Without even knowing the eventual importance of the Green Goblin -at that time- one could still tell this issue was a big one; not because of the return of the enforcers but for guest-starring The Incredible Hulk.  In recent times,  the hulk has been all over the place from the Avengers, to a massive two-part battle in Fantastic Four; but it is here that Spider-Man first crosses his path.  Then, as we have the advantage of looking back from 50 years after this issue was published; the green goblin would also become a key character in times to come.  But none of these facts guarantee that Amazing Spider-Man #14 was any good, so feel free to read on to see what I thought of it, or pick it up yourself and give it a good read though.

Artwork

In reference to the artwork; this one may take the prize compared to any of the spider-man issues i read so far.  Steve Ditko I feel had really defined the style that would be spider-man by this issue, and is letting it show. Even just looking at our hero, you can see clearly that he is strong and agile,  a natural gymnast in the panels we catch him moving though.   his method of hanging, and sitting seem to be now established, and these mannerisms will last for years to come.  such as how he is hanging in the included panel, outside the window of a famous director. But this is far from the only example of his raw athleticism in this issue.

Characters & Development

The Supporting Cast

In this issue,   we get to see the supporting cast both reacting to Peter Parker going to Hollywood  and how they act when he is away. in fact  most of one page id dedicated to this.  This not only show’s us that the cast of characters who surround our hero are important, but that they are also developing.  Both from Ant May’s ongoing  concern for Peter,  to Betty Brant’s fear of loosing him.  We also see the continued development of feelings for peter by Liz Allen.

It is not just while Peter Parker is gone that these characters develop, but also when he is around,   we see perhaps the most for his love interest Betty Brant in the form of jealousy for Liz Allen. 

The Green Goblin

Our newest antagonist is shrouded in more mystery than any we have seen so far.  Even his identity is hidden from the readers, and his motives are not revealed until the very last few panels.   The Green Goblin is here to stay, and I feel a large part of that is just how secret his identity was kept from the start.   But its re then just that, his arsenal is different then that of other spider-man opponents so far. We the readers even have no idea of the extent of it.  from his ‘flying broom’ to his explosives,  anything he does is a surprise until it happens. 

Originality & Continuity

Both in the way the Green goblin is presented, to the very nature of how the hulk ends up in this story; it is quite original, and true to the marvel universe so far.   Best of all, while captivating, the story is far from predictable, giving a feeling of unknown to each page flip.   I must say though, this is not the first time our hero’s have been tricked into making a movie by an advisory.  The same thing has happened to the Fantastic Four as well, after going bankrupt.

Hulk Vs. Spider-Man

Hero’s facing off against each other is an iconic part of comic books; more so in those days.  But perhaps none more than  anyone facing off against the Hulk, as he is not a super hero in the same way as the rest.  Believing  everyone to be against him, he acts upon it.  and attacks first.  This can lead easily to an iconic battle such as this. (while not as well-known as when the Hulk faces The Thing) .