Top Comics to Read Before Spider-Man 2 PC Release

Considering the controversy surrounding Amazing Spider-Man, one might assume Friendly Neighborhood comics are currently at their lowest. Far from it. Here are several Spider-Man novelizations I wholeheartedly recommend. From psychological horror to buddy adventures, from Spidey's darkest moments to fresh beginnings - welcome to a reimagined web of stories.

The narrative unfolds through three distinct threads: Web of Past, Web of Dreams, and Web of Absurd. Which iteration reminds you most of Insomniac's acclaimed game?

Table of Content

Spine-Tingling Spider-Man

Writer: Saladin Ahmed
Artist: Juan Ferreira

Though launched digitally in 2023 and concluding in 2024, this remains essential reading. Originally a digital exclusive, it later saw print as one-shot #0 before expanding into a four-issue limited series.

The concept proves timeless: pair an exceptional artist with our hero for a mind-bending psychedelic journey. Unlike The Spectacular Spider-Men, Ferreira's visual storytelling shines through wordless panels. While Ahmed's script delivers, Ferreira's horrifying dreamscapes steal the show.

The story follows Peter facing Zero-One-Shot's villain, Paul, whose lullabies steal dreams. Spider-Man battles sleep deprivation amid terrifying visions - essentially "Spider-Man Meets Junji Ito" through Ferreira's nightmarish 100-page artbook.

In the limited series, the nightmare grows more inventive, channeling "Beau Is Afraid" energy. Peter endures every imaginable fear - from identity crises to confrontations with phantom conductors. Ferreira adopts manga-style composition: grotesque monsters rendered in intricate detail contrast with a simplified, frightened Peter for maximum relatability.

Spider-Man: Shadow of the Green Goblin

Writer: J.M. DeMatteis
Artist: Michael Sta. Maria

Did you know Norman Osborn wasn't the first Goblin? This tale reveals the shocking Proto-Goblin's secrets and how he connects to the Osborn legacy, with young Peter caught in the middle before fully understanding his responsibility.

Part of Marvel's nostalgia wave revisiting the 80s-90s era, these "lost stories" slot between classic issues. When done poorly, these feel like cheap cash-ins, but DeMatteis proves why he's considered Spider-Man's finest writer.

Expanding his legendary Spectacular Spider-Man run (particularly the Kraven's Last Hunt arc), DeMatteis crafts psychological drama worthy of Dostoevsky's pen. The story revisits Harry Osborn's trauma while introducing Proto-Goblin, a forgotten 90s creation - Norman's mutated test subject Nels van Adder.

The brilliance lies in making superheroics secondary. Between masked showdowns, we see Norman's demons consuming his family long before the Goblin serum. Sta. Maria's art captures the creeping dread as that familiar shadow looms over everything. This overlooked gem deserves recognition beyond the flashback fatigue.

Spider-Man: Reign 2

Writer/Artist: Kaare Andrews

Wilson Fisk rules a dome-encased New York keeping zombies at bay. An elderly Peter, having accidentally killed Mary Jane with radioactive semen (yes, really), exists in a digital afterlife with her until thief Kitty Cat shatters the illusion. Together, they time-travel to prevent catastrophe.

Less sequel than reimagining of Andrews' controversial Reign (itself a Dark Knight Returns homage), this channels his Iron Fist: The Living Weapon's over-the-top brutality. Expect cybernetic Kingpin, Goblin-ized Miles Morales, and Venom transformations that make Tom Hardy's equestrian symbiote look tame.

Andrews specializes in visceral combat - this might be Marvel's most brutally injured Peter Parker. Interestingly, it parallels Hickman's Ultimates run as a "what if Peter buckled" scenario. Amid the chaos (including time paradoxes and absurdist takes on classic villains), we find poignant resolution as Peter finally makes peace with his past.