Who is your favorite Spider-Man writer, aside from the usual top two choices: you and Stan Lee?

If you can't pick just one, you're more than welcome to name as many as you want.

I am not in my top two.

I'm proud of my writing on Spider-Man, and still happy with most of it. But I can't look at it objectively, and much of it was written under deadline pressures that I'd just as soon forget.

Stan is always first.

Tom DeFalco is a very close second.

The rest of us are distant thirds at best.

-- Uncle Rog

I like a lot of Tom's run, but I've always preferred your run to his, Unca Rog.

Just sayin'.

Thanks for the response. Two follow-ups, if I may.

1. What do you believe Defalco did particularly well?

2. What's your favorite story that he has written.

And I'll echo Sisko's thoughts on the matter of who is better.

Lee and Stern are my top two, definitely.

Three of my other favorites are DeFalco, DeMatteis and Dezago...anyone with "De" at the start of his name, basically.

Kurt Busiek and Peter David are third and fourth under Lee and Stern.

Gerry Conway for me.

Are you a Jeremy Sisto fan? Me, too. He was great on SIX FEET UNDER.

Not sure he's posted in this thread, though.

Bearing in mind that I haven't read Rog's Spider-Man (I know, I know), my list is:

Lee/Ditko/Romita
JM DeMatteis
Peter David
Kurt Busiek
Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man)

In that order.

Does anyone know if there's going to be a "Spider-Man Visionaries: Roger Stern" Vol. 2? I lost all my Stern-written Amazing Spider-Man issues over 20 years ago, and I'd buy TPB collections of that stuff in a heartbeat. (Yeah, I know the ASM Essentials volumes will get to that stuff eventually, but I'd like 'em in color if possible.)

Since everyone's using this as an opportunity to post their favorite Spider-Man writers.
1. Stan Lee
2. Roger Stern
3. JM Dematteis
4. Brian Michael Bendis
5. Paul Jenkins
6. Peter David


Grumble. Grumble. I'll fix it.

Well, crap. If we can post six, then add Paul Jenkins to my list, as well.

Hey, Volume One just came out in May. If there's a Volume Two before next summer, I would be surprised.

Delighted, but surprised.

-- Uncle Rog

When I think about the stories and arcs and events that have lasted with me over the years, those two names come up more than anyone else. Others guys come up, of course - Peter David's first story was pretty magnificent, Gerry Conway for the awesome Hulk battle and Gwen, even Brian Bendis for the Ultimate stuff - but Lee and Stern are the two most frequent names. Stan provided the history and framework I grew to love, and Uncle Rog was on the book when I was in my comic-reading prime as a teenager.

The Hobgoblin storyline alone secured Rog's spot in my top two, and the rest of his work is the ultimate "how-to" guide for writing Spider-Man.

I think Stern is one of the best. Can't make a list of my favorites in order though... My favorite writer is DeMatteis though, so I love almost every story he did. David and DeFalco are also great, and Jenkins did a great job. Maybe Sacasa, if he had more time, but he hadn't so... no.

In addition to those already mentioned, I have a special fondness for the DeFalco-Frenz run, as well as the Michelinie AMAZING era, which included McFarlane, Larsen, and the beginning of Mark Bagley's run.

Hey Stan, thanks for teaming up with Ditko and bringing Spider-Man to the world. Spider-Man rocks, and so do you. Happy birthday.

Bendis.

Gesundheit!

I'd put the DeFalco run high on the list. It's a shame it ended so abruptly. That was the start for some major changes for Marvel.

True. That's right about when I bailed on most Marvel books for quite a few years.

Coincidence? Nah.