Untold Tales of Spider-Man #9

Untold Tales of Spider-Man #9 delivers a thrillingly creepy "Monster Mash" as Spider-Man finds himself caught between two terrifying threats — a scaly, reptilian creature looming in a torn lab coat on one side and a winged, fang-baring bat-monster diving in from above, all rendered with punchy energy by cover penciler Pat Olliffe and inker Al Vey. The moonlit cityscape backdrop perfectly sets the mood for Kurt Busiek and Ron Frenz's story, "Cry...Lizard!", promising the kind of monster-packed adventure that made this series such a treat in 1996. At just 99 cents, this issue packs an impressive amount of menace onto a single cover.