Avenging Spider-Man is the title of an American comic book series that was published monthly by Marvel Comics from 2012 to 2013, featuring the adventures of the fictional superhero Spider-Man. The events in the story take place in the primary continuity of the mainstream Marvel Universe along with the events of The Amazing Spider-Man and later The Superior Spider-Man. This was the first ongoing series to feature Spider-Man as the main character besides The Amazing Spider-Man since the cancellation of Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and the second volume of Sensational Spider-Man in December 2008 following the conclusion of the "One More Day" storyline. Avenging Spider-Man has also been instrumental in Marvel's shift towards including codes to receive free digital copies of the comic with purchased print comic books.
Format The format of the series was very similar to the Marvel Team-Up comic book where Spider-Man teams up with another character in every issue. The first and second volumes of Marvel Team-Up primarily (but not exclusively) featured Spider-Man whereas Avenging Spider-Man exclusively features Spider-Man.
Publication history Marvel announced the publication in June 2011. The first issue was released 9 November 2011, with Zeb Wells as the writer, Joe Madureira as the penciller, and Ferran Daniel as the colorist. The first issue outsold both issues of The Amazing Spider-Man released in November and was the sixth best selling comic book of the month.
The first three issues of the series contained a code for a free digital copy of the comic book, which is the first time any publisher has provided free digital copies as part of the print copy of the comic book. The free digital copy with purchase was extended to include the fourth issue, but Marvel changed from using a sealed poly-bag to protect the code to using a sticker so potential readers could look at the book before purchasing. The response to the free digital code in the first issue was so positive that Marvel announced they would include free digital codes in comic books in their Ultimate line of comics starting in January 2012. The free digital copy with purchase, still using the sticker to protect the code, was extended to the fifth, sixth, and seventh issues before all Marvel comics priced at $3.99 started receiving free digital codes in June 2012 (issue eight) due to the success of the free digital codes in Avenging Spider-Man and the Ultimate line of comics.
It was announced in April 2013 that Avenging Spider-Man was to end in July of the same year, with Superior Spider-Man Team-Up taking its place. It would retain the creative team of writer Christopher Yost and artists Paolo Rivera and Marco Checchetto.
Issues Issue Guest character(s) Villain(s) or Threat Writer Artist Release date Reception Sales rank Notes1Red HulkMoloidsZeb WellsJoe Madureira9 November 20117.0/10 5.0/56th2Ra'ktar/Molans7 December 20117.5/10 3.0/513th318 January 20128.0/10 4.5/523rd4HawkeyeSidewinder III and Serpent Society agentsGreg Land15 February 20127.0/10 2.0/533rd5Captain AmericaSerpent SocietyLeinil Yu28 March 20129.0/10 5.0/536th6Daredevil and PunisherThe HandGreg Rucka and Mark WaidMarco Checchetto11 April 20128.5/10 4.5/527thStory continued in Punisher vol. 8 #10 and Daredevil vol. 3 #11.7She-HulkBastetKathryn ImmonenStuart Immonen9 May 20127.5/10 4.5/560th8Doctor Strange and Silver SableDoctor DoomDan Slott andTy TempletonMatthew Clark20 June 20125.5/10 2.5/551stEpilogue to "Ends of the Earth" and further description of Web of Spider-Man #72.9Captain MarvelBlackbird SecurityKelly Sue DeConnickTerry Dodson11 July 20129.0/10 3.5/549thFirst appearance of Robyn Hood. This issue chronologically follows first appearance of Carol Danvers as Captain Marvel, but is published one week prior.10Robyn Hood1 August 20127.5/10 3.0/563rd11Aunt MayCopperheadZeb WellsSteve Dillon29 August 20126.5/10 4.0/566thFight with Copperhead is only 2 pages. As part of 50th anniversary of Spider-Man's first appearance the story is primarily Peter and May reminiscing about Uncle Ben.12DeadpoolPeter's dreams/imaginationKevin ShinickAaron Kuder12 September 20129.0/10 3.5/552nd13Hypno-Hustler10 October 20128.9/10 4.0/576th14Devil Dinosaur and Moon-BoyFire-breathing velociraptorsCullen BunnGabriele Dell'Otto7 November 20127.4/10 4.0/576thTakes place in the Savage Land.15Brainchild5 December 20127.5/10 5.0/575th15.1Bridge story between The Amazing Spider-Man #700 and The Superior Spider-Man #1.Chris YostPaco Medina26 December 20123.0/5 4.5/553rdFirst issue of Avenging Spider-Man to star Superior Spider-Man instead of Peter Parker as Spider-Man.16Wolverine and the X-MenGiant hybrid garden spider / human / mutant16 January 20137.0/10 3.0/573rdThe hybrid was created by Jackal, who is seen in a final page cameo, later established as Gwen Warren.17Future FoundationDeath's Head and Time Variance Authority27 February 20138.7/10 5.0/571stSuperior Spider-Man steals the captive Sandman from the Baxter Building and takes him to a hidden underwater lab.18ThorElectroMarco Checchetto13 March 20138.4 3.5/574thSuperior Spider-Man captures Electro and places him in containment next to Sandman in his hidden underwater lab.19SleepwalkerFearworm10 April 20138.5/10 2.5/574th20Secret AvengersChameleon and The Saints8 May 20136.4/10 4.0/579th2129 May 20137.3/10 2.5/583rdSuperior Spider-Man transports the unconscious Chameleon to his hidden underwater lab.22PunisherMysterion and HobgoblinDavid Lopez12 June 20136.9/10 3.5/580thSuperior Spider-Man captures Mysterion and places him in containment with Sandman, Electro, and Chameleon in his hidden underwater lab.AnnualThe ThingEnergy field enhancingaggressive tendenciesRob WilliamsBrad Walker31 October 20128.2/103.5/594th
Collected editions +TitleMaterial collectedPublished dateISBNAvenging Spider-Man: My Friends Can Beat Up Your FriendsAvenging Spider-Man #1-5June 2012Avenging Spider-Man: The Good, The Green, and The UglyAvenging Spider-Man #7, 9-10, 12-13February 2013Avenging Spider-Man: Threats & MenacesAvenging Spider-Man #14-15, Avenging Spider-Man Annual #1, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #39, Spider-Man vs. Vampires #1 and material from Amazing Spider-Man #692May 2013Superior Spider-Man Team-Up: Superiority ComplexAvenging Spider -Man #16-19, 15.1July 2013Superior Spider-Man Team-Up: Friendly FireAvenging Spider-Man #20-22, Superior Spider-Man Annual #1, Daredevil (vol. 3) #22January 2014Avenging Spider-Man: The Complete CollectionAvenging Spider-Man #1-15, Annual #1; Punisher (vol. 8) #10; Daredevil (vol. 3) #11; Amazing Spider-Man Annual #39; Spider-Man vs. Vampires #1 and material from Amazing Spider-Man #692April 2019Superior Spider-Man CompanionAvenging Spider-Man #15.1, 16-22; Daredevil (vol. 3) #22; Superior Spider-Man Team Up #1-12; Scarlet Spider (vol. 2) #20; Inhumanity: Superior Spider-Man #1January 2019
References
External links Marvel.com "3 Ways to Buy" information