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Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, Marvel Comics, Spider-Man, Stan Lee | Tagged: dan slott, mark bagley, spider-verse, superior spider-man, Uncle Ben
How Spider-Verse Changed What Uncle Ben Meant (Spoilers)
It was something I was talking to Ramzee Hassan about last year. A British graphic novelist, he got to write some Spider-Verse comics
Article Summary
- Spider-Verse films introduced Spider-Men without the pivotal Uncle Ben tragedy.
- Marvel Comics explores heroes like Silk with Peter Parker in a supportive role.
- Peter Parker retains a fatherly Uncle Ben's memories, aiding his fight against evil.
- Superior Spider-Man #4 showcases a battle on the mental plane with Doctor Octopus.
It was something I was talking to Ramzee Hassan about last year. A British graphic novelist, he got to write some Spider-Verse anthology comic books. And he told me that, when creating Spider-Man variants at Marvel, he would be told that every Spider-Man needed an Uncle Ben moment. Someone in their life who died because they didn't act, and gave them a life lesson.
But that changed with the Spider-Verse movies. We started getting Spider-Men who did not have that instigating moment in life. Especially Spider-Man India, portrayed in the most recent movie Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse. In the comics, Pavitr Prabhakar's uncle Bhim was murdered, but in the movie Spider-Man India isn't burdened by any such guilt, he is just being a hero living his best life.
And that, it seemed, opened up Marvel Comics creators to add Spider-Man characters without that innate issue or inspiration to be a hero. They could be a hero just because. And it's something that Dan Slott and Mark Bagley explored in the recent Spider-Man series, albeit not explicitly. Changing history so that Peter Parker did not become Spider-Man but also so that Uncle Ben did not die. Peter Parker stepping up anyway as the "guy in the chair" for Silk. And no less heroic for all that. So in today's Superior Spider-Man #6 (here come those spoilers) as Peter Parker battles Doctor Octopus on the mental plane, Peter Parker can call on the memory of Uncle Ben…
Because at the end of the Spider-Verse storyline, with the original Spider-Man returning (along with the emergence of Spider-Boy and the return of Jessica Drew, Spider-Woman) Peter Parker got all his memories of the other Peter Parker as well. So while he had the death of Uncle Ben on his conscience, he also has the full memories of Uncle Ben as a father figure to adulthood.
And of fighting the good fight anyway. Both of which seems to come in handy when Doctor Octopus is getting a bit handy in his own mindscape…
Superior Spider-Man #4 is published today from Marvel Comics.
SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #4
MARVEL COMICS
NOV230643
(W) Dan Slott (A/CA) Mark Bagley
Superior Spider-Man's greatest foe has always been Peter Parker's own memories. With Anna Maria's life at stake, Otto seeks to not only be the Superior Spider-Man but the ONLY SPIDER-MAN. Rated T In Shops: Feb 14, 2024 SRP: $4.99
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