Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko. Spider-Man first appeared in the group of comics called Amazing Fantasy #15 in August 1962 during the Silver Age of Comic Books. He is widely considered one of the most popular and successful superheroes. Spider-Man has been featured in comic books, television shows, films, video games, novels, and plays.

Spider-Man is the secret identity of Peter Benjamin Parker. He was raised by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben in Queens, New York City, after his parents died. Writers Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, and others later showed Peter dealing with the challenges of growing up. Readers connected with his feelings of uncertainty and loneliness. Unlike earlier teen heroes, Spider-Man was not a sidekick or a student of a mentor. He had many supporting characters, including his boss at the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson; friends Harry Osborn and Flash Thompson; romantic interests Gwen Stacy, Mary Jane Watson, and the Black Cat; and enemies Doctor Octopus, the Green Goblin, and Venom. In his origin story, Peter gains superhuman powers after being bitten by a radioactive spider. These powers include strength, speed, agility, reflexes, and durability; the ability to climb walls and ceilings; and a sense that warns him of danger. He makes a costume with a spider-web pattern and builds devices called "web-shooters" to create artificial spider-webs. He uses these webs to fight crime and swing across the city. At first, Peter used his powers for personal gain, but after his Uncle Ben was killed by a criminal he could have stopped, he learned the lesson "with great power comes great responsibility" and began using his powers to fight crime as Spider-Man.

Marvel Comics has published many comic book series featuring Spider-Man, starting with The Amazing Spider-Man, which has lasted the longest. Over time, the main version of Peter has grown from a high school student to a college student and is now in his late 20s. Peter has joined superhero teams like the Avengers and Fantastic Four. In one story, Doctor Octopus took over Spider-Man’s identity for a period from 2012 to 2014. During this time, Peter seemed to die after a body swap with Doctor Octopus. Marvel has also created comic books with alternate versions of Spider-Man, such as Spider-Man 2099, which follows Miguel O'Hara, a future Spider-Man; Ultimate Spider-Man, which follows a teenage Peter Parker in an alternate universe; and Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man, which features a teenager named Miles Morales who becomes Spider-Man after Peter Parker’s apparent death. Later, Miles became a superhero on his own and joined the main story during the Secret Wars event, sometimes working with the main version of Peter.

Spider-Man has appeared in many forms of media, including animated TV shows, live-action TV series, newspaper comic strips, and films. In live-action films, Spider-Man has been played by Tobey