Spider-Man’s Venom debut issue gets a 35th-anniversary reprint

The Amazing Spider-Man #300, the first appearance of Venom, is getting a reprint to commemorate the landmark issue’s 35th anniversary.

Comic book fans have their dream issues that they’d love to add to their collections, but the secondary market can make that troublesome. Sure, acquiring something like a mint Action Comics #1 would require you to be a millionaire, but even more recent issues can be pretty pricey.

Books with significant debuts can run at higher values than most fans would want to pay. At the time of this writing, the first appearance of Hobgoblin or the first full appearance of Carnage both run over $100 on eBay.

More popular characters are higher, too. Completed auctions for the first appearance of Venom, Amazing Spider-Man #300, can run anywhere from $400 to thousands of dollars if they’re signed or properly graded. Fortunately, Comic Book is reporting that Marvel will release a facsimile reprint of Venom’s Amazing Spider-Man debut.

Amazing Spider-Man #300 gets a facsimile reprint

Facsimile reprints are great for a fan who wants to get their hands on the issue. A facsimile reprint is a reprinting of the original issue in its entirety – all the way down to the ads.

For longtime fans, Amazing Spider-Man #300 is a fun get. It’s the first full appearance of Venom, who would go on to become Spider-Man’s most threatening villain throughout the ’90s. The character proved so popular that he would eventually become a hero.

The issue is also significant for marking the end of Spidey’s run in the black suit. The original suit, acquired during Secret Wars, would be revealed to be the living symbiote that became Venom. After discarding the symbiote costume, Spider-Man briefly wore a cloth recreation of it. Amazing #300 ends with Spidey back in his classic red-and-blue suit.

Aside from Venom, the issue is best known for its iconic cover, depicting Spider-Man in the classic black suit, curled in an impossible pose and swinging through the skyline.

The cover has been referenced multiple times in both tone and composition, such as Web of Spider-Man #25’s Spider-Armor debut or Doc Ock in the anniversary Amazing Spider-Man #700. The original artist on the cover, Todd McFarlane, would also have fun referencing it throughout his career, such as a variant cover for Spawn #300.

For fans who want to experience reading the original single-issue release of Amazing Spider-Man #300 and the debut of Venom, there’s no better way to do it. For more comic news, head over to check out our coverage.