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Marvel Team-Up #141 and Amazing Spider-Man #252: the first black costume

Published Sep 14, 2026 · Updated Sep 14, 2026 · 1 min read

Short answerSpider-Man's black costume — later the symbiote and Venom — first appeared in regular continuity in two issues with the same May 1984 cover date, released the same week: Amazing Spider-Man #252 and Marvel Team-Up #141. Amazing Spider-Man #252 is the more famous and valuable, but Marvel Team-Up #141 is the same in-continuity debut and trades at a fraction of the price. The costume's origin was told in Secret Wars #8 (December 1984).

The sequence

Marvel's Secret Wars limited series (1984–1985) sent the heroes to Battleworld; the regular titles jumped ahead and showed them returning. Spider-Man came back in a black costume in Amazing Spider-Man #252, Marvel Team-Up #141 and Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #90, all cover-dated May 1984. The explanation — an alien costume from a machine on Battleworld — arrived seven months later in Secret Wars #8.

Which is the key?

  • Amazing Spider-Man #252 is the flagship title and the copy most collectors want; its Ron Frenz cover is iconic.
  • Marvel Team-Up #141 was released the same week and is listed by CGC as a first black costume appearance. It is the value option.
  • Secret Wars #8 is the origin of the costume and the first appearance of the symbiote as a creature.

Collecting

All three are 1984 direct-market books that survive in high grade; the market is a 9.8 market with a newsstand premium. A Marvel Team-Up #141 in CGC 9.8 is in the store. See the Spider-Man character page.

Written by the Rare Comics Collectors grading team. Spotted an error or have a question this guide does not answer? Tell us.

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SaleKey issueLast copy

Marvel Comics · Bronze Age

Amazing Spider-Man #102

CGC 9.4 · Universal Blue

Origin and second appearance of Morbius

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$770$999
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Marvel Comics · Silver Age

Amazing Spider-Man #8

CGC 8.0 · Universal Blue

Peter Parker fights Flash Thompson; Fantastic Four back-up by Kirby and Ditko

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$1,389$1,513
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Marvel Comics · Bronze Age

Marvel Team-Up #141

CGC 9.8 · Universal Blue

First appearance of Spider-Man's black costume (newsstand edition)

(0)
$1,265
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Marvel Comics · Bronze Age

Amazing Spider-Man #129

CBCS 8.5 · Universal Blue

First appearance of the Punisher and the Jackal

(0)
$2,158

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