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Cover: Dave Cockrum & Frank Giacoia

The Spectacular Spider-Man #4

Name: The Spectacular Spider-Man #4
Brand: Marvel
Availability: InStock

Mar 1977 · Marvel · 0.30 USD

📊 ~74,957 copies sold its debut month

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“The Vulture Is a Bird of Prey!”

★ 1st appearance — Hitman

About this Issue

Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #4 earns its key-issue status as the first appearance of the Hitman (Burt Kenyon), a Vietnam-veteran-turned-costumed-mercenary whose shared wartime past with Frank Castle gave early Punisher stories some of their sharpest dramatic tension. The issue is also a strong early showcase for Archie Goodwin's deft dual role as both writer and editor of the title, using a classic villain (the Vulture) as a vehicle to introduce new underworld players — including mob boss Morgan — who expanded the street-level criminal landscape of the Spectacular Spider-Man corner of the Marvel Universe. Part one of a two-issue arc, it models the storytelling ambition the series would eventually fulfill: weaving Peter Parker's college life and supporting cast into the action rather than keeping them separate from the costumed adventure.

writer Archie Goodwin · artist Sal Buscema · inker Mike Esposito · colorist Janice Cohen · colorist Marie Severin · letterer Karen Mantlo · letterer Gaspar Saladino · cover Dave Cockrum, Frank Giacoia

ComicBooks.com Value

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CGC 9.8 · 164 in census $104

CGC 9.6 · 131 in census $59

CGC 9.4 · 58 in census $49

CGC 9.2 · 31 in census $26*

CGC 9.0 · 31 in census $21*

CGC 8.5 · 22 in census $20*

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CGC 8.0 · 8 in census $20*

CGC 7.5 · 11 in census $20*

CGC 7.0 · 5 in census $20*

CGC 6.5 · 4 in census $20*

CGC 6.0 · 1 in census $20*

CGC 5.5 · 3 in census $20*

CGC 5.0 · 1 in census $20*

CGC 4.5 none in existence

CGC 4.0 · 2 in census $20*

* estimate — limited direct-sales data at this grade

Our model’s value — refined as new sales data arrives · CGC census counts shown where available

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CGC 9.8 ▾ $145–$170 4 listings

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Raw / ungraded $1.5 Raw / ungraded $3 Raw / ungraded $5 Newsstand $5.25 Raw / ungraded $7.95 Raw / ungraded $8.5 Raw / ungraded $8.99 Raw / ungraded $9.97 Raw / ungraded $9.99 Newsstand $12.99 Raw / ungraded $20.4 Newsstand $21.99 Raw / ungraded $23.4 Raw / ungraded $24.99 Raw / ungraded $24.99 Raw / ungraded $27

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History

Issue #4 arrived during a notably turbulent period for the title: Spectacular had launched with writer/editor Gerry Conway, but scripting duties alternated between Conway and Archie Goodwin in the book's early months before Bill Mantlo eventually took over as regular writer around issue #9. Goodwin — then serving as Marvel's editor-in-chief from 1976 through the end of 1977 — wrote this issue himself, making him simultaneously the series' editor-in-chief and the creative voice on the ground. The interior art team of penciller Sal Buscema and inker Mike Esposito, the same duo who had anchored the title from its debut, provided visual continuity; Dave Cockrum supplied the cover. A Whitman variant edition was distributed through Whitman retail channels, which was standard practice for many Marvel books of the era.

Trivia · 9 facts

Story title: 'The Vulture Is a Bird of Prey!' — Part 1 of a 2-part arc, continued in Spectacular Spider-Man #5.
First appearance of Hitman (Burt Kenyon), a Vietnam veteran and mercenary created by Archie Goodwin and Sal Buscema; Kenyon is established as a former comrade-in-arms of Frank Castle (the Punisher), who saved Castle's life during the war.
Writer and editor: Archie Goodwin, who was also serving as Marvel's editor-in-chief at the time of publication. Pencils: Sal Buscema. Inks: Mike Esposito. Cover: Dave Cockrum.
Release date: December 21, 1976 (on-sale); cover date: March 1977.
The Hitman's subsequent and final Silver/Bronze Age appearances were in Amazing Spider-Man #174–175 (Nov.–Dec. 1977), where he is killed in a Statue of Liberty confrontation involving both Spider-Man and the Punisher.
The issue explicitly acknowledges continuity with Amazing Spider-Man #165–166 (the Lizard/Stegron arc) and references the apparent deaths of both the Kingpin (ASM #164) and Hammerhead (ASM #159), establishing the mob power vacuum that motivates villain Morgan to hire the Hitman.
A Whitman variant edition of the issue was produced for distribution through non-newsstand retail channels.
The issue was reprinted in Essential Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man Vol. 1 (2005), and the story received international reprinting in Marvel UK's Super Spider-Man (#239–240, 1977), the Italian L'Uomo Ragno #224 (1978), the French Nova #4 (1978), and the Spanish El Asombroso Hombre Araña #219 (1984).
The Marvel Database flags the Hitman's appearance as a first appearance, while at least one seller listing describes it as a 'first cameo.' Key Collector Comics and the Marvunapp Appendix list his debut here without the cameo qualifier.