Ever since 1962 when he appeared in his first issue, Spider-man has arguably been the worlds most popular super hero, and Peter Parker, the original man behind the mask, has been just as renowned. With three different blockbuster full-length movie series, seemingly endless comic book issues, and numerous other appearances in film and television it is hard to argue that there isn't something that separates him from other beloved heroes. Something that makes him more relatable to us than other super heroes. The answer lies within his back story and his persona.
(Spoiler Alert!!! Spider-man has many retellings and different stories; however, certain aspects remain constant. All of the information in this article is commonly known and it has been available for more than 5 years. You were warned.)
One of the most interesting things about Spider-Man lies within Peter Parker. Peter is a teenager when he first takes up the mantle of Spider-Man, and like most teenagers he is impulsive and makes mistakes. Parker is flawed and these mistakes lead to the deaths of many loved ones such as his Uncle Ben and Gwen Stacy, yet he still stays to the main fundamental of Spider-Man "with great power comes great responsibility." He is there to remind us that no matter how hard we fall, we need to pick ourselves back up and continue to do what is right.
Even when all hope is lost and certain failure is to follow Spider-Man will continue to fight. He has fought gods, the supernatural, and beings that could destroy him with the blink of an eye. He is not an ice-veined robot who always wins and does the right thing. Peter faces human problems such vengeance and negligence. For example, in Marc Webb's 2012 The Amazing Spider-Man Peter does not take up the mantle because it is the right thing to do he does so in order to avenge his uncle's death. Later in the movie he realizes that he was given a gift, and he should use that gift to protect the people of Manhattan. Additionally, in the sequel and in The Amazing Spider-Man issues #121-122 Peter makes the mistake of getting his girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, involved with Spider-Man and in turn results in her death. This death is made even more tragic with the fact that Gwen essentially was killed by Spider-Man's own hand when he broke her back after catching her with webbing. However, even though her death was by his hand he still puts on the mask and suit to protect others.
It is also important to note that Peter Parker and Spider-Man are essentially two different entities. Peter is a shy, introverted nerd , but Spider-Man is a confident, fearless comedian. They are two sides to the same coin, internal mind but Spider-Man's and Peter's situations are completely different. This shows us that it is alright to have different personalities or act differently in different situations. For instance, one may be extremely confident when it comes to talking to large crowds but when talking to individuals they get anxiety or a father may act differently with his wife and kids than with his co-workers. Does that mean that they are wrong for hiding their differing personalities? No. Spider-Man teaches us that different situations call for different responses.
Today, Spider-Man continues to be one of the most dynamic characters in all of literature. Peter Parker will keep growing with each conflict he faces and will better himself as a result. He will continue to make mistakes that lead to tragedy in his life, but he will not forget that when given a gift, we have to try the most within our power to use that gift for good.
