Finished another volume and some random thoughts to go around. This Essential has the Amazing Spider-Man I#114-137, Giant Size Superheroes#1, and Giant Size Spider-Man 1 and 2. The issues that probably make this collection, and certainly the most mentioned, are issues 121 and 122, featuring the deaths of Gwen Stacy and the Green Goblin.
Shocking today, but in the 1970's I can't imagine what it would have been like to read that for the first time. The 'Gwen was Peter's only love and she was perfect' attitude from fans today is a bit annoying though. Looking back at these issues and the previous volumes, I'm just not seeing it could come from. Gwen, under Conway's pen, is flat. She seems to have no other interest other than being Parker's girlfriend. When Lee and Ditko introduced her though, she had some spark, but by the time these issues rolled around she was just another cliche superhero love interest.
Another first is the Punisher (issue 129), although Chris Sims could probably give you a better accounting of the character than could, but seeing the anti hero running around does make you wonder if Marvel always had such plans for the character.
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