Untold Tales of Spider-Man #5

The cover of this 1996 Marvel gem sets the stakes immediately: Spider-Man crouches in his classic red-and-blue suit atop what appears to be a U.S. Army train, exclaiming "Yikes!" as the Vulture swoops down on him with menacing green wings spread wide — and armed soldiers below add another layer of danger. The blaring tagline "Throw Spidey from the Train!" captures the delicious pulpy tension that made Kurt Busiek's run on this series such a treat, with Pat Olliffe and Al Vey delivering crisp, kinetic cover art that feels right at home in early Spider-Man adventures. At just 99 cents, this installment of Untold Tales offers a surprisingly rich action setup with one of Spidey's most enduring aerial adversaries front and center.