Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Co-Op and weapon kit promotional image from Treyarch and Raven Studios

    Sharing Gunsmith Builds in Black Ops 7 Is About To Get Much Easier

    08/19/2025
    EA Sports Madden NFL 26 Head Coach But Why Tho 5

    Dear EA Sports, Why Can’t I Make A Hot Coach?

    08/14/2025
    Blade in Marvel Rivals Season 3.5

    Blade Can Shut Down The Other Team In Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 If You Know How

    08/08/2025
    John Cena and Cody Rhodes during Summerslam 2025

    The SummerSlam 2025 Main Event Was A Fever Dream We All Needed

    08/08/2025
    Street Fighter 6 Sagat

    Sagat Brings Depth And Approachability To ‘Street Fighter 6’

    08/07/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » Marvel Comics » REVIEW: ‘Spider-Man: Life Story,’ Annual #1

REVIEW: ‘Spider-Man: Life Story,’ Annual #1

Collier "CJ" JenningsBy Collier "CJ" Jennings08/25/20213 Mins Read
Spider-Man Life Story Annual #1 - But Why Tho
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Spider-Man Life Story Annual #1 - But Why Tho

Spider-Man: Life Story Annual #1 is written by Chip Zdarsky, penciled by Mark Bagley, inked by Andrew Hennessy, colored by Matt Milla, and lettered by VC’s Travis Lanham. It is published by Marvel Comics. Taking place during the events of the Spider-Man: Life Story miniseries, the annual follows the life of J. Jonah Jameson in real-time. After his involvement in the creation of the Scorpion is revealed, Jameson is sent to prison. Yet despite therapy and everyone in his life telling him otherwise, Jameson chooses to pin his misfortunes on Spider-Man.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

The Spider-Man: Life Story miniseries took a unique concept to the Spider-Man mythos, by following Peter Parker as if he aged in real-time and folding in major historical events with Spider-Man storylines; Marvel is also currently doing a similar tactic with Fantastic Four: Life Story. This annual continues that tradition, following Jameson’s imprisonment in 1966 to his release in 2001. In keeping with that tradition, the artistic team slowly shows Jameson aging throughout the issue. When the story begins, Bagley and Hennessy depict Jameson as the temperamental editor of the Daily Bugle fans know and love, or love to hate, with his trademark flattop haircut and mustache. By the story’s end, he is sporting a full beard and his hair is fully white, with the weight of the years etched into his face. Milla delivers a rather muted color palette throughout the issue, with recurring shades of tan for Jameson’s caption boxes.

Writing-wise, Zdarsky brings the same sense of introspection that he did to chronicling Peter Parker’s life journey to Jameson. Jameson is admittedly a tricky character to write for: most writers and fans look at him and see “angry newspaper owner who hates Spider-Man.” Yet, there are deeper issues underlining his hate of the web-slinger; as in the main canon, Jameson’s first wife was killed by a masked thief, which led to a deep distrust of masked figures including the web-slinger. Zdarsky also shows how Jameson’s obsession costs him everything, from his freedom to his relationship with his son John.

Perhaps the most emotional scene in the book comes from a phone conversation between Jameson and Peter Parker after the latter lost his wife Gwen Stacy. At first, Jameson seems to truly empathize with Peter and offers his condolences. But then it soon spirals into another anti-Spidey rant, until Peter tells Jonah in no uncertain terms to let it go. Zdarsky has delved deep into the Peter/Jameson relationship during his run on Spectacular Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow, and here it takes a tragic turn—especially at the end, which shows the price of holding onto a vendetta.

Spider-Man: Life Story Annual #1 serves as a great character piece for J. Jonah Jameson, and returns to one of the best modern-day Spider-Man stories in the process. Zdarsky continues to prove himself as one of the strongest writers in Marvel’s stable, and I’m game for more of his Spidey stories. It’s clear that he has a deep love for the web-slinger and genuinely inventive ideas for what to do with him and his supporting cast.

Spider-Man: Life Story Annual #1 is available wherever comics are sold.

Spider-Man: Life Story Annual #1
5

TL;DR

Spider-Man: Life Story Annual #1 serves as a great character piece for J. Jonah Jameson, and returns to one of the best modern-day Spider-Man stories in the process. Zdarsky continues to prove himself as one of the strongest writers in Marvel’s stable, and I’m game for more of his Spidey stories. It’s clear that he has a deep love for the web-slinger and genuinely inventive ideas for what to do with him and his supporting cast.

  • Buy now via ComiXology

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘Avengers Annual,’ Issue #1
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Black Widow,’ Issue #10
Collier "CJ" Jennings
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)

Born and raised in Texas, Collier “CJ” Jennings was introduced to geekdom at an early age by his father, who showed him Ultraman and Star Trek: The Next Generation. On his thirteenth birthday, he received a copy of Giant Size X-Men #1 and dove head first into the realm of pop culture, never looking back. His hobbies include: writing screenplays and essays, watching movies and television, card games/RPG’s, and cooking. He currently resides in Seattle.

Related Posts

Cover art for Fantastic Four Issue 2

REVIEW: ‘Fantastic Four’ Issue 2

08/13/2025
Cover art of Predator Kills The Marvel Universe Issue 1

REVIEW: ‘Predator Kills the Marvel Universe’ Issue 1

08/13/2025
Cover art of Ultimate Spider-Man Incursion Issue 3

REVIEW: ‘Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion’ Issue 3

08/13/2025
cover art for Uncanny X-Men Issue 19

REVIEW: ‘Uncanny X-Men’ Issue 19

08/06/2025
Cover art for One World Under Doom Issue 6

REVIEW: ‘One World Under Doom’ Issue 6

08/06/2025
Cover art for Ultimates Issue 14

REVIEW: ‘Ultimates’ Issue 14

07/30/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Still from Shin Godzilla
8.5
Film

REVIEW: ‘Shin Godzilla’ Is More Relevant Than Ever

By Sarah Musnicky08/16/2025Updated:08/17/2025

It is understandable how Shin Godzilla succeeded at the box office nearly a decade ago. The strength of its story still stands today.

Botanical Bliss Update Palia But Why Tho 5 News

Palia’s New Botanical Bliss Update Brings New Flora, Decorations, And Quest Mechanic

By Matt Donahue08/18/2025Updated:08/18/2025

The Botanical Bliss update adds new event, more plushes, and a host of quality-of-life improvements and more to celebrate 2 years of Palia.

BOOTS Netflix First Look promotional images News

First Look at Coming-of-Age Story BOOTS, Coming to Netflix This October

By But Why Tho?08/17/2025

Netflix is reporting for duty this fall with the new eight-episode series BOOTS, a comedic drama starring Miles Heizer and Vera Farmiga

Nuestra Magia Secret Lair Art Interviews

EXCLUSIVE: How The ‘Nuestra Magia’ Secret Lair Found Its Identity And Raised Over $1M

By Kate Sánchez08/15/2025Updated:08/15/2025

We spoke with Ovidio Cartagena about Magic: The Gathering’s Nuestra Magia Secret Lair drop, its impact, and the real treasure within.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here