Part 2: The Amazing Spider-man!

One of our greatest “Super” stars debuted in the Silver Age of comic books (1956–1970). We met Spider-Man in 1962, and he brought us a new level of skill and imagination. Co-created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, Spidey just gets stronger. He’s been played by three leading men in a succession of big-screen movies. He’s starred in animated series, books, and even a Broadway musical.

What makes Spider-Man so amazing? He’s not a remote superhero. He’s a complex human character, with real problems that every young fan can relate to. And he develops from teen to mature adult in adventures that put his wants as a person in conflict with his responsibilities as a crime fighter.

Peter Parker (Spider-Man’s real name) is an orphan, raised by his aunt and uncle in New York City. There’s not much money in the household, and we always know that when Aunt May gives Peter something he wants, she’s going without something herself. For anybody who has kind, self-sacrificing adults in their life, Aunt May and Uncle Ben are easy to love. That goes double for Peter’s spunky love interest, Mary Jane. When these good people are in danger, Peter’s reaction touches us in a way that Superman and Batman never did. These awesome heroes were too powerful to feel like our friends and neighbors. Superman is a benevolent alien who can only be hurt by kryptonite. Batman is so wealthy, his lifestyle sets him apart.

Peter gets his superpowers accidentally, when he’s bitten by a radioactive spider! Afterward, he discovers he can do all sorts of things spiders can. Peter now has superhuman strength, he can cling to any surface. He’s got a “spider sense” that tells him when danger is near. He builds on his superpowers by designing a costume that lets him swing from place to place, shooting elastic webs from his wrists.

Like teens everywhere, Peter learns through trial and error, and he can’t tell anybody what he’s going through. Up until then, teen superheroes in comics were sidekicks, mentored by super-grownups. (Think of Batman and Robin.) Peter has to work his way alone through all his challenges. After an all-out battle with villains like Doctor Octopus, he has to explain to his aunt why he’s late for dinner.

Peter’s girlfriends, Mary Jane and then Gwen Stacy, are also big steps forward in comic-book storytelling. They’re not just girls who need defending. They’re brave, independent, and never shy about challenging Peter and holding him to account.

The inspiration for Spider-Man’s love interests came partly from Stan Lee’s own famous love story with his wife Joan. During their 69-year marriage, she contributed to many Marvel stories and voiced characters in various Marvel series. Filmmaker Kevin Smith even gave Joan the nickname “Marvel’s muse.”

When I decided to create my own storybook superhero, Spider-Man was one of my biggest influences. I told my son a bedtime story every night, and he always wanted to hear about superheroes. I finally ran out of existing superheroes and invented my own, with my son as the kid who went undercover and fought crime as Cockroach! (My son loved that name.)

Eventually I wrote down my son’s favorite stories, and we renamed our young hero Kyle Alexander. Like Spider-Man, Kyle is a regular kid. And as an 11-year-old, Kyle has an even harder time than teenage Peter Parker when it comes to handling his super-business. I felt it would be important to chronicle Kyle’s adventures in books that 11 year olds could read. And you can order the results right here: “Breakfast of Superheroes” and the newest Kyle story: “The Secrets of the Superhero’s Ring.” Enjoy!