Spider-Man, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in the 1960s, is a relatable superhero who represents the teenage market. Peter Parker, his alter ego, is a science nerd who becomes extraordinary after being bitten by a radioactive spider. Spider-Man’s origin story involves the death of his uncle, which motivates him to become a vigilante. Unlike other superheroes, Peter Parker is the real person, making him more appealing. The responsibility of power is a recurring theme in the comics and movies.
Spiderman, or more accurately “Spider-Man,” is one of the most celebrated and popular superhero characters, and was first created in the early 1960s by comic book artist Steve Ditko and writer Stan Lee. His first comic book appearance was in 1962’s Amazing Fantasy #15, published by Marvel Comics, and his popularity was so instantaneous, that Marvel very quickly created a series of comics specifically dedicated to Spider-Man. Spiderman, in many ways, represents a departure from the typical hero of the era, and was inspired in part by the rise of interest in comic books from the teenage market. Lee and Ditko wanted to create a character that was relatable to teenagers, and they certainly achieved that goal.
Every superhero has an origin story, a way the ordinary person becomes extraordinary in some way. Spiderman is no different. When we first meet Peter Parker, he is a socially awkward and shy high schooler who is bitten by a radioactive spider on a science trip (in the 2000s film version this is changed to a genetically engineered spider). Parker’s blood is affected by this bite, and he is suddenly stronger, very fast, and is able to shoot webs, scale buildings, and jump long distances.
After Peter’s uncle is killed, Peter takes on the role, as many superheroes do, of a vigilante, and is not always well received by the media in this endeavor. When Peter starts working as a photographer, his employer does everything possible to vilify Spider-Man in the press. Later, Spiderman becomes something of a resident hero to the people of New York City.
What many have argued makes Spiderman more appealing is that his Peter Parker alter ego is indeed the real person. Because this hero starts out as Peter, he stays Peter, unlike characters like Superman/Clark Kent who take on an alter ego that doesn’t actually represent their true nature. Peter is a clumsy but highly intelligent “science nerd” and is plagued by problems such as trying to get through college on a shoestring, helping his Aunt May after his Uncle Ben’s death, and trying to balance the hectic vigilante vs. starving student schedule. , and then teacher. Peter is essentially the average guy, with all the issues of the average teenager and then young adult, which make him very attractive.
Although the 2000s film versions of Spiderman focus on Peter’s love for his neighbor Mary Jane (MJ), the comic’s origin story differs in this regard. Peter has a girlfriend in high school, Gwen Stacy, who is depicted in the third modern film as a potential love interest. To stay true to the origin story, Gwen would appear in the first film, as Peter’s girlfriend, and be killed by the Green Goblin. MJ is a friend in the comics, who later becomes romantically involved with Peter, and the two get married much later in the comic series.
One current that runs through the comics and movies is the idea of the responsibility of power, or “with great power comes great responsibility.” Peter isn’t just a superhero who thinks on instinct and violently drives away his enemies. Instead he is a thinker, seeking, in many cases, to create justice in his own world. He understands the nature of power and its corrupting force and strives to remain free from the stain of corruption so that he can see things clearly. Many of his enemies are strong characters who choose to use their power or intelligence in corrupted and evil ways. Peter can’t always resist the abuse of power, but perhaps part of Peter’s appeal is his constant struggle to be a better person, not just a more powerful superhero.
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