The Amazing Spider-Man #28
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeAmazing Spider-Man #28 marks a genuine turning point in Peter Parker's fictional life: it is the issue in which he graduates from Midtown High School, closing out the defining 'teenager' chapter that had anchored the series since 1962 and setting the stage for the Empire State University years that would introduce Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn just three issues later. The issue simultaneously delivers the first appearance of the Molten Man (Mark Raxton), a Silver Age villain whose tragedy-tinged arc — greed leading to accidental transformation, eventual family revelation through his step-sister Liz Allan, and long road toward partial redemption — gave the character enough narrative depth to sustain dozens of return appearances across six decades. The striking all-black cover by Steve Ditko, which retailers and collectors have long noted practically 'glowed in the dark' on spinner racks, also makes this one of the most visually distinctive covers of the entire Lee–Ditko run. Within the story itself, Anna Watson's casual reference to her niece Mary Jane represents one of the earliest name-drops of the character who would eventually become Peter's most enduring love interest.
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The issue was produced under the Marvel Method, with Stan Lee scripting dialogue over a plot and full pencil-and-ink package supplied by Steve Ditko — who, starting with issue #25 (June 1965), had formally received co-plot credit on the series, acknowledging the creative agency he had exercised informally throughout the run. Issue #28's on-sale date was June 8, 1965, carrying a September 1965 cover date — a standard practice for the period. Ditko's design for Molten Man drew on the mid-1960s Marvel tradition of science-fiction mutation stories: a radioactive meteor-derived metallic alloy, greedy ambition, and an accidental spill combine to produce a villain whose gold-skinned body reflects the same pulp-science tropes Lee and Ditko had been refining since their pre-superhero anthology days. The issue also carried the new 'Marvel Pop Art Productions' indicia, reflecting the company's short-lived mid-1965 rebrand in a bid to shed the stigma of the 'comic book' label.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance and origin of the Molten Man (Mark Raxton), created by Stan Lee (script) and Steve Ditko (plot and art), published with a September 1965 cover date and an on-sale date of June 8, 1965.
- Story title: 'The Menace of the Molten Man!' — Ditko received formal plot credit on the issue, part of the co-plotting arrangement that began with issue #25.
- Peter Parker graduates from Midtown High School in this issue, a milestone that permanently shifted the series from a high-school to a college setting beginning with issue #31.
- Flash Thompson also graduates and receives a sports scholarship to Empire State University, keeping him in the supporting cast as the setting transitions.
- Anna Watson refers to her niece Mary Jane Watson by name (though incorrectly calling her 'my daughter'), making this one of the earliest mentions of the character who would not fully appear until issue #42.
- Liz Allan delivers an emotional farewell to Peter at the graduation ceremony, confessing her long-held feelings and effectively exiting the cast as a romantic lead for nearly a decade — until Gerry Conway tied her fate to the Molten Man in issues #132–133 (1974), retroactively establishing Raxton as her step-brother.
- The Molten Man's metallic body is depicted as frictionless, causing Spider-Man's webbing to slip off; Spider-Man defeats him in their first encounter by cutting the lights and binding him in the dark, showcasing Peter's developing tactical use of his spider-sense.
- An illusory creature inspired by Molten Man appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019); the film's production team included a license plate reading 'ASM 28965' as a direct nod to the issue's publication details.
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