIS GANGSTERS" (April, 1965)

Synopsis

Things sure are jumping in Peter's life. Fred Foswell has been re-hired? Ned Leeds is writing Betty? The Green Goblin tried to bust up a local mob?! That last one doesn't make any sense! Nah, ol' Gobby just made it look that way, he's really trying to take over the rackets himself.

Spidey puts the kibosh on the Goblin, doesn't confront Betty, and ends up on top again. So why is Peter filled with a sense of foreboding dread?

Notes

• the pumpkin bomb has become a signature weapon of the Green Goblin
• Norman Osborn appears but neither speaks, nor is spoken to (see photo above, is that Captain George Stacy next to him?)

Credits

Written by: Stan Lee

Illustrated by: Steve Ditko

Lettered by: Artie Simek

Amazing Spider-Man #22 "The CLOWN and his MASTERS OF MENACE!" (March, 1965)

Synopsis

The incredibly lame villains, Circus of Crime, are back. Honestly, I'm not even sure how they came up with the idea. Their big trick is that they hypnotize their circus crowds and then steal all the valuables. I mean, how often can that work? You read the newspaper, and the headline says "EVERY SINGLE PERSON ROBBED AT CIRCUS." Okay, let's say that they move to another city, and try it again there. That is not going to work. A mass robbery is going to attract national attention. Maybe it'll work twice. Maybe. After that, no way. 

So despite the Circus of Crime being a poorly thought out troupe of villains, they're back. They decide to kick out their leader, the Ringmaster, because he's an incompetent leader and a general idiot. The newly formed gang tackles an art gallery and steals a bunch of valuable paintings. During the commotion, JJJ gets wonked on the head and is hospitalized. The new circus of crime decides to rename themselves "Masters of Menace." Spidey manages to track down the crime gang and bust 'em. JJJ recovers and everyone is happy.

Notes

• Check out page 5, there's a painting of a foot and a man thinking that he wishes he "could draw feet like that" This is Steve Ditko, who's well known for not being good at drawing feet. IN JOKE

Credits

Written by: Stan Lee

Illustrated by: Steve Ditko

Lettered by: Artie Simek

Amazing Spider-Man #21 "WHERE FLIES THE BEETLE...!" (February, 1965)

Synopsis

Doris Evans, Johnny Storm's occasional girlfriend, decides to make the Torch jealous by talking about 'Peter Parker,' that nice boy who helped her. When the Torch confronts Peter, not realizing that he's Spider-Man, both are dissatisfied with the meeting. Peter changes to Spider-Man so that he can properly defend his honor, only to run into the Beetle who'd been stalking the flying matchstick.

Big fight occurs--Spidey and the Torch set aside their differences to tackle the Beetle. The forces of good win the day.

Notes

Credits

Written by: Stan Lee

Illustrated by: Steve Ditko

Lettered by: S. Rosen

Amazing Spider-Man #20 "SPIDEY BATTLES SCORPEY" (January, 1965)

Synopsis

JJJ has finally hit on a great plan to destroy Spider-Man. With the help of Dr. Farley Stillwell, he plans to artificially give a thug the powers of a scorpion! As an aside, the guy who's been tailing Peter was Mac Gargan. JJJ hired him to find out how Peter gets those amazing pictures, but instead wants him to be his guinea pig. 

The Scorpion is born! (Dr. Farley Stillwell also had a cybernetic costume complete with tail sitting around) He tackles Spidey and beats him heartily. Before Spider-Man can go for round two though, Stillwell realizes that Gargan's "evil nature" will take over unless he can concoct an antidote for the treatment which made the Scorpion. Ultimately, Stillwell dies, Scorpey is defeated and everything is the same...

Notes

• The Scorpion can use his fingers as "pincers" to cut through Spider-Man's webbing, but he can also just punch with them as a fist...it is unclear how he does this
• In the above picture...where the heck are they?!

Credits

Illustrated by: Steve Ditko

Written by: Stan Lee

Lettered by: S. Rosen

Amazing Spider-Man #19 "SPIDEY STRIKES BACK!" (December, 1964)

Synopsis

After Spidey puts the kibosh on a gang of hoods, everyone knows that he's back in action. That includes the Enforcers and Sandman who have teamed up to battle do-gooders. First they hit the Human Torch and beat him soundly. Spidey shows up, frees the Torch, and together they trounce the Enforces and ol' Sandy. Ultimately, the most interesting part of this issue is that Betty has started seeing someone else, Ned Leeds. Also someone mysterious is tailing Peter Parker...

Notes

• Spider-Man self references the hypen in his name
• First appearance of Ned Leeds
• In the picture above...what is his web attached to?!

Credits

Written by: Stan Lee

Illustrated by: Steve Ditko

Lettered by: S. Rosen

Amazing Spider-Man ANNUAL #1 "THE SINISTER SIX! " (1964)

Synopsis

Chronologically speaking, this issue takes place before Aunt May's heart attack in issue #17. Six of Spidey's most dangerous villains team up to beat him. Peter sees Aunt May mourning Uncle Ben and begins to reminisce about his origin. So lost in the past is he, in his own feelings of sorrow, that he psychosomatically blocks out his powers and thinks that he's lost them.

Naturally, the villains kidnap Betty Brant (and get Aunt May in the bargain) forcing Spidey to tackle them, now "power-less". Each one gets his own splash page showing off Steve Ditko's inability to draw feet. The Web-Slinger saves the day, defeats each villain in turn, and learns a little something along the way. He "gets his powers back" quickly when he realizes that he never really lost them.

Notes

• The origin story is re-told for the first time...but don't fret frantic ones, they'll be telling it again...and again
• Aunt May meets Dr. Octopus for the first time, setting the stage for the ludicrous plot-line in the future when they get engaged
• Every single Marvel hero shows up at some point to give Stan a chance to plug his growing empire--say what you will, the man knows how to promote
• This is the first time Doc Ock controls his arms from a distance via his mental control

Credits

Written by: Stan Lee

Drawn by: Steve Ditko

Lettered by: Sam Rosen

Amazing Spider-Man #18 "THE END OF SPIDER-MAN!" (November, 1964)

Synopsis

If you're just joining us, Spidey was seen running away from a fight last ish. You and I know that it was because Aunt May had fallen ill again. Unfortunately, everyone in town (thanks to JJJ) thinks that Spider-Man is a coward!

So Aunt May's sick, and Peter is worried that if anything happens to him, no one will be left to take care of her. This means that he avoids a fight with Sandman and ends up looking even worse in the eyes of the public, not to mention the Human Torch!

Finally Aunt May ends up being the one who snaps Pete out of it, reminding him that she's not at death's door, and he needs to go live his life.

Notes

• Both Peter and the omniscient narrator refer to Anna Watson, as Anna Watkins

Credits

Written by: Stan Lee

Illustrated by: Steve Ditko

Lettered by: Sam Rosen