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Author:
Title: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN No. 31
Place Published:
Publisher:Marvel [Indicia: Non-Pareil Publishing Corp.]
Date Published: December, 1965
Description:

CGC certified: Fine- (5.5). Cream to off-white pages. Cover: Steve Ditko. Story and art: Stan Lee, Steve Ditko. GPAnalysis: A 5.5 sold for $576 in November 2021.

First chapter of the classic "Master Planner" saga, in which Steve Ditko asserts his personal vision of Peter Parker shortly before departing the title forever. The mystery of the Master Planner's identity reflects the widening rift between Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, both of whom regarded themselves as the prime architect, or "master planner," of the unfolding Spider-Man saga.

"The first 30 issues of Spider-Man have enacted the conflict between Peter Parker and Spider-Man, which is also the conflict between Steve Ditko and Stan Lee, and more widely the conflict between pictures and words on the comic book page... [The] Master Planner Trilogy represents the endpoint of that conflict." — Andrew Rilstone, "The Very Famous Master Planner Trilogy," Andrewrilstone.com, May 18, 2018.

Consignments welcome for PBA's Fall 2022 Comic Book sale. Pre-Code Horror, Golden Age and Silver Age comics, original art, vintage comic-related photos and ephemera sought. Send inquiries to ivan@pbagalleries.com.