"If This Be My Destiny...!" | |
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![]() Cover to The Amazing Spider-Man #33, depicting Spider-Man trapped under heavy machinery. Art by Steve Ditko. | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
Publication date | December 1965 – February 1966 |
Genre | |
Title(s) | The Amazing Spider-Man #31-33 |
Main character(s) | Spider-Man Doctor Octopus |
Creative team | |
Writer(s) | Steve Ditko Stan Lee |
Artist(s) | Steve Ditko |
Letterer(s) | Art Simek |
Colorist(s) | Stan Goldberg |
Editor(s) | Stan Lee |
"If This Be My Destiny...!" is a story arc featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man. It spans the issues The Amazing Spider-Man #31–33 (1965-1966), and was written by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the latter of whom also did the art. The story is best known for the introduction of supporting characters Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy, Doctor Octopus temporarily assuming the Master Planner alias, and Spider-Man being pinned under heavy machinery, which he lifts after gathering enough will power through thoughts of his family. The lifting scene has become one of the most iconic moments in Spider-Man's history.
Background[]
The storyline ran in The Amazing Spider-Man #31 through #33, with a single interconnected story arc, being one of the first of its kind in Spider-Man's history.
Lee recounted that he and Ditko jointly plotted the acclaimed sequence in which Spider-Man lifts the heavy machinery off of him, but that stretching the sequence out for several pages was purely Ditko's idea.[1] Having anticipated that Ditko would spend just two or three panels on this plot point, Lee said that when he saw the art for the scene "I almost shouted in triumph."[1]
In the letters section of the September-October 1998 issue of Comic Book Marketplace, Ditko pointed out that he was credited as sole plotter of series starting with issue 26, and that the sequence in question was in issue 33. He further stated that Stan Lee never knew what was in Ditko's plotted stories until he saw the artwork.
Synopsis[]
Peter Parker attends his first day at Empire State University, meeting classmates Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy. Meanwhile, Aunt May succumbs to a mysterious and life-threatening illness and a new evil mastermind called the "Master Planner" arranges for the theft of various technological devices.[2] After a fateful battle, Spider-Man discovers that the Master Planner is none other than Doctor Octopus, and that he has stolen a rare isotope that could be the only means to save Aunt May's life. Doc Ock manages to escape, leaving Spider-Man trapped under heavy machinery.[3]
Thinking about Uncle Ben's death and not wanting to lose Aunt May as well, Spider-Man is able to gather enough will power to lift the machinery, though his leg gets hurt while escaping from the flooding lab. He gives the serum to Dr. Curt Connors for analysis before delivering it to the hospital where May is treated, and takes some photographs for the Daily Bugle to raise money for May's hospital bills. When he returns to the hospital, Peter is relieved to learn the serum cured May, and goes home for some well deserved rest.[4]
Reception[]
One of the most celebrated issues of the Lee-Ditko run is #33 (Feb. 1966), the third part of the story arc "If This Be My Destiny", and featuring the dramatic scene of Spider-Man who, through will force and thoughts of his family, escapes from being pinned by heavy machinery. Comics historian Les Daniels noted that "Steve Ditko squeezes every ounce of anguish out of Spider-Man's predicament, complete with visions of the uncle he failed and the aunt he has sworn to save."[5] Peter David observed that "After his origin, this two-page sequence from Amazing Spider-Man #33 is perhaps the best-loved sequence from the Stan Lee/Steve Ditko era."[6] Steve Saffel stated the "full page Ditko image from The Amazing Spider-Man #33 is one of the most powerful ever to appear in the series and influenced writers and artists for many years to come."[7] Matthew K. Manning wrote that "Ditko's illustrations for the first few pages of this Lee story included what would become one of the most iconic scenes in Spider-Man's history."[8]
The story was chosen as #15 in the 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time poll of Marvel's readers in 2001. Editor Robert Greenberger wrote in his introduction to the story that "These first five pages are a modern-day equivalent to Shakespeare as Parker's soliloquy sets the stage for his next action. And with dramatic pacing and storytelling, Ditko delivers one of the great sequences in all comics."[9]
In other media[]
Television[]
- Doctor Octopus uses the Master Planner alias in the episodes "Reinforcement" and "Shear Strength" of The Spectacular Spider-Man animated series. The latter episode also features a recreation of the iconic lifting scene, wherein Spider-Man is trapped under heavy debris in Doc Ock's underwater lab that is slowly flooding, and gathers enough will force to rescue himself and Gwen Stacy.
