Spider-Man: Blue Paperback – May 1, 2004

The art by Tim Sale is visually stunning, to say the least. The writing from Jeph Loeb is incredibly smart. What else did I expect from the team that wrote one of the greatest Batman stories of all time? This is an original work from one of the greatest duos in comic history, but what makes it so great is how it compliments and pays respect to Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's work on Spider-Man. It feels like a love letter, in that way.Now my only issue is one that doesn't need to be explained. This book is HIGHLY sought after, and therefore, VERY expensive. When it came in the mail, I admit I was disappointed by the size of the book compared to what I paid for it, but at the same time, I get it. It's an amazing book and well worth the price, despite its size.

Blue is one of those books that would appeal to comic fans who have both loved and followed Spider-Man in the past couple of decades. I guess the best thing about this oneshot is that it doesn't have the wild continuity that comes with following an ongoing comic serial, but it offers just as much of that familiar chaos; repackaged it into a neat and easy-to-follow package that also focuses on Spidey's famous romance with Gwen Stacy. It's a great book to add to your shelf!

This is a well crafted and beautifully illustrated book. While I will admit that the emotional high points are in issues 1 and 6 that was probably by design and can't be considered a bad thing. This is an important in depth look into the women that shaped the most unlucky characters in comics how he deals with a seminal moment in comic book history. Jeph Loeb does an amazing job shifting the focus and narrative away from Peter and towards Mary Jane and Gwen Stacy as they psuedo compete for the affections of Pete. Several scenes stick out when it comes to emotional staying power such as the first few panels when Spider-Man goes to the Brooklyn Bridge to visit the scene of Gwen's death on Valentines Day or the scene when Peter is laying in bed sick and gets a visit from both Mary Jane and Gwen (this scene shows the differences in the personalities of MJ and Gwen when it comes to their view of Pete and makes the differences not only subtle but character progression tools in the process) or the opening panels of the 6th issue when Peter is describing the dream he had about Gwen in such sweet and disappointing detail or even the last panels before the flashbacks end and you are brought back to present day (the words "That's when you had me Gwen Stacy." "All of me." could very well be the most romantic and heartbreaking words ever penned in comics.). Overall the art work is very Tim Sale and the covers are sensational but to me the writing is what makes this book not only a must read but a must own.Bottom line this book is probably the most well written Spider-Man story in the 60 year history of the character and deserves a spot on your bookshelf today. Just make sure you have room on that shelf for a box of tissues because this one will have you in tears early and often.Thank you Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale for writing such a welll crafted and complete dedication to one of comics most under appreciated characters.

I think personally that this truly shows how much struggle was in Peter and Gwen’s relationship. The fact that it took so long for them to get together but they both wanted each other the whole time is just amazing. I am a fan of the movies so I don’t know everything about the comics, but I do know how impactful Gwen’s death was to Peter. And the fact that he was sending a message to her the whole time was beautiful but heartbreaking at the same time. P.S. if you’ve watched the amazing Spider-Man 2, you’ll be sobbing a whole lot harder next time you watch it, after reading this.

This is a review of the paperback, 2017 printing of Spider-Man: Blue by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale.This is it! This is THE definitive Spider-Man story. It’s beautifully drawn, written, and crafted, and the final two pages have never once failed to make me cry. It’s a Spider-Man volume that features the Green Goblin, the Lizard, the Rhino, new and old Vultures, along with another (plot sensitive) villain, while still being deeply focused on exploring the love dynamic between Peter, MJ, and Gwen before and after Gwen’s death.Loeb and Sale are a phenomenal team [further reading: their work together on Batman: Long Halloween, Dark Victory, and Catwoman: When In Rome, and Jeph Loeb’s writing on Batman: Hush] and they bring a familiarity and ease to Spider-Man that harkens back to the good ole days of the Stan Lee/Steve Ditko/John Romita era of the 1960s. That is to say, classic Spider-Man stories.This is intentional! In the afterword section of this volume, Sale describes the process of trying to replicate the allure and magic of how Mary Jane and Gwen Stacy were drawn by Romita, while Loeb discusses the writing process of reintroducing us to the first meeting of these characters. The story unfolds as Peter sitting in his attic, addressing Gwen into a tape recorder as he reflects about their time together before her death. This is the framing device that allows Loeb and Sale to go back in time and explore these old dynamics that have been baked into pop culture history.Spider-Man: Blue is an exploration of love, loss, and the innocence of an era of comics we don’t see much of anymore. I can’t recommend it enough.