Top of page

[ digital file from original, page 1 of 11 ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

More Resources

[ digital file from original, detail of title on page 1 ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

[ digital file from original, page 2 of 11 ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

[ digital file from original, no. 1b back ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

[ digital file from original, page 3 of 11 ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

[ digital file from original, page 4 of 11 ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

[ digital file from original, page 5 of 11 ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

Show more resources (6)

[ digital file from original, page 6 of 11 ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

[ digital file from original, page 7 of 11 ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

[ digital file from original, page 8 of 11 ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

[ digital file from original, page 9 of 11 ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

[ digital file from original, page 10 of 11 ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

[ digital file from original, page 11 of 11 ]

Full online access to this resource is only available at the Library of Congress.

About this Item

Title

  • Spider-man!

Summary

  • Eleven drawings for Amazing Fantasy #15 comic book pages 1 through 6 and 8 through 12 show the origin story of the Marvel comic book character Spider-Man. Peter Parker, an outcast teenager living with his doting Aunt May and Uncle Ben, is rejected by his peers. While visiting a science exhibit he is bitten by a radioactive spider. He acquires super powers and challenges a wrestler, Crusher Hogan with a disguised identity. Lifting the heavyweight off the ground, he wins. Realizing that his powers are those of a spider, Peter designs a spider costume, invents a spider web device and names himself Spider-Man. In part 2, pages 8-12, Spider-Man entertains audiences on the Ed Sullivan television show. He lets a criminal get away, selfishly enjoying the fame that has come with his exploits. When his Uncle Ben is murdered by a burglar, however, Peter, dressed as Spider-Man, tracks the criminal down in an abandoned warehouse. He unmasks the burglar, only to realize that he is the same man who fled past him after his appearance on television. The story ends as Peter realizes that his super powers have come with the responsibility to make the world a better place.

Names

  • Ditko, Steve, artist
  • Lee, Stan, 1922-2018, author
  • Simek, Artie, 1916-1975.

Created / Published

  • [1962]

Headings

  • -  Spider-Man (Fictitious character)--1960-1970
  • -  Criminals--1960-1970
  • -  Science--1960-1970
  • -  Spiders--1960-1970
  • -  Superheroes--1960-1970
  • -  Teenagers--1960-1970

Headings

  • Comic book illustrations--American--1960-1970.
  • Drawings--American--1960-1970.

Genre

  • Comic book illustrations--American--1960-1970
  • Drawings--American--1960-1970

