The Amazing Spider-Man #290

The Amazing Spider-Man #290 was published by Marvel Comics in July 1987 as the first chapter of the 'Wedding of Spider-Man' arc. The narrative was written by David Michelinie with art provided by John Buscema and Vince Colletta. This issue serves as the prelude to the historic marriage between Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson, a major turning point in the series that had been orchestrated by editor Jim Shooter to revitalize interest in the character's personal life.

The issue focuses on Peter Parker’s internal conflict regarding his proposal to Mary Jane, set against a backdrop of classic superhero tension. John Buscema’s character work was praised for capturing the grounded, soap-opera-like emotional stakes of the story, which stood in contrast to the increasingly grim tone of late 1980s comics. At the time of its release, the issue was widely noted for successfully transitioning Spider-Man from a perpetually single, struggling youth into a man navigating a committed adult relationship.