The Amazing Spider-Man #28
Amazing Spider-Man #28 is a genuine turning-point issue in the Lee–Ditko run, packing two landmark events into a single story: the first appearance and origin of Molten Man (Mark Raxton), and Peter Parker's graduation from Midtown High School — the moment the title character permanently left his high school years behind and moved on to Empire State University. That narrative transition, played out in real narrative time across nearly three years of publishing, gave the series an unusual sense of forward momentum rare in Silver Age superhero comics. The issue also stages a quietly significant emotional beat: Liz Allan's exit confession to Peter closes out the book's earliest romantic triangle, clearing the deck for the college-era cast to come.
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The issue was produced under the established Marvel Method partnership of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, with Ditko receiving explicit plot credit — a formal acknowledgment Lee had begun granting him starting with issue #25. Ditko also handled pencils, inks, and the cover entirely himself, with colors by Stan Goldberg and lettering by Sam Rosen. It was the first issue to appear under the short-lived 'Marvel Pop Art Productions' imprint, a brief mid-1960s rebranding experiment Marvel used to try to distance itself from the stigma of the 'comic book' label.
Trivia · 12 facts
- First appearance and origin of Molten Man (Mark Raxton), created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko; Raxton's skin is coated in a gold-colored experimental liquid metallic alloy after a fight with Professor Spencer Smythe.
- Peter Parker, Flash Thompson, and Liz Allan graduate from Midtown High School; both Peter (science) and Flash (athletics) receive scholarships to Empire State University.
- Steve Ditko received formal plot credit on this issue, reflecting his role as co-plotter under the Marvel Method — a credit Lee had begun granting Ditko from issue #25 onward.
- Liz Allan confesses a long-held crush on Peter at the graduation ceremony, then exits the series — she would not return as a regular presence for nearly a decade, until Gerry Conway reintroduced her in ASM #132 (1974) and revealed she is Mark Raxton's stepsister.
- First meeting between Aunt May and J. Jonah Jameson at the graduation ceremony.
- Anna Watson mentions her niece Mary Jane Watson (though Anna mistakenly calls her 'my daughter' rather than 'my niece') — one of the earliest in-story references to the future central character.
- The issue is the first to carry the 'Marvel Pop Art Productions' imprint, a mid-1965 rebranding effort by Marvel.
- Spider-Man defeats Molten Man by exploiting his spider-sense in total darkness — a deliberate showcase of the ability's tactical value beyond simple danger detection.
- Second appearance of Professor Spencer Smythe (his first name revealed here); the issue also establishes the connection between Smythe's Spider-Slayer research and Raxton's origin.
- Reprinted in Marvel Tales #166 (August 1984); collected in Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 3 (1989), Essential Spider-Man vol. 2 (1997), and The Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus vol. 1 (2007).
- The MCU film Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) nods to this issue with a background license plate reading 'ASM 28965', referencing both the issue number and year.
- Cover story title: 'The Menace of the Molten Man!'; interior credits: plot by Steve Ditko, dialogue by Stan Lee, art and inks by Steve Ditko, colors by Stan Goldberg, letters by Sam Rosen.
Cast · 10 characters
Full credits
Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
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Spider-Man captures the Molten Man and Peter graduates from high school.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).
