1. The Night Gwen Stacy Died
Marvel ComicsOf course we've hinted at it throughout, and at this point you're probably aware of what happens. If you didn't, erm, sorry, but the title sort of gave it away, didn't it? Anyway, The death of Gwen Stacy still retains its power to shock, to break hearts and to redefine the way you think about superhero comic, even when you've already experienced it via film, TV show or video game. It's the tragedy that reminded us of how vulnerable and fallible Spider-Man is, after a few years of fun adventures and colourful gimmicky bad guys took him far and away from the death of Uncle Ben that sent him on this path in the first place. The tragic end of Gwen Stacy and the Master Planner story are really the most essential comics in the canon of Spider-Man. Both explore different aspects of Peter Parker, his relationships and the way they are affected by his heroism, and how they help to push him forwards in fighting the good fight. Great as If This Be My Destiny is, it's The Night Gwen Stacy Died that we can hold up as both a hugely important story for new readers to understand what this webhead is all about, and also just a damn fine comic book in itself. It has everything you want in a good story, let alone a good Spider-Man story. Action, a villain with a clearly defined (and relatively sensical) motive, a hero you can believe in, some jokes, and ultimately a conclusion so dramatic that the Greeks would balk at its level of tragedy. Well, just about. If for some reason you're put in a frankly bizarre situation where you can only read one Spider-Man comic to understand what his deal is, go with The Night Gwen Stacy Died. Then cry. You'll probably cry. Just so you know.
Where to read it: This one probably deserves the full-colour treatment. Pick up the Death Of Gwen Stacy trade paperback, if your heart (or wallet) can handle it...