Spider-Man Newspaper Strip | Classic Comics Forum

nero9000
Junior Member

Posts: 43

Spider-Man Newspaper Strip Jan 28, 2018 5:45:32 GMT -5

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Post by nero9000 on Jan 28, 2018 5:45:32 GMT -5

This thread is dedicated to the underrated Spider-Man newspaper strip (mostly the first couple of years, of course). The word underrated gets thrown around a lot, but on this occasion its fitting, because it took me years to find out this hidden treasure-trove of Lee/Romita Spider-Man even exists! I've never actually read the run, just skimmed it, but can still see this stuff is pure gold! I guess this run never gets mentioned because it's not in continuity, but I'm sure I'll find a way to stick it in there somehow!

Cue disappointment when I actually bought the vol 2. hardcover version (I had only checked a Finnish version at the library). This thing is in some horrible horizontal format! C'mon! There are some other versions of the strips out there, so I was wondering if some expert could tell me what they're like? What is the superior version? Any proper vertical versions?

Questions:
1. Are the softcovers the same format as the hardcovers?
2. There's a UK softcover called Daily Adventures. Which strips are published in that one?
3. IDW has made an artist's edition, but those are expensive as heck. What are they like?
4. There were actual colored versions in pocket book format in the early 80s, but those are tough to find. Which strips were published in that one?
5. Are the later strips available anywhere? I checked some of the most recent strips, and they're hilariously godawful. But what about the post-Romita 80s ones? Were they any good?

Would love to hear some opinions on this run in general. How do you think it ranks in comparison to the Lee/Romita Amazing run, or what was going on in the actual titles in the 70s and 80s?

Deleted

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Spider-Man Newspaper Strip Jan 28, 2018 8:27:16 GMT -5

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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2018 8:27:16 GMT -5

Only two Newspaper Strips that I know of is

Stan Lee and Larry Lieber's Version (With Alex Saviuk Contributing too)

Stan Lee and John Romita

Unfortunately, they were short-lived in my Newspaper and the one on top was in for two years and one on the bottom only lasted 4-6 weeks; Superhero Newspaper Strips didn't last long and I just didn't have the affinity for it. My Mother was constantly cutting up the Newspaper and I didn't had a chance to read it if I was gone for a few days from Camp and other things. The one done by Stan Lee and John Romita was short and it was my favorite and I was disappointed it was gone so quickly.

The one on top was cancelled by my newspaper because of angry parents did not like the strip at all. It ran for two years and after that one and one by Marshall Rogers Batman and the World's Greatest Superheroes Strip and that one was gone quickly as it came. Rogers lasted almost a year and I've managed to cut out all the strips out of my newspaper.

John Romita was excellent ... I may add here.

Last Edit: Jan 28, 2018 8:28:34 GMT -5 by Deleted

codystarbuck
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Posts: 18,177

Spider-Man Newspaper Strip Jan 28, 2018 12:44:15 GMT -5

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Post by codystarbuck on Jan 28, 2018 12:44:15 GMT -5

The Lee and Romita run was carried in my hometown newspaper, for a time. It was okay. I'm not a huge Spider-Man fan, especially that era. Too much whining, for my tastes. I liked him better in Marvel Team-Up, where the soap opera was kept to a minimum. That was part of the problem, for me, in the newspaper strip: too much soap opera. It's hard to do superheroes in a comic strip format, with modern space restrictions. The Sundays let the action flow more. The classic adventure strips all had their heyday before newspapers started shrinking the comic page(s). However, a lot of the seasoned comic strip creators were better at pacing their strips than I thought Stan did. That said, there were certain storylines I remember enjoying. We didn't have it long enough to make that lasting an impression, though. By contrast, Steve Roper & Mike Nomad, an old detective/action strip, hung around our paper for years and was generally pretty exciting. Apartment 3G was pure soap opera; but, Alex Kotzky (who had worked for Quality Comics, on Manhunter) made it more engaging. We didn't have the biggies, like Tarzan, the Phantom, or Prince Valiant. My favorites, from those days, were Alley Oop, Peanuts, Beetle Bailey, Short Ribs and Tiger. However, once I went off to college, I got to experience Bloom County and see the birth of Calvin & Hobbes.

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tarkintino
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Posts: 13,395

Spider-Man Newspaper Strip Jan 28, 2018 17:04:16 GMT -5

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Post by tarkintino on Jan 28, 2018 17:04:16 GMT -5

Jan 28, 2018 8:27:16 GMT -5 @mechagodzilla said:

Unfortunately, they were short-lived in my Newspaper and the one on top was in for two years and one on the bottom only lasted 4-6 weeks; Superhero Newspaper Strips didn't last long and I just didn't have the affinity for it. My Mother was constantly cutting up the Newspaper and I didn't had a chance to read it if I was gone for a few days from Camp and other things. The one done by Stan Lee and John Romita was short and it was my favorite and I was disappointed it was gone so quickly.

I used to read/collect he strips. Fun times. The Romita/Lee run was a somewhat toned down version from the popular, high emotional drama of the comic book, sort of operating like any adaptation would in trying to retain some of what made the character famous, but making it a bit more axxessible to younger readers without going too far into Spidey Super Stories territory.

John Romita was excellent ... I may add here.

Yes, he is. Such a glaring difference between Romita's strips and successor Fred Kida, which was out of place for anyone also reading the comic book (in the early 80s when John Romita Jr was illustrating the title).