Marvel Tales #224

Doctor Octopus's mechanical arms coil around Spider-Man in a rooftop struggle on Todd McFarlane's kinetic cover for this 1989 reprint series entry — the villain's green-suited form crouches below while his tentacles ensnare the wall-crawler in mid-air with impressive menace. Inside, Stan Lee's script and Gil Kane's pencils (inked by John Romita and Tony Mortellaro, with lettering by Sam Rosen) bring the story "Doc Ock Lives!" to life, making this a fine showcase of Marvel's Silver Age craftsmanship. It's a satisfying package: a sharply composed McFarlane cover paired with a story by some of Marvel's most celebrated talents.