| "The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man" | |
|---|---|
 Cover ofThe Amazing Spider-Man vol. 1, 248 (Jan 1984), art byJohn Romita, Jr. | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| Publication date | January 1984 |
| Genre | |
| Title(s) | The Amazing Spider-Man #248 |
| Main character | Spider-Man |
| Creative team | |
| Writer | Roger Stern |
| Penciller | Ron Frenz |
| Inker | Terry Austin |
| Letterer | Joe Rosen |
| Colorist | Christie Scheele |
| The Very Best of Spider-Man | ISBN 0-7851-0045-8 |
"The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man" is aSpider-Man story written byRoger Stern, originally published inThe Amazing Spider-Man #248 in1984. In the story, a young fan of Spider-Man meets his hero.[1]
This comic was selected as one of the "Top 10 Spider-Man stories of all time" byWizard[2] and is regarded as among the most-loved Spider-Man stories.[3][4][5]
Young Timothy "Tim" Harrison lies in his bed. Portions from a column byDaily Bugle writer Jacob Conover say Tim is the greatest Spider-Man fan in the world and has collected every article available on him, including a whole album ofThe Daily Bugle's retractions. Tim has also collected mementos such askinescopes of Spider-Man's early television appearances and bullets from a crime foiled by Spider-Man. Suddenly, Spider-Man comes into Tim's room. In the following hours, the two trade anecdotes about Spider-Man's long career. The hero is surprised and touched by how much the boy adores him.
When Spider-Man is about to leave, Tim asks him who he really is. After some hesitation, Spider-Man takes off his mask, identifies himself as Peter Parker, and retells the fateful night when his negligence letUncle Ben die, causing him to fight crime. The story does not change Tim's admiration of his hero. A tearful Peter Parker embraces Tim (who refers to him as "Pete") and departs. An exterior view reveals Tim is staying in a cancer clinic. The last of the newspaper captions states that the boy's only wish is to meet his hero in person. Conover ends his report by stating his hope that "Spider-Man takes the time to visit a very brave young man named Tim Harrison, and I hope he does it soon. You see, Tim Harrison hasleukemia, and the doctors only give him a few more weeks to live".
The lead story ofAmazing #248 is Spider-Man's fight againstThunderball, but Stern's backup story is remembered much better than the main tale. According to Stern:
Partly, I'm sure that it sprang from a desire on my part to do a short human-interest story in the style ofWill Eisner - that's why the story is partially advanced through newspaper clippings... I was trying to be Eisneresque.[3]
Tim Harrison's death is mentioned inDanny Fingeroth andRon Garney's "A Spider-Man Carol", in which Spider-Man meets Tim's brother Joey. The story was published in the 1991Marvel Holiday Special.
The story has been reprinted several times and collected in varioustrade paperbacks includingThe Very Best of Spider-Man (December 1994,ISBN 0-7851-0045-8).
The story served as the partial basis for the two-part story "Make a Wish/Attack of the Octobot", in the third season ofSpider-Man: The Animated Series. The major difference is that the child is a girl, named Taina. She mentions a friend named Timmy. Another reference to Tim is at the end of the episode where there is a plaque that reads "WISH COME TRUE FOUNDATION FOR TERMINALLY ILL CHILDREN".
