At a time when the world is in need of heroes, where better to turn than to those spandex-wearing guys from the comic books. And Spider-man has woven his magic for over 40 years, becoming one of the biggest and best-loved superheroes across the world.  Spider-man the Icon is a lavish celebration of his eternal popularity.

Steve Saffel takes us on a whirlwind journey into the webspinner phenomenon.  He looks at Peter Parker's origins from first being bitten by that fateful radioactive spider, and follows his story as it unfolds, not just in the comic books themselves but also spinning out into the wider reaches of cultural influence.  As each decade goes by, Saffel selects the significant comic book adventures with behind-the-scenes information on some of the writers and illustrators who have shaped his career as well as all the merchandising tie-ins through toys, food and drink endorsements, records, TV series and of course, today's blockbuster movies.

It's not intended as a critical interpretation of Peter Parkers' many lives - spider cars and spider clones remain as ludicrously ill-conceived as ever - but it also joyously brings back all the reasons why he's a character everyone identifies with: school  bullying, heartache, friendship, anxieties. But of course, the one difference was that he had super powers we could only dream of and whilst we have grown up over the decades, he has barely aged. Audiences have shared his adventures all the way, and there's no sign that they are fed up. His villain's gallery is equally as well-known  and colourful. Take your pick from Doctor Octopus, Morbius The Living Vampire, Sandman, Venon, Scorpion and of course Green Goblin. Inspiration too often came out of the news itself so Saffel touches on the social background of Vietnam, student riots, racism, and the
9/11 tragedy. Even his recent life-changing Civil War antics, pitching one hero against the other, reflect current anti-terrorism conditions too.

Outside of Batman and Superman, Spiderman is one if the the most recognisable comic book heroes and Spiderman The Icon is a fantastic, if  slightly pricey, opportunity to see why he contiues to succesfully evolve for new generations of fans and embrace new media developments.  Even though many decisions could be seen as Marvel Comics cynically exploiting his popularity in commercial terms, it doesn't disguise the brilliance and  charm of the chracter. Every kid and adult wants to be a hero and in these pages you'll live that dream in an eternal childhood swinging across the skies,  battling one supervillian after another. And you just might need a mansion to store all the souvenirs.
Nuff said.