The Death of Gwen Stacy in Amazing Spider-Man #121 is one of the most shocking moments in comic book history! So shocking, in fact, that it is cited by some comics historians as the end of the fairly innocent Silver Age of Comics. Since we have both ASM #121 and #122 coming to auction next weekend, Back to the Past is looking back at just how out-of-left field these two issues really were!
Taking Over For Stan Lee
Marvel Comics experienced runaway success introducing its superhero line in the 1960s. It went from a company circling the drain to, well, one of the Big Two in the comics industry. At the center of that success, both creatively and as a human mascot, was Stan Lee. As the company grew, Lee’s role as its creative leader took him away from day-to-day writing duties but there were two titles he refused to give up: Fantastic Four and Amazing Spider-Man, Marvel’s flagship books. It was only upon his promotion to publisher in 1972 that he would give them up.
Enter nineteen-year-old Gerry Conway! Gerry was one of a new breed of comic book writers, one who had grown up as a comics fan. Having gigged around various Marvel titles for a couple of years, Editor-In-Chief Roy Thomas gave him the unenviable task of filling Lee’s shoes on Spider-Man. Conway’s tenure began with Amazing Spider-Man #111, though he did collaborate with Lee for the first few issues of his run.
Ending the Silver Age of Comics
As his first year on the title came to an end, Conway was coming into his own as a writer. He decided it was time for a big shakeup, the kind of thing heretofore unseen in comics history. The result was “The Night Gwen Stacy Died” in Amazing Spider-Man #121. Gwen had debuted some ninety issues earlier and grown to be Spider-Man’s steadiest girlfriend in the years since. She was Spidey’s Lois Lane or Iris West, a longtime love interest defined by her being the hero’s perfect match. Having a supervillain murder her, on panel no less, was an unprecedented move for a superhero comic.
Compounding the shock of the moment was the villain who did it. Introduced in Amazing Spider-Man #14, The Green Goblin’s original reign of terror had ended in ASM
#40. The sinister split personality had remained largely dormant in the mind of Norman Osborn, emotionally distant father of Spider-Man’s roommate Harry, ever since. While not the first time the Goblin had re-emerged, it WAS the first time his campaign of crime was so deeply personal. It would also be the last: Amazing Spider-Man #122 saw Spider-Man hunt down The Green Goblin, unsure if he sought justice or vengeance. Their knockdown, drag-out fight would end with a failed attempt at stabbing Spidey in the back costing him his life. In just two issues, Spider-Man’s best girl was dead, and his best friend was orphaned. In a medium known for its devotion to the status quo, this was nearly unthinkable.
The Bronze Age Begins
“The Night Gwen Stacy Died” was a watershed moment for American superhero comics. Ten years earlier, Marvel had revolutionized the genre by adding the pathos and angst that had defined sci-fi/horror comics to it. With Amazing Spider-Man #121-122, they pushed the envelope of what could be done in superhero stories even further. The Green Goblin would stay dead for nearly 25 years and remains Spider-Man’s deadliest, most personal foe. The “original” Gwen Stacy has yet to return, but her memory remains a key part of Spider-Man lore.
While many issues have featured supporting characters and arch-villains dying in dramatic fashion in the decades since, few have had the impact of these two issues. When you’re ready to sell your collection of key issues, let Back to the Past help: Turning collections into cash with no hassle for our consignors is our specialty, and we’ve got the testimonials to prove it!
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