The Amazing Spider-Man #375 (Prelude to Venom)

The Amazing Spider-Man #375 is significant to the Spider-Man series as it marks an important shift in how the character of Venom is portrayed, one of Spider-Man’s most complex and iconic villains. As it’s published in 1993, the issue reflects both a time where there was beginning to be more creative experimentation in comic books, as well as a pop-cultural fascination with anti-hero types of characters. The decision to bring to light Venom's more human side by introducing his ex-wife, Ann Weying, shifts the fanbase’s view of him from what we know as a pure villain, to a character that is capable of being moral. This choice, as suggested in the information on the issue of the comic, preludes to Venom’s eventual evolution into a protector later in the series, such as Venom: Lethal Protector​ (1993).
 

This comic cements itself as a significant piece of graphic design history with its gold holo-foil cover. This was an eye-catching and intriguing design trend that was common in the early 90s, when publishers wanted to boost the sales of comic books with attention-grabbing, collector worthy packaging. The “foil era” also occurred at the same time as the economic boom of the comic book market, which encouraged fans to purchase more than one copy as a potential investment. At the same time, this trend also contributed to the industry crashing in the late 1990s due to the market being over-saturated.

The cover art, drawn by Mark Bagley, illustrates the intense battle between Venom and Spider-man. The dynamically drawn action and sometimes overly-exaggerated anatomy is a characteristic of early 90s character design. This action packed cover along with the higher production value due to things like the holo-grafx foil cover, reflects the amount of visual experimentation within this era. Blurring the lines between what constitutes a hero and a villain, this collector’s item is proof of both a peak in Marvel’s marketing strategy as well as an evolution in comic book visuals and storytelling.

Sources:

1. GoCollect. (n.d.). Amazing Spider-Man #375. GoCollect. https://gocollect.com/comic/amazing-spider-man-375
2. Key Collector Comics. (n.d.). Amazing Spider-Man #375. Key Collector Comics. https://www.keycollectorcomics.com/issue/amazing-spider-man-1-375/33315/
3. Chasing Amazing Blog. (2014, January 8). Amazing Spider-Man #375 and how do you solve a problem like Venom? Chasing Amazing. January 8, 2014 https://www.chasingamazingblog.com/2014/01/08/amazing-spider-man-375-and-how-do-you-solve-a-problem-like-venom/