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Welcome to SPIDER-MAN WEEK: THE MANY LOVES OF PETER PARKER, our second-ever theme week that’s solely driven by our artist pals: Kerry Callen, Des Taylor, Walt Grogan (who did that fab banner), Chris Franklin, Dakota Alexander, Franco, Bill Morrison, and special guest Mark Chiarello. For more on this groovy feature, click here. — Dan

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By KERRY CALLEN

Remember this iconic scene, with Kirsten Durst and Tobey Maguire from the first Spider-Man movie? Apparently it was a difficult scene to film because the water kept making it hard for Maguire to breathe.

With this being THE MANY LOVES OF PETER PARKER WEEK, I decided to draw my own version of the scene. I left out the rain, to see if things would go better.

Oh, well.

By the way, did you know that Nightcrawler did the ol’ kiss-’em-while-upside-down thing to Amanda Sefton in Marvel Team-Up #89? It hit the stands in late 1979, 23 years before the Spider-Man movie.

Written by Chris Claremont with art by Michael Nasser and Joe Rubinstein. We here at 13th Dimension are here to educate!

If you’re interested in owning my piece, the original art and a color print will become available on eBay at 10:00 ET tonight. Link in comments shortly after it’s live!

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Want more MANY LOVES OF PETER PARKER? Click here!

Want more SUNDAY FUNNIES WITH KERRY CALLEN? Come back next week!

Want a commission? Send an email to KerryCallenArt@gmail.com. You can also find other work at linktr.ee/kerrycallen.

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MORE

— If THE JOKER Took Over the Funnies. Click here.

— If AQUAMAN Took Over the FUNNIES. Click here.

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Welcome to SPIDER-MAN WEEK: THE MANY LOVES OF PETER PARKER, our second-ever theme week that’s solely driven by our artist pals: Kerry Callen, Des Taylor, Walt Grogan (who did that fab banner), Chris Franklin, Dakota Alexander, Franco, Bill Morrison, and special guest Mark Chiarello. For more on this groovy feature, click here. — Dan

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By CHRIS FRANKLIN

When the 13th Dimension crew conceived a series on the “Many Loves of Peter Parker” my mind immediately went past the obvious Mary Jane Watson and Gwen Stacy to Peter’s original paramour, Betty Brant.

Betty loomed large in the Spider-Man tales I took in during my youth. I first met her on reruns of the 1967 Spider-Man animated series, where, at least during the first season produced by Grantray-Lawrence, she was essentially Spidey’s Lois Lane. Betty, her grumpy boss J. Jonah Jameson, and Peter himself made up the trio at the incredibly understaffed Daily Bugle.

Betty (voiced by Peg Dixon) got a lot of screen time, flirting with Peter, trying to keep Jonah from blowing his flattop lid, and repeatedly being rescued by Spidey. She continued that role (voiced by Mona Marshall) in the 1981 Spider-Man cartoon series produced by Marvel Animation and syndicated along with the reruns of the ’67 series. Although for some reason, they gave her black hair.

Peter and Betty spark in their first real romantic moment in Amazing Spider-Man #7 (Dec. 1963) by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.

Marvel Tales began reprinting the earliest Amazing Spider-Man stories in order, beginning with Issue #137 (March 1982), and I became hooked on the soap opera drama co-creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko concocted within. These were the stories the original animated series was primarily based on, but there was so much more romance, angst, and emotion oozing out of each page.

Debuting in ASM #4, Betty and Peter started flirting innocently, then become an item, until through her ailing mother and gambling brother, she’s drawn into the world of gangsters and Spidey’s arch-enemy Doctor Octopus. Her brother Bennett is killed trying to protect her from a ricocheting bullet meant for Spidey. Of course, Betty blames the wall-crawler, right at the moment Peter is about to tell her his secret and fully confess his love for her.

Betty’s brother Bennett dies before her eyes in Amazing Spider-Man #11 (April 1964) by Lee and Ditko

Betty and Peter’s romance continued, but Peter’s commitments as Spider-Man drove a wedge between them, one Betty could never fully understand. There were also the other girls like Liz Allan, and the unseen Mary Jane Watson who became obstacles for Peter’s affection and attention.

