Stan Lee Meets the Amazing Spider-Man (November 2006)

"Stan Lee Meets the Amazing Spider-Man"

Writer: Stan Lee

Penciler: Olivier Coipel

Inker: Mark Morales

Colorist: Jose Villarrubia 

Letterer: Dave Lanphear

Stan Lee's wife is out for the evening, so The Man decides to cook some of his "famous super-hero cookies." But before he can get even get them in the oven, Spider-Man swings through the window, hoping Stan can help him with a problem. It seems Spidey is having second thoughts about the whole hero thing, having to constantly fight super-villians while still being resented by the populace he protects, and he says he just wants to live a normal life. However, Stan reminds Spidey that should the webslinger ever retire, he would be damaging a good dozen industries that rely on Spider-Man's existence:

Spidey finds Stan's speech more than a little inspiring, immediately becoming ashamed that he could ever doubt his own importance to the world. 

***

"Some Steves"

Writer: Joss Whedon

Artist: Michael Gaydos

Colorist: Pete Pantazis

Letterer: Dave Lanphear

At the Second Interdimensional Comicon, Steve Rennitz runs into several versions of himself from different dimensions, all selling comics at the show. The group compares the titles available in their respective dimensions, but apparently only one dimension has any comics written by Stan Lee. The rest have titles like "The Normal Four" and "Amazing Reality," and feature stories about Peter Parker such as "The Night Gwen Stacy Lightened Up." All this may be intended to make the audience appreciate Stan's contribution to comics, but still: 

I would totally buy "The Normal Four."

***

"Spider-Man Unmasked"

Writer: Stan Lee

Art: John Romita, Sr. and Jim Mooney

Letterer: Sam Rosen

In this reprint of The Amazing Spider-Man #87, Spider-Man is worried that his blood might be losing the radioactivity that gives him his powers. He swings across the city to seek aid from Dr. Curt Connors, but when the doctor isn't in, Spider-Man remembers that he has more important matters to attend to than his own health: he needs to find Gwen a birthday present! for her birthday! which is today! and the party has already started! and it's a surprise party!

Spidey makes one attempt at getting Gwen a present by breaking into a jewelry store and taking a pearl necklace, but immediately realizes that stealing is wrong and mopes about on some buildings instead.

Meanwhile, Gwen is the life of her own party, and Mary Jane is jealous. Until Peter crashes the party! declaring that he was Spider-Man all along! but now he's given up his super-hero alter ego! because his powers are on the fritz!

This sends Gwen to the edge of hysterics. MJ tries to help by talking down Parker, but you know she's trying to horn in on Gwen's guy.

Still overcome with intense feelings of wooziness and grogginess, Spider-Man stumbles into a hospital, where a doctor treats the webslinger and pronounces that he has...the flu!

"Oh," says Spider-Man.

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What If...? Vol.2 #76 (August 1995)

"What If Peter Parker had to Invent Spider-Man?"

Writer/Inker: Terry Austin

Penciler: Stuart Immonen

Colorist: Marie Javins

Letterer: Janice Chiang

Like every issue of What If...?, this story focuses on an alternate reality where a minor twist of fate leads to everyone getting killed. Well, this time, only Mary Jane gets killed, but usually, Galactus ends up eating the planet because Mr. Fantastic was depressed that the Invisible Woman ran off with Namor, or Captain America slips on a banana peel and so the Red Skull gets control of the Cosmic Cube and turns everyone into Nazis. So, this story is actually fairly optimistic by What If...? standards.

Anyway, the twist here is that instead of Peter Parker, a radioactive spider bites Flash Thompson, who uses the powers he receives to steal diamond shipments, throw masonry at cars, and generally continue to bully Parker. Which is weird, because in the Marvel Universe proper, Flash is the president of the Spider-Man fan club (that he created) and worships Spidey for being such a hero. So maybe the twist in this reality is actually that Flash is an incredible asshole.

Peter helps Flash, hoping he'll start to use his powers for good, but worries about Flash continuing to be a bully causes Peter first to lay down ("Probably has something important on his mind...like girls," says Uncle Ben), and then to create a battle suit that can stop Thompson's rampage of tomfoolery.

Peter confronts Flash in the offices of the Daily Bugle, where Thompson is attacking J. Jonah Jameson, and makes a wall-demolishing entrance:

And he calls himself Spider-Man, but here's the thing: he's got two arms, two legs, and six mechanical limbs. That's ten limbs, Parker. Nobody says anything, though, because of the dangerous-looking six mechanical limbs that nerd is packing. Also, another twist in this reality is that arachnids have ten legs.

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