10 Essential Storylines To Read If You're Just Getting Into Spider-Man

1. The Death Of Jean DeWolff

Of all the surprising things about The Death of Jean DeWolff, the fact that the storyline was Peter David's first is perhaps the most shocking.

While David is today heralded for being one of the most prolific creators in the industry, he was a relative newcomer when he set out to write this particular Spider-Man story back in the October of 1985. Any apparent signs that the writer was new to the gig, however, failed to make an appearance, as The Death of Jean DeWolff stands today as one of the most compelling Spider-Man stories ever told.

Another Spidey comic that would seemingly give away its premise with the title, The Death of Jean DeWolff revolves around the death of that eponymous character who, at the time, had become a staple of Spidey's comics. A police detective in the NYPD, she was also one of the few characters who only interacted with Peter as Spidey; to her, that's all the character ever was.

In any case, DeWolff fast became a fan-favourite character, so - as you can imagine - David's decision to kill her off wasn't universally well-received in the slightest. Despite this, those three issues from Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man stand today as some of the best the character's ever had. Add a cameo from Daredevil and a profound sense of pathos, and you have one of the most intelligent and personal Spidey comics ever told.

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