American Comics Update: Spider-Mania/Mighty Marvel Firsts: The Master Planner Trilogy – Amazing #31-33
*Marvel: The Master Planner trilogy, appearing in Amazing Spider-Man #31-33 is one of the greatest storylines from the Lee & Ditko formative years on one of the world’s most iconic comic characters. The Master Planner himself of course turns out to be one of Spidey’s most infamous foes, but we don’t want to reveal that on the slim off-chance that you don’t already know. Within this compelling storyline, we are first introduced to Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn and Professor Warren in #31, and #33 features the classic cover with Spidey imprisoned under heavy machinery with water flooding down. Many people (self included) cite the moment inside when he breaks free as their all-time favourite moment in Spider-Man’s history.
PICTURED: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
#31 GD/VG p £150 Pence printed, a ‘Marvel Pop Art Production’. Structurally sound with good cover colour; supple off-white to cream (at the edges) pages and tight, firm staples. Some edge wear with short colour-breaking creases across bottom right corner and at top between mast-head and logo. There are also two longer colour-breaking creases (about 5-6 cm) up from the bottom edge. The cover was folded off-centre in production so that 0.5 cm of the cover image is over the fold on the back cover. Edges of inside covers are tanned but not brittle.
#32 GD/VG p £55 Pence printed with good cover colour and gloss. Minor edge wear with tiny chip out centre right edge and small flake off bottom right cover corner (see scan). Tight, firm staples and decent off-white pages. Dust shadow along cover right edge. Edges of inside covers are tanned but not brittle.
#33 VG p £110 Pence printed with excellent cover colour and gloss. Tiny chips out top, right and bottom edges (1 each) and a colour-breaking crease of about 2 cm across bottom right corner. Other than that, no notable other wear except for slight corner blunting. Staples are tight and firm; pages are supple and white to off-white. Edges of inside covers are a little tanned but not brittle.