The great Copper Age of Spider-Man continues in our 7th installment of the Indispensable Spider-Man, featuring issues in the Spider-Man chronology published in between roughly 1984 and 1987.
Just like the previous installment that also featured the Copper Age, we continue to see some essential events. The Black Symbiote Costume Saga, The end of the Hobgoblin Saga and the death of Ned Leeds. Gang War. The introduction of a new ongoing title. The list goes on.
Here are the rules to how we pared down this list:
- What are considered the best issues in the main Spider-Man chronology are central
- Storylines that include an important change in status quo are also central
- Very important issues are marked with two asterisks (**), while issues that are part of those storylines, without the major event, are also included and marked with a diminutive one asterisk (*). Search for “**” in this below to further pare down the list.
Spider-Man Chronology from 1984-1987 : What You Need To Know
What makes the cut of the indispensable 1984-1987 Spider-Man Chronology
The introduction of the Hobgoblin and the arrival of the black symbiote suit definitely make the cut, along with Roger Stern classics such “Nothing Stops the Juggernaut” and “The Boy Who Collected Spider-Man!”. And that’s just in Amazing Spider-Man. In Spectacular Spider-Man, we see the introduction of Cloak and Dagger as well as the unravelling of Peter’s relationship with Deb Whitman.
Creators of the 1984-1987 Spider-Man Chronology era
Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz are this Spider-Man chronology era’s most prominent creators with a long run in Amazing Spider-Man. Kupperberg and Owsley continue their run, with Peter David’s first issue on Amazing Spider-Man capping it all off (Peter David had some issues in Spectacular Spider-Man in this era prior to this). Over in Spectacular we have a good run for Al Milgrom, with Louise Simonson writing for newly launched Web of Spider-Man.
Titles of the 1984-1987 Spider-Man Chronology era
Three titles are now in play in this Spider-Man Chronology: Amazing Spider-Man, Spectacular Spider-Man and the new “core” title replacing the unessential “Marvel Team-Up”, Web of Spider-Man.
Events of the 1984-1987 Spider-Man Chronology era
A lot of important events makes this list of essential issues quite long. Here are a few of the most important events of this Spider-Man chronology era:
- Spider-Man returns with the Black Costume
- Norman Osborn Jr is born
- Spider-Man and the Black Cat break up
- Black Costume revealed as Symbiote, Peter rejects it
- Mary Jane reveals she knows Peter is Spider-Man
- Mary Jane reveals her past to Peter
- Black Cat loses her powers
- Spider-Man meets the Beyonder
- Peter is hired by Now Magazine
- Peter’s apartment is destroyed
- The death of Jean DeWolff
- Spider-Man and Daredevil team-up and butt heads during Gang War and the Sin Eater saga.
- Ned Leeds is murdered, and revealed as the Hobgoblin
Collections of the 1984-1987 Spider-Man Chronology era
Here are some good collected editions containing some of the best stories of this Spider-man chronology era:
Spider-Man Chronology in the Marvel Essentials Collection (Black and White Newsprint but Affordable)
Essential Web of Spider-Man – Volume 1
Essential Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man – Volume 5 (Essential Spider-Man)
Other Trade Paperbacks
Spider-Man: The Death of Jean DeWolff (Spider-Man (Marvel))
The Indispensable Spider-Man Chronology 1984-1987
| Order | Year | Age | Issue | Creators | Details | ** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 252.01 | 1984 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #252 OB-RS1 | DeFalco, Frenz | Best! Black Symbiote Costume, Saga of the Alien Costume, Black Cat | ** |
| 253.01 | 1984 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #253 | DeFalco, Leonardi | Best! Black Symbiote Costume, Saga of the Alien Costume, 1st Rose | ** |
| 253.02 | 1984 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #91 ES-S4 | Milgrom | Black Symbiote Costume, Black Cat | * |
| 254.01 | 1984 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #254 | DeFalco, Leonardi | Best! Black Symbiote Costume, Saga of the Alien Costume, Hobgoblin's Battlewagon | * |
