We've all seen the top ten lists. But not a lot of people say why their favorite is their favorite. So I wanted to do a write up of why Spider-Man is the best superhero ever. Or at least, is my number one favorite.
Why is Spider-Man my favorite superhero of all time?
I'll start with the reason most people say Spider-Man is their favorite: he's relatable. He has money problems, goes to school, tries to hold down a job, has relationship problems with practically everyone he knows, all the while trying to get a date (or keep his marriage strong depending on the comic you are reading). I don't know about the rest of you but I can relate to a guy like that a lot more than I can an alien from another planet who is practically invincible and a guy who is worth 33 billion dollars. Even beyond the obvious things everyone lists about Peter Parker being relatable, Peter is also an avid comic reader. Both in the comics and in the films Peter Parker is a comic book fan who tries to live up to the heroes he's read about. What comic fan can't relate to that? I can't see Bruce Wayne, Kal-El, or even Bruce Banner sitting down and enjoying a comic book. I can on the other hand see Peter Parker visiting a website called comicbookmovie.com to read about upcoming comic movies. Get my point?
Second, is the fact he is such a light-hearted character. All the while he's beating up a thug or supervillain he's making fun of their hair cut. Almost every Spider-Man comic I read has me smiling by the end of it. Life is to short to sit around and read depressing material when the real world is so depressing as it is. I love Batman, Blade, and the Punisher but I hate finishing a comic of theirs' and feeling so depressed. And it's not just in the humor of Spider-Man that we find the light hearted nature. It's also in the fact he calls himself "the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man." He presents himself as a superhero you could just walk up to and say "what's up Spidey!" He acts like he's just a good natured neighbor that lives down the street rather than the larger than life superhero he actually is. That's great. Spidey's the superhero you'd want to hang out with.
The third reason is for the big kid in me: his powers! I love his powers! He has just the right amount of everything to be interesting. He's not strong enough to lift a building, but he's strong enough to lift a car. He can't fly, but he can swing, wall crawl and jump his way to places. He isn't bullet proof, but he can dodge them if he has to. His powers are pulled back just enough that it is almost always a challenge for him, yet not pulled back too much that he's a pussy in a world full of metahumans. And how cool of a power is it to sense danger? I'll tell you: VERY! The power lets him know something is coming but it's still up to him to overcome or react to whatever it is. Even his intelligence is at just the right amount. He's gifted, but not a genius. When Reed Richards figures something out that saves the Fantastic Four we all expect it. But Peter is just smart enough that it is a challenge for him to come up with a scientific solution to a problem he's facing.
This next reason is a little unique. I just said that he is a light hearted superhero, which is true. But there is a layer to the character that is tragic and horrific. Gwen died. People die all the time in Punisher's comic, same with Batman. But when someone dies in a Spider-Man comic the contrast to the normal light hearted nature of the stories and characters really helps those stories shine. After all he did have his DNA spliced with that of a spider. That's pretty freaken scary. Don't believe me? Go watch David Cronenberg's "The Fly." Look hard enough and there is a very thin layer of horror to the character of Spider-Man, and I think that's just genius.
The fifth reason Spider-Man is the best comic book character ever is simple: his villains. Only Batman comes close to having as many great villains. Green Goblin, Hobgoblin, Demogoblin, Venom, Carnage, Rhino, Vulture, Doc Ock, Lizard, Scorpion, Black Cat, Tombstone, Hammerhead, Alister Smythe, Morbius, Morlun, Sandman, The Kingpin, Mysterio, Chameleon, Beetle, Hydro-Man, Jackel, Kaine, Kraven, Shocker, Electro and many many others.
Another reason I find myself in love with the character of Spider-Man is that he looks like a superhero ninja! I know it sounds weird but from the very first time I saw Spidey he looked like some kind of creature with big eyes mixed with a colorful ninja. I loved it. I know it sounds crazy. Whatever.
Another big reason Spidey is my favorite is the way he fights. Superman, Batman and even the HULK all pretty much fight the same way, with their fists. Sure they might throw in a kick here and there. Or even in the case of the HULK and Superman might throw something big at the other guy, but for the most part it's an exchange of fists. With Spidey on the other hand he jumps, slides, flips, twirls, spins, and bounces all around while beating up the bad guy. It makes for a fun, unique fight unlike any other character.
And finally the last reason Spider-Man is the greatest comic book character of all time is his supporting cast. Characters like MJ, Gwen, Harry, J. Jonah Jameson, Robbie, Aunt May, Uncle Ben, Flash, Liz, and many others really help build some great stories.
All those things considered Spider-Man is by far my favorite comic book character. Thanks for reading.
OH! And his webs. Those things are friggin cool. Those too.