The Amazing Spider-Man, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Web of Spider-Man, Superior Spider-Man, etc., etc. These are the best moments from Marvel’s flagship character’s long history across multiple titles.
10. One More Day Storyline
Love it or hate it (and most of you hated it), the One More Day storyline sought to hit the reset button (something that seems to happen a lot to Spider-Man) on Peter Parker. Nullify Peter and Mary Jane’s marriage, bring Aunt May back from the brink of death, make people forget Peter Parker is Spider-Man … basically erase years of storyline. Good story, questionable results.
9. First Appearance of The Punisher
The character that ushered in the vigilante craze of the 80s and 90s, The Punisher was half bad guy, half good guy, all bad-ass.
8. Peter Park Goes Public
During the Civil War storyline, Tony Stark convinces Peter Parker he should reveal to the world that he is Spider-Man. Peter does, and all hell breaks loose.
7. Death of the Green Goblin
Spider-Man doesn’t kill, but after the Green Goblin kidnapped Gwen Stacey — and dropped her to her death — the wall-crawler snapped. In the ensuing battle the Goblin ultimately did himself in with his own glider, but would return to torment Peter Parker for years.
6. First Appearance of Venom
It’s a hero today, but when Spider-Man returned to Earth from the original Secret Wars with a symbiotic alien/costume, and subsequently rejected it, the being found a partner with photographer Eddie Brock. The two’s mutual hatred for Peter Parker/Spider-Man made them one of the web-head’s most dangerous foes.
5. Miles Morales Becomes Spider-Man
In the Marvel Ultimate Universe, Peter Parker died and Miles Morales picked up the mantel of Spider-Man. Notable for being the first African-American Spider-Man, but awesome for having a fantastic storyline and supporting cast of characters.
4. Peter Replaced With Doctor Octopus
As he lay dying, Otto Octavius (Doctor Octopus) switched his mind with Peter Parker, a switch that ended up ‘killing’ Peter when Otto’s body passed. For the next year, Doctor Octopus was a ‘superior’ Spider-Man in Peter’s place, basically ruining his reputation and personal life along the way.
3. The Black Costume
When Spider-Man’s classic red and blue costume was destroyed on an alien planet during the Secret Wars, he needed something to wear. Enter a black symbiotic being that dramatically changed Marvel’s flagship character’s look and life and eventually gave birth to one if its more interesting villains in Venom.
2. Death of Gwen Stacey
Before Mary Jane, Peter Parker’s first love was Gwen Stacey. A beautiful, blonde, bombshell that made Peter complete and happy, and happy isn’t something Peter Parker’s character is traditionally allowed. So when Green Goblin tossed her off a bridge, and Spider-Man accidentally snapped her neck trying to save her, we got the second most defining moment of the character’s story so far.
1. Death of Uncle Ben
“With great power, comes great responsibility” … Lesson learned after a young Peter Parker chose not to stop a thief who later killed his Uncle Ben. A radioactive spider may have given him his powers, but from this single, tragic event, a hero was born.
