A review by jbleyle63
Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 3 by Steve Ditko, Stan Lee

4.0

I continue to be surprised by how much I am enjoying the Marvel Masterworks series, especially these early stories of Spider-Man under the direction of Steve Ditko and Stan Lee. This third volume features reprints of The Amazing Spider-Man #20-#30 and Annual #2. The latter reprint was particularly entertaining featuring another Steve Ditko Marvel character creation in Doctor Strange. Other landmark events in this collection include Peter Parker's graduation from Midtown High School, J. Jonah Jameson's complicity in the creation of The Scorpion, and Betty Brant's engagement to Ned Leeds leaving Peter Parker heartbroken. Another fun thing to see in these early days of Spider-Man is how Lee and Ditko kept teasing readers with the character of Mary Jane Watson. Aunt May is always trying to set up a meeting between her nephew Peter Parker and her neighbor's niece MJ that never quite materialize. We come oh so close to seeing MJ in this volume, but clever visuals keep her appearance a mystery to the reader. Lee and Ditko seem to have had a long game plan for MJ. Bring on volume 4!