- An adaptation of the lifting scene appears in the episode "The Hobgoblin" [Pt. 2] of the 2017 Spider-Man animated series. The Hobgoblin destroys a suspended passage's supports and Spider-Man attempts to lift it and rescue the civilians trapped in a bus underneath, ultimately gathering the will power to do so thanks to a memory of Uncle Ben telling a young Peter that "the only time you lose is when you stop trying."
Film[]
- An adaptation of the lifting scene appears in the 2017 film Spider-Man: Homecoming. When the Vulture destroys the support beams in his secret lair, Spider-Man is pinned under the debris. He initially feels helpless and alone, but eventually gathers enough will power to lift the debris and escape.[10]
Collected editions[]
- Marvel Masterworks #16 (264 pages, hardcover, Marvel Comics, August 1991, ISBN 0-87135-730-5)
- The Essential Spider-Man volume 2 (530 pages, softcover, Marvel Comics, July 1997, ISBN 0-7851-0989-7)
- Marvel Visionaries: Steve Ditko (352 pages, hardcover, Marvel Comics, 2005, ISBN 0-7851-1783-0)
- The Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus volume 1 (1096 pages, hardcover, Marvel Comics, April 2007, ISBN 0-7851-2509-4)
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Thomas, Roy (August 2011). "Stan Lee's Amazing Marvel Interview!". Alter Ego (TwoMorrows Publishing) (104): 9.
- ↑ The Amazing Spider-Man #31
- ↑ The Amazing Spider-Man #32
- ↑ The Amazing Spider-Man #33
- ↑ Daniels, Les (1991). Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics. Harry N. Abrams. p. 129. ISBN 9780810938212.
- ↑ David, Peter; Greenberger, Robert (2010). The Spider-Man Vault: A Museum-in-a-Book with Rare Collectibles Spun from Marvel's Web. Running Press. p. 29. ISBN 0762437723. https://archive.org/details/sinatrahollywood0000knig/page/29.
- ↑ Saffel, Steve (2007). "A Legend Is Born". Spider-Man the Icon: The Life and Times of a Pop Culture Phenomenon. Titan Books. p. 22. ISBN 978-1-84576-324-4.
- ↑ Manning, Matthew K.; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2012). "1960s". Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging. Dorling Kindersley. p. 34. ISBN 978-0756692360.
- ↑ Greenberger, Robert, ed. (December 2001). 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time. Marvel Comics. p. 67.
- ↑ Abad-Santos, Alex (July 11, 2017). "Spider-Man: Homecoming honored one of the best Spider-Man issues ever created". Vox. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
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External links[]
- The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) - #31 "If This Be My Destiny...!" at the Comic Book DB
Spider-Man comics publications | |
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Current series | The Amazing Spider-Man (issues) • Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man • Marvel Team-Up • Miles Morales: Spider-Man • Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider • Spider-Man/Deadpool • Superior Spider-Man • Venom |
Former series | Amazing Fantasy • Avenging Spider-Man • Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows • Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider • Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man • Peter Parker: Spider-Man • The Sensational Spider-Man vol. 1 • Marvel Knights Spider-Man/The Sensational Spider-Man vol. 2 • Spider-Man and Zoids • Spider-Man Family/The Amazing Spider-Man Family • Spider-Man's Tangled Web • Spider-Man Unlimited • Spidey • The Superior Foes of Spider-Man • The Superior Spider-Man • Superior Spider-Man Team-Up • Untold Tales of Spider-Man • Web of Spider-Man • Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man |
Limited series | Planet of the Symbiotes (1995) • Spider-Man: Chapter One (1998) • Spider-Man: Blue (2002) • Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil that Men Do (2002) • Venom vs. Carnage (2004) • Spider-Man: House of M (2005) • Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four (2007) • Spider-Man: With Great Power (2008) • Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine (2010) • Spider-Man and the X-Men (2014) |
Outside continuity |
Marvel Adventures Spider-Man • Spider-Gwen • Spider-Man 2099 • Spider-Man Noir • Spider-Man: India • Spider-Man: The Manga • Spider-Man J • Spider-Girl • Peter Porker, The Spectacular Spider-Ham • Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane • Spider-Man: Reign • Ultimate Spider-Man • Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man |
Crossovers | Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man (1976) • Superman and Spider-Man (1981) • Spider-Man and Batman: Disordered Minds (1995) • Batman & Spider-Man: New Age Dawning • Spider-Men (2012) • Spider-Verse (2014) |
Storylines | "If This Be My Destiny...!" (1965) • "Green Goblin Reborn!" (1971) • "The Six Arms Saga" (1971) • "The Night Gwen Stacy Died" (1973) • "Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut!" (1982) • "The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man" (1984) • "Secret Wars" (1984) • "Alien Costume Saga" (1984) • "The Death of Jean DeWolff" (1985) • "The Wedding!" (1987) • "Kraven's Last Hunt" (1987) • "Torment" (1990) • "Invasion of the Spider-Slayers" (1992) • "Maximum Carnage" (1993) • "Clone Saga" (1994) • "Identity Crisis" (1998) • "The Gathering of Five" and "The Final Chapter" (1998) • "Flowers for Rhino" (2001) • "The Other" (2005) • "Back in Black" (2007) • "One More Day" (2007) • "Brand New Day" (2008) • "New Ways to Die" (2008) • "Spidey Meets the President!" (2009)" • "The Gauntlet" and "Grim Hunt" (2009) • "One Moment in Time" (2010) • "Big Time" (2010) • "Spider-Island" (2011) • "Ends of the Earth" (2012) • "Dying Wish" (2012) • "Spider-Verse" (2014) • "Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy" (2016) • "Go Down Swinging" (2018) • "Spider-Geddon" (2018) |
Reprintings | Ultimate Spider-Man and X-Men • Astonishing Spider-Man |
Other | Marvel Tales • Ultimate Spider-Man story arcs • Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man story arcs |
See also | The Amazing Spider-Man #129 • Spider-Man in literature • Bibliography of works on Spider-Man |
Stan Lee | ||
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Media | Titles | Backstreet Project • Heroes for Hope • How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way • Just Imagine... • Karakuri Dôji Ultimo • Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos • The Amazing Spider-Man • The Incredible Hulk • Uncanny X-Men |
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Supporting | Liz Allan • Ancient One • Artemis • Athena • Aunt May • Balder • Sally Avril • Betty Brant • Peggy Carter • Sharon Carter • Clea • Billy Connors • Martha Connors • Eternity • Vanessa Fisk • Jane Foster • Frigga • Goom • Agatha Harkness • Happy Hogan • Happy Sam Sawyer • Heimdall • Hera • H.E.R.B.I.E. • Hermes • J. Jonah Jameson • John Jameson • Edwin Jarvis • Rick Jones • Ned Leeds • Living Tribunal • Willie Lumpkin • Alicia Masters • Jack Murdock • Foggy Nelson • Neptune • Norns • Harry Osborn • Odin • Karen Page • Richard and Mary Parker • Pepper Potts • Redwing • Franklin Richards • Randy Robertson • Robbie Robertson • Betty Ross • Shalla-Bal • Sif • Jasper Sitwell • George Stacy • Gwen Stacy • Supreme Intelligence • Franklin Storm • T'Chaka • Teen Brigade • Flash Thompson • Tyr • Uatu • Uncle Ben • Anna Watson • Mary Jane Watson • Wong • Wyatt Wingfoot • Valkyrior • Vishanti • Volla • Warriors Three (Fandral • Hogun • Volstagg) • Yancy Street Gang • Ho Yinsen • Zabu • Zeus | |
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