The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man

Last updated • 3 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
"The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man"
The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man.jpg
Cover of The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 1, 248 (Jan 1984), art by John Romita, Jr.
Publisher Marvel Comics
Publication dateJanuary  1984
Genre
Title(s) The Amazing Spider-Man #248
Main character(s) Spider-Man
Creative team
Writer(s) Roger Stern
Penciller(s) Ron Frenz
Inker(s) Terry Austin
Letterer(s) Joe Rosen
Colorist(s) Christie Scheele
The Very Best of Spider-Man ISBN   0-7851-0045-8

"The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man" is a Spider-Man story written by Roger Stern, originally published in The Amazing Spider-Man #248 in 1984. In the story, a young fan of Spider-Man meets his hero. [1]

Contents

This comic was selected as one of the "Top 10 Spider-Man stories of all time" by Wizard [2] and is regarded as among the most-loved Spider-Man stories. [3] [4] [5]

Plot

Young Timothy "Tim" Harrison lies in his bed. Portions from a column by Daily Bugle writer Jacob Conover say Tim is the greatest Spider-Man fan in the world and has collected every article available on him, including a whole album of The Daily Bugle's retractions. Tim has also collected mementos such as kinescopes of Spider-Man's early television appearances and bullets from a crime foiled by Spider-Man. Suddenly, Spider-Man comes into Tim's room. In the following hours, the two trade anecdotes about Spider-Man's long career. The hero is surprised and touched by how much the boy adores him.

When Spider-Man is about to leave, Tim asks him who he really is. After some hesitation, Spider-Man takes off his mask, identifies himself as Peter Parker, and retells the fateful night when his negligence let Uncle Ben die, causing him to fight crime. The story does not change Tim's admiration of his hero. A tearful Peter Parker embraces Tim (who refers to him as "Pete") and departs. An exterior view reveals Tim is staying in a cancer clinic. The last of the newspaper captions states that the boy's only wish is to meet his hero in person. Conover ends his report by stating his hope that "Spider-Man takes the time to visit a very brave young man named Tim Harrison, and I hope he does it soon. You see, Tim Harrison has leukemia, and the doctors only give him a few more weeks to live".

Background

The lead story of Amazing #248 is Spider-Man's fight against Thunderball, but Stern's backup story is remembered much better than the main tale. According to Stern:

Partly, I'm sure that it sprang from a desire on my part to do a short human-interest story in the style of Will Eisner - that's why the story is partially advanced through newspaper clippings... I was trying to be Eisneresque. [3]

Tim Harrison's death is mentioned in Danny Fingeroth and Ron Garney's "A Spider-Man Carol", in which Spider-Man meets Tim's brother Joey. The story was published in the 1991 Marvel Holiday Special.

Collected editions

The story has been reprinted several times and collected in various trade paperbacks including The Very Best of Spider-Man (December 1994, ISBN   0-7851-0045-8).

In other media

The story served as the partial basis for the two-part story "Make a Wish/Attack of the Octobot", in the third season of Spider-Man: The Animated Series . The major difference is that the child is a girl, named Taina. She mentions a friend named Timmy. Another reference to Tim is at the end of the episode where there is a plaque that reads "WISH COME TRUE FOUNDATION FOR TERMINALLY ILL CHILDREN".

Related Research Articles

<i>The Amazing Spider-Man</i> Comic book series

The Amazing Spider-Man is an ongoing American superhero comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its title character and main protagonist. Being in the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it was the character's first title, launching seven months after his introduction in the final issue of Amazing Fantasy. The series began publication with a March 1963 cover date and has been published nearly continuously to date over six volumes with only one significant interruption. Issues of the title currently feature an issue number within its sixth volume, as well as a "legacy" number reflecting the issue's overall number across all Amazing Spider-Man volumes. The title reached 900 issues in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spider-Man</span> Marvel Comics superhero

Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book Amazing Fantasy #15 in the Silver Age of Comic Books. He has been featured in comic books, television shows, films, video games, novels, and plays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. Jonah Jameson</span> Marvel Comics character

John Jonah Jameson Jr. is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero Spider-Man. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and he first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man issue #1.

