The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeAmazing Spider-Man Annual #5 (November 1968) answered one of the longest-standing questions in the character's history: for the first six years of Spider-Man's publication, readers were given no explanation for why Peter Parker was being raised by his aunt and uncle rather than his own parents. The 40-page lead story 'The Parents of Peter Parker!' finally gave Richard and Mary Parker their first full appearance and a complete — if later complicated — origin as covert agents who were murdered when they refused to serve a villain operating under the Red Skull identity. That espionage framework seeded decades of follow-up storytelling, from the 1992 Life Model Decoy storyline to film adaptations, making this annual the foundational document for an entire branch of Spider-Man mythology. The issue also offers an unusually rich snapshot of the Silver Age Marvel Bullpen at work, with the humorous backup 'Here We Go-a-Plotting!' — written and drawn by Marie Severin — pulling back the curtain on the 'Marvel Method' of collaborative storytelling.
In The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5 (1968), Peter Parker confronts a mystery that shakes his past to its core: the truth about his parents. Written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Larry Lieber, John Romita, and Mickey Demeo, this pivotal story unfolds as Peter uncovers long-buried secrets that challenge everything he thought he knew—only to discover a deeper, more complex legacy. The cover by John Romita captures the emotional weight of the moment, making this a must-read for fans of Spider-Man’s origin.
In "The Parents of Peter Parker!", Peter Parker confronts a painful mystery as he uncovers the truth behind his parents' past. What begins as a shocking revelation that they were working for the Nazi villain Red Skull takes a dramatic turn when Peter discovers they were actually double agents. With help from a mysterious figure named Sandor and the tragic legacy of the Finisher, Peter must piece together a hidden history that reshapes his understanding of his family—and himself.
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Stan Lee scripted the lead story, handing penciling duties to his younger brother Larry Lieber, who was best known at the time for his long run on the Rawhide Kid Western title. John Romita Sr., the regular Amazing Spider-Man artist, served as an uncredited 'chaotic consultant' who, by his own account, worked page-by-page alongside Lieber on layouts and pencil assists throughout both the main story and the issue's several pin-up features; Romita also provided the cover and lettering was handled by Art Simek, with inks by Mike Esposito. The humorous three-page bullpen parody at the back of the issue was written and penciled by Marie Severin and inked by Frank Giacoia, appearing without creator credits in the original printing.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Richard Parker and Mary Parker (Peter Parker's parents), introduced in flashback in the 40-page lead story 'The Parents of Peter Parker!'
- Written by Stan Lee; penciled by Larry Lieber (Stan Lee's younger brother); inked by Mike Esposito; cover art by John Romita Sr.
- John Romita Sr. worked page-by-page with Lieber as a layout/pencil consultant on the lead story and all pin-up features throughout the issue, per Romita's own account recorded by the Grand Comics Database.
- The villain designated as the Red Skull in this story is not the classic Nazi villain Johann Schmidt but Albert Malik, a Soviet KGB agent who assumed the Red Skull identity — a continuity distinction not officially clarified in the comics until Amazing Spider-Man #366.
- Spider-Man enlists the Fantastic Four (Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, and the Human Torch) to fly him to Algeria, where he ultimately exonerates his parents' reputations by proving they were counter-espionage agents, not traitors.
- The backup 'Here We Go-a-Plotting!' is a three-page bullpen parody scripted and penciled by Marie Severin (inked by Frank Giacoia) depicting Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and John Romita struggling to develop a story idea — an unusually candid look at the Marvel Method.
- The main story was reprinted in Marvel Tales #264–265 (August–September 1992) and later collected in The Essential Spider-Man Vol. 4, The Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus Vol. 2, and the Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: The Secret of the Petrified Tablet.
- A second printing of the issue was published in 1994 and distributed exclusively through JC Penney stores.
Cast · 19 characters
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Reprints
↩ Reprints Not Brand Echh #10 (1968), The Silver Surfer #2 (1968), Fantastic Four Annual #6 (1968), Marvel Tales #17 (1968), The Spectacular Spider-Man #2 (1968)
Reprinted in Spider-Man Comics Weekly #57 (1974), Spider-Man Comics Weekly #58 (1974), Spider-Man Annual #1978 (1977), Edderkoppen #2 (1979), Marvel Treasury Edition #22 (1979), Die Spinne #131 (1979), Die Spinne #132 (1979), Die Spinne #133 (1979), Edderkoppens gavealbum [En gal verden] #[nn] (1980), Strange #129 (1980), Strange #130 (1980), Edderkoppen #12/1983 (1983), Spindelmannen #12/1983 (1983), Nova #84 (1985), Nova #85 (1985), L'Uomo Ragno Classic #19 (1992), Marvel Tales #264 (1992), Marvel Tales #265 (1992), The Exploits of Spider-Man #9 (1993), Strange Spécial Origines #289 hors série (1994), The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5 [JC Penney Marvel Vintage Pack] #[nn] (1994), Spider-Man Komplett #42 [4] (2000), The Essential Spider-Man #4 (2000), Marvel Visionaries: Stan Lee #[nn] (2005) + 17 more
Key issues in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual
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