My article on where to start reading Spider-Man comics is for people trying to jump into over fifty years of continuous Spider-Man issues. Which is awesome, but also kinda crazy. Some people just want simple, self-contained Spider-Man stories. These are great for gifts and libraries because they’re not just the start of something, but a complete story.
These are my favorite self-contained Spider-Man stories:
Inhuman Error
This series is shorter than a normal trade, but is really great if you want to read a hilarious non-stop-jokes Spidey, and get introductions to the Inhumans, who are playing a big role in the Marel TV shows and soon the movies, and Sam Wilson, who is Falcon in the movies, as the new Captain America.
Spider-Man & the X-Men
This story has Spidey as a guest-teacher at the X-Men School, teaching a class while secretly trying to find out if the school has a mole. It’s a great mix of funny situations and Spidey doing his best in way over his head.
Spider-Man: Blue
Very different from the last two, this is Peter’s love letter to Gwen Stacy. Great if you want a modern take on a more classic era of Spidey. This book is the best I’ve ever read at capturing the spirit of early Spider-Man comics in the modern age.
