Amazing Spider-Man 38 (1963)

Welcome to National Joe Day.

Today is designed to serve two purposes: enjoy a cup of coffee – or Joe – with a Joe. Or, Joseph, or Joey or Josephine, Jody, Johanna, fill in your Jo of choice.

For our usage we’re going with plain old Joe. As in Just a Guy Named Joe. That’s the title of Amazing Spider–Man issue 38. While unremarkable story wise, it does mark the end of an era.

Amazing Spider-Man 38 (1963)

Issue 38 is the dissolution of the creative partnership between Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. For 38 issues, and Amazing Fantasy 15 (1962), Stan the Man and Sturdy Steve laid the foundation of a franchise that carried Marvel for decades.

In the first 38, the bulk of Spidey’s rogues gallery was formulated. As were the core cast of characters who have shadowed Spider-Man and his alter ego. Peter Parker’s DNA are in those issues.

So, it is with a whimper the two dissolve their partnership with Joe.

Joe Smith.

A nice enough guy, but a loser. Poor Joe just can’t catch a break. He only wants to be somebody. Whether it be in the ring or in front of the camera.

He gets his wish in merry Marvel misadventure manner. That means Spidey must save the day, yet it’s Joe who wins in the end.

It’s a serviceable comic book. It does bring the promise of action to come. And, Peter almost meets the love of his life.
But, it’s over shadowed by the book that follows. Amazing Spider-Man 39 is the first to feature Jazzy Johnny Romita (Sr) on pencils. It also features the Green Goblin’s real identity.
So, like poor Joe, issue 38 finds itself overlooked except as a swan song for the original team who birthed a legend.
And, like Joe, it has gotten a little respect with the 1:10 scale McFarlane Toys PVC statue. Complete with environmental backdrop.
It actually is cool. I picked one up.
Okay, Back to Joe.
Did you know the name Joe is the 103rd most popular male name in the United States with an estimated population of 508,202.

Joe is used as a first name 99 percent of the time. It is also used as a male’s name 97 percent of the time.

The state with the most people named Joe is Texas where 97,514 can be found. Yet, you are more likely to meet a Joe in New Mexico where there is a person named Joe 477.94 times for every 100,000.