Now, as I mentioned last week, this likely isn't considered canon, as it is in a completely different format from the original story and comic book run. But it was still an interesting part of Spider-Man's history. And it got me thinking about some of the other audio-themed Spidey content we have received over the years, most notably The Shan Lon Bronze Age Comics.
An Obscure Find
Early last year I was browsing through some Amazing Spider-Man comics when I noticed a book slightly smaller than all the others and cover art I did not recognize. At first, I didn't know what to make of it and wondered if it was simply a Pocket Book, something we in the UK used to see a lot of in the 70s and 80s. But then I found another - only this second one was a cover I recognized.
I pulled them out of the box (after finding a third) and, upon further inspection, noticed it had a small box next to the "Barcode Art" stating that they were part of an audio edition.
These were Shan Lon Bronze Age Comic Books - variant copies of popular comic books that were sold in toy shops in the early '90s. These books were usually reprints, but this particular Amazing Spider-Man copy that I had found was actually a new book with a whole new original story inside!These Shan Lon books were mini-comics that came with an audio cassette so you could listen to the story as you followed through with the panels of the book. They were very similar in appearance to a regular comic, and also had the Comics Code Authority stamp on the top right of the cover and barcode boxes in the bottom left. Some even had interior ads, though not all.There were a total of 18 books created by Shan Lon: X3 Captain America, X3 Batman, X6 Man of Steel, X3 Spider-Man titles, and X3 Archie Books.Spider-Man 0 (the one I found first within this collection) was the only original book in the series that retold the Spider-Man origin, while the others were all reprints of classic tales.
The Last of Marvel's Audio Comics
The Shan Lon Bronze Age Audio Comics, I believe, were the last of an already-dying format for Marvel. By this time, the children reading the comics were reading the comics alone and not listening to the audio cassettes or vinyl records that were being sold alongside them.
But how could we discuss Marvel audio books without going back to where it started, the Golden Record Reprints?
Golden Record Marvel Reprints
The Golden Record Reprints are likely the most valuable reprints available. They were produced in 1966 and reprinted the original first appearances of famous Marvel characters such as: The Fantastic Four, The Amazing Spider-Man, Journey into Mystery #83 (First appearance of Thor) and Avengers #4. (First appearance of Captain America in the Silver Age).
The four Marvel Golden Record LPs came with a single reprint comic, and each originally sold for $2.49 (for both the record and comic). Readers would purchase these sets and follow the story in the comic reprint while the record played.
The narrator would read the story to us and to make sure we didn't lose our place, he would say "turn page," each time he finished the last panel on a page.
Know the Difference!
Although the reprints, at first glance, look like the originals, there are differences. For example, there is no cover price on the reprint and the back cover. Also, the inside covers promote the Golden Record LP series. (Always request to look inside the books you are purchasing!)
