5 Interesting Facts About Spider-Man
Spider-Man is one of the most iconic superheroes ever created. Created by Stan Lee in 1962, Spider-Man has become nothing short of a multi-media phenomenon. The character's universe has stretched through comic books, graphic novels, films, theme parks, and even video games. Spider-Man: Miles Morales was a noted launch title of the Playstation 5 gaming console. The brand's success was utilized to launch other characters like Punisher (The Amazing Spider-Man #129), Monica Rambeau (The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16), and several others.
The collective material on Spider-Man has grown vast. Understandably, some of the more interesting facts about the Web-head might have slipped through the cracks for even the most diligent of fans. I am relatively new to his fandom, so I am constantly learning new things from different sources. For example, I recently learned about my favorite incarnation from LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 (Arácnido, Jr.). Here is a list of five interesting facts about Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man!
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1. He Was Not Originally Called Spider-Man
Stan Lee took inspiration from a different insect when creating the character we now know as Spider-Man: a fly. Throughout his development, he was known by names like Fly-Man, Stick-to-Wall Man, and several other monikers before Lee landed on Spider-Man. I think it is important to remember that these characters result from human creativity. The fact that Spider-Man was initially inspired by a fly just tells us to keep our eyes open, that the world's most remarkable ideas may be hidden behind the most mundane of happenings!
2. Spider-Man Made A Deal With Mephisto
One More Day is a four-part comic series that sees Peter deal with some of the darkest challenges he's ever faced in comics. Aunt May is shot by a gunman commissioned by Kingpin. Peter is notified that her survival is doubtful, which leaves him reeling, desperate for a solution. After trying nearly everything he can think of, including asking Tony Stark for money, he reaches a low. Ultimately, Peter makes a deal with Mephisto, and his marriage with Mary Jane serves as a sacrifice in return for Aunt May's life. The Marvel Encyclopedia notes One More Day as an essential Spider-Man storyline.
3. Spider-Man Works With Batman
It may be reasonably well-known that Spider-Man crossover stories exist. However, his crossovers with the DC universe of characters are very much worth your time. For example, the comic book Batman & Spider-Man: New Age Dawning, created by J.M. DeMatteis, Graham Nolan, and Karl Kesel, sees the World's Greatest Detective and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man team up to take down the detestable duo of Kingpin and Ra's Al Ghul. Kingpin, spurred by his wife's illness, seeks Ra's Al Ghul's aid to cure her. One of the comic's greatest strengths is illustrating how Spider-Man and Batman overcome their starkly different methodologies and personalities to work towards their common goals.
4. Spider-Man Joined The Fantastic Four
The What If…? story Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow asks, "What if Spider-Man kept the symbiote?" Without getting into deep spoilers, the answer is that things would be dramatically worse. The finale issue of the arc titled Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow #5 was created by writer Chip Zdarasky, penciler Pasqual Ferry, and cover artist Phil Noto. It was released on August 11, 2021, and saw Spider-Man take on a permanent role in the famed family of Marvel: The Fantastic Four. He replaces since departed Reed Richards fulfilling the now vacant, science-leaning role on the roster. Peter Parker is known for his mental acuity (especially concerning the sciences) and his heart of gold, so this role seems made for him.
5. Spider-Man Killed In The Marvel Cinematic Universe
There are several instances in the comic books where Spider-Man has killed, most prominently when under the influence of another entity, like a symbiote. However, Jon Watts' 2021 film Spider-Man: No Way Home gave us our first example of this behavior in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film saw three different Peter Parkers meet after a Doctor Strange spell had unintended consequences. One of which is played by Andrew Garfield. Unlike Holland and Maguire's, Garfield's Spider-Man tenure was a duology, while the other two's story has seen three films. As such, some questions were left lingering. The most prominent is how Garfield's Spider-Man would deal with Gwen Stacy's death. We got our answer when he said he had stopped "pulling his punches."
Did you learn anything new about one of Marvel's most beloved superheroes? Thank you for reading and until next time, have a great day and a wonderful week!
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Source(s): Insider, Marvel [1], [2], [3], [4], ScreenRant, SuperHeroHype