Comics
Published September 4, 2020

Celebrate Spider-Man's 850th Issue With a Look Back at His Heroic History

Peter Parker chose to be a hero -- here are some of his finest moments!

Since Peter Parker’s first appearance as the teenage science whiz who gets bitten by a radioactive spider, his whole world turned upside down, but in an amazing way! With the effects of the bite granting him spider-abilities, we saw him go from a nerdy teen to a nerdy, teen Super Hero in spandex! Fast forward to the present and you’ve got a Spider-Man who has literally seen and been through the wringer. What’s next for our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man? 

Well, the Sin-Eater’s reign of terror is reaching a tipping point and Spidey’s forever foe the Green Goblin returns to the fold in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #850! Debuting Wednesday, September 30, this landmark issue features a whole cast of Hall of Fame Spidey-creators! It’s quite a milestone moment and to celebrate it, we’re going through his heroic history, all those times he swung into action to save the day, Spidey-style! 

With great power...

When Parker gained radioactive spider-abilities, it wasn’t a walk in the park or a simple swing around town. After he experienced a little fame and notoriety for his powers, it went to his head and he let a thief escape! It just so happened that the same thief later shot and killed his uncle Ben! He learned a tough lesson that day through tragedy: With great power comes great responsibility. It led him to become the wall-crawling hero we know today as Spider-Man. See how it all started in AMAZING FANTASY (1962) #15, featuring creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, with an iconic cover by Ditko and Jack Kirby.

Heroic Spirit

In an attempt to save Aunt May, Spider-Man was not only physically tested when he was trapped under tons of steel, but also emotionally as his spirit had to fight the idea of being responsible for her potential demise on top of already feeling the weight of Uncle Ben’s death. Talking himself through the literal and metaphorical weight on his shoulders, he heroically pushed himself beyond his limit. See why Peter had to save Aunt May in the first place and how it played out in THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #31-33!

A HEROIC CHOICE

When the Green Goblin tossed Gwen Stacy off a bridge resulting in her death, it sent Spider-Man into a furious rage. When the moment came where he could easily have slayed the monster that killed her, he stopped himself, realizing revenge is not the answer. It’s one of the most important heroic moments in his history that marks a cornerstone of Spider-Man’s personality--that being a hero means setting anger aside and knowing the difference between being judge, jury, and executioner. Check out the life-altering event in THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #121-122.

HEROIC HOSPITAL VISIT

When Spider-Man heard about nine-year-old Timothy Harrison, the kid who collects Spider-Man memorabilia, he decided to meet the young lad. They bonded, and Spider-Man felt he could trust him – so much that he revealed his identity to him! For Timothy, he was utterly elated to meet his biggest hero, and it was certainly a highlight of his life. Unfortunately for Timothy, he wasn’t long for this world. Timothy suffered from leukemia and he only had a few weeks left to live. See the emotional moments between Timothy and Spider-Man in THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #248.

HEROIC MENTOR TO MILES MORALES

Becoming a mentor is something Peter hadn’t done before until he fell through a portal to the Ultimate universe, home to Earth-1610 and Miles Morales, the Spider-Man who took up the mantle after his world’s Spider-Man died. While being a hero and saving people was always Peter’s bread and butter, mentoring the next generation was a whole other kind of heroic! 

To influence another Spider-Man was risky, but Spidey shouldered that responsibility just like any other, with a few mistakes peppered in the mix, but nonetheless the Spider-duo successfully beat back the baddies. In this case their nemesis was none other than Mysterio and his masterful illusions! See how Spidey mentored Miles as they faced off with the special effects wizard in SPIDER-MEN (2012) #1-5!

HEROIC HUMANITY

Spider-Man has often fought the complicated, sometimes less-than-villainous, Flint Marko AKA Sandman. But when Sandman could no longer maintain his human form, he became hospitalized, leading some like J. Jonah Jameson to advocate for the villain’s imprisonment. But Spider-Man realized that Marko was actually dying. He liberated Sandman, taking him to his favorite spot in the city for a more peaceful end, showcasing Spider-Man’s unending empathy. See Spider-Man’s heroic humanity in PETER PARKER: THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #308-309.

These are just some of Spider-Man's proudest moments, but it's by no means the end! See what the future has in store for Spidey and be sure to pick up AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #850 when it hits comic shops on Wednesday, September 30!

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Amazing Spider-Man #850

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