The Amazing Spider-Man #1000, released Sept. 30, made Marvel history: it is the first Marvel superhero series to legitimately reach 1,000 issues. Only DC’s Action Comics and Detective Comics have hit the milestone before.
Amazing Spider-Man #1000 Reaches Historic Milestone
Spider-Man has headlined The Amazing Spider-Man since his first appearance in 1962, making the character one of Marvel’s longest-running series. The 102-page issue arrived as a jam-packed celebration with work from some of the biggest names in comics.
The milestone matters because so few superhero titles survive that long. The Amazing Spider-Man #1000 topped Bleeding Cool’s bestseller list, outselling titles like Amazing Venom #1 and Alien vs. X-Men #1, even though some shops sold copies early on Sept. 26 for Local Comic Shop Day.
What’s Inside Issue #1000
The lead story comes from writer Joe Kelly and artist Pepe Larraz, introducing a new villain named Ravage who deals Peter Parker a devastating blow. According to IGN, Ravage separates Peter from a shocking family connection, Aunt May’s son, a character called Cormac Crane who appeared wealthy and put-together. Kelly told IGN he designed the story to stand alone while also continuing the Spider-Man saga into issue #1001, arriving Oct. 14.
Noah Hawley, the writer behind the FX series Fargo and Legion, made his comic-book debut with “Still Standing,” an anthology story that imagines Peter in his 80s at a nursing home. According to Deadline, Hawley teamed with artist Patrick Gleason to explore an aging Spider-Man reckoning with mortality and regret over Gwen Stacy’s death, while his son and grandson remind him of the life he built beyond the mask. Hawley told Deadline he wanted to “give him the dignity of old age” after forcing Spider-Man to remain eternally young.
The issue also features work from writers and artists including Brian Michael Bendis, Triple H, Frank Miller, and Peach Momoko. Collectors can choose from 29 cover variants by artists including John Romita Jr., Paolo Rivera, and Alex Ross.
Why It Matters
Spider-Man remains Marvel’s most popular character since his 1962 debut. The timing of issue #1000 comes as Spider-Man is experiencing a cultural surge, the film Spider-Man: Brand New Day hit $2.5 billion at the box office earlier this year, making it the highest-grossing Spider-Man film ever. Only Avengers: Endgame has surpassed that figure among Marvel films.
The Amazing Spider-Man #1000 is available now wherever comics are sold. Learn more about Aunt May’s shocking memory loss and catch up on the latest Marvel announcements.
Reporting from Deadline, IGN, Cbr and Comicbook contributed to this story.
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