| 255.03 | 1984 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #93 ES-S4 | Milgrom | Black Symbiote Costume, Black Cat, Kingpin | * |
| 255.05 | 1984 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #94 ES-S4 | Milgrom | Black Symbiote Costume, Black Cat, Kingpin | * |
| 255.06 | 1984 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #95 ES-S4 | Milgrom | Black Symbiote Costume, Black Cat, Kingpin | * |
| 256.01 | 1984 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #256 | DeFalco, Frenz | Best! 1st Puma, Black Symbiote Costume, Saga of the Alien Costume, Black Cat | ** |
| 257.01 | 1984 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #257 | DeFalco, Frenz | Best! Revealed! MJ knows Peter is Spidey, Black Symbiote Costume, Saga of the Alien Costume, Puma, Rose, Kingpin | ** |
| 258.01 | 1984 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #258 | DeFalco, Frenz | Best! Saga of the Alien Costume, Black Symbiote Costume Revealed as living, Hobgoblin Saga, Rose, Black Cat | ** |
| 259.01 | 1984 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #259 | DeFalco, Frenz | Black Symbiote Costume, Saga of the Alien Costume, Hobgoblin Saga, Rose | ** |
| 259.02 | 1984 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #96 ES-S4 | Milgrom | Black Cat, Kingpin | * |
| 260.01 | 1985 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #260 | DeFalco, Frenz | Hobgoblin Saga, Rose | ** |
| 261.01 | 1985 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #261 | DeFalco, Frenz | Hobgoblin Saga, Rose, Black Symbiote Costume escapes | ** |
| 262.02 | 1985 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #99 ES-S5 | Milgrom, Trimpe | Black Cat, Kingpin | ** |
| 263.01 | 1985 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #263 | DeFalco, Frenz | Black Cat, Norman Osborn Jr born | ** |
| 263.02 | 1985 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #100 ES-S5 | Milgrom | Black Cat breaks up with Peter, Kingpin | ** |
| 263.03 | 1985 | Copper | Web of Spider-Man #1 ES-W1 | Louise Simonson, LaRocque | Saga of the Alien Costume, Black Symbiote Costume remove by church bells | ** |
| 263.05 | 1985 | Copper | Web of Spider-Man #2 ES-W1 | Louise Simonson, LaRocque | Vulture | * |
| 264.03 | 1985 | Copper | Web of Spider-Man #3 ES-W1 | Louise Simonson, LaRocque | Vulture | * |
| 265.01 | 1985 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #265 | DeFalco, Frenz | 1st Silver Sable, Peter & Aunt May reunite | * |
| 266.02 | 1985 | Copper | Web of Spider-Man #4 ES-W1 | Fingeroth, LaRocque | Doc Ock develops arachnaphobia | * |
| 267.01 | 1985 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #267 | David, McLeod | Best! | ** |
| 267.02 | 1985 | Copper | Web of Spider-Man #5 ES-W1 | Fingeroth, Mooney | Doc Ock | * |
| 267.05 | 1985 | Copper | Secret Wars II #2 | Shooter, Milgrom | Secret Wars II | * |
| 267.06 | 1985 | Copper | Web of Spider-Man #6 ES-W1 | Fingeroth, Harris | Secret Wars II | * |
| 268.01 | 1985 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #268 | DeFalco, Frenz | Secret Wars II, Kingpin | * |
| 269.01 | 1985 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #269 | DeFalco, Frenz | Best! Firelord | ** |
| 270.01 | 1985 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #270 | DeFalco, Frenz | Best! Firelord | ** |
| 270.03 | 1985 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man Annual #19 | Spider-Slayer, Spencer Smythe dies, MJ in Spider-Man costume | ** | |
| 271.01 | 1985 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #271 | DeFalco, Frenz | Nathan beaten up | ** |
| 272.03 | 1986 | Copper | Web of Spider-Man #11 ES-W1 | Mantlo, McLeod | Peter's Apartment destroyed | ** |
| 272.04 | 1986 | Copper | Web of Spider-Man #12 ES-W1 | David, Sal Buscema | ** | |
| 272.05 | 1985 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #107 ES-S5 | David, Buckler | Best!, Sin-Eater, Death of Jean DeWolff | ** |
| 272.06 | 1985 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #108 ES-S5 | David, Buckler | Best!, Sin-Eater, Death of Jean DeWolff | ** |
| 272.07 | 1985 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #109 ES-S5 | David, Buckler | Best!, Sin-Eater, Kingpin, Death of Jean DeWolff | ** |
