Spider-Man: The Newspaper Strips

[randomguy]

When I was young, my family couldn't afford much in the way of comics. I was usually able to convince my parents to buy me two books a month, and although I had access to my uncle's archive, he never got anything new. Of course, like a lot of you, I devoured comics as a kid and was often frustrated that I couldn't read more.

That's why I was always thankful for Spidey's syndicated newspaper strip. No matter how small the format might have been, and no matter how unsuited the daily format was for serialized storytelling, I read that strip each and every day before I went to school. There was nothing I was more thankful for than the chance to read a new Spidey adventure every single day. I thought it was really great that I had a nice new snippet of superhero action every single day of the week.

Over time, however, I paid less and less attention to the strip. I started buying more new monthly comics, and Spidey's daily adventures weren't as important to me as they used to be. At some point in the early-to-mid nineties, my newspaper, the Austin-American Statesman, stopped carrying Spider-Man. I didn't mourn much at the time, because I had long since become more interested in Calvin and Hobbes.

It occurred to me the other day that I have absolutely no idea what happened to the strip. Wondering if it was still in publication, I searched all over Google. I figured that this strip, being the longest-running of the superhero strips, and having been written by Stan Lee for two odd decades, would almost certainly have a fan page or two. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find anything on the strip. I've searched high and low, but the only things I seem to be able to find are that A) Stan wrote it, B) John Romita Sr. pencilled for most of its run, and C) it started in 1977. That's all the information I can get.

So I was wondering if anybody here knows what happened to this classic series? Is it still in publication? If not, when did it end? Has it ever been collected, like the Superman dailies were?

And did anybody else read this strip? Did you like it? Any fond memories? I'm interested in discussing this forgotten corner of Spidey's history.

[Matthan]

Your wish is my command.
http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/spidermn/about.htm

I remember reading the strip when I was younger as well. Just like you, I lived for it. I can only vaguely remember the storylines, but I remember the crossover with the Spider-man comic books at my local drug store (that still carried comics, I miss those days) and a very cool storyline about The Ninja. The rest has faded into obscurity in my mind as my newspaper dropped it while I was to young to do much about it. The above link captures some of the magic though. I wish they would release a collection of the strips though.

I got all torn up when they dropped Spidey, Dick Tracy, and later the Phantom (or something like that order, my memory is poor here). They were the only "serious" strips that I followed. I still miss them.

[Catlover]

I loved reading this strip when I was little. Though, after I moved to Georgia I haven't been able to find it in any newspapers. It just sinked to the back of my mind. Thanks for the link.

[Comic Book Boy]

Yeah I read that strip! However I can never stay interested enough to check it out everyday.

[randomguy]

Your wish is my command.
http://www.kingfeatures.com/feature...dermn/about.htm (http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/spidermn/about.htm)


Matthan, you're a beautiful person. I just found myself a new bookmark.

I'm absolutely amazed by the fact that this strip is still in publication. I had thought that the superhero strip was an extinct species. Nice to know that Spidey is still keeping it real for newspaper readers. And, what's more, that Stan Lee is still writing him.

The website contains the last thirty days of comics, and they're an interesting read, to say the least. For all intents and purposes, this is a Silver Age strip. After becoming so used to modern storytelling, it's intriguing to read new material written in a genuinely Silver Age style, by one of the period's greatest architects, no less. The dialogue, plot progression, and nonthreatening nature of the stories occassionally feels outdated... but the strips are still hopelessly charming in a Silver Age sort of way.

It's particularly interesting to slap the strip and modern Marvel (and Spidey) comics side-by-side. As you'd expect, the strip seems to be set in its own continuity (or perhaps, tells stories set earlier in Spidey's career). MJ and Peter are married, but Pete is still a photographer for the Bugle. The Punisher makes an appearance a couple of weeks back, and this depiction of him is so vastly different from what Ennis fans are used to that it's almost shocking. The Punisher appears in broad daylight, shoots out the tire of a hit-and-run-driver, and is more or less presented in an incredibly clean manner... believe it or not, it's almost refreshing. Though goofy, you can't help but love the stories being told. The atmosphere is so retro that occasional references to computers stick out like a sore thumb.

The art is very, very solid. Consistent, clean, and uncluttered. I'd reccommend that Spidey fans give it a shot: it reads like an issue of Amazing circa #75, and that's pretty gosh-darned cool.