Covering the classic period of the late 1960s, The Essential Spider-Man Volume 4 collects some of the finest super hero action and angst-ridden melodrama that made the web-slinger a household name. Driven by an unflagging sense of responsibility, yet mistrusted by the populace he intends to protect, Spider-Man is the prototypical hard-luck hero. When he is not battling gaudy super-villains like the Lizard, Doctor Octopus and the Kingpin as Spider-Man, Peter Parker is caring for sick Aunt May or comforting his girlfriend Gwen Stacy, who is grieving over the death of her father, police Captain George Stacy-a death Peter feels that as Spider-Man, he should have prevented.

A classic hero, unforgettable villains and super hero soap opera, all wrapped up in a tidy 500-plus page package. The long-awaited Essential Spider-Man Volume 4 is bargain at any price.