10 Marvel Graphic Novels You Must Read Before You Die

4. Spider-Man: The Death Of Jean DeWolff

There are countless Spider-Man tales worthy of a spot on Marvel's all-time greats (Kraven's Last Hunt in particular), so much so that the character lacks what many would consider to be a definitive text. If any comic could lay claim to that title, however, it would be Peter David's The Death of Jean DeWolff.

Originally published in 1985, the storyline - David's first ever - proved to be an instant hit, following Peter Parker as he unravels the murder of his close friend Jean DeWolff who, for some time, had been a regular feature in Spidey's comics. A detective with the NYPD, DeWolff was one of the few characters who knew Spider-Man for his masked persona alone and, following her introduction a decade earlier, she'd become something of a fan-favourite character.

Imaginably, David's decision to axe her off proved to be controversial at the time. Fortunately for readers, the writer managed to use the death to convey a truly compelling tale that focussed on Spider-Man at his worst; angry, alone, and hellbent on catching the person who murdered his friend.

Daredevil also features, and David does some really interesting stuff with him and Peter, but it's the thematic strength of the title that makes it stand out above other Spidey tales. Of course, writers have never been ones to shy away from displaying Parker's vulnerability, but there's something about the way David conveys it here that makes it stand out over others.

It's about revenge, it's about the ordinary and, in a period where Spidey was being teleported across the cosmos, it's very, very important.