Issue Description

The Amazing Spider-Man's 200th issue! After surviving an overdose of anti-depressants at the hands of Mysterio, Spider-Man is left powerless. Who is Spider-Man without spider abilities? A mystery surfaces about the true demise of Aunt May, while Peter Parker rues his life as a super hero. Teenage angst never looked, and read, so good! Stan “The Man” Lee joins Marv Wolfman as co-writer in this Anniversary Special!

OverviewThe Spider and the Burglar...A Sequel

200 Issues Ago, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko Created a Classic!

"The Spider and The Burglar- A Sequel"

The story begins with Peter realizing that the drug-dart Mysterio shot him with didn't kill him as expected, but has instead taken away his Spider-powers! But he cannot stop to be concerned about that because he has a lot of work to do- he has to find out who his last tenant was, and why the house was torn up. Using detective work, he is shocked to find the last tenant was the last person he thought he would hear about again- the burglar who killed his Uncle Ben!

Peter arrives home with new knowledge of the person who has re-entered his life. And who should be WAITING at home for him? The BURGLAR himself! Hoping to terrorize Peter, he confronts him face to face, but is unprepared for the explosive assault by him. Years of hatred has been building up inside of Peter and without a thought, he lets the burglar have it! But his anger blinds him, and without his Spider-strength, the crook knocks Pete out with the butt of his gun.

After tying Peter up, the Burglar tries to get Peter to give him the information of the treasure's whereabouts he had previously been trying to get out of Aunt May, but after repeatedly beating Peter, realizes he won’t get anything out of him. He then announces he has SOMETHING that might persuade Pete to talk.He leaves to get it, and in the interim, Peter finally breaks out of his prison. Peter has had enough-Spider-Man is out for the Burglar's BLOOD!

Soon, the burglar has returned with the “persuasion” he needed to get Pete to talk-and it is none other than AUNT MAY, frightened but very much ALIVE! But if the burglar is surprised that Peter has escaped, he doesn't have time to think about it as his worst nightmare appears on the scene- SPIDER-MAN has arrived-just like he did way back in AMAZING FANTASY #15! The Burglar is flabbergasted! The spectre of Spider-Man has haunted him his whole life - He cannot see why Spider-Man would hound him forever for the death of one old man.

Then Peter drops the bomb on the criminal: Why does Spider- Man care so much about Peter's old Uncle's murder?

BECAUSE PETER PARKER IS SPIDER-MAN!!!

The points of this scene cannot be underplayed- here we have the burglar realizing that the unimportant old man he killed years ago is the Uncle of his biggest nightmare. And of course, we as readers know that if not for this act, Spider-Man might never have become the amazing hero he is. This confrontation is one of the most significant moments in the Spider-Man 200 issue run!

The burglar’s shock turns to panic and wide eyed fear- he believes Spider Man will kill him for what he has done, because it’s what HE would have done. But of course, Spider-Man won’t sink to the burglar’s level- because Peter IS a true Hero. But the burglar cannot see this, and as insane panic overtakes him, his heart gives out, and he dies.

Epilogue:

Aunt May finally remembers what the burglar must have been looking for- it was an old box hidden between some floorboards. But whatever had been stashed in the box had long ago been eaten away-by silverfish!

The two have a good laugh, and Peter says “So all that heartache was for nothing!” But Aunt may points out that there was purpose in it, because it made them stronger. And Pete realizes she is right.

The story ends with Peter swinging about town with a new resolution- during the time when He didn’t have his powers, he realized how much he needed them. And he know how much good he can do with them. He resolves that never again will he ever take them for granted, and makes a promise to be grateful every day for the gift that has been given to him.

He has made peace with Uncle Ben’s death, his identity as Spider-Man, and himself.

Notes:Features the Hostess Fruit Pies ad, The Human Torch In The Icemaster ComethMark Gruenwald was assistant editor on this issue.

The Amazing Spider-Man (1963)

Publisher

Marvel

Volume Description

After the success of Amazing Fantasy #15 (Aug. 1962) a few months later the same creative team came back to start an ongoing series focusing on the character the two of them created.

