Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 12 by Stan Lee is the last volume that Stan Lee wrote a majority of the Spiderman issues, he still has input on the stories but does not write the scripts after this. This volume has only two notable villains Doc Ock and Kraven the Hunter, then no name villains like Hammerhead, the misunderstood Gibbon, The Smasher and the Disrupter. Spiderman battles the Hulk and a hellbent Thunderbolt Ross which was actually the weakest issues even with sometimes cool battle scenes. We finally get the mystery solved of where Aunt May has been missing. This volume had the first reprise issues, a failed release of a new Spiderman series the Spectacular Spider-Man that only had 2 issues and was featured in Marvel Masterworks The Amazing Spider-Man volume 7, was republished. I was a little surprised how much the comic did change one character was dead in the original so I knew they were going to have to go around that, but pleasantly surprised that a story was just okay was made a little better, the beginning is the exact same and the ending is only slightly different. Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 12 by Stan Lee collect issues 110-120 of The Amazing Spider-Man.

The Plot Summaries: A man who looks and can climb like a monkey joins the circus, only they wanted him for the freak show not for his acrobatics. He leaves the circus but takes his monkey costume and becomes the Gibbon inspired by Spiderman, but he gets tricked by Kraven the Hunter and eats the berries of power the same ones the Black Panther takes, but it makes him even more monkey like, and Kraven gets him to blame Spiderman. Peter finds Aunt May in an enemies lair, while a gang war goes on. Spiderman spots the Smasher destroying an anti gang/mob candidate, but why and who is the disrupter and what does he stand for? Peter Parker gets sent on assignment to Canada to photograph the Hulk, but the Hulk is hunted by Thunderbolt Ross and won’t stop until the Hulk is dead and he might take Spiderman out too.

What I Liked: The art of Gil Kane, John Romita Jr. looks great they really have captured Peter Parker and give Spiderman some cool moves. The reissue turned into 3 issue was good, and different I thought it was going to be the same but has lots of different beats, and seamlessly brings Peter Parker and Spiderman’s personal problems. The Doc Ock saga is always good, and goes in a direction you’re not thinking.

What I Disliked: I do miss that they took my favorite scene from the reissue when Jamison stands up for journalist integrity. This volume is lacking on good stories there’s great scenes but not great stories. The Hulk Story was the worst didn’t care for anyone the military, and really horrible dialogue by every soldier.

Recommendation: This volume is just okay and does not add anything to the character of Spiderman. Th only on going story line is the trouble with Aunt May, first Peter is worried where she is when he finds her he worries she’s in danger, these character’s switched. I say you can skip this volume, the next volume teases the return of the Green Goblin which I’m looking forward to. I rated Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 12 by Stan Lee 3 out of 5 stars.