If you have a kid who wore the Spidey suit for Halloween and is still wearing it to breakfast, you are going to want this one on the calendar. Charlottesville native Patrick A. Reed, a pop culture historian and the curator behind exhibitions like Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing, is coming home to talk about his new book, Spider-Man Total Universe: More Than 60 Years of Every Comic, Every Character, Every Story.
It is a big book in every sense. At 832 pages and packed with images from the Marvel archives, it traces the web-slinger from his very first appearance in 1962 right up to today, with every major storyline, character and creator along the way. And it was written by a guy who bought his first comics off the spinner racks at the Safeway on River Road.
We sent Patrick a few questions before his visit. His answers made us want to dig our old comics out of the attic.
Spider-Man Book Event at New Dominion Bookshop: What to Know
What: Book talk, Q&A and signing with Patrick A. Reed, author of Spider-Man Total Universe
When: Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 7 to 8 p.m.
Where: New Dominion Bookshop, 404 East Main Street on the Downtown Mall, Charlottesville
Cost: Free and open to the public. The shop recommends arriving early for a good seat.
The book: Spider-Man Total Universe (Black Dog & Leventhal), $80 hardcover. Order a copy through New Dominion’s event page or by calling the shop at 434-295-2552.
So what will the evening look like? “I’ll be speaking a little bit about the book and the overall history of Spider-Man, talk about why I’m so thrilled to be doing this event in Charlottesville, doing a quick Q&A if people have questions, and then signing copies and generally milling about talking to people!”
Translation for parents: this is your kid’s chance to ask a real Spider-Man expert the question they have been asking you since August. Have them think of one on the drive downtown.
A Charlottesville Kid Who Grew Up on Comics
For anyone who has lived here a while, Patrick’s memories of reading comics in Charlottesville are a fun trip back. He grew up with older brothers who read and collected, so comics were always around the house. And he bought them all over town.
“I remember getting comics from the spinner racks at the Safeways on River Road and in Barracks Road shopping center, from the Waldenbooks in Fashion Square Mall, and then also at both the local comic shops, Fantasia Comics & Records (first in an old house on West Main, then downstairs on The Corner) and Daydream Books (on Market St off the Downtown Mall).”
Daydream Books on Market Street, just steps from where he will be signing books on November 14. We love a full-circle moment.
Why Do Kids Still Love Spider-Man After 60 Years?
Spider-Man first swung onto the page in 1962, which means today’s kids are loving the same hero their grandparents did. Patrick says part of the reason is that there is a version of Spidey for everyone, from the preschool cartoon Spidey and His Amazing Friends to picture books, graphic novels, the movies and the video games. Then there is the whole Spider-Verse: Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Ham, Spider-Noir and more.
“No matter who you are, you can find some Spider-Man story or character that you connect with,” he told us.
But there is something else, too, and any parent who has watched a four-year-old try to climb the hallway wall will recognize it. “A colorful red-and-blue costume, a mask that covers the face and allows us all to imagine ourselves inside, and the power to shoot webs, climb up walls, and swing high over the city? That’s irresistible!”
What Is a Good First Spider-Man Comic for Kids?
This is the question we hear from parents whose kids know every movie by heart but have never held an actual comic. Patrick’s answer is refreshingly simple: start at the very beginning.
The first Spider-Man story ever, from 1962’s Amazing Fantasy #15, is only 11 pages long. In those few pages, creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko laid out everything that came after. “The personality, the relatability, the powers, the costume, the origin, the concept that ‘with great power must also come great responsibility’… It’s all there.”
From there, Patrick says, there is a Spider-Man story for just about every kind of reader: big superhero sagas, street-level mysteries, heartfelt character stories, lighthearted action romps and more. That is the whole point of his book. Families can flip through it together and find the stories that fit their kid.
Local tip: the graphic novel shelves at Jefferson-Madison Regional Library branches, including Central Library on Market Street, are a free way to test-drive a few Spidey collections before you buy.
Do Comics Count as Real Reading?
If you have ever worried that your child’s comic habit doesn’t really count, Patrick has an answer worth sharing at the next school pickup.
“I think reading is reading, in the same way that jazz and rock and roll and folk and funk and classical are all music!”
“I think reading is reading, in the same way that jazz and rock and roll and folk and funk and classical are all music!”
Comics, he explains, are a medium, not a genre. You can tell any kind of story with them. And because comics mix words and pictures, readers take in information from the images, colors and visuals at the same time they are reading the words. He is also honest that a balanced reading diet matters, the same way you wouldn’t want a kid to only watch TV.
“There’s a great history of comics being used to inspire literacy, to provide a point of access for students to engage with different subjects, and to help welcome kids into the larger world of reading, and that’s a wonderful thing.”
Our take after more than 25 years of talking with Charlottesville parents and educators: a kid who is reading for fun is a kid who is reading. For more on raising readers and supporting learning at home, browse our Education Hub.
What Patrick Hopes Families Take Away
Patrick read, or reread, thousands of issues while writing this book. What surprised him most wasn’t a single storyline. It was realizing how many people built Spider-Man together.
