As the mascot of Marvel Comics, Spider-Man stands out as one of the most popular and recognizable superheroes of all time. Equipped with a sense of responsibility coupled with a sense of humor, the beloved teenage comic book character has established itself quite a reputation due to its commercial and critical success. Let’s take a look beyond the mask of Peter Parker by getting familiar with some of the most interesting facts about Spider-Man comics:
15. Iron Man Built Spider-Man His Very Own Armor
Spider-Man and Iron Man are two of the coolest superheroes in Marvel Comics, and the very thought of an amalgam of both characters is intriguing. The idea was put to the test when Tony Stark built Peter Parker his very own Iron Man armor.
Opposed to the traditional red and blue colors of the Spider-Man costume, it was red and gold, similar to Stark’s armor, because, according to Marvel Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada, “Stark’s design, Stark’s color!” Parker became endowed with many mechanical powers and wore them on many occasions.
14. Spider-Man has a Doppelganger Villain
Possibly a result of running out of creative ideas for a strong villain for Spider-Man, comic book writers came up with a doppelganger for the beloved superhero with the addition of fangs, an animalistic nature, and four extra arms.
Oddly enough, the new villain has been given the name Doppelganger, too. Sometimes referred to as Spider-Doppelganger, the villain was created as an evil duplicate by Magnus during the Infinity War storyline and proved to be a nefarious match for Spider-Man.
13. Spider-Man is the First Ever Teenage Superhero
Long before Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles made the status of teenage superheroes cool, the young Peter Parker had already established his reputation as a strong one by becoming the first-ever teenage superhero. While several of the teenage crime fighters such as Dick Grayson aka Robin were featured as sidekicks, it was Spider-Man who made the difference.
Unlike the traditional superheroes, Spider-Man might be the most unique one since he never had a secret identity or any mentor. He was still a college student and working as a photographer when his days as a superhero began.
12. Spider-Man is Related to J. Jonah Jameson
Visibly vocal against Spider-Man through his newspaper Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson has been bent on destroying the image of the superhero since day one. It would be astonishing to know that both of them are related.
After years of living as a widow, Aunt May started a relationship with J. Jonah Jameson, Sr., and eventually married him. Thus, Peter Parker and his longtime critic Jameson are none other than his step-cousin.
11. Spider-Man had a Dozen Relationships
Apart from being Batman, Bruce Wayne is best known as a billionaire playboy, but Peter Parker is not too far behind. While he has been frequently shown romantically involved with Mary Jane Watson, it is no secret that Parker had many relationships before finally marrying her.
The long list of Spidey’s significant others includes his first love, Gwen Stacy, Black Cat aka Felicia Hardy, Ms. Marvel aka Carol Sanders, Shadowcat aka Kitty Pryde, Sophia Sandoval aka Chat, Carlie Cooper, Betty Brant, Anna Maria Marconi, Debra Whitman, Silver Sable, etc.
10. Spider-Man had Several Decent Jobs
Most of the time shown as a photographer for Daily Bugle and even as a wrestler in almost all of his media presentations, it is surprising to see Peter Parker coming out of his shell and eventually getting decent jobs as he grew mature.
He has worked as a high school science teacher, as a scientist for Horizon Labs, and most remarkably, as founder and CEO of a multi-billion dollar corporation, Parker Industries.
9. Spider-Man joined the Avengers and the Fantastic Four
Due to his unique superpowers, Spider-Man will always be a valuable addition to any team he joins. With superheroes interacting and even teaming up being an everyday thing in Marvel Comics, it is interesting to note that Spidey has served as a member of the Avengers and Fantastic Four during one of their incarnations.
8. Venom was created by a Fan and bought for $220
Behind Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus, Venom is the most iconic and dangerous villain from Spider-Man’s Rogues’ Gallery. As surprising as it may sound, Venom was not created by a comic book artist but by an average Joe.
Randy Schueller, a Spider-Man fan from Norridge, Illinois, drew a villain based on the superhero himself, costumed with a black Spider-Man suit. Seeing the potential in the character, Marvel’s editor-in-chief, Jim Shooter, bought the character for $220 and introduced him as one of the main villains.
7. Spider-Man has Died Multiple Times
The death of a superhero might be one of the most tragic moments in comic books. The symbol of hope having perished signifies that there will indeed be no happy ending.
However, staying dead is quite frankly treated as a joke in comic books, as, during many storylines, Spider-Man has died multiple times but still manages to return.
6. Spider-Man has a Superhero Daughter
In the MC2 universe, Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson not only settle down but also have a daughter named after Aunt May. Gaining the powers from her father and eventually following in his footsteps, May Parker takes the alias of Spider-Girl.
Intended to appear in a one-shot story, Spider-Girl received immensely positive feedback from the fans, and it resulted in the launch of her very own ongoing comic book series of the same name. It became the longest-running superhero book with a female lead character ever published by Marvel Comics.
5. Spider-Man Teamed Up With Batman
DC and Marvel Comics are longtime rivals, but that does not stop them from intercompany crossovers for financial gain. While Spider-Man has allied with the Avengers and Fantastic Four, his most exciting team-up was with none other than the Dark Knight.
During their time in jail, the Joker and Carnage discover themselves as a force to be reckoned with as partners, but their plans are cut short when Batman and Spider-Man join forces to stop them.
4. Spider-Man Once Turned into a Spider
Image Copyright: marvel.com
Comic book writers have experimented with many odd things on the web-slinging superhero, but turning into a giant spider might be the most ridiculous version of his entire publication.
After being kissed by Adriana Soria, aka Spider Queen, Peter Parker mutated into a giant spider. For obvious reasons, things did not work well as far as Spider-Man’s reception was concerned, and he was thankfully reduced back to his normal self.
3. Spider-Man’s Parents Worked for S.H.I.E.L.D.
Not much is known about the parents of Peter Parker other than that they died in a plane crash. As interesting as it sounds, Richard and Mary Parker were superheroes in their own right as well.
The two served the United States government by working as spies for S.H.I.E.L.D. On a fascinating note, the couple once saved the life of Agent-Ten, aka Wolverine, while Mary was pregnant with Peter.
2. A Black Hispanic Became the Second Spider-Man
The very thought of Barack Obama being the President of the United States of America gave Marvel another idea to shake things up again. Following the events of the storyline Death of Spider-Man, someone had to carry on the legacy, and that is where Miles Morales came in.
Sharing a similar origin story as that of Peter Parker, a black Hispanic school student, Morales has bitten a spider, and you know how it goes. Replacing blue with black in the Spider-Man costume, the second Spider-Man received mixed reviews from critics and fans.
1. Spider-Man is Jewish
Although Marvel Comics never officially highlights their superhero characters following a specific religion, Spider-Man has been shown frequently exhibiting Jewish stereotypes throughout his adventures. From a historical point of view, it will be observed that the superhero was created by Jewish Stan Lee and several storyline writers were also Jewish.
Featuring many clues that hint at his religion being Judaism, his speech is filled with traces of Yiddish, and he has remarked with “oy” many times. Recently, the actor behind the mask of Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield – also Jewish – confirmed the speculation as to his “defining feature”.
Feel free to share some more interesting facts about Spider-Man comics that you know in the comments below!
this article is f a k e