Thwip!

I don't know how I missed this when it happened in real time, but I just learned the Library of Congress recently acquired -- from an anonymous donor -- the original pages from Amazing Fantasy #15, the first appearance of Spider-Man.

The Library's press release is here, and there's an official LOC blog entry on it here. I gotta admit to getting a chuckle out the blogger's surprise at the "excessively exclamatory" remarks kicking off the first Spider-Man story, though. That sort of stuff is only par for the course for Stan Lee.

Speaking of . . . Stan Lee is one of the true innovators in comics, and remains Marvel's greatest cheerleader and promoter. However, Spider-Man wouldn't have been Spider-Man without the glorious pencils and inks of artist Steve Ditko. Click on the pic above to open the larger image -- which includes the first time Peter Parker ever donned the familiar red and blue suit -- and be dazzled. Great stuff.

Kudos to the Library of Congress, and to the anonymous donor, for preserving this extraordinary piece of American culture.