| 272.08 | 1986 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #110 ES-S5 | David, Buckler | Best!, Sin-Eater, Death of Jean DeWolff, Revealed! by Daredevil | ** |
| 272.10 | 1985 | Copper | Secret Wars II #7 | Shooter, Milgrom | Secret Wars II, Vulture, Electro | * |
| 273.01 | 1986 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #273 | DeFalco, Frenz | Revealed! to Puma | * |
| 273.02 | 1986 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #111 ES-S5 | Owsley, Buckler | Puma | * |
| 273.03 | 1986 | Copper | Secret Wars II #8 | Shooter, Milgrom | Secret Wars II | * |
| 274.01 | 1986 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #274 | DeFalco, Frenz | Kingpin | * |
| 274.02 | 1986 | Copper | Secret Wars II #9 | Shooter, Milgrom | Secret Wars II | * |
| 275.01 | 1986 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #275 | DeFalco, Frenz | Quits! Hobgoblin Saga, Kingpin, Rose | ** |
| 276.01 | 1986 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #276 | DeFalco, Frenz | Hobgoblin Saga | ** |
| 277.01 | 1986 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #277 | DeFalco, Frenz | Hobgoblin Saga, Kingpin | * |
| 277.02 | 1986 | Copper | Web of Spider-Man #14 ES-W1 | Michelinie, Harris | * | |
| 277.03 | 1986 | Copper | Web of Spider-Man #15 ES-W1 | Michelinie, Harris | 1st Chance, Peter sells golden notebook | ** |
| 278.01 | 1986 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #278 | David | ** | |
| 278.02 | 1986 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #115 | David, Beachum | Black Cat loses powers | ** |
| 278.03 | 1986 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #116 | David, Buckler | Black Cat, Sabretooth | ** |
| 278.04 | 1986 | Copper | Web of Spider-Man #16 ES-W1 | Michelinie, Silvestri | Missing in Action, Peter hired by Now Magazine | * |
| 278.05 | 1986 | Copper | Web of Spider-Man #17 ES-W1 | Michelinie, Silvestri | Missing in Action | * |
| 278.06 | 1986 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #117 | David, Buckler | Missing in Action, Black Cat | ** |
| 279.01 | 1986 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #279 | DeFalco, Leonardi | Missing in Action, Jack O'Lantern busts Flash from Jail | ** |
| 279.02 | 1986 | Copper | Web of Spider-Man #18 ES-W1 | Michelinie, Silvestri | Missing in Action | * |
| 280.01 | 1986 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #280 | DeFalco, Breeding | Kingpin | * |
| 281.01 | 1986 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #281 | DeFalco, Breeding | ** | |
| 282.02 | 1986 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #119 | David, Buckler | Black Cat, Sabretooth | ** |
| 283.01 | 1986 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #283 ES-W2 | DeFalco, Frenz | * | |
| 284.01 | 1987 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #284 ES-W2 | Owsley, Breeding | Gang War, Hobgoblin | ** |
| 285.01 | 1987 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #285 | Owsley, Kupperberg | Gang War, Hobgoblin | ** |
| 286.01 | 1987 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #286 | Owsley, Kupperberg | Gang War, Hobgoblin | ** |
| 286.02 | 1987 | Copper | Spectacular Spider-Man #123 | David, Turner | Gang War, Black Cat | ** |
| 287.01 | 1987 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #287 | Owsley, Larsen | Gang War, Hobgoblin, Kingpin | ** |
| 288.01 | 1987 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #288 | Owsley, Kupperberg | Gang War, Black Cat, Hobgoblin, Kingpin | ** |
| 288.05 | 1987 | Copper | Spider-Man vs. Wolverine #1 | Owsley, Bright | Best! The Hobgoblin Revealed, Wolverine | ** |
| 289.01 | 1987 | Copper | Amazing Spider-Man 1st series #289 | David, Kupperberg | The Hobgoblin Revealed, Black Cat, Kingpin | ** |
| 289.02 | 1987 | Copper | Web of Spider-Man #29 ES-W2 | Owsley, Geiger | The Hobgoblin Revealed, Richard Fisk | * |
| 289.03 | 1987 | Copper | Web of Spider-Man #30 ES-W2 | Owsley, Geiger | The Hobgoblin Revealed, Hobgoblin II | * |
Please, help us make this list better by contributing your thoughts on what should be included. We would love to pared own this list even further, though we don’t want you to miss out on some great runs. Drop us a line in the comments for changes to this Spider-Man Chronology, which will be reflected in our larger Spider-Man Chronology list here: