First up is Spider-Man's first encounter with the Chameleon from ASM #1. As the Chameleon had made a reappearance in the year preceding this annual, I can see why this story may have been chosen. The other reason is that by this stage, ASM #1 would have been long out of print, and so for many fans, this would be the only way to experience those early adventures in an age before collected editions and omnibus books. It's not a bad story, and I have a soft spot for it, but it's not without its silly moments, and the infamous 'Peter Palmer' misprint is baffling.
Next is the first appearance of the Vulture from ASM #2. Another villainous debut that many fans wouldn't have had access to at the time, and it's a classic, featuring not just the first flight for the Vulture, but also the first meeting between Peter and Jameson. Solid stuff all round, with Ditko's best artwork for the character, up to this point in time.
Finally, we have possibly the strangest choice for annual inclusion I've ever seen. "Just a Guy Named Joe" from ASM #38 rounds off the annual, and I really have no idea why this was chosen. Did Stan think it would be good to include an issue featuring the ESU characters like Gwen and Harry, just so newer fans would have a supporting cast they could recognise? Did he want to bookend the annual with Ditko's first and last issues for ASM? No idea, but the fact remains that despite my adoration for Steve Ditko, this is by far one of the weakest stories he put out, even with his usual high quality of artwork.
So overall, not a terrible selection, but a slightly odd one. The Vulture story makes sense, and I can see the reasoning behind the Chameleon one as well, but why Issue #38 is here, I'll never know. Still, a fantastic cover from Romita, if not quite as good as his Sinister Six piece from the last annual.
Next time, we're back to ASM proper as we delve into ASM #93, and witness the return of the Prowler...
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