Spider-Man: Life Story Paperback – Illustrated, October 22, 2019

What a terrific take on Spider-Man. I love when a creator just still captures the essence of the character and just runs with it. Extremely enjoyable,that I devoured in one sitting.I would recommend this is old and new fans.

Deeper and down to earth iteration of Peter story. It is not a graphic novel for kids or just to have fun. It addresses complex topics and issues universal to us, having time and it's impact on our lifes as a core theme.

I mean I am reading this on my mom’s account (I,m Sam) but I am choosing to focus on a part of this book that many overlook JJJ,s redemption arc.It shows him making up for his mistakes and showing genuine remorse for what he did, all in all 11 out of 10(yes, I know that doesn’t make sense, I dare you to find some way to sue me) also if you like this I would recommend a series made by a friend of the writers The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl as well as Chip,s own book Howard The Duck(also I saw the near phychedelic 80,s or 90,s Howard The Duck movie (the editors called the director’s commentary “unleashing the duck” so you have to know it’s insane from that.

A great take on Spider-man's decades-long history. It managed to weave the most most important elements of each decade together into an interesting narrative and even took the time to deal with some of the issues of the time periods it covered. The original ideas presented, such as there being a Black Goblin to succeed Norman Osborn instead of other Green Goblins and the Hobgoblin, as well as Kraven the Hunter becoming Venom, were also well done. The Black Goblin is actually a concept that could work quite well in the main continuity. My one real complaint is that Venom/Kraven is saved for the book's closing moments. He is enjoyable in that brief time, but could have been used before then as well, in the 90s' segment where Venom's popularity was at it's peak. In conclusion, I will also say I wouldn't mind seeing more of this continuity and how the Marvel Universe as a whole was effected by real-world time and events.

A newcomer will enjoy it, but miss a chunk of nuance in the story. A long-time fan will find a concerto of the life and times of Peter Parker.Whatever you are expecting, this story both is and isn't it. And I mean that in the best possible way. We have seen the trope of "what if the hero aged normally from when they were introduced" done before -- most notably in Byrne's Generations saga -- but Zdarsky and Bagley give it new weight in this tale. Not only is this a solid tale of what Peter as he accumulates experience and wisdom (because those two are not mutually exclusive) it is also a solid commentary on what was happening to comics and comics readers during those same decades.There are too many places where a story told like this could have come off the rails -- but the creators never let that happen. This is clearly done with love, affection, and a deep-seated desire to remind us all of who Spider-Man is and what his two greatest powers truly are: Peter Parker's spectacular brain and his amazing heart. This last one takes center stage in subtle, but compellingly effective ways as Peter is forced to dance between the dictates of reacting in the immediate (stopping muggers, defeating a rampaging villain) and taking a step back to see what impact he can have on the greater picture.The one caveat in all this is that while this is a gorgeous piece of storytelling it will not resonate as well with those unfamiliar with the major beats of Peter's life. Don't get me wrong, you can pick it up as a gateway book and enjoy the Hell out of it. But if you don't understand the significance of the identity swaps from the Clone Saga in the 90's, Kraven's Last Hunt in the 80's, or Peter's palpable fear when he tackled Morlun and the Inheritors in the 2000's then you will miss some key emotional beats.In sum -- still enjoyable for a newcomer, but for a long-time fan this concerto is "must read."

I really enjoyed reading this story from start to finish. Everything seem so on point from the artwork to the story itself. One of the best Spider-Man stories I read in a long time.

Nice

For a long time Spider-Man fan, this was an incredible story. It was filled with plot twists that made sense and were familiar to the old stories, yet were brought about in a fresh way that still surprised me. Things were rushed at times and there were several stories that could have been fleshed out a lot more, but it was satisfying overall and the ending punches you in the gut.Take your time reading this, absorb the nuances of what's going on and how it's different from the original, and you'll find this a pleasant diversion for the afternoon. Loved it!