This started out as a project to collect the original Hobgoblin saga. As I started researching, I realized that the Hobgoblin plot overlapped with the Black Costume era, and intertwined with many other plots. Therefore, the project ballooned to several volumes, and covers major chunks of all three Spider-Man series at the time. I’ve noted the Marvel Tales and Sabretooth Classic reprints that are available.
Amazing Spider-Man 238-261, 263, 265-289
Spectacular Spider-Man 85, 98-100, 103, 107-113, 115-119, 121-123, 128-129
Web of Spider-Man 1, 6, 11-20, 22-24, 29-30
Any Amazing Spidey issues that are skipped are fill-ins. For Spectacular Spider-Man, I only included issues written by Peter David, or those that predated his run that were important. Finally, I only included issues of Web of Spider-Man that seemed important. The series was a mess for its entire lifespan, being the redheaded stepchild of the line, with a lot of musical chairs on the creative side, and always falling slave to the other two series.
The Hobgoblin Strikes!
Amazing Spider-Man 238-248
Spectacular Spider-Man 85
Amazing Spider-Man 249-251 (MT 259-261)
The Alien Costume Saga
Amazing Spider-Man 252-261 (MT 266-275)
Spectacular Spider-Man 98-99
Amazing Spider-Man 263 (MT 276)
Spectacular Spider-Man 100
Web of Spider-Man 1
(ASM 262 and 264 are fill-ins. The Spectacular issues here are needed to show the breakup with Black Cat, and the introduction of the non-symbiote black costume.)
Silver and Gold
Amazing Spider-Man 265 (MT 277)
Spectacular Spider-Man 103
Amazing Spider-Man 266-267
Web of Spider-Man 6
Amazing Spider-Man 268-272 (MT 278-282)
(This volume is sort of a filler volume. I don’t think it really advances the Hobgoblin plot, but there are enough threads here that are necessary to understand future volumes. Spec 103 and ASM 266-267 are PAD written issues, and so I figure they can’t suck.)
The Death of Jean DeWolff
Spectacular Spider-Man 107-110
(I have this in trade, otherwise it would go in either surrounding volume.)
Masks and Mayhem
Web of Spider-Man 11-12
Amazing Spider-Man 273
Spectacular Spider-Man 111
Amazing Spider-Man 274
Spectacular Spider-Man 112
Web of Spider-Man 13-15
Amazing Spider-Man 275-277 (MT 283-285)
Spectacular Spider-Man 113
Amazing Spider-Man 278 (MT 286)
Spectacular Spider-Man 115
Spectacular Spider-Man 116 (Sabretooth #4)
Spectacular Spider-Man 117-118
Web of Intrigue
Web of Spider-Man 16-17
Amazing Spider-Man 279 (MT 287)
Web of Spider-Man 18-20, 22
Web of Spider-Man 23 (pg 1-10)
Amazing Spider-Man 280-282 (MT 288-290)
Spectacular Spider-Man 119 (Sabretooth #5)
Amazing Spider-Man 283 (MT 291)
Spectacular Spider-Man 121
Web of Spider-Man 23 (pg 11-end)
Web of Spider-Man 24
(A note about internal chronology and splicing issues in this volume — Web 16-18 is “Missing in Action”. ASM 279 does take place during Peter’s missing time in that arc. Web 19 picks up seconds after the end of 18, which leads into #20, where Peter goes to Europe, continuing in #22 (21 is filler). Then, we have the first half of 23 happening immediately after 22 (Peter returns from Europe). There is scene in the middle that links up to ASM #280. The rest of Web #23 takes place “days later” and leads directly into Web 24, which is why I’ve placed it at the end. Meanwhile, ASM 280 and 281 is an arc, where Spidey gets a concussion at the end. He crawls back to his apartment in 282, and still has the effects of the concussion in Spec 119. As noted above, there’s the slip up where Spidey mentions the events of Spec 118 in ASM 283 as “yesterday”. The only other solution is to put the issues out of order, and have 118 come after 119, but I’m not so sure about that, because the subplot running through Spec at the time, which ends in #118 would seem far too drawn out at that point. While Spec 117 is the Missing in Action tie-in, there is nothing that requires it to actually take place during that arc.)
Gang War
Spectacular Spider-Man 122
Amazing Spider-Man 284-287
Spectacular Spider-Man 123
Amazing Spider-Man 288
Spider-Man vs. Wolverine 1
Amazing Spider-Man 289 (pg 1-10)
Web of Spider-Man 29 (pg 1-5)
ASM 289 (pg 11-14)
Web 29 (pg 6-23)
ASM 289 (pg 18-40) [page 18 will need to be copied]
Web of Spider-Man 30
Spectacular Spider-Man 128-129
Spidey’s life then continues on with the wedding.
An explanation for the splicing of Amazing Spidey #289 and Web #29 can be found at spiderfan.org:
http://www.spiderfan.org/comics/reviews/spiderman_amazing/289.html