| Alternate versions of Spider-Man | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962) |
| Created by | Stan Lee Steve Ditko |
| See also | Spider-Man in other media Spider-Man computer and video games Spider-Man on television |
In addition to his mainstream incarnation, Spider-Man has had been depicted in other fictional universes.
Other related characters exist in alternate versions of the Marvel Universe. These include:
Ultimate Spider-Man is a modernized reboot of the Spider-Man story, starting from the very beginning, with a plot that is inspired by, but very different from, the original continuity. The main purpose of the series is to be accessible to new and young readers, as it is free from the decades of history of the original, but it has been embraced by many longtime fans as well.
In Ultimate Spider-Man, Peter is a high-school student who is bitten by a spider during a school field trip -- but instead of a radioactive spider (which reflected the Atomic Age in which Spider-Man's origin was written), it is a lab subject that has been genetically modified by Osborn Industries. The themes, characterization, and setting are updated to reflect modern life. It is set in the Ultimate Marvel universe.
Kitty Pryde, of the X-Men, was Peter Parker's girlfriend for a while, in the Ultimate version.
An alternative version of Peter Parker also exists in the MC2 universe, appearing as a supporting character in Spider-Girl.
The title follows almost the entire original timeline of the character up until the first attempt at a "relaunch" by the company, 1999, where it deviates and provides an alternate ending to the Final Chapter storyline. Here, rather than survive his battle with the Green Goblin unscathed, Peter loses a leg to his arch-enemy and Osborn is killed. Peter's wayward daughter May is revealed to be alive and well, and is returned to both Parkers by Peter's first clone, the redeemed Kaine.
Peter finally realizes the price he has paid for being Spider-Man, and ends his career to raise a family with Mary Jane and May. Over the years, he overcomes his physical handicap and ultimately joins the NYC Police Department in a scientific capacity. However, after saving him from an insane Normie Osborn, his daughter May "Mayday" Parker begins a career as Spider-Girl behind his back, a decision Peter begrudgingly is forced to accept and deal with, made difficult by his love for May.
Regardless of his handicap, Peter returned to the role of Spider-Man several times. Once was to aid his daughter and Darkdevil, the son of Ben Reily, against Kaine, another to convince the latest Spider-Man (the son of Jessica Drew), to cease risking his life, and in the 100th issue of the Spider-Girl title to save May from the Hobgoblin. Peter and MJ ultimately have a second child, Benjamin "Benjy" Parker Jr, who is temporarily rendered deaf after possession by the Carnage symbiote and being blasted with high-frequency sonics. Benjy has now developed powers of his own at an infant age.
In the "House of M", a Marvel crossover, the Scarlet Witch alters reality to make mutants the ruling class over humans. This world is ruled by mutants and their leader, Magneto. In the mini-series Spider-Man: House of M, Peter Parker is believed to be a mutant, and Spider-Man's identity is widely known. He is rich, famous and married to Gwen Stacy, and they have a young son named Ritchie. Aunt May and Uncle Ben are alive and in good health, and J. Jonah Jameson is Peter's often-abused publicist. Unfortunately, his life unravels when Jameson reveals to the world that Spider-Man is not a born mutant. After the world is restored to normal, Peter suffers terribly with the memory of the life he left behind, expressing a desire to kill Magneto, who he mistakenly believes was behind the events of House of M, and the Scarlet Witch, whose powers were responsible for the altered reality.
Spider-Man 2099 (a.k.a. Miguel O'Hara) of the Marvel 2099 imprint. A geneticist, Miguel gains his spider-like powers from a gene-splicing incident.
Spider-Man 2211 aka Dr. Max Borne, the Spider-Man of the year 2211, first appeared in the Spider-Man/Spider-Man 2099 one-shot. His daughter Robin is the Hobgoblin of 2211. He is later shot by an alternate version of Ben Parker, who is later revealed to be the Chameleon of 2211 in the guise of Uncle Ben.
Peter Parquagh is a counterpart to Peter in the miniseries Marvel 1602, albeit without powers. In the series he acts as an apprentice to the royal spymaster Sir Nicholis Fury. A running gag involves Peter repeatedly almost getting bitten by unusual spiders, something that finally occurs at the very end. In the sequel, 1602: New World, he takes the identity of the Spider.
In the intercompany crossovers called "Elseworlds", Spider-Man has worked alongside Superman twice, once to defeat Dr. Octopus and Lex Luthor and the other to stop Doctor Doom from providing the Parasite with long-term access to the power of the Hulk and Wonder Woman. He also worked alongside Batman to defeat Carnage and the Joker, the two later collaborating to defeat the Kingpin and Ra's al Ghul, with Fisk eventually aiding the heroes in the end. The Ben Reilly Spider-Man participated in Marvel vs. DC, where he faced Superboy and won.
