Late 60s Spiderman

Posted this on my other blog, but I figured it belongs here too.

I recently read a collection of old Spiderman comics, dating from the 60s. This was the era that gave birth to lots of the villains who've been in Spidey's world ever since (or until recently). I'm talking about sweethearts like Doc Oc, the Green Goblin, the Kingpin and Kraven the Hunter.

There are also tons of totally forgettable villains who appear for an issue or two and never come back again. Guys like Blackie Drago, aka the second Vulture.

A few things really struck me about these comics.

1. The stories are set in New York City, but it's a New York with no Jews and almost no Blacks.
2. Inventiveness! Stan Lee and his gang could come up with villain after villain after villain. Awesome.
3. Boy Peter Parker spends an awful lot of time worrying about poor, frail Aunt May.
   
4. Sound effects. When I write the Daisy Dreamer comic I am not great at doing sound effects. They wind up being things like "Pop!" But Stan Lee -- Stan Lee strings letters together that look crazy on the page, but work as sounds. Words like Bzok! and Spanng! and Btok! I think reading the sound effects was the most fun I had with these comics.
   

And now, just for fun, someone's list of Spidey's 21 worst villains here.