Spider-Man Comic Appearances for January 25, 2012

A pleasantly small week for Spider-Man comic book appearances with only four new finds at my local comic shop, and only one variant cover in the bunch.

Spidey's role in FF has trailed off, and I wonder how much longer Marvel will milk his appearance in the flagship Fantastic Four title now that the Human Torch is back.  I suppose time will tell, but his head-shot has already been removed from the inside front cover synopsis.

Here's the list for this week:

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for January 18, 2012

With 11 new comic books this week that have Spider-Man appearances, we have a good mix of regular and variant issues.  Marvel has really stuck to their guns with the variant covers, and it's a little annoying.

Also this week, nearly every recurring Spider-Man title came out.  Somehow, they're bunched up in one week instead of spicing through the month.  It makes it more expensive when the group of Spidey books also are polybagged and have cover variants.

Here's the list for the week:

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for January 11, 2012

So this week we have 14 new Spider-Man comic book appearances, but they are comprised of only 5 titles.  Mucho variantos this week.  But the books are pretty good, so it's all good.

The big Spider story this week is the release of Scarlet Spider #1 along with its five variant covers.  It's a good setup issue establishing the character's past and what his motivations were and are.

Just like the recently restarted Ultimate Spider-Man, this is a good book and worthy of joining the collection.

The weakest appearance this week is Wolverine #300.  There's a back-up cover gallery -- which Marvel has been prone to do in their anniversary issues -- and blink and you'll miss the couple covers with Spidey.  Strike that.  Spidey appears in costume on a few (thanks Peter), along with a spoof of the 1990's Spider-Man #1, and another features Peter Parker.  You don't have to tell me how weak that is.  I know.

Here are this week's books:

Spider-Man Comic Appearances for January 4, 2012

This week there is an unbelievable number of comic books that feature a Spider-Man appearance.

Seriously.  Unbelievable.

One.  Can you believe it?  Only one new comic on the shelves at my local comic shop that features the red and blue costume of Spider-Man.

New Avengers Annual #1 is it.

My good buddy in the Netherlands, Peter Kroon, passed along an appearance I missed from last week.  And it burns because I was holding the book up until I checked out, because doggonit I didn't see Spidey in there.

And technically he wasn't.

The FF #13 variant cover version is drawn to be pared with Fantastic Four #601 variant edition to create a two page spread of all the characters in the books.  The Fantastic Four issue features Spidey prominently swinging on the cover amid the other heroes, while on FF #13 you get a continuation of his web line from the other cover.

Now I realize this is a mighty weak "appearance," but there is a precedence.  Back in Sensational She-Hulk #30 the voluptuous green goliath gets snagged in some of Spidey's used web lines (from the previous issue #29) that are hanging around town.  It was too priceless to pass up including in the appearance collection.