The Amazing Spider-Man #238 · 1983
A costume torn apart.
Hobgoblin tears Spider-Man’s costume apart in an unforgettable debut image. Trace the ripping pose through later villains, parodies and character swaps.
The origin pointThe Amazing Spider-Man #238 · John Romita Jr. (pencils); John Romita Sr. (inks)
The original cover
The Amazing Spider-Man #238
Hobgoblin tears Spider-Man’s costume apart in an unforgettable debut image. Trace the ripping pose through later villains, parodies and character swaps.
This catalog follows the original cover’s composition across published comics and announced editions. Trade dress, virgin, foil and sketch treatments are described in edition notes. Connecting sets identify their participating issues and panels.
Verified records have source support for the exact cover and target. Partial records retain attribution or edition gaps. Reprints, interior-scene homages, different targets and unresolved references are listed separately below.
Clean official Marvel digital reproduction with bright whites, 60¢ original dress and complete edges. A lower-left 2013 digital copyright panel belongs to the publisher asset and is disclosed rather than removed. Credits independently confirmed in Marvel facsimile solicitation and GCD. Hobgoblin crouches behind the empty Spider-Man costume, tearing it into two mirrored halves. The hooded red eyes, outstretched hands, parted mask and kneeling silhouette define the lineage. March 1983 cover date; November 30, 1982 on-sale date.
The Amazing Spider-Man #238 collection
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- Homage entries
- 30
- Verified
- 19
- Qualified
- 11
Search by title, artist, publisher, character or edition. Entries may represent an individual panel or a documented connecting set; the count is not a count of unique complete panoramas. 1 exact scan remains pending and is labeled in the gallery.
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Research & releases · Reviewed October 20, 2026
New editions and open questions
No newly solicited exact ASM #238 homage with a verified release date after October 20, 2026 was located in the publisher, retailer and exact-target searches. Battleworld #3 is a December 3, 2025 release; the conflicting Sad Lemon December 2026 wording is not treated as an upcoming comic. Historic preorder pages for 2021 Moon Knight and 2024 Beneath the Trees do not imply future publication.
Undisclosed print quantities, ambiguous credits and conflicting edition dates remain identified as unknown. This catalog can grow as publishers, artists and collectors provide new evidence.
Reprints, interior-scene homages and references (2)
- Spider-Man and Zoids #10
UK weekly. The galko thumbnail looks close to the original Romita art under new trade dress; may be reused art (an exclusion). Check before showing. Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
Research source ↗ - The Amazing Spider-Man #238 Facsimile Edition #238
Supplied uncertainty resolved by visual inspection and GCD reprint record. Cover date June 2022; supplied April 6 date retained as release record while original solicitation listed March 30.
Research source ↗
Research changes and source notes
- CL-ASM238-0001: Reference / related edition
UK weekly. The galko thumbnail looks close to the original Romita art under new trade dress; may be reused art (an exclusion). Check before showing. Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0002: Cover homage
Cover inks are Joe Rubinstein (signed JR), distinct from interior inker Bob McLeod. Direct/newsstand editions remain grouped as one artwork.
- CL-ASM238-0003: Cover homage
'Enter Kingpin' restaging. Cover artist not named in the galko/LCG record. Single source (galko). Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0004: Cover homage
Marvel confirms Stefano Caselli cover credit; GCD identifies Frank Martin colors. Hooded Hobgoblin dominates the cover; partial compositional callback rather than a literal duplicate.
- CL-ASM238-0005: Cover homage
Variant name names the target. Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0006: Cover homage
Many resale listings title it 'ASM 238 Homage'. Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0007: Cover homage
Modern/classic trade-dress and Ultimate editions reuse this Mayhew artwork; counted once. Variant edition and print-run details vary; exact edition should be checked before purchase.
- CL-ASM238-0008: Cover homage
Variant name names the target. Artist not in the LCG record. Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0009: Cover homage
Single source (galko). Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0010: Cover homage
2019-01-01 is a year-placeholder rather than a verified street date. Jacob Bear attribution supported by signed cover listings; exact printing date remains unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0011: Cover homage
Consolidated 3 versions (trade, NYCC 2019, virgin). Single source (galko). Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0012: Cover homage
Hooded Leviathan figure in the Hobgoblin pose. Cover artist not named in the galko/LCG record. Single source (galko). Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0013: Cover homage
Regular cover by Will Robson, distinct from the Alex Saviuk incentive variant. Jackal parody identity not independently confirmed; named generally rather than importing story cast.
- CL-ASM238-0014: Cover homage
Consolidated 3 versions. Single source (galko). Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0015: Cover homage
Villains tearing the costume in the Hobgoblin pose. Cover artist not named in the galko/LCG record. Single source (galko). Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0016: Cover homage
Retailer (Sad Lemon Comics) names the target. Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0017: Cover homage
Consolidated 2 versions. Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0018: Cover homage
Consolidated 2 versions. Single source (galko). Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0019: Cover homage
Consolidated 2 versions. Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0020: Cover homage
Includes the 'FREE' sticker box from the original. Mature title. Single source (galko). Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0021: Reference / related edition
Supplied uncertainty resolved by visual inspection and GCD reprint record. Cover date June 2022; supplied April 6 date retained as release record while original solicitation listed March 30.
- CL-ASM238-0022: Cover homage
Retailer pre-order names the target. Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0023: Cover homage
Consolidated 2 versions. Uses 'In the Shadow of the Goblin' cover text. Single source (galko). Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0024: Cover homage
Corrected supplied attribution: Prianto is colorist, while GCD explicitly credits Tyler Kirkham pencils and inks and notes the signed after Romitas homage. Trade and virgin editions grouped.
- CL-ASM238-0025: Cover homage
Cover artist not named in the galko/LCG record. Single source (galko). Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0026: Cover homage
Consolidated 3 versions. Added to galko's list after a reader comment (Mar 2024). Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0027: Cover homage
New homage art on the ASM #254 facsimile. Single source (galko). Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0028: Cover homage
Consolidated 2 versions. Single source (galko). Native cover reviewed October 20, 2026; unsupported edition/print-run details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0029: Cover homage
East Side Comics partner listing supplies December 3, 2025 release date. Sad Lemon wording early December 2026 conflicts and appears stale/erroneous; no future release inferred. Replaced two-cover advertisement image with single-cover retailer art.
- CL-ASM238-0030: Cover homage
Retailer states ships after July 24, 2024; exact fulfillment date unconfirmed. Source image has a baked-in Lens icon at lower right; no image editing or icon removal performed. Clean cover image pending: the retailer reference has a baked-in Google Lens icon and is not displayed in the public gallery.
- CL-ASM238-0031: Cover homage
New research addition. Unsupported printing details remain unconfirmed.
- CL-ASM238-0032: Cover homage
New research addition. Unsupported printing details remain unconfirmed.
- Spider-Man and Zoids #10 / ASM238 facsimile: Not added
Reused original art; retained supplied rows as reference editions and excluded from homage total.
- Batbear custom ASM238 cover: Not added
Only private-group resale claim located; no independent publisher/artist edition documentation or clean full-cover asset confirmed.
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day film discussion: Not added
Fan discussion of a film shot is outside printed comic cover catalog scope.
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