Released in 1973, Spider-Man was part of the second wave of World's Greatest Super-Heroes sold by Mego (alongside Tarzan, Captain America, and Shazam).
WAVE TWO
There are TEN variations of Spider-Man's suit! Can you spot the differences?
Pictured Above (Left to Right): Top Row: Standard Circle Suit, Diamond Circle Suit, Broken Circle Suit, Regular Suit, Sewn Sleeves Suit; Bottom Row: Skinny Spider Suit (No Web Line Above Head), Large Spider Suit (Web Line Above Head), Large Spider Suit (Web Line Through Head) Lili Ledy Large Spider Suit, and Lili Ledy 10-Legged Suit
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In addition to different spider logos on the chest, each design has either a wide ("hourglass") shape or narrow ("half-moon") shape.
Pictured Above: Wide "Hourglass" Shape (Left) and Narrow "Half-Moon" Shape (Right)
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Type 1 Spider-Man
Spider-Man was initially released in 1973 on a Type 1 body with metal rivet joints. The initial design was the "circle suit" (with the spider emblem enclosed in a "circle" on the front of the suit). There are three different circle suit designs: the standard circle suit, the "diamond" circle suit, and the "broken" circle suit.
Pictured Above: Type 1 Diamond Circle Suit (Left), Broken Circle Suit (Middle, and Standard Circle Suit (Right)
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Pictured Above: Type 1 Diamond Circle Suit (Left), Broken Circle Suit (Middle, and Standard Circle Suit (Right)
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Diamond Circle Suit Spider-Man
The "diamond" circle suit is the rarest of the circle suits. There were only a VERY small number made (most likely an early pre-production or test market sample). Less than five diamond circle suit figures are known to exist and they almost never show up for sale.
Pictured Above: Type 1 Diamond Circle Suit Spider-Man
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Broken Circle Suit Spider-Man
The "broken" circle suit is almost as rare as the diamond circle suit. Again, only a VERY small number were made (most likely an early pre-production or test market sample). Between five and ten broken circle suit figures are known to exist and they rarely show up for sale.
Pictured Above: Type 1 Broken Circle Suit Spider-Man
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Standard Circle Suit Spider-Man
Still very rare and sought after by collectors, the standard circle suit was produced for only a short period of time before Mego switched to the common suit pattern.
Pictured Above: Type 1 Standard Circle Suit Spider-Man
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Regular Type 1 Spider-Man
The regular Spider-Man suit pattern is very common. Millions were sold. It can still be tough finding one in mint condition though. The silk screened outfits are susceptible to holes, seam splits, and runs.
Pictured Above: Standard Type 1 Spider-Man
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Type 1 Spider-Man was sold in a window box, on the Kresge-style card, and on the standard blister card.
Pictured Above: MIB Type 1 Circle Suit Spider-Man
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Pictured Above: Type 1 Spider-Man in 1st Generation Window Box
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Most Type 1 Spider-Man figures were sold in the Marvel/DC window box. For a very short time, Spider-Man was sold in a Marvel only box. Spider-Man is very difficult to find in the "Marvel Only" Box. Captain America was also sold in a "Marvel Only Box," but is much easier to find.
Pictured Above: "Marvel Only" Spider-Man Window Box (Left) and "Electric Company" Spider-Man Window Box (Right)
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Pictured Above: Type 1 Spider-Man in rare "Marvel Only" Window Box
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Type 1 Spider-Man was also sold in the "Electric Company" window box. It's identical to the "Marvel Only" box, except the front of the box says, "READ SPIDEY COMICS AND WATCH HIM ON TV'S ELECTRIC COMPANY" at the top. The "Electric Company" box can be found with the 4-digit/old logo or 5-digit/new logo.
Pictured Above: Type 1 Spider-Man in 5-digit/New Logo "Electric Company" Box
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Captain America and Spider-Man were the only two characters sold in a Marvel-only box.
Pictured Above: Captain America Marvel Only Box (Left) and Spider-Man Marvel Only Box (Right)
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Peter Parker Secret Identity Outfit
In 1974, Mego sold Spider-Man's alter ego, Peter Parker, as part of a catalog mail-away set with Clark Kent (Superman). The set included heads and clothing, but no bodies. Peter Parker was sold exclusively in the 1974 Montgomery Wards Christmas catalog.
Pictured Above: Secret Identity Peter Parker Outfit on Type 1 Body
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Peter Parker shares a head sculpt with Shazam with different paint job (Peter Parker has blue eyes, brown hair, and a widow's peak).
Pictured Above: Peter Parker Head (Left) next to Shazam Head (Right)
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Pictured Above: Peter Parker (Left) and Diamond Circle Suit Spider-Man (Right)
Type 2 Spider-Man
Between 1976 and 1982, Spider-Man was available on a Type 2 body with plastic joints. Late issue examples can have a red torso or sewn sleeves. There are four different Type 2 Spider-Man suit design variations. The differences are highlighted below.
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Pictured Above: Regular Suit with Hourglass Shape (Left), Large Spider with Web Line Above Head and Half-Moon Shape (Middle Left), Large Spider with Web Line Through Head (Middle Right), and Skinny Spider with No Web Line Above Head (Right)
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Pictured Above: Type 2 Spider-Man with Large Spider Suit (Web Line Above Head and Half-Moon Shape)
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Pictured Above: Type 2 Spider-Man with Large Spider Suit (Web Line Through Head)
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Pictured Above: Type 2 Spider-Man with Skinny Spider Suit (No Web Line Above Head)
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Another variation is the "sewn sleeves" suit. Instead of a one-piece bodysuit, the sleeves are sewn on separately. This variation also has a unique spider logo design on the chest.
Pictured Above: Type 2 Spider-Man with Sewn Sleeves (1979)
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Type 2 Spider-Man was sold in Japan by foreign distributor Popy in a special window box (along with Batman and Superman).
Pictured Above: Type 2 Spider-Man in Popy (Japan) Box
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Fist Fighting Spider-Man
In 1975, Spider-Man was available in the U.K. on a fist fighting body with "Karate Kung Fu Action." Sold on a card, Fist Fighting Spider-Man has a black button on his back that controls his arms and "vents" in his suit under his arms.
Pictured Above: UK Fist Fighter Spider-Man
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Pictured Above: Fist Fighting Spider-Man Under Arm Vents
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Lili Ledy (Mexico)
Spider-Man was produced and sold by distributor Lili Ledy in Mexico. There are two suit variations (large spider logo and 10-legged spider logo).
Pictured Above: Lili Ledy (Mexican) "Hombre Araña" a.k.a. Spider-Man with Large Spider Logo Suit (Left) and 10-Legged Spider Logo Suit (Right)
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Pictured Above: Large Spider Logo Lili Ledy Suit (Left) and 10-Legged Spider Logo Lili Ledy Suit (Right)
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Pictured Above: Lili Ledy (Mexican) "Hombre Araña" a.k.a. Spider-Man with 10-Legged Spider Logo Suit (Right)
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Pictured Above: Lili Ledy (Mexican) "Hombre Araña" a.k.a. Spider-Man with Large Spider Logo Suit
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Lili Ledy Spider-Man figures can be found with wrong suit front or back.
Pictured Above: Lili Ledy (Mexican) "Hombre Araña" a.k.a. Spider-Man with Correct Suit Back (Left) and Incorrect Suit Back (Right)
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