I’ve decided it’s time to start reading Marvel comics again. I’m going to get subscriptions from the Marvel site, but can’t decide if I should get something other than Amazing Spider-Man. Is Ultimate or Spectacular worth reading? I’m open to stories other than Spider-Man as well.
The Pulse and Avengers(both written by Brian Michael Bendis) are amazing books to read.
I would have recommended Ultimate Spiderman up until last month. It’s been revealed now that it really is just going to rehash every popular plot that’s already been done in Spiderman. Killing Gwen Stacy again would have had a lot more pathos if it hadn’t already been inevitible from day one.
Thanks to both of you; I placed my order. 
So whadja get?
Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers, and Ultimate Spider-Man. I honestly don’t mind the rehashing of old plots. The only ones I still remember are the clone saga and secret wars.
It’s a pain to dig up, but Untold Tales of Spider-Man was great for fans of the original Lee-Ditko stuff. There was a short-lived TPB collection as well.
I think you made some fine picks already. I just entered the thread to pimp what I thought was the best Spidey stand-alone story this year that was in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #14 a few months back. I don’t want to spoil it for you or anyone else who hasn’t read it. I will say it was written by Paul Jenkins and had painted artwork by Paolo Rivera; it’s gorgeous, dark, and marvelous. It had a feel of a special one-shot squarebound book, but this was only a mere $2.25 and IMO the best value from a comicbook story I’ve had in LONG time. If you can find a copy somehow, pick it up!
Mike Allred drew a beautiful Untold Tales of Spider-Man Annual, I believe in 1996. Great issue that really captures the Silver Age style.