Did you know that Spider-Man just celebrated his official 60th birthday? The most beloved comic book hero of all-time first webbed his way into the pages of Marvel Comics on June 5th, 1962 in Amazing Fantasy #15. Though that issue was cover dated August 1962, it actually hit newsstands on that fateful day in June. Legends Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko collaborated on the famous debut cover of Spider-Man swinging into action and fighting crime for the very first time. 

Amazing Fantasy #1000 

Spider-Man may very well be the most enduring comic book hero that we’ve ever seen. Though he’s not the oldest one, his popularity has been unmatched for 60 straight years. So how does Marvel Comics plan to celebrate this monumental achievement? Simple: by putting together a dream team for a special oversized one-shot titled Amazing Fantasy #1000. Together, this team will present a number of different Spidey stories from the past and the present. All of which will help to celebrate his 60th anniversary. 

Assembling a Dream Team 

“It’s Spider-Man’s 60th and we wanted to celebrate in style by inviting some of the greatest creative minds in the world to celebrate it!” Said editor Nick Lowe. Beloved Spider-Man writer Dan Slot will be teaming with artist Jim Cheung to deliver a special story focusing on the enduring love between Peter Parker and Mary Jane. A brand-new villain will be introduced by the team of Neil Gaiman, Anthony Falcone, and Michael Cho in another story. Meanwhile, Ho Che Anderson will present a horror themed epic that promises to rock Peter Parker to his very core. Amazing Fantasy #1000 will also see stories from the likes of Kurt Busiek, Jonathan Hickman, and more!  

Cover & Variants 

John Romita, Jr. Will be doing the cover for this milestone book, though there will also be variants by J. Scott Campbell and Peach Momoko. Campbell will be doing a series of variant covers, which also celebrate a number of other iconic characters celebrating their 60th anniversaries this year and next. He shared his excitement for this awesome opportunity: “It’s a thrill and an honor to create cover art celebrating the 60th anniversary of characters that have become so iconic and ingrained in our culture,” he said. “I really wanted to make images that would have a visual bridge from the pulpy 4 color origins of these monumental heroes to the modern-day slick coloring and production we are now all familiar with.” The excitement is palpable. Look for Amazing Fantasy #1000 this August!