Notes

  • -  Caption label from exhibit of digital copy in "Swann Gallery": First Spider-Man Cartoon. In the opening page of the Spider-Man origin story, Steve Ditko depicts the hero Peter Parker as a social outcast, physically distant from his classmates. The panel on the right signals Parker's future transformation into the Marvel comic superhero. With writer Stan Lee, Ditko created this classic of the comic book's "Silver Age" (1956-1969), an era of superheroes' resurgence in the mainstream comic book industry, following the genre's decline after World War II. Ditko's clean, eye-catching design pulls the viewer into the scene and sets the suspenseful tone for the eleven-page story.
  • -  Caption label from exhibit "Collecting Memories": In 2008, the Library received the twenty-four original drawings by Steve Ditko for Amazing Fantasy no. 15, including the Spider-Man origin story featuring Peter Parker, a teenager living with his doting Aunt May and Uncle Ben but rejected by his peers. In the drawing shown here, Parker dresses in the costume he has made and, for the first time, readers can see the intricate webbing and fussy cape-like filigree under Spider-Man's arms. Readers learn that the bookish Peter, with his knowledge of science, invented web shooters and experimented with their use. It is not until a major change occurs at the end of the story that Parker becomes a super hero and learns that "with great power there must also come great responsibility!"
  • -  Exhibit caption from "Timely and Timeless," section for Modern Life in Comic Strips: Spider-Man, A Silver Age Classic. Part Two of the Spider-man origin story opens dramatically as Peter Parker, fully transformed from teenage social outcast into superhero, displays his special powers before a television show audience. Combined with writer Stan Lee's text, Ditko's accomplished, realistic drawing and deft pacing of action scenes make the comic book story a classic of the Silver Age (1956-1969). During this period, newly emerging superheroes reinvigorated the mainstream comic book industry, following the genre's post-World War II decline.
  • -  Artie Simek was the letterer.
  • -  Signed lower right single panel of first page: Stan Lee and S. Ditko.
  • -  The lettering for the "Spider-Man!" title is on a photomechanical overlay piece of paper that replaced an earlier concept in which the name Spider-Man was spelled without a hyphen and the letters are filled with a spider web design. For an image of the earlier concept, see LC-DIG-ppmsca-64993.
  • -  Inscribed in upper margin of first page: 11. Amazing April '62, v-789, Amazing 15 - p. 1, 6 1/4 x 91/4 - 1 SP.
  • -  Stamped on verso of each drawing: Comics Magazine Code Authority approved Mar 6 1962.
  • -  Penciled notes to Steve Ditko, partially erased, are in the margins of some of the drawings.
  • -  Gift; 2008, (DLC/PP-2008:043).
  • -  Published in: Amazing Fantasy, 15 (1962 Aug.), pp. 1-6, 8-12.
  • -  no. 1g Exhibited: "Timely and Timeless" at the Graphic Arts Galleries, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., 2011-2012.
  • -  no. 1d and 1j Exhibited: "Superheroes in Gotham" at the New York Historical Society, New York, N.Y., Oct. 2015 - Feb. 2016.
  • -  no. 1a Exhibited: "Marvel : The Cinematic Universe" at the Queensland Art Gallery / Gallery of Modern Art, South Brisbane, Australia, May - September 2017.
  • -  no. 1f Exhibited: "Marvel Universe : The Fantastic World of Superheroes" at The Museum of Pop Culture, Seattle, WA, April - October 2018.
  • -  no. 1f and 1k Exhibited: "Collecting Memories: Treasures from the Library of Congress" at the Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building, NW Curtain, Treasure Gallery, Washington, D.C., June 2024 - December 2025.
  • -  no. 1a, 1c, and 1e Exhibited: "Collecting Memories: Treasures from the Library of Congress" at the Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building, NW Curtain, Treasure Gallery, Washington, D.C., January - June 2025.

Medium

  • 11 drawings on layered paper board : ink, opaque white, and overlay over graphite underdrawing ; 48 x 38.2 cm. (board)

Call Number/Physical Location

  • CD 1 - Ditko, no. 1a-k (B size) [P&P]

Source Collection

  • Cartoon Drawings (Library of Congress)

Repository

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2016687393

Reproduction Number

  • LC-DIG-ppmsca-18747 (digital file from original, page 1 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-64993 ((digital file from original, detail of title on page 1) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18748 (digital file from original, page 2 of 11) LC-DIG-ds-17395 (digital file from original, no. 1b back) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18749 (digital file from original, page 3 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18750 (digital file from original, page 4 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18751 (digital file from original, page 5 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18752 (digital file from original, page 6 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18753 (digital file from original, page 7 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18754 (digital file from original, page 8 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18755 (digital file from original, page 9 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18756 (digital file from original, page 10 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18757 (digital file from original, page 11 of 11)

Rights Advisory

Access Advisory

  • Restricted access: Materials are served to researchers by appointment only; use digital surrogate to preserve fragile drawings.

Online Format

  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress does not own rights to material in its collections. Therefore, it does not license or charge permission fees for use of such material and cannot grant or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute the material.

Ultimately, it is the researcher's obligation to assess copyright or other use restrictions and obtain permission from third parties when necessary before publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the Library's collections.

