Spider-Man is not only one of the most iconic superheroes within the Marvel Universe, but his stories often transcend the typical boundaries of the genre. While he may be best known for his web-slinging adventures against a host of colorful villains, some of the character’s best narratives can be found in comics that step outside traditional superhero tropes. Here are ten of the best Spider-Man comics that venture into different genres.

1.”Spider-Man: Blue” – This miniseries by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale delves into the romance genre, exploring Peter Parker’s memories of his first love, Gwen Stacy. It’s a touching, melancholic look at love and loss, with each issue serving as a love letter to Gwen from Peter.

2.”Spider-Man: Reign” – Kaare Andrews presents a dystopian future where an older Peter Parker has retired from being Spider-Man. As he confronts his past, we get a dark narrative reminiscent of classics like “The Dark Knight Returns,” filled with reflection and a haunting atmosphere.

3.”The Amazing Spider-Man: Parallel Lives” – A graphic novel that explores the dramatic genre through the parallels between Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson’s lives before they met each other. This deeper dive into their personal journeys adds layers to their eventual romance.

4.”Spider-Verse” – This epic event combines elements of science fiction and adventure as various versions of Spider-Man from different dimensions come together to battle a common enemy. It’s as much about exploring identity and camaraderie among the different Spideys as it is about action.

5.”The Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows” – In this alternate reality story, Spider-Man is thrust into domestic drama. Readers get to see him as a family man facing challenges that test his resolve both as a hero and as a father/husband.

6.”Ultimate Comics Spider-Man” – When Miles Morales takes up the mantle after Peter Parker’s death, it shakes up the coming-of-age genre with its fresh take on growing up as a superhero in a modern world.

7.”Spider-Man: Life Story”– Chronicling Peter Parker’s life if he aged in real time from the 1960s onwards, this series tackles historical fiction, showing how major world events would have affected his life and career as Spider-Man.

8.”Spider-Man Noir” – Stepping firmly into crime noir, this version of Spider-Man operates in 1930s New York during the Great Depression, delivering gritty crime stories infused with mystery and period accents.

9.”The Amazing Spider-Man: Family Business” – This graphic novel works within espionage thriller conventions as Peter uncovers secrets about his parents’ involvement with international spy organizations, which put him on a collision course with familiar foes in unfamiliar settings.

10.”Unlimited Spider-Man” – This series introduces readers to anthology-style storytelling where each issue offers self-contained stories exploring different moods, genres, and aspects of Spider-Man’s universe, showcasing the diversity of tales that can be told featuring the wall-crawler.

These comics show how versatile Spider-Man can be as a character when placed outside of his usual crime-fighting element and provide fans with varied narratives that still capture the essence of what makes him such an enduring figure in pop culture.