First appearance

Spider-Man's first appearance: Amazing Fantasy #15

Spider-Man first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15, cover dated August 1962, published by Marvel and created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.

Why it matters

Peter Parker's debut, origin and the famous lesson about power and responsibility all happen in one short story, in the final issue of a series that was being cancelled. It's one of the most important comics ever published, and the cornerstone of Silver Age collecting. Aunt May and Uncle Ben also first appear here.

Related key issues

• The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (March 1963), the start of his own series.
• The Amazing Spider-Man #252 (May 1984), first appearance of the black costume in his main series.

Before you buy or sell, check

• Marvel has reprinted this issue many times, including facsimile editions with modern prices and barcodes. An original has a 12-cent cover price.
• Restored copies are common at this level. Graded copies note restoration on the label.

Then look up what copies in similar condition actually sold for. Prices for keys like this move with grade and with news about the character, so a recent sale tells you far more than a printed guide. Our guides on the grading scale and spotting reprints help you compare like with like.

More first appearances

• Venom: The Amazing Spider-Man #300 (May 1988)
• Carnage: The Amazing Spider-Man #361 (April 1992)
• Miles Morales: Ultimate Comics Fallout #4 (October 2011)
• The Punisher: The Amazing Spider-Man #129 (February 1974)
• Black Widow: Tales of Suspense #52 (April 1964)

Questions