Spider-Man: Blue

Possibly repeating what has already been said but this is an an incredible piece of work. I've never been a fan of the term 'graphic novel' as comics have generally been bought by children and teenagers and 'grahic novel' seemed to be a rebranding exercise to make it acceptable for, mainly, men to not be embarassed to be seen buying or reading comics. But Spider-Man: Blue changes everthing - this is simply superb story-telling, excellent artwork, top quality writing, action, emotion and pace all delivered on good quality paper that makes it a pleasure and joy to hold and to read. Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale have taken a fictional character and a fantasy and made it seem very real. Blue reads like a novel and obviously there are illustrations so in this case graphic novel is a fair description. This is something, however it is described, that can be read whether you are young or old, male or female. Jeph and Tim have expanded on the original story and delivered something very special in a timeless classic. This is the standard that every single comic issue should aspire to.

I have to give this 5 stars. Loeb and Sale combine, as always, to deliver a truly emotive retrospective analysis of a key period in Spidey history: his ultimately doomed relationship with Gwen Stacy. The vasic plot involves Peter Parker reminiscing about his earliest interactions with Gwen and their gang of friends and how his feelings for her developed, with the added distraction of Mary Jane bursting into his life at that same time. What stands out is just how well this works emotionally as we see a man currently in a happy marriage, but who understandably cannot help mourning the loss of his first love and a life that could have been but was tragically ripped away from him. It's powerful stuff, which is a little unexpected when reading a Spider Man story. The art on show is also worth mentioning; Sale does a great job of depicting both Gwen and MJ as beautiful women and it's easy to see why Peter can hardly stop thinking about them. Everything is well drawn and matches well with how Romita originally drew this era of events at the time. Overall, a great read for fans of Spider Man, and anyone wondering why the heck Gwen Stacy was such a big deal to him. This one made me give my wife a big hug after finishing it.

I'd recommend this to a person who wants to start reading spider man comics. Great entry point. Beautiful story. Beautiful characters.

It was amazing. Having more time as Peter Parker than Spider-Man really gave you a good understanding of his life and the blueness of it really captured how he was feeling.

The artwork is simply amazing. After reading it straight through, I just had to go back and study each panel again and marvel at how beautiful it looks. The story is even better. It has Spider-man in action against his many famous foes but gives equal time to Peter's life and relationships. Even though we all know what happens to Gwen, this book finishes with her and Peter at the beginning of their romance so leaves us on a positive note - although the very last page with MJ is so moving, it makes me watery-eyed every time. The book was delivered ahead of time and though it was suppose to be "nearly new", it looked in mint condition; and best of all, I bought it for £9.99 - a week before the price rocketed to over £50.

Not only does this story have amazing artwork and inking but the story is fantastic. It feels like the original Spider-Man with the framework and hindsight of today. The story is so emotional and incising, Jeph Loeb did such a good job on this rendition of the character. I loved it.

Wonderful story plotting from Jeph Loeb and magical artwork from the Late, Great, Legendary Tim Sale. This story colours the lines of The Night Gwen Stacy Died with emotional impact in a way that’s truly respectful. Read it.

Anyone who thinks comics cannot convey true depth of emotion needs to read this. The story harks back to the 'classic' era of Spider-man flawlessly, and weaves an action-packed, very funny yet darkly tinged story which is a genuine page-turner. The artwork somehow manages to do the writing credit, and the result is simply one of the best Spider-man stories I have ever read - and I've been a fan for a good couple of decades. If you're wondering whether to buy this one or not... do it. I sincerely doubt you would regret it.