With Peter and Betty no longer an official thing, she began dating Daily Bugle reporter Ned Leeds, which angered Peter, further pushing them apart. As Peter moved on from high school to college, Betty somewhat faded into the background of the series. She would resurface many times over the years, such as in Amazing Spider-Man #156, where she and Ned married after a decade-long engagement (publishing-wise, anyway). Their wedded bliss didn’t last long, with Betty leaving Ned on their honeymoon/Daily Bugle assignment in Paris and heading straight to Peter’s apartment.

It’s heavily hinted that Peter and the still-married Betty may have, ahem, consummated their old romance, but writer Marv Wolfman was being cagey about the whole thing. Ned returned, fighting mad, and Peter played the jerk so Betty would run back to her husband, claiming he was using her to make Mary Jane jealous. Ouch.

Peter finds a married Betty waiting, ready to rekindle their romance in Amazing Spider-Man #184 (Sept. 1978)

Betty and Ned never really had a chance. In the mid-’80s, Ned was set up as one of several suspects who may have been Spider-Man’s new mysterious nemesis, the Hobgoblin. Another was longtime supporting character Flash Thompson, who Betty grew close to when Ned became increasingly cold and distant.

Ned was murdered while on foreign assignment in the Spider-Man vs. Wolverine one-shot (Feb. 1987) and was posthumously revealed to have been the Hobgoblin… even though he really wasn’t. A later retcon posited that Flash and Ned were hypnotized by the REAL Hobgoblin into assuming his role, to throw off suspicions of his true identity. It’s complicated in both the comics’ fiction, and even more so in the real-world Marvel offices, where backbiting among shifting creative teams and editors resulted in a very unsatisfying conclusion to a once great and intriguing storyline. But poor Betty, her mind shattered, ended up joining a cult as a result!

Betty sees the face of her husband Ned Leeds behind the Hobgoblin’s mask in Amazing Spider-Man #288 (May 1987) by Jim Owsley (Christopher Priest), Alan Kupperberg and Jim Fern.

Because of all of this, the idea came to me to spotlight the tumultuous life of Betty Brant in a poster from an imaginary late-1950s/early-1960s teen exploitation flick like Date Bait, Wild Youth and This Rebel Breed. You know, the classics!

Betty is cast as the beleaguered heroine, who at every turn is emotionally scarred by the men she cares about. And yes, of course I realize the Ned Leeds revelation as the Hobgoblin didn’t happen until 20 years after the Lee/Ditko era of Spider-Man, but it was too juicy to leave out. Betty herself is modeled after her appearance in the 1967 animated series, with a little Ditko anguish thrown in. She’s even wearing her dark blue dress, the only outfit seen on the show!

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MORE

— It’s SPIDER-MAN WEEK Starring THE MANY LOVES OF PETER PARKER. Click here.

— WHY SPIDER-MAN and MARY JANE Really Need to Stop That Upside-Down Kissing Thing. Click here.

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13th Dimension contributor Chris Franklin is a graphic designer, illustrator, writer, and podcaster, who co-hosts and produces several shows on the Fire and Water Podcast Network, including JLUCast. Check out his illustrative and design work at chrisfranklincreative.com.

We’ve been teasing it, and now here it is: SPIDER-MAN WEEK, featuring THE MANY LOVES OF PETER PARKER!

We’re talking Mary Jane, Gwen Stacy, Black Cat, Betty Brant — and even Liz Allan!

Why now? Because there’s a new Spider-Man movie this week! Why “THE MANY LOVES“? Why not!

Like spring’s 1966 BATMAN PINUPALOOZA, this is a completely art-driven feature, with the original, often humorous, stylings of Kerry Callen, Des Taylor, Dakota Alexander, Franco, Chris Franklin and Walt Grogan — who, as usual, did that dandy banner up there.

Where’s Bill Morrison, you ask? Well, he’s on hiatus for another week. Bad timing, sure, but we’ve got a fun reprint for you Monday that fits the theme — and pinch hitting with a new piece of his own is acclaimed artist and editor Mark Chiarello. But fret not, True Believers — Bill will return August 3 with his own take, rounding out SPIDER-MAN WEEK: THE MANY LOVES OF PETER PARKER.