“The history of Spider-Man is really an ongoing collective narrative. Hundreds of creators have contributed to this saga over the years, putting part of themselves into these stories, and that somehow comes through when you read them.”
He hopes readers come away with a sense of how wide and deep the Spider-Man story is, an appreciation for the writers and artists who made it, “and a desire to go out and explore the original comics for themselves!”
Charlottesville Is a Book Town: More Ways to Meet Local Authors
Patrick’s visit is one more reminder that Charlottesville is full of storytellers, and kids who meet a real author tend to go home and start writing their own stories. Connecting families with local writers is one of our favorite things to do at CharlottesvilleFamily, so here are a few more ways to keep the bookish fun going.
For moms: Three days after Patrick’s talk, our Moms Lit Society: Books After Bedtime meets on Tuesday, November 17, at 6:30 p.m. at Starr Hill Brewery at Dairy Market. We’re reading Sun Seekers by Rachel McRady, and Rachel will join us in person. It’s our quarterly book club for moms, hosted with Bluebird & Co., Dairy Market and Starr Hill, featuring books by Virginia women authors. No RSVP needed, and you don’t have to finish the book to come. Saturday night is for the kids. Tuesday night is for you.
For kids: Our roundup of Charlottesville children’s book authors and illustrators is a great place to find a hometown favorite. Comic fans ready for a graphic novel should try Ben Hatke’s Zita the Spacegirl series, a Virginia read since Hatke lives in Winchester. Little ones love Anne Marie Pace’s Vampirina Ballerina, early chapter book readers can dive into Hannah Barnaby’s Monster and Boy series, and Dionna L. Mann’s Mama’s Chicken & Dumplings is set right here in Charlottesville’s Vinegar Hill neighborhood in the 1930s, a perfect pick for kids who loved hearing about Patrick’s Charlottesville childhood.
For the whole family: CharlottesvilleFamily sponsors StoryFest, the family program at the Virginia Festival of the Book each spring, with hands-on activities and plenty of chances to meet local children’s authors. We also partner with the Crozet Book Festival each fall, hosted by Bluebird & Co. and the Crozet Library. Watch our events calendar for dates.
Is Spider-Man Total Universe a Good Gift?
At 832 pages and $80, this is more coffee-table reference than bedtime story. It is the kind of book a comic-loving teen will pore over for months, and a Spidey-obsessed younger kid will love flipping through with a parent. With the holidays around the corner, a copy signed by a Charlottesville native is a pretty great thing to tuck under the tree. You can learn more about the book from the publisher, Hachette Book Group.
Make a Night of It on the Downtown Mall
A 7 p.m. Saturday event is perfect for an early family dinner on the Downtown Mall first. Grab a table, walk the bricks, then head to New Dominion a little before 7 to get settled. Parking at the Market Street Garage puts you a short walk away. Looking for more to do that weekend? Our Charlottesville events calendar is updated every week, and our family guide to things to do in Charlottesville has plenty of ideas for the rest of the weekend.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Spider-Man author event in Charlottesville?
Patrick A. Reed will speak at New Dominion Bookshop on the Downtown Mall on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 7 to 8 p.m.
Is the New Dominion Bookshop event free?
Yes. The book talk is free and open to the public. Arrive early for a good seat.
Is the event good for kids?
It is a general-audience book talk with a Q&A and signing, so it is a great fit for school-age kids and teens who love Spider-Man and can sit through a short talk.
Who is Patrick A. Reed?
Patrick A. Reed is a Charlottesville native, pop culture historian, curator, journalist and DJ. He co-curated the Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing exhibition and now lives in New York.
Where can I buy Spider-Man Total Universe in Charlottesville?
New Dominion Bookshop on the Downtown Mall carries it. Call 434-295-2552 or order through the shop’s event page.
What is the first Spider-Man comic?
Spider-Man first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 in August 1962, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Patrick recommends it as a great first read for kids.
Are there other author events for families in Charlottesville?
Yes. CharlottesvilleFamily’s Moms Lit Society book club meets quarterly at Starr Hill Brewery at Dairy Market, and the next meeting is Tuesday, November 17, with author Rachel McRady. We also sponsor StoryFest at the Virginia Festival of the Book each spring and partner with the Crozet Book Festival each fall.
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JENNIFER BRYERTON, Ma Ed., is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of CharlottesvilleFamily, which she co-founded to provide a trusted, family-centered resource for the Charlottesville community. With a Master’s degree in Education, Jennifer began her career in teaching, where her dedication to experiential learning and community engagement became evident. That background in education and her zeal for marketing and digital engagement infuses her work for parents with a unique perspective. Her vision and leadership have led CharlottesvilleFamily Life & Home Magazine to win numerous awards for editorial excellence and community involvement.
Beyond her professional role, Jennifer treasures opportunities to share gardening, arts, nature and travel experiences with her husband and their four children and never turns down a board game challenge. Jennifer’s blend of education expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, commitment to family and enthusiasm for local community-building continues to shape CharlottesvilleFamily, making it a cherished resource for families in the area since 1998.