# Marvel Age: Spiderman or The Amazing Spiderman for an 8 year old?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvel-age-spiderman-or-the-amazing-spiderman-for-an-8-year-old/335994
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [December 16, 2005, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvel-age-spiderman-or-the-amazing-spiderman-for-an-8-year-old/335994 "2005-12-16T23:49:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvel-age-spiderman-or-the-amazing-spiderman-for-an-8-year-old/335994/1 "2005-12-16T23:49:49Z")
I’m thinking of getting my 8 year old Great-Nephew a Spiderman Comic subscription and I see they have a special _Marvel Age_ Comic series for a younger audience. Has anyone read these? Is this a better alternative to the normal _The Amazing Spiderman_? He reads very well for a child his age and I almost don’t see the point of getting a comic book that it is any more juvenile, so to speak (I am not implying that comic books are juvenile, I just don’t see the point in getting him a comic that is even more simply written, know what I mean?). There is also the collectibility issue- are the _Marvel Age_ stories any good?
So Comic Dopers, I ask you, which is the better choice?
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### Author:  [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2005, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvel-age-spiderman-or-the-amazing-spiderman-for-an-8-year-old/335994/2 "2005-12-17T00:38:19Z")
I was reading regular comics like Amazing Spider-Man when I was 7, so that should be fine for him. He might be turned off if the comic is perceived as too “babyish,” like the Marvel Age books. However, Amazing Spider-Man is very continuity-heavy, and he might be annoyed by constant references to what came before he started collecting, and crossovers to other titles. If you ask me, the best gift would be a few Spider-Man trade paperbacks, so he gets some collected stories. I’d recommend the first collection of classic Stan Lee/Steve Ditko stories (either the black-and-white Essentials, a big thick book, or the color Masterworks, a Barnes and Noble exclusive), the first Ultimate Spider-Man TPB by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley, and a good-looking Amazing Spider-Man TPB, preferably something from J. Michael Strazcynski’s current run.
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### Author:  [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvel-age-spiderman-or-the-amazing-spiderman-for-an-8-year-old/335994/3 "2005-12-17T01:45:11Z")
My 8 year old son gets the Marvel Adventures: Spiderman series, which is All Ages, and he loves it. As I understand it. Marvel Ages was changed to Marvel Adventures this year. Marvel Adventures titles are each stand-alone issues and continuity is not an issue as it would be with jumping into the middle of The Amazing Spiderman or Ultimate Spiderman.
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### Author:  [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2005, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marvel-age-spiderman-or-the-amazing-spiderman-for-an-8-year-old/335994/4 "2005-12-17T04:26:35Z")
Thanks to both of you for your insight and advice. I decided to go with the Marvel Adventures: Spiderman. You make a good point about the stand-alone stories, **Homebrew**. I remember that was one of the reasons why I never got into The Amazing Spiderman as a kid. I just couldn’t get a feeling for the people and drama, it was almost a soap opera in it’s serial, ongoing, nature. I think the quick, cool adventures start to finish might get him into it to start with, then if he likes it enough I can go with your suggestion, **Voodoo Lou**. Thanks guys.