Superhero Origins: Spider-Man (REDUX)
Superhero Origins: Spider-Man
Top 10 Best Spider Man Costumes
This friendly neighbourhood hero catches thieves just like flies! Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we will explore the comic book origin of Peter Parker, also known as Spider-Man. As with most comic book characters, there are often re-imaginations and different versions to a character’s past. We have chosen primarily to follow the original storyline, which unfolded in 1962’s “Amazing Fantasy” #15 and was expanded upon in 1978’s “Amazing Spider-Man” #181. Peter Parker was far from the superhero type when he was first introduced. A teenage science nerd who was bullied at school, Peter’s life was forever changed when bitten by a radioactive spider while visiting a science exhibit. Shortly after, Peter discovered that the spider bite had given him powers. These included a sixth sense that he would later dub spider-sense, and the ability to climb walls. In the hopes of taking advantage of his newfound abilities and make some extra cash, Peter entered a competition advertising $100 to anyone who could stay in the ring for three minutes with the wrestler Crusher Hogan. Wearing a mask to protect his identity, Peter entered the ring only to fully realize the scope of his powers, which included super strength and agility, using them to defeat Hogan. Following this, Peter decided to dub himself “Spider-Man”, and used his intellect to create his iconic costume equipped with web-shooters, and continued to win fame on television. One infamous night, however, Peter allowed a thief to escape, and told the pursuing police officer he didn’t help because he is only interested in looking out for himself. This decision would haunt Peter, as one night he would return home to discover his beloved Uncle Ben had been shot and killed by a burglar. Dressed as Spider-Man, Peter chased down and cornered the criminal, only to discover he was the same thief he had let escape. It was here that Peter learned “with great power, comes great responsibility”, and decided to dedicate his life to fighting crime. In 1963, Spider-Man would appear again, this time in his own comic book series titled “The Amazing Spider-Man”. This series would see Spider-Man battle hundreds of foes, including classic villains like Doctor Octopus, the Green Goblin, the Rhino, the Sandman, Kraven the Hunter, and Venom. The series would also follow the growth of Peter Parker, from high-school through college and beyond, with special emphasis placed on his job as a photographer for the Daily Bugle, his relationship with his Aunt May, and his romantic relationships, particularly with Gwen Stacey and Mary Jane Watson, one of the most famous comic book love triangles. When things in Peter’s life were going well, however, tragedy always seemed to strike. This is perhaps best exemplified in “The Amazing Spider-Man” #121 when the Green Goblin murdered Gwen Stacey, Peter’s girlfriend at the time. This was the main reason why Peter maintained a secret identity, to protect those closest to him, although it didn’t seem to work very well. The memory of Uncle Ben was always there to pick Peter up at his lowest point, however, especially in “The Amazing Spider-Man” #50, when Peter decided to quit as Spider-Man. One night, Peter heard a night watchman crying out for help and saved him. The man reminded Peter of Uncle Ben, and he decided to become Spider-Man once more. Like all comic book heroes, Spider-Man has gone through numerous re-imaginings, perhaps none more prominent than in the Ultimate storyline, which intended to be a modernized version of the classic character. The origin story is changed slightly as Peter is bitten by a radioactive spider at Oscorp on a school trip, and the villains, such as the Green Goblin, are also altered to make them more modern. The series also focused more on Peter’s trials and tribulations in high school, particularly his on and off again relationship with Mary Jane. Since his debut, Spider-Man has appeared in several animated television series, including the campy 1960s show “Spider-Man”, edgier 1994 animated series, and 2008's critically acclaimed series “The Spectacular Spider-Man”. He has also appeared in two separate film franchises, with both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield assuming the iconic role. Are you a fan of Spider-Man? For more comic book origins, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