We’re already under way, so dig the links below — and we’ll be updating with more all week long!

*SMAK!*

THWIP!

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LINKS

— WHY SPIDER-MAN and MARY JANE Really Need to Stop That Upside-Down Kissing Thing, by KERRY CALLEN. Click here.

— BETTY BRANT GOES WILD — and, Really, Who Can Blame Her, by CHRIS FRANKLIN. Click here.

DC Comics in October will be releasing the Superman: The Wedding Album 30th Anniversary Special, featuring the talent that first brought you Clark and Lois’ nuptials in 1996 (plus some other creative folks).

Dig the solicitation — and behold this wonderful wraparound cover by Dan Jurgens and Jerry Ordway:

SUPERMAN: THE WEDDING ALBUM 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

Written by DAN JURGENS, RAINBOW ROWELL, LOUISE SIMONSON and KARL KESEL
Art by DAN JURGENS, JERRY ORDWAY, CIAN TORMEY, JON BOGDANOVE, and TOM GRUMMETT

Cover by DAN JURGENS and JERRY ORDWAY
Variant covers by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU and TERRY DODSON
Wraparound variant cover by JOSHUA MIDDLETON
Foil variant cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU

Thirty years ago, the Man of Steel married the incomparable Lois Lane. After crawling his way back from death at the hands of Doomsday, revealing his greatest secret, and surviving a parade of nefarious wedding crashers, the couple lived happily ever after. Now, in honor of their anniversary, it’s up to their Super Son, Jon Kent, to plan a party for his parents with some unwanted help from the fifth dimension. Can he keep it a secret from them and their enemies hoping to strike while their guards are down?

Join the team behind the historical one-shot along with some exciting new additions for an unforgettable celebration of love and all things super!

$6.99 US | 56 Pages | Variant $6.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 10/28/26

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Buncha thoughts:

— This is similar to what DC did in 2022 with the Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special. I am kinda surprised the publisher didn’t schedule a Facsimile Edition of the original Superman: The Wedding Album with this, but hey you can’t have everything. And it’s not like it’s a hard story to find.

— DC did not reveal the variant covers, so we’ll be keeping an eye on that.

— More Superman news in the links below!

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MORE

— KINGDOM COME: DC Celebrates 30th Anniversary With Run of Variant Covers. Click here.

— Jam-Packed SUPERMAN BY ALAN MOORE ABSOLUTE EDITION Coming in Spring 2027. Click here.

DC in October will celebrate the 30th anniversary year of Mark Waid and Alex Ross’ 1996 classic Kingdom Come with a run of eight variant covers across eight separate series.

Some of comics’ top talent is taking part — but not Ross. (Maybe because he’s neck deep in his upcoming Marvel Dimensions project.)

Anyway, here are six of the nifty covers, by the likes of Dustin Nguyen, David Nakayama and Jenny Frison. (Two have yet to be revealed.)

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BATMAN #14, Dustin Nguyen, Oct. 7

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JSA #24, Lucio Parillo, Oct. 7

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ACTION COMICS #1103, Ariel Olivetti, Oct. 14

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BATMAN/SUPERMAN: WORLD’S FINEST #56, David Nakayama, Oct. 21

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WONDER WOMAN #38, Jenny Frison, Oct. 21

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JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #24, Stjepan Sejic, Oct. 28

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Still to be revealed are Superman: Unlimited #18, by Gerald Parel (Oct. 21), and Superman #43, by Ben Oliver (Oct. 28).

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MORE

— KINGDOM COME AT 30: The 13 Best Things About the DC COMICS Classic. Click here.

— SUPERMAN: THE WEDDING ALBUM 30th Anniversary Special Coming in October. Click here.

DC in 2027 will release the jam-packed Superman by Alan Moore Absolute Edition, collecting Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow, For the Man Who Has Everything, stories that only appeared in the United Kingdom, and more.

There will also be a raft of new material from the likes of Dave Gibbons, Rick Veitch, Ryan Sook, Mark Waid and others.