For information about reproducing, publishing, and citing material from this collection, as well as access to the original items, see: Cartoon Drawings - Rights and Restrictions Information

  • Rights Advisory: Publication may be restricted. For information see "Steve Ditko Rights and Restrictions," https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/602_ditk.html
  • Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-ppmsca-18747 (digital file from original, page 1 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-64993 ((digital file from original, detail of title on page 1) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18748 (digital file from original, page 2 of 11) LC-DIG-ds-17395 (digital file from original, no. 1b back) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18749 (digital file from original, page 3 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18750 (digital file from original, page 4 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18751 (digital file from original, page 5 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18752 (digital file from original, page 6 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18753 (digital file from original, page 7 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18754 (digital file from original, page 8 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18755 (digital file from original, page 9 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18756 (digital file from original, page 10 of 11) LC-DIG-ppmsca-18757 (digital file from original, page 11 of 11)
  • Call Number: CD 1 - Ditko, no. 1a-k (B size) [P&P]
  • Access Advisory: Restricted access: Materials are served to researchers by appointment only; use digital surrogate to preserve fragile drawings.

Obtaining Copies

If an image is displaying, you can download it yourself. (Some images display only as thumbnails outside the Library of Congress because of rights considerations, but you have access to larger size images on site.)

Alternatively, you can purchase copies of various types through Library of Congress Duplication Services.

  1. If a digital image is displaying: The qualities of the digital image partially depend on whether it was made from the original or an intermediate such as a copy negative or transparency. If the Reproduction Number field above includes a reproduction number that starts with LC-DIG..., then there is a digital image that was made directly from the original and is of sufficient resolution for most publication purposes.
  2. If there is information listed in the Reproduction Number field above: You can use the reproduction number to purchase a copy from Duplication Services. It will be made from the source listed in the parentheses after the number.

    If only black-and-white ("b&w") sources are listed and you desire a copy showing color or tint (assuming the original has any), you can generally purchase a quality copy of the original in color by citing the Call Number listed above and including the catalog record ("About This Item") with your request.

  3. If there is no information listed in the Reproduction Number field above: You can generally purchase a quality copy through Duplication Services. Cite the Call Number listed above and include the catalog record ("About This Item") with your request.

Price lists, contact information, and order forms are available on the Duplication Services Web site.

Access to Originals

Please use the following steps to determine whether you need to fill out a call slip in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room to view the original item(s). In some cases, a surrogate (substitute image) is available, often in the form of a digital image, a copy print, or microfilm.

  1. Is the item digitized? (A thumbnail (small) image will be visible on the left.)

    • Yes, the item is digitized. Please use the digital image in preference to requesting the original. All images can be viewed at a large size when you are in any reading room at the Library of Congress. In some cases, only thumbnail (small) images are available when you are outside the Library of Congress because the item is rights restricted or has not been evaluated for rights restrictions.
      As a preservation measure, we generally do not serve an original item when a digital image is available. If you have a compelling reason to see the original, consult with a reference librarian. (Sometimes, the original is simply too fragile to serve. For example, glass and film photographic negatives are particularly subject to damage. They are also easier to see online where they are presented as positive images.)
    • No, the item is not digitized. Please go to #2.
  2. Do the Access Advisory or Call Number fields above indicate that a non-digital surrogate exists, such as microfilm or copy prints?

    • Yes, another surrogate exists. Reference staff can direct you to this surrogate.
    • No, another surrogate does not exist. Please go to #3.
  3. If you do not see a thumbnail image or a reference to another surrogate, please fill out a call slip in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room. In many cases, the originals can be served in a few minutes. Other materials require appointments for later the same day or in the future. Reference staff can advise you in both how to fill out a call slip and when the item can be served.

To contact Reference staff in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room, please use our Ask A Librarian service or call the reading room between 8:30 and 5:00 at 202-707-6394, and Press 3.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Ditko, Steve, Artist, Stan Lee, and Artie Simek. Spider-Man!. American, 1962. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2016687393/.

APA citation style:

Ditko, S., Lee, S. & Simek, A. (1962) Spider-Man!. American, 1962. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2016687393/.

MLA citation style:

Ditko, Steve, Artist, Stan Lee, and Artie Simek. Spider-Man!. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2016687393/>.