The book's run continued until issue number 441 (Nov. 1998) when Marvel relaunched the title as Amazing Spider-Man Volume 2 with a new number 1 in January 1999. After issue #30 (#471) Marvel used a dual numbering system, yet the indicia still stated The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2. On the title's 40th anniversary the numbering was reverted to go from issue 58 to issue 500 (Dec. 2003) as The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1.

This volume ends with #700 and is picked up by the Marvel Now! revolution volume Superior Spider-Man.

Collected EditionsMarvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 (#1-10)Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2 (#11-19)Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 3 (#20-30)Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 4 (#31-40)Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 5 (#41-50)Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 6 (#51-61)Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 7 (#62-67)Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 8 (#68-77)Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 9 (#78-87)Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 10 (#88-99)Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 11 (#100-109)Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 12 (#110-120)Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 13 (#121-131)Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 14 (#132-142)Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 15 (#143-155)Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 16 (#156-168 and Annual #10)Spider-Man vs. Black Cat (#194-195, 204-205, 226-227.)Spider-Man: Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut (#224-230)Birth of Venom (#252-259, #298-300)The Amazing Spider-Man: The Complete Alien Costume Saga Book 1 (#252-258)The Amazing Spider-Man: The Complete Alien Costume Saga Book 2 (#259-263)Kraven's Last Hunt (#293-294)The Amazing Spider-Man: Life in the Mad Dog Ward (#295)Amazing Spider-Man by David Michelinie & Todd McFarlane (#296-329)Sinister Six (#334-339)Powerless (#341-343)Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: Round Robin (#351-360)Round Robin (#353-358)Maximum Carnage (#378-380)

Collection of sequentially numbered trades, Amazing Spider-Man.

Spider-Man: Mark of the Tarantula (#231-237)Coming Home (#471-476)Revelations (#477-480)Until the Stars Turn Cold (#481-486)Life and Death of Spiders (#487-491)Unintended Consequences (#492-497)Happy Birthday (#498-502)The Book of Ezekiel (#503-508)Sins Past (#509-514)Skin Deep (#515-518)New Avengers (#519-524)

Individual trades with their own volumes because of sub-titles.

The Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: Great Power (#1-17)Punisher vs. the Marvel Universe (#161-162)The Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: Ghosts of the Past (#259-272)The Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: Return of the Sinister Six (#334-350)Spider-Man: The Gathering of Five (#440-441)The Other (#525-528)The Road to Civil War (#529-531)Civil War (#532-538)Back in Black (#539-543)One More Day (#544-545)Brand New Day Vol 1 (#546-551)Brand New Day Vol 2 (#552-558)Brand New Day Vol 3 (#559-564)Kraven's First Hunt (#565-567)New Ways to Die (#568-573)Crime and Punisher (#574-577)Death and Dating (#578-583)Election Day (#584-588)24/7 (#589-594)American Son (#595-599)Died in Your Arms Tonight (#600-601)Red-Headed Stranger (#602-605)Return of The Black Cat (#606-611)The Gauntlet, Vol 1 (#612-616)The Gauntlet, Vol 2 (#617-621)The Gauntlet, Vol 3 (#622-625)The Gauntlet, Vol 4 (#626-629)The Gauntlet, Vol 5 (#630-633)The Grim Hunt (#634-637)One Moment in Time (#638-641)Origin of the Species (#642-647)Big Time (#648-651)Matters of Life and Death (#652-657)The Fantastic Spider-Man (#658-662)Big Time Ultimate Collection (#648-662)The Return of Anti-Venom (#663-665)Amazing Spider-Man: Big Time - The Complete Collection vol. 2 (#663-676)Spider-Island (#666-673)Flying Blind (#674-677)Amazing Spider-Man: Big Time - The Complete Collection vol. 3 (#677-687 and 679.1)Trouble on the Horizon (#678-681, #679.1)Ends of the Earth (#682-687)No Turning Back (#688-691)Amazing Spider-Man: Big Time - The Complete Collection vol. 4 (#688-697)Danger Zone (#692-697)Dying Wish (#698-700)Amazing Spider-Man: Peter Parker The One And Only (#700.1-700.5)

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