Spider-Man

Spider-Man is one of the most popular and commercially successful fictional characters in history. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, Peter Parker first appeared in Amazing Fantasy issue 15 in August 1962. A shy, bookish teenager from Queens, New York who gains spider-like abilities after being bitten by a radioactive spider, Spider-Man was a radical departure from existing superhero conventions. He had real problems. He struggled with money, relationships, grief, and self-doubt. He was not mentored by an older hero. He was a teenager carrying the weight of responsibility alone. That combination of relatable humanity and extraordinary ability made him one of Marvel’s most beloved characters within months of his debut and one of the most recognized fictional characters in the world today. The Spider-Man film franchise is the second highest-grossing film franchise of all time with over $11 billion in global box office. Spider-Man holds the Guinness World Record for most video games featuring any single superhero.

The Character

Peter Parker is bitten by a radioactive spider on a school field trip and gains proportional strength, speed, and agility of a spider, the ability to cling to walls, and a precognitive spider-sense that alerts him to danger. He builds his own web-shooters from scratch. His uncle Ben is killed by a mugger Peter could have stopped but chose not to, and the guilt of that moment defines his entire career as a hero. With great power comes great responsibility. That is the lesson, and Peter has never been allowed to forget it. The character’s core tension, between the life he wants and the responsibility he cannot put down, has driven every significant Spider-Man story across six decades.

Spider-Man in Comics

Spider-Man has been published continuously by Marvel Comics since 1963. The Amazing Spider-Man is one of the longest-running comic series in history. Key eras and storylines include the original Stan Lee and Steve Ditko run which established the character and his rogues gallery, the Gerry Conway run which killed Gwen Stacy in 1973 in one of the most significant moments in comics history, the Todd McFarlane era in the late 1980s which redefined the character’s visual language with intricate webbing and dynamic poses, the Clone Saga of the mid-1990s which remains one of the most controversial storylines in comics, J. Michael Straczynski’s early 2000s run which grounded the character again, and Brian Michael Bendis’s Ultimate Spider-Man which introduced Miles Morales as an alternate Peter Parker who has since become a major character in his own right. The Spider-Verse storyline established the concept of multiple Spider-People across alternate universes, which the animated films later used to extraordinary effect.

Spider-Man on Television

Spider-Man (1967)

The original animated series that gave the franchise its iconic theme song. “Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can” remains one of the most recognized theme songs in television history and has been covered by The Ramones, Aerosmith, and countless others.

Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994)

The 1990s animated series starring Christopher Daniel Barnes as Peter Parker ran for five seasons on Fox Kids. It drew on a wide range of comic storylines, featured an enormous cast of Marvel characters as guest stars, and introduced a generation of fans to the character. It remains one of the better Spider-Man adaptations despite its production limitations.

Spider-Man: The New Animated Series (2003)

A Spider-Man cartoon starring Neil Patrick Harris and set in the Sam Raimi universe airing on MTV? It sounds like a hit on paper, but unfortunately it was cancelled after just one season. After Spider-Man 2 came out it was no longer considered canon to the Raimi universe either.

The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008)

Widely considered the best Spider-Man animated series. Developed by Greg Weisman and Victor Cook, The Spectacular Spider-Man ran for two seasons before being cancelled when Disney acquired Marvel and the rights became complicated. It condensed the best elements of the comics into a cohesive high school drama with excellent character work and villain portrayals. Its cancellation is one of the more mourned losses in superhero animation.

Spider-Man in Film

The Sam Raimi Trilogy (2002 to 2007)

Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man in 2002 with Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker was the film that proved superhero movies could be genuine blockbusters in the modern era, grossing $825 million worldwide and setting the template for what followed. Spider-Man 2 in 2004 with Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus is widely considered one of the greatest superhero films ever made. Peter’s existential crisis about whether he wants to be Spider-Man at all, combined with a villain who is genuinely tragic rather than simply evil, elevated the genre. Spider-Man 3 in 2007 was overstuffed with villains and studio interference, including the famously awkward emo Peter Parker dance sequence, and ended the trilogy on a sour note.

The Amazing Spider-Man Series (2012 to 2014)

Sony rebooted the franchise with Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker and Marc Webb directing. The Amazing Spider-Man in 2012 had genuine chemistry between Garfield and Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in 2014 tried to set up too many future films at once and collapsed under the weight of its own ambitions. Gwen Stacy’s death in the film, mirroring the comics, was the most effective sequence in either film. Sony cancelled the planned Amazing Spider-Man 3 and negotiated a deal with Marvel Studios.

The MCU Spider-Man (2016 to present)

Tom Holland debuted as Peter Parker in Captain America: Civil War in 2016 and has appeared in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Holland’s Peter is the youngest and most inexperienced version of the character on film, mentored by Tony Stark and operating within the larger MCU. No Way Home in 2021 brought Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield back alongside Holland in a multiverse crossover that generated enormous audience response. It grossed nearly $2 billion worldwide. Spider-Man 4 with Holland is in development.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

Sony’s animated Spider-Verse films are among the best superhero films ever made regardless of format. Into the Spider-Verse introduced Miles Morales as the primary Spider-Man of his universe and used its animated format to tell a story about what it means to wear the mask that live action films cannot replicate. It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Across the Spider-Verse in 2023 was even more ambitious, spanning multiple animation styles across different universes, and was met with universal critical acclaim. Beyond the Spider-Verse is in development to complete the trilogy.

Spider-Man in Video Games

The Classic Era

Spider-Man has appeared in games since the Atari 2600. The Activision-published Spider-Man 2 game in 2004, developed by Treyarch, introduced free-roaming web-swinging in New York City that felt genuinely satisfying for the first time and remains a fan favorite. The Ultimate Spider-Man game in 2005 used a cel-shaded art style directly from the comics. Web of Shadows in 2008 featured a symbiote mechanic and is fondly remembered by fans of the era.

The Insomniac Era

Marvel’s Spider-Man in 2018 developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony is the best-selling superhero game of all time, selling over 33 million copies. Set in its own continuity with Peter Parker as an eight-year veteran hero, the game set a new standard for superhero games with its web-swinging, combat, and narrative quality. Miles Morales in 2020 and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 in 2023 continued the series. Spider-Man 2 sold over 11 million copies and won multiple Game of the Year awards. Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 is in development.

The Future of Spider-Man

Spider-Man 4 with Tom Holland is in development at Marvel and Sony. Beyond the Spider-Verse will complete the Miles Morales animated trilogy. The Insomniac series continues. Spider-Man has been continuously popular for over 60 years across every format entertainment has produced. The character works because the problems Peter Parker faces are recognizable even when the villains are not. He is never fully in control. He is always doing his best. That is enough for most people to find something of themselves in him.