Comic book writer Dan Slott has become a somewhat divisive figure among Spider-Man fans. Though his Amazing Spider-Man comics sold very well and were well-received by critics, Slott had a habit of frustrating a lot of longtime fans of the web-slinger. Not only that, but his run on the title had some notorious shortcomings. He was the one that brought Ben Reilly back from the dead in a much-maligned comic event. He also turned Spider-Man into a multi-millionaire superhero, who traveled the globe stopping international threats.
Despite all of that, his affection for the character and his world was evident on day one. His knowledge of Spider-Man's history is an impressive feat, and he truly did try to push the character to new boundaries. While the multi-millionaire angle didn't really work, his Superior Spider-Man comics were a smash hit both commercially and critically. His ten best works with the character are truly some of the best in the character's history and are great starting points for anyone interested in getting started with comic books.
10 Dying Wish- This Tragic Comic Is Tough To Read For Even The Most Grit-Craving Fans
Dying Wish is a hard Spider-Man comic to get through. Not because it's bad, it wouldn't be on this list if it was, but because it features Spider-Man trying so hard not to die and failing.
Amazing Spider-Man #698-700 has Peter Parker switch bodies with the dying Dr. Octopus. It then becomes a race against time for Peter to gain his body back before Octo's body succumbs. It's a very sad story that shows Peter at his lowest point, and leads nicely into Slot's magnum opus - The Superior Spider-Man. Dying Wish featured art by Humberto Ramos and Richard Elson.
9 Spider-Verse- This Comic Has A Brilliant Concept But Its Frustrating Pacing Can Turn Off Readers
In actuality, Spider-Verse isn't Dan Slott's finest work on Spider-Man. The lead up to the storyline in Amazing Spider-Man is great, and the plethora of new Spider Heroes are all great new additions to the Spider-Man mythos.
However, the main story's pacing is all over the place, and the resolution to the main conflict is weak. Nonetheless, the premise is so very strong that the story is still worth reading for any fan of the webhead. Written by Slott and art by Olivier Coipel and Giuseppe Comunicoli, the story is about Spider-based heroes from all over the multiverse teaming up against a family of vampiric energy suckers.
8 Peter Parker, Paparazzi- The Art Is The Main Focus Of This Comic
What makes Peter Parker, Paparazzi a good Spider-Man story is more to do with the art rather than Slott's writing. Nevertheless, the art is very much on display in this story.
Drawn by acclaimed artist Marcos Martín, he would be one of Slott's main collaborators in some of the writer's most well-received work. Peter Parker, Paparazzi is an early Brand New Day book and centers on Peter getting accustomed to his new job as a celebrity photographer. He eventually comes across a new supervillain name Paper Doll, who has the powers to make herself 2-dimension and hide on flat surfaces.
7 Going Down Swinging- A Great Read For Fans Who Are Looking For Something Light
Slott's last story arc on Amazing Spider-Man, Going Down Swinging features Norman Osborn gaining the Carnage Symbiote and becoming the Red Goblin. With his new powers, Osborn also relearns Spider-Man's secret identity.
Overall a pretty light read, it's mostly an action story with little else to go with. The design for the Red Goblin is also somewhat divisive among fans. However, there are enough good moments in this story arc to make it one of Slott's best. The prolonged duel between Spidey and Osborn is genuinely entertaining, and the epilogue, which served as Slott's farewell with the character, is heartwarming.
6 Last Legs- A Delightful Story Where Peter Confronts A Long-Time Foe
Amazing Spider-Man #600 was the first one-hundredth issue anniversary that Slott ever wrote for the character; he would proceed to write issues #700 and #800 as well. In the main story of issue #600, it is revealed that Dr. Octopus is dying. Not wanting to die without leaving behind a legacy, Otto hacks his brainwaves throughout all of Manhattan to make everything work correctly.
While somewhat overstuffed, featuring guest appearances of the Avengers and Fantastic Four, it's a delightful story that has Peter confront one of his longest-running foes. It also sets the stage for future storylines, particularly Superior Spider-Man years down the line.
5 Flying Blind- This Comic Recontextualized A Villain In A Fascinating Way
A short, two-issue story arc, it almost comes across like filler. Despite that, Flying Blind is a delightful short story starring one Spider-Man's oldest foes, the Vulture. Slott gives Vulture an all-black redesign, as well as ditching the wings. He was now a gravity-defying villain, literally walking on air, who lures in teenagers to become his minions.
It was one of Slott's best recontextualization of a classic villain, and the story is tightly paced to make it feel substantial despite its short length. Slott constantly seems to falter when it came to shorter, lower-stake stories, yet in Flying Blind, he nailed it.
4 New Ways To Die- This Comic Features An Intriguing Arc That Fans Won't Forget Any Time Soon
The first really big storyline in the Brand New Day era of Spider-Man, New Ways to Die is Spider-Man's first major confrontation with Norman Osborn and Venom since having the whole world forget his secret identity. After Spidey is framed as a murder, Osborn and his Thunderbolts are called in to capture the web menace.
An action story first and foremost, Slott sprinkles in a lot of good set-pieces. Spider-Man and Osborn duke it out multiple times, while Eddie Brock becomes the new anti-hero, Anti-Venom. It's a memorable arc from the Brand New Day era.
3 Spider-Island- He Took A Risk With A Sillier Plotline And It Really Paid Off
A silly comic at its core, something that not all readers would appreciate, but Spider-Island is still one of Slott's best stories with Spider-Man. The premise is that a vast majority of the population in Manhattan has been infected with powers just like Spider-Man. It's up to Spidey and the other heroes of New York to contain the contamination and discover who caused the infestation.
Crazy and absurd in the best possible way, Spider-Island allowed Slott to let loose and create an unabashedly ridiculous storyline. The arc is filled with great action and nice character moments - it is worth reading for any fan of the Webhead.
2 Superior Spider-Man- This Absurd Premise Was Able To Work Thanks To The Skills Of Its Writer
After the conclusion of Dying Wish, Otto Octavious was able to successfully beat Peter Parker and took over his body. Now self-proclaiming himself as the Superior Spider-Man, Otto sets out to be a better superhero than Peter ever was.
A decisive storyline that hardly anyone, even the editors, thought would work. Yet Slott was able to pull through in the end and during the course of thirty-one issues created what many consider his highpoint with Spider-Man. It's a premise that shouldn't have work, however, in the end, it did.
1 No One Dies- This Comic Is Able To Portray Dreams In A Realistic And Impressive Way
Though technically a two-issue story, it is really the first part that is Slott's best Spider-Man story. After Marla Jameson, wife of J. Jonah Jameson, dies in the previous arc, Peter is overcome with severe guilt. He then dreams about all the people who've died in his life and ends with him proclaiming that no one will ever die again on his watch.
A simple and poignant story, the artwork by Marcos Martin adds surrealism to the narrative. Martin and Slott were able to perfectly capturing what a dream is like, using abstract visuals and nonsensical dialogue. Though Superior Spider-Man and Spider-Verse will probably forever be Slott's most famous Spidey stories, No One Dies is secretly his best.