Marvel Masterworks: The Spectacular Spider-Man Vol. 7

Bill Mantlo began his Marvel career on Deadly Hands of Kung Fu, in which he introduced White Tiger, one of the industry’s earliest Hispanic super heroes. Eventually writing stories for almost every Marvel title, he did some of his most fondly remembered work on Incredible Hulk and Spectacular Spider-Man. He also launched Cloak and Dagger in a pair of miniseries and guided Alpha Flight through some of its most harrowing ordeals. Mantlo excelled at integrating licensed properties into the Marvel Universe, as demonstrated by Micronauts and Rom: Spaceknight, both of which he wrote from start to finish. At DC, he wrote the Invasion miniseries for one of the company’s biggest crossover events.

Al Milgrom, A.K.A. “Editori-Al,” is renowned as writer, editor, penciler and inker — and held most of those positions on Spectacular Spider-Man. He also contributed to SSM’s sibling Amazing Spider-Man. He penciled West Coast Avengers for four years and inked X-Factor for eight. His artwork has also appeared in Avengers, Captain America, Thor and most X-titles, including the classic Kitty Pryde and Wolverine. As editor, he oversaw Marvel’s Epic imprint and the sixty-issue run of Marvel Fanfare, where his satirical self-portraits made his face as recognizable as any super hero’s mask. At DC, he co-created Firestorm the Nuclear Man with Gerry Conway.

Roger Stern enjoyed well-regarded runs on Amazing Spider-Man, in which he introduced Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau) and the Hobgoblin; Avengers; and Captain America. He launched West Coast Avengers and wrote numerous tie-in miniseries starring Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. At DC, he relaunched Atom and co-created Starman (Will Payton) before participating in one of comics’ most shocking events: the 1992 “Death of Superman.” He later returned to Marvel to write Amazing Spider-Man and related titles.

Few can match Ron Frenz’s record of substantial stints on two of comicdom’s most influential and revered characters, Spider-Man and Superman, both of whom he provided with controversial new looks. Frenz succeeded John Romita Jr. on Amazing Spider-Man, and his artwork was favorably compared to Steve Ditko’s original web-slinger. With Roger Stern, he introduced the Hobgoblin, covering the mysterious villain’s debut and revealing his identity more than a decade later in Hobgoblin Lives. With writer Tom DeFalco on Thor, Frenz debuted a new look and identity for Marvel’s Thunder God, eventually branching into Thunderstrike. Later, Frenz and DeFalco launched the MC2 Universe, home of Spider-Girl, the only Marvel heroine to reach 100 consecutive issues.