Best Spider-Man?

Rafael · 03 Dec 2006

A friend wrote a lengthy blog post about how Marvel was "wrong" to cast a teenager as Spider-Man in the Marvel Studios movies. His reasoning was that a High School Peter was a little more than 15 minutes of his origin, since the character spent - besides Ultimate Spider-Man - 3 out of more 50 years in HS and in most media he had been portrayed as older.

What do you guys think?

RobertSwanderson · 01 Jan 2007

We have a Superman who kills and a Batman with guns, both based on their earliest incarnations. Not sure why we can't have a sweater-vested Peter Parker in high school as well.

Rafael · 03 Dec 2006

The thing is, for me, the Spider-Man liked by many, what Spider-Man has been for decades, it's utterly unlikable for me.

The original, by Lee and Ditko, it's a goddamn fantastic archetype as enduring as Superman and Batman. But the way he grew up in the comics made me dislike him.

Madjak · 16 Jan 2007

I like the young adult college student/dropout era best.

Li'l Jay · 28 May 2006

Madjak wrote:

I like the young adult college student/dropout era best.

Me, too. I enjoy the high school stories the most. But for a lasting status that can be maintained indefinitely, I like the college student era. He can be a graduate assistant, have access to a lab, meet new people, and work for the Daily Planet. It's a good, robust, permanent status for him to be in.

Rafael · 03 Dec 2006

Li'l Jay wrote:

Madjak wrote:

I like the young adult college student/dropout era best.

Me, too. I enjoy the high school stories the most. But for a lasting status that can be maintained indefinitely, I like the college student era. He can be a graduate assistant, have access to a lab, meet new people, and work for the Daily Planet. It's a good, robust, permanent status for him to be in.

Should that be grouped with the High School Spider-Man? Or as a different category?

Beachy · 18 Sep 2005

I liked the idea that it the Ultimate Spider-Man book, Peter was more involved with the Web site.
At least when I first saw that idea, I thought, "Yeah, a young guy should do that at a newspaper.
The old staffers wouldn't know much about it nor care." Now, though, as the Internet is a huge
portion of a news company, iit seems more likely that a kid like Peter would have only SOME access
to the company's Web site. Maybe be working on just a small portion of it, like a teen news section,
tweets, or a You-As-The-Reporter area where everyone Smart-phones in the latest news and features.

Peter could be paid for his photos based upon how viral they go.

Beachy · 18 Sep 2005

To answer the question, I like the younger Spider-Man, maybe not in high school anymore, but
not all that much older. Working on his Masters is as old as I'd want him to be. And, I would
have him graduate high school early, by 16 or 17. That way he could have earned his four-year
degree by 20-21, and be either a teaching assistant sometimes and/or a lab assistant to someone
like Doc Connors. He'd be riding a scholarship, accumulating some student loans, working as a TA/
assistant and parttime at the Bugle to help make ends meet.

From what I think I saw online, Marvel's going to try Peter as an older family man, and also have
miles running around as a younger Spider-Man.

Li'l Jay · 28 May 2006

Rafael wrote:

Li'l Jay wrote:

Madjak wrote:

I like the young adult college student/dropout era best.

Me, too. I enjoy the high school stories the most. But for a lasting status that can be maintained indefinitely, I like the college student era. He can be a graduate assistant, have access to a lab, meet new people, and work for the Daily Planet. It's a good, robust, permanent status for him to be in.

Should that be grouped with the High School Spider-Man? Or as a different category?

Unfortunately, poll fail. You left the best category out of the selections.

But I'll go with High School because the Ditko run is the best. It's just as an editorial decision I would choose college student.

Rawburn · 24 Sep 2004

Li'l Jay wrote:

Madjak wrote:

I like the young adult college student/dropout era best.

Me, too. I enjoy the high school stories the most. But for a lasting status that can be maintained indefinitely, I like the college student era. He can be a graduate assistant, have access to a lab, meet new people, and work for the Daily Planet. It's a good, robust, permanent status for him to be in.

I like him working at the Bugle but otherwise I agree. College or cash-strapped dropout Peter has the most storyline potential IMO. You can see from the movies how limiting high school Peter is.

Rawburn · 24 Sep 2004

I went with young adult not married but I do like science student Peter.

Rafael · 03 Dec 2006

Li'l Jay wrote:

Rafael wrote:

Li'l Jay wrote:

Madjak wrote:

I like the young adult college student/dropout era best.

Me, too. I enjoy the high school stories the most. But for a lasting status that can be maintained indefinitely, I like the college student era. He can be a graduate assistant, have access to a lab, meet new people, and work for the Daily Planet. It's a good, robust, permanent status for him to be in.

Should that be grouped with the High School Spider-Man? Or as a different category?

Unfortunately, poll fail. You left the best category out of the selections.

I'm sorry. Everything I know from poll I learned from Hanzo.

Jeff · 05 Oct 2006

College age Peter.

Hanzo the Razor · 24 Jun 2007

Didn't have my option -- in college with a part-time job.

Dr. Chris Evil · 26 Jul 2006

College age Peter, but I'm biased because I discovered Spidey in the mid-seventies.

Monk · 19 Jun 2006

College, as well. I think it gives you the best of both worlds, as you have a Peter young enough to still be screwing up, having to juggle responsibilities that young people and adults can identify with, but old enough to tell stories where you don't thing, "Wait, would a 15 year old really be able to sneak out EVERY night?"

Li'l Jay · 28 May 2006

This is awkward.

Kid Nemo · 05 Apr 2011

I prefer high school Spidey,but collegiate Spidey is acceptable.He shouldn't be older than 21,and he should be unmarried.

Ocean Doot · 25 Oct 2007

Li'l Jay wrote:

This is awkward.

I LOL'd.

Then I chose "Married Adult" because that is the best.

Linda · **Posted:** Tue Jun 30, 2015 2:19 am

I would read a series called The Platonic Spider-Man.

Simon · **Joined:** 26 Oct 2006 **Posts:** 59410

I prefer Spider-Man as he was in the early issues of Spectacular - studying at University, with the cigar-store Indian in his apartment, climbing in and out through the skylight, etc. I first read the Lee/Ditko ones as a kid, but later preferred 'young adult' Spidey to 'school kid' Spidey for a whole bunch of reasons (mostly the ones everyWAN else has mentioned).

Rawburn · 24 Sep 2004

Well, I'm not sure what to make of this version of Peter... now with Spider-car!

Quote:

Marvel has officially revealed the newly redesigned Amazing Spider-Man, debuting in Oct. The new series will see Peter Parker finally stepping up as founder of Parker Industries, and becoming a globetrotting entrepreneur, MTV reports.

“Peter Parker has stepped up,” writer Dan Slott says. “He’s grown. He’s become the Peter Parker we’ve always hoped he was going to be. This company, with Peter’s inventions and Peter’s gumption has gone to new heights.”

Peter will be sporting a new costume designed by cover artist Alex Ross, which will feature some hidden technological enhancements.

“The things this suit will be able to do and the innovations that Peter Parker has put into it will be astounding,” Slott said, “and when you want to take something to the next level, you go, and make it look real, you go, ’hey Alex Ross, take your best shot.’ ”

On top of all that, Peter’s also got a new ride in the Spider-Mobile, redesigned by series artist Giuseppe Camuncoli, and editor Nick Lowe says, “you see it in the very first issue driving around the streets of Shanghai.”

Check out a more detailed look at the costume and car, Ross and Camuncoli’s respective sketchbooks, in the gallery below.

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