Dig the solicitation info:

SUPERMAN BY ALAN MOORE ABSOLUTE EDITION

Written by ALAN MOORE
Art by DAVE GIBBONS, CURT SWAN, and RICK VEITCH

Cover by RYAN SOOK

From legendary writer Alan Moore comes his groundbreaking stories for the Man of Steel. Joined by award-winning artists Dave Gibbons (Watchmen), Rick Veitch (Swamp Thing), and Curt Swan (Superman’s definitive artist of the Bronze Age), these celebrated tales would come to inspire generations of stories to follow and have since ascended to the pantheon of greatest Superman stories ever told.

Collecting “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?” from Superman #423 and Action Comics #583, “The Jungle Line” from DC Comics Presents #85, “For the Man Who Has Everything…” from Superman Annual #11, and the never-before-collected stories “Protected Species” from The Super Heroes Annual (1984) and “I was Superman’s Double” from Superman Official Annual (1985), both written by Moore. Escape into the tales like never before in DC’s biggest format, with each story fully remastered using original colors. Featuring brand-new essays from Gibbons, Veitch, Mark Waid, John Wells, and more, along with an original art and color guide gallery.

Featuring all-new art by Rick Veitch celebrating his landmark Superman story with Alan Moore, alongside all-new artwork by Ryan Sook honoring Dave Gibbons and Curt Swan’s Superman stories by Alan Moore.

$100.00 US | 200 Pages | 8 1/8″ x 12 1/4″ | Hardcover | ISBN: 978-1-79951-404-6
ON SALE 4/20/27

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MORE

— KINGDOM COME: DC Celebrates 30th Anniversary With Run of Variant Covers. Click here.

— SUPERMAN: THE WEDDING ALBUM 30th Anniversary Special Coming in October. Click here.

DC in October will have six Facsimile Editions headed your way, including two all-time classics and two surprises. You can read about them here, here and here.

Not just that, DC is bringing back the Dollar Comic concept and you can read about that here.

But the big news. The colossal news. The news that will drive you to your comics shop, toot sweet: 1970’s Batman #227 — boasting one of Neal Adams’ greatest covers — will finally be released as a Facsimile. It’s an issue that fans — certainly among those who read 13th Dimension — have been demanding for years.

Dig the official solicitation info:

BATMAN #227 FACSIMILE EDITION

Written by DENNY O’NEIL and MIKE FRIEDRICH
Art by IRV NOVICK and DICK GIORDANO

Cover by NEAL ADAMS
Foil variant cover by NEAL ADAMS ($6.99 US)
Blank sketch cover ($4.99 US)

When a disturbing letter from Alfred’s niece, Daphne, raises concern for her safety, Batman takes it upon himself to investigate her new position at far-off Gothos Mansion—ancestral home of the mysterious Clifton Heathrow. There, the Dark Knight comes face-to-face with the terrifying secret kept by six generations of the Heathrow family and the dark purpose for which Daphne has been chosen! A bone-chilling Batman tale rendered in all its gothic glory courtesy of the devilish Denny O’Neil!

$3.99 US | 32 Pages
ON SALE 10/14/26

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Buncha thoughts:

— Everybody goes on an on about the cover — and rightfully so — but don’t sleep on the story. It’s a prime example of the type of early Bronze Age gothic mystery that revived Batman’s primordial Golden Age stylings, by Denny O’Neil. Groovy art by Irv Novick and Dick Giordano, too. Plus, there’s a Robin solo story about nefarious doings at Hudson University.

— Good Halloween reading. It was first released Oct. 20, 1970.

— Since DC already released 1939’s Detective Comics #31 as a Facsimile, you can now display it alongside Batman #227. Neat!

— Always worth noting when I think a cover will look especially great in foil.

— Obligatory Price Comparison: This is one of those issues that just keeps soaring in price. An unslabbed, mid-to-high-grade original copy recently sold on eBay for a startling $1,650.

— As I said up top, there’s plenty more where this came from, so dig the links below!

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MORE

— DC COMICS to Publish SIX Facsimile Editions in OCTOBER. Click here.

— TODD McFARLANE’s Fan-Fave BATMAN #423 Cover to Get Facsimile Edition Release. Click here.

