10 Amazing Spider-Man Origins
Check out 10 varying depictions of the web head's early days!
Over the years, the incidents surrounding Spider-Man's creation have been revisited, retold, or reimagined. Below, check out 10 varying depictions of the web head's early days!
The first and still the best, the original Stan Lee and Steve Ditko story can be retold but it can never be replaced. In just 11 pages, Stan and Steve laid down an unbeatable origin story that introduces every single element that the rest of these tales touch upon. The high school field trip, the irradiated spider bite, the brief wrestling career, and the tragic death of Uncle Ben all take place in this short.
After 50-ish web-slinging adventures, Peter Parker had finally had enough. After turning his back on all things spider-related, a kindly watchman gave Peter a much needed morale boost. Coincidentally, that old man looked a lot like Uncle Ben, thus prompting our hero to recall the events that caused him to become Spider-Man.
Taking place just after Gwen Stacy ditched Peter, this issue follows the titular hero as he mopes down the street in classic Sadsack Spidey mode. Parker recounts everything he did to cause Gwen to leave him, including the events that gave him his powers and tons of great responsibility.
On the anniversary of Uncle Ben’s death, Spider-Man swings by his final resting place to pay his respects. While there, Spidey runs through his story thus far and leaves a microscope behind as a symbolic gift to his father figure.
After years of spider-action, Spider-Man finally came face-to-masked-face with the burglar that killed his Uncle Ben. The lowlife had also kidnapped Aunt May and threatened to take away the only family Peter had left. Spidey pushed past his traumatic memories and saved the day without losing his cool.
This retelling only takes a few panels, but it has an impact. After fighting alongside rookie hero Darkhawk, Spidey shares a vague version of his origin to the newbie in hopes of instilling him with a solid moral code.
7. UNTOLD TALES OF SPIDER-MAN #1
This ongoing series from the mid-'90's took place in-between Spider-Man's original adventures from 30 years prior. The debut issue features a one-page catch-up of Spidey's origin story before diving into the inaugural untold tale.
Sometimes Spider-Man's origin gets reimagined instead of retold. This happened when the mysterious Ezekiel visited Peter Parker, changing everything the hero thought he knew about himself by unveiling a massive theory involving pre-destination and animal totems.
When Aunt May finally pieced together Peter Parker's dual identity, the two had an issue-long convo about the hero's years of secret keeping. This, of course, involved revisiting the night that changed both of their lives.
10. SPIDER-MAN: WITH GREAT POWER #1
This limited series focuses more on the amateur wrestling part of Spidey's origin story, an area that usually gets glossed over in favor of mad science and bad burglars. Like UNTOLD TALES, this story takes place firmly within the panels of previously told stories.
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