Great Pages: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #39

From The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #39 (1966)

This page blew me away when I was a kid. Here was Peter Parker, not Spider-Man, fighting the Green Goblin on Aunt May’s front lawn. The Goblin knew Peter’s secret identity and didn’t feel the need to help him hide it from friends, neighbors, and loved ones. The audacity of that move shocked a young Jeff. The image of an enraged Peter jumping at the Goblin, trying his hardest to keep this side of himself repressed from the world and failing to conceal the costume beneath his shirt, stayed with me for years.

John Romita Sr.’s very first issue on this title was this one, having just taken over Spider-Man art duties from co-creator Steve Ditko. His addition to the title was a welcome one. He kept Spider-Man and his world grounded with his clean style and wonderful face work. The anger and desperation can be plainly read on Peter’s face. Stan Lee outdid himself with this story. The stakes had rarely been higher for young Peter than in this moment. It was his every nightmare come to life and Stan did a good job if squeezing every last bit of tension out of it he could.