Issue(s): Amazing Spider-Man annual #3
Cover Date: 1966
Title: "...To become an Avenger!"
Credits:
Stan Lee - Writer
Don Heck & John Romita Sr. - Penciler
Mike Esposito - Inker

Review/plot: The Avengers are considering Spider-Man for membership.

It is cool to see Hawkeye pushing for Spider-Man to join considering Untold Tales of Spider-Man #17. After hearing from Daredevil, they decide to go forward with a test. Thor manages to find Spidey...

...and invites him back to the Mansion to meet everybody.

Spidey, having major doubts about joining a super hero team, is offended that he is to be tested, and by the fact that they don't even actually have a test ready for him, and he winds up getting into a fight with everybody. When things cool down, they decide to send him after the Hulk, and Spider-Man rushes off to capture the Hulk without hearing the reason they want him (the Avengers say they want to help him). Spidey finds the Hulk...

...and fights him for a while, but during the fight the Hulk turns back into Bruce Banner and Spidey realizes he's an innocent man trapped in a monster. Because of this, Spidey decides not to lead the Hulk back to the Avengers Mansion (thinking the Avengers will hurt or imprison the Hulk) and so he passes on the opportunity to join the Avengers.

The art is really nice in this issue - it's John Romita layouts with Don Heck Pencils which seems to work very well. This is one of my favorite looks for the Hulk. The story is just such a super-hero mash that you can't help but love it. Fun despite the corny dialogue and the poor treatment of the Wasp.

Quality Rating: B

Historical Significance Rating: 4 - first real Spidey/Avengers meeting (they crossed paths in Avengers 11 but never actually met). Spider-Man learns that the Hulk is Bruce Banner.

Chronological Placement Considerations: Goliath seems to still be stuck in his giant form. Thor and Iron Man both make it clear that they have only temporarily rejoined the Avengers. The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are still in Europe. Placing this after the Avengers fight with the Sons of the Serpent but before the next storyline, where Goliath cures himself, works well. Thor has been away from Earth for a while, first in Olympus and then offworld with the Rigellians, and then right to Wundagore Mountain, and then to Asgard. This is a good time (between Thor #140 and Thor #141) for him to return to the Avengers to debrief. Peter has his motorcycle and describes the kids as 'getting friendlier'.

References:

• Spider-Man and Daredevil met in Amazing Spider-Man #16 and Daredevil #16-17.
  
• Spider-Man ran into the Hulk in Amazing Spider-Man #14. The footnote incorrectly says it was ASM #10, which also features the Enforcers which may be where the confusion came from.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: Marvel Tales #181

Why does spider-man have to catch the Hulk to join? Isn't that the most impossible test ever? Somehow I doubt they made Hawk-eye or Quicksilver catch the Hulk in order to join.

I like the fact that Thor finds Spider-Man and invites him to join. The next time that did that was in Avengers#235 and again it was Thor who found him and asked. When he finally joined in Avengers#316 or 317 and he did join, it was once again Thor that located him and gave him the invite. You forgot to point out that the Avengers in fact wanted to help the Hulk.

I'm confused by the footnote on that hulk vs spidey panel; it says they first met in spidey #10, yet amazing spider-man #10 seems to have no reference to the hulk ever appearing in that book on the marvel wikia.

I am fairly certain that they first met in Amazing Spider-Man #14, not #10, so you are correct, @Datspiderman. The footnote is mistaken.

See the second bullet in the References, guys. ;-)

Why don’t the Avengers go get the Hulk themselves? Typical Marvel superheroes acting like pinheads. This issue is kinda bonkers