In the series Exiles, which involves inter-dimensional travel, several alternate versions appear:
In the series Earth X and its sequels, Peter Parker is no longer a superhero and has become a police officer. Three other related characters appear:
In the "Age of Apocalypse", Peter Parker is executed by Apocalypse's regime simply because he is a potential ally for rebel Gwen Stacy. Its unknown if he ever gained his spider's powers.
In a "What if?" Age of Apocalypse reality, in which both Charles Xavier and Magnus Lensherr were killed, Apocalypse is served by clones of a symbiote Spider-Man, although the clones seem to be more symbiote than man.
The miniseries Spider-Man: Chapter One, was John Byrne's attempt to reimagine Spider-Man's early years, (similar to the revamp given to Superman), giving him a new but similar origin. The series is no longer considered canon.
Deadpool encounters a version of Spider-Man in a universe which he refers to as "an Age of Apocalypse" (not the Age of Apocalypse). That Spider-Man is Pestilence, Horseman of Apocalypse. This version has six arms, poisonous fangs and engages in cannibalism.
In the Mutant X universe, the Man-Spider still has six arms. He was replaced by a clone for many years, but the clone was killed by Hank "Brute" McCoy within the series, at which time the original Man-Spider returned. He was later killed, alongside much of the team.
Marvel published a limited series called Powerless in 2004, which tells how the Marvel Universe would be without super-powers. In this series, Peter Parker appears as a young man nicknamed Spider-Man on the internet.
Spider-Man: Reign depicts an older Spider-Man in the future who, having given up on crime-fighting, is driven back into action by the return of some of his old enemies.
Marvel Zombies features a Spider-Man who has been turned, along with all other heroes in the Marvel Universe, into a flesh-eating zombie. He is infected by Colonel America in the first issue of Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness. Although Spider-Man is just as ravenous and disgusting as the other zombies when hungry, when he has eaten, Spider-Man is constantly wracked with guilt at what he has done, agonizing over having eaten Mary Jane and Aunt May, but unable to change his nature. At the conclusion of the storyline, Spider-Man is one of the few heroes who become The Galactus, having consumed the original Galactus and subsequently acquiring his cosmic powers. Currently, the Marvel Zombies are attacking a Skrull planet, only to encounter the Fantastic Four of this reality- currently consisting of Black Panther, Storm, the Thing and the Human Torch-, leaving the Zombies eager to capture the FF and transport back to their reality. In Marvel Zombies 2, he is seen with a new cyborg lower leg as well as having his mask repaired as he is seen with it covering his face once again. He has noticed that his hunger is starting to fade, and, as a result, is the first of the Galactus to turn against his fellow zombies, Luke Cage joining him as the two confront Wolverine and Iron Man.
In the Bullet Points mini-series, Uncle Ben dies before he can raise Peter. Without a father figure, Peter grows up to become a rebellious teenager who skips school. Peter finds himself on the test site for a Gamma bomb and absorbs a big dose of gamma radiation, becoming the Hulk. In an attempt to find a cure for Peter, Dr. Bruce Banner examines specimens taken from the test site and is bitten by a radioactive spider, becoming Spider-Man. Peter later dies while fighting Galactus, but his death inspires the Silver Surfer to attack Galactus.
Spider-Man: India is a comic book originally published in India by Gotham Entertainment Group in 2004, retelling the story of Marvel Comics' Spider-Man in an Indian setting.
Although published under the title of "Amazing Spider-man," current issues following the deal with Mephisto take an altered course from canon and mythology of the storyline predating the deal. The deal disrupts the original character's continuity, creating a quasi-parallel universe.
The Spider-Girl comic book series, originally published under the MC2 imprint, features May "Mayday" Parker, Peter's daughter in an alternate continuity. This timeline diverged from regular continuity when Peter and Mary Jane's daughter is returned to them by Kaine. In Spider-Girl, Peter has been retired from crime fighting since his final battle with the Green Goblin, which cost him a leg. Peter has settled down to family life and works for the New York City Police Department as a forensic scientist. His teen daughter May follows in his footsteps against his wishes, but Peter eventually helps her train for her calling. Peter appears in costume several times in Spider-Girl, either to restrain and protect May, or to assist her. Peter is among the superheroes kidnapped by Loki in the spin-off Last Hero Standing.
In the recent Spider-Girl storyline "Brand New May", Peter has uncovered a lab, within it is a stasis tank containing an exact physical duplicate of Mayday Parker, with notes left behind by Norman Osborn suggesting she is the real Mayday, and not a clone. When protecting his nephew Normie from an exploding test tube, Peter is affected by the serum within much like Osborn was...and begins to develop erractic behaviour.
In the same continuity as Spider-Girl, in MC2, Gerald "Gerry" Drew, the son of Jessica Drew, inherits spider-powers and poses as Spider-Man.
In the comics, others use the Spider-Man identity. Some of these actually exist in the Marvel Universe (Earth-616):
Other characters have used similar themes:
Spider-Man has also inspired a number of derivatives:
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