Mysterio Reading Order

Mysterio’s always been one of the more interesting Spider-Man villains by virtue of his idiosyncratic approach to crime. In a rogues gallery full of animal-powers (Rhino, Scorpion, Lizard), goblins (Green, Hob, etc), and Octopi with advanced degrees, the dramatic actor with a half fish bowl helmet and relatively vague power of trickery certainly stands out.

Threats like Norman Osborn and Carnage may throw Spider-Man’s life upside down, but it’s always nice to know Spidey’s got his own personal Gob Bluth running around:

Mysterio, aka Quentin Beck, is a member of the original Sinister Six, and maintains ties to that group whenever Doctor Octopus is looking to get the band together. The magical Marvel manipulator also plays a pivotal role in Spider-Men, the original meetcute between Miles Morales and Peter Parker.

Personally, my favorite take on Mysterio – and one that feels particularly pertinent following his MCU debut – comes from the video game Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions. The game features Mysterio questing after the mysterious tablet of life and time across the Spider-Verse, and introduced me to the concept of a Quentin Beck as interested in manipulating reality as he was more familiar parlor tricks.

Below you’ll find a guide to the best Mysterio comics in the Marvel Universe, including the Comic Book Herald logo placed next to my personal favorites.

Spider-Man Vs. Mysterio

Collects: Amazing Spider-Man (1963) 13, 66-67, 141-142, 311; Web Of Spider-Man (1985) 90; Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2005) 11-13; Amazing Spider-Man (1999) 618-620; Material From Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) 50-51

Marvel’s put together a Mysterio specific collected edition (in conjunction with his on-screen debut in Spider-Man: Far From Home), and it does a nice job capturing much of the character’s biggest showdowns with Spidey. I’ve listed the issues out in chronological order below, alongside a handful of Mysterio stories that didn’t make the cut in this particular collection (these items are bolded).

I’ll also note before you get rolling that the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and Amazing Spider-Man (1999) issues don’t take place until you’ve hit the 2000’s section of the guide below. I’d hold off reading those stories until then!

Amazing Spider-Man #13

Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1

Amazing Spider-Man #24

Amazing Spider-Man Annual #4

AMS #66-67

Amazing Spider-Man #141 to #142

Amazing Spider-Man #198 to #200

Spectacular Spider-Man #50-#51

Frank Miller covers!

Web Of Spider-Man (1985) #90

Amazing Spider-Man 311

Collects: Insert New