— REVEALED! SWAMP THING #1 Facsimile Edition’s SUPER POWERS Variant Cover — Along With Sale Date. Click here.

— DC Brings Back DOLLAR COMICS — in a Fashion. Click here.

DC in October will have six Facsimile Editions headed your way, including two all-time classics and two surprises. Three deserve their own articles and you can find them here, here and here.

Not just that, DC is bringing back the Dollar Comic concept and you can read about that here.

Below you’ll find the remaining three — 1993’s Adventures of Superman #501, 2000’s Harley Quinn #1, and 1986’s Watchmen #2.

Dig the official solicitation info:

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #501 FACSIMILE EDITION

Written by KARL KESEL
Art and cover by TOM GRUMMETT

Foil variant cover by TOM GRUMMETT ($6.99 US)
Blank sketch cover ($4.99 US)

There’s a new kid in town determined to make a name for himself, and that name is Superman (don’t call him Superboy, he hates that)! What this new Metropolis Marvel lacks in experience, he more than makes up for with style (billowy red capes are out, leather jackets and shades are in)! How best to announce his arrival in the city? How about taking on Intergang crime boss Steel Hand on live TV?

$3.99 US | 32 Pages
ON SALE 10/7/26

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HARLEY QUINN #1 FACSIMILE EDITION

Written by KARL KESEL
Art and cover by TERRY DODSON and RACHEL DODSON

Foil variant cover by TERRY DODSON and RACHEL DODSON ($7.99 US)
Blank sketch cover ($5.99 US)

Harley loves her “Puddin’,” her madcap “Mr. J.”—and the Joker loves Harley right back! Right? RIGHT?!? That’s why when the Joker takes offense at the new Joker-themed roller coaster opening at Happyland amusement park, he sends his best beloved gal to fix it but good! He’s definitely not planning to off our harlequin heroine, nope! But hey, who’s got a degree in psychology and knows exactly who’s playing who in this first-ever issue of her first-ever ongoing series? Harley Quinn, that’s who!

$4.99 US | 52 Pages
ON SALE 10/28/26

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WATCHMEN #2 FACSIMILE EDITION

Written by ALAN MOORE
Art and cover by DAVE GIBBONS

Foil variant cover by DAVE GIBBONS ($6.99 US)
Variant cover ($4.99 US)

The Comedian’s funeral brings the long-buried past back to the surface! Learn the truth about the first meeting of the Minutemen, the fate of the Crimebusters, Dr. Manhattan’s experiences in Vietnam, and more! Plus, Rorschach learns of the ultimate joke.

$3.99 US | 28 Pages
ON SALE 10/28/26

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Buncha thoughts:

— With the Reign of the Superboys storyline wrapping up, Adventures of Superman #501 makes sense. I just would have thought it’d come sooner. No matter. If you’re a Triangle Era devotee, this is definitely for you.

— Makes me wonder whether the other Reign of the Supermen solo kickoff issues — Superman #78, Action Comics #687 and Superman: The Man of Steel #22 — will get the same treatment. I am surprised this isn’t getting the “S” shield variant.

— I’m amazed we haven’t gotten Harley Quinn #1 until now.

— Reminder: All 12 issues of Watchmen are being reprinted monthly for a year.

— Obligatory Price Comparison #1: It’s not hard to find an original Adventures of Superman #501 for cheap. That said, an unslabbed copy in solid shape did recently sell on eBay for $15.

— Obligatory Price Comparison #2: An unslabbed, NM- original Harley Quinn #1 went for 50 smackers.

— Obligatory Price Comparison #3: You’re more likely to find Watchmen issues as a set, but an unslabbed, high-grade original Issue #2 recently sold for $24.

— As I said up top, there’s plenty more where that came from, so dig the links below!

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MORE

— FINALLY! NEAL ADAMS’ Brilliant BATMAN #227 Cover to Get Long-Overdue Facsimile Edition. Click here.

— TODD McFARLANE’s Fan-Fave BATMAN #423 Cover to Get Facsimile Edition Release. Click here.

— REVEALED! SWAMP THING #1 Facsimile Edition’s SUPER POWERS Variant Cover — Along With Sale Date. Click here.

— DC Brings Back DOLLAR COMICS — in a Fashion. Click here.

DC in October will have six Facsimile Editions headed your way, including two all-time classics and two surprises. You can read about them here, here and here.

Not just that, DC is bringing back the Dollar Comic concept and you can read about that here.

But the Facsimile Edition below features one of the most popular Batman covers of the Modern Age — 1988’s Batman #423, by Todd McFarlane, with stunning colors by Anthony Tollin.

Dig the solicitation info:

BATMAN #423 FACSIMILE EDITION

Written by JIM STARLIN
Art by DAVE COCKRUM
Cover by TODD McFARLANE

Foil variant cover by TODD McFARLANE ($6.99 US)
Blank sketch cover ($4.99 US)

While enjoying a late-night respite at a Gotham diner, three off-duty cops compare their three very different takes on the Batman, each having experienced a memorable run-in with the Dark Knight at some point earlier that evening. With an iconic cover by none other than Todd McFarlane!

$3.99 US | 32 Pages
ON SALE 10/7/26

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Buncha thoughts:

— I have to admit I remember nothing about the story. But it’s all about the cover, isn’t it.

— Another one that fans will love in foil.

— Obligatory Price Comparison: This one is more valuable than you might think. I saw a copy in a Boston-area comics shop recently and the tag made me cock an eye. An unslabbed, NM/NM+ first printing recently sold on eBay for $660.

— As I said up top, there’s plenty more where that came from, so dig the links below!

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MORE

— DC COMICS to Publish SIX Facsimile Editions in OCTOBER. Click here.

— FINALLY! NEAL ADAMS’ Brilliant BATMAN #227 Cover to Get Long-Overdue Facsimile Edition. Click here.

— REVEALED! SWAMP THING #1 Facsimile Edition’s SUPER POWERS Variant Cover — Along With Sale Date. Click here.

— DC Brings Back DOLLAR COMICS — in a Fashion. Click here.

DC in October will have six Facsimile Editions headed your way, including two all-time classics and two surprises. You can read about them here, here and here.

Not just that, DC is bringing back the Dollar Comic concept and you can read about that here.

But here we have Swamp Thing #1 from 1972, by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson — and the latest Super Powers variant, by Jason “ToyOtter” Geyer and Alex Saviuk.

Dig the solicitation info:

SWAMP THING #1 FACSIMILE EDITION

Written by LEN WEIN
Art and cover by BERNIE WRIGHTSON

Foil variant cover by BERNIE WRIGHTSON ($6.99 US) Super Powers variant cover by JASON GEYER and ALEX SAVIUK ($4.99 US)
Blank sketch cover ($4.99 US)

You’ve heard the legends…of a shambling, muck-encrusted mockery of a man lurking deep within the stagnant mire of the bayou. Of a brilliant scientist on the brink of feeding the world. Of sinister forces determined to control his discovery. Now learn the astounding details in this pulse-pounding origin of Alec Holland, the Swamp Thing!

$3.99 US | 32 Pages
ON SALE 10/7/26

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Buncha thoughts:

— We knew this ish was coming but these are the first details and the first look at the Super Powers cover.

— I love the Unman accessory there. Nice one, fellas.

— We still have at least two Super Powers covers to come in this Wave 3 — Batman #497, featuring Bane, and Green Lantern #50. There’s also the in-limbo Black Canary cover.

— Now you have a match for your House of Secrets #92 Facsimile. We’ve gotten that twice already.

— Obligatory Price Comparison: An unslabbed, NM original recently sold on eBay for $500. That actually strikes me as low, but that’s roughly the going rate. I suppose it’s because it’s not Swamp Thing’s first appearance.

— As I said up top, there’s plenty more where this came from, so dig the links below!

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MORE

— DC COMICS to Publish SIX Facsimile Editions in OCTOBER. Click here.

— FINALLY! NEAL ADAMS’ Brilliant BATMAN #227 Cover to Get Long-Overdue Facsimile Edition. Click here.

— TODD McFARLANE’s Fan-Fave BATMAN #423 Cover to Get Facsimile Edition Release. Click here.

— DC Brings Back DOLLAR COMICS — in a Fashion. Click here.