The Daily Bugle is a fictional New York City tabloid newspaper appearing as a plot element in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Daily Bugle is a regular fixture in the Marvel Universe, most prominently in Spider-Man comic titles and their derivative media. The newspaper first appeared in the Human Torch story in Marvel Mystery Comics #18. It returned in Fantastic Four #2, and its offices were first depicted in The Amazing Spider-Man #1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hobgoblin (comics)</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

The Hobgoblin is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most of whom are depicted as enemies of the superhero Spider-Man and belong to the collective of adversaries that make up his rogues gallery, most of whom are brainwashed by the Winkler Device into becoming Hobgoblins. Created by writer Roger Stern and artist John Romita Jr., the first incarnation of the Hobgoblin was introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man #238 as a criminal mastermind equipped with Halloween-themed weapons similar to those used by the Green Goblin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Betty Brant</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Elizabeth "Betty" Brant-Leeds is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually in stories featuring the superhero Spider-Man. She is the personal secretary of J. Jonah Jameson at the Daily Bugle, and served as both a supporting character and love interest for Peter Parker. She later became a reporter for the Daily Bugle and the girlfriend of Flash Thompson/Agent Venom, later marrying Ned Leeds/Hobgoblin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roger Stern</span> American comic book author

Roger Stern is an American comic book author and novelist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Romita Sr.</span> American comic book artist (1930–2023)

John Victor Romita was an American comic book artist best known for his work on Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man and for co-creating characters including Mary Jane Watson, the Punisher, Kingpin, Wolverine, and Luke Cage. Romita was the father of John Romita Jr., also a comic book artist, and the husband of Virginia Romita, who was for many years Marvel's traffic manager.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robbie Robertson (character)</span> Fictional character

Joseph "Robbie" Robertson is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually in association with Spider-Man. Created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr., he first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #51, and has since endured as a supporting character of Spider-Man.

Frederick Foswell, also known as the Big Man and Patch, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

<i>The Sensational Spider-Man</i> (vol. 2)

The Sensational Spider-Man is a comic book series starring Spider-Man and published monthly by Marvel Comics for 41 issues between 2004 and 2007. It was originally published under the Marvel Knights imprint.

Ronald Wade Frenz is an American comics artist known for his work for Marvel Comics. He is well known for his 1980s work on The Amazing Spider-Man, particularly introducing the hero's black costume, and later for his work on Spider-Girl whom he co-created with writer Tom DeFalco. Frenz and DeFalco had earlier co-created the New Warriors in the pages of Thor.

<i>The Spectacular Spider-Man</i> Comic book series

The Spectacular Spider-Man is a comic book and magazine series starring Spider-Man and published by Marvel Comics.

<i>Spider-Man: Brand New Day</i> 2008 comic book storyline

"Brand New Day" is a comic book storyline in The Amazing Spider-Man, published by Marvel Comics beginning in 2008. It chronicles the start of Spider-Man's adventures in the aftermath of the status quo-altering "One More Day" storyline, and continues afterwards into "Spider-Man: Big Time". Although the banner only runs across the front covers of #546-564 and the Spider-Man: Swing Shift one-shot, "Brand New Day" is also used to refer to the entire 102-issue run of stories featured in The Amazing Spider-Man #546-647 and accompanying tie-in series, one-shots, and annuals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut!</span> Marvel Comics storyline

"Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut!" is a two-issue Spider-Man story arc written by Roger Stern with art by John Romita, Jr. and published by Marvel Comics. The arc appears in The Amazing Spider-Man #229–230.

"Spidey Meets the President!" is a backup feature in The Amazing Spider-Man #583, written by Zeb Wells, with art by Todd Nauck and Frank D'Armata. The cover of the issue shows Barack Obama giving a thumbs-up to Spider-Man. The comic book was published the week before Obama's inauguration in January 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alien Costume Saga</span> Marvel Comics storyline

The Alien Costume Saga is a superhero comic book story arc published by Marvel Comics and centred on the character Spider-Man. It was originally published in the comic book series The Amazing Spider-Man #252–263, The Spectacular Spider-Man #90–100, Marvel Team-Up #141–150 and Web of Spider-Man #1 from May 1984 to April 1985. It features Spider-Man wearing the alien costume he brought home from Battleworld during the Secret Wars limited series and his subsequent discovery that the new costume is alive.

<i>Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows</i> Comic book series

Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows is two series of comic books published by Marvel Comics. The series revolves around Peter Parker / Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson having remained married and raising a daughter named Anna-May "Annie" Parker, with Mary Jane and Annie further becoming the superheroes Spinneret and Spiderling. The original series was a 2015 comic book limited series that tied into that year's Secret Wars event. Following the event's end, the popularity of the series led to a sequel ongoing series set in the alternate reality of Earth-18119, which was published from 2016 to 2018.

References

  1. Cowsill, Alan; Manning, Matthew K. (2012). Spider-Man Chronicle: Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging. DK Publishing. p. 138. ISBN   978-0756692360.
  2. "Wizard Best of Spider-Man Limited Deluxe Hardcover". Archived from the original on February 23, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-12.
  3. 1 2 "Interview with Roger Stern". 1996-10-01. Retrieved 2007-10-12.
  4. "The Very Best of Spider-Man". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-10-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. "The Spider's Web Exclusive: Interview with Roger Stern". Archived from the original on 2009-10-22. Retrieved 2007-10-12.