A SNEAK PREVIEW of The Sensational Spider-Man: Self-Improvement #1…
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Hey, you know the story behind Spider-Man’s black suit, right? That a fan named Randy Schueller came up with the basic concept and a story pitch?
Well, more than three decades later, much of Schueller’s original vision will finally see print in a special Marvel 80th anniversary one-shot: The Sensational Spider-Man: Self-Improvement #1.
“Back in the early ’80s, Marvel ran a competition for aspiring writers and artists,” Schueller told CBR in 2007. “Being a life long Spidey fan with delusions of comic grandeur, I took a stab at a story idea. I thought it would be cool if Spidey needed to upgrade his powers and his look, so I came up with this idea that Reed Richards had made a new costume for Spidey using the same unstable molecules that the FF costumes are made of. The unstable molecules would flow into Peter’s pores and allow him to cling to walls better. I think my original idea was to increase his sticking power by 25% or something like that. …
“Anyway, I saw the new suit as a stealth version of the original costume — jet black so he could blend in with the shadows. At best, all you could see of him was the blood red spider emblem, emblazoned on his chest. (Yeah, in my design the spider was red, not white. I also gave him underarm webbing like in the original Ditko design.)” he added.
The black suit’s first appearance. Cover by Mike Zeck and John Beatty.
So in the one-shot, Schueller’s plot is adapted by the team of Peter David, Rick Leonardi, Victor Olazaba and Rachelle Rosenberg — and we’re tickled to present your EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK below.
Oh, and not just that: There’s also a SNEAK PEEK at the back-up feature helmed by Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz and Chris Sotomayor — with finished art by none other than Sal Buscema.
Check it out:
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August 3, 2019
You know, I feel like the least they could have done was acknowledge Schueller’s plot that inspired this. The very least. If it’s in the credits anyplace, I missed it.
August 3, 2019
It’s in the credits. They have also publicly stated that this is based on his concept.
August 4, 2019
My apologies and sincere thanks on your reply and clarification. I will be more mindful in the future of posting before making sure of details like this.
August 3, 2019
What am I missing here? I always thought that the original reason for the black costume came from the introduction of Venom. I do like the idea of the black costume as a stealth costume but it’s like Marvel was trying to turn the “friendly neighborhood Spider-Man” into a dark and deadly Spider-Bat-Man and not the funny sarcastic goofball.
Marvel already has a Black Widow. Let’s leave Spidey in the red and blue costume with the big red spider emblem front and back and the web details.
January 14, 2022
I really can’t wait to see Tom Holland in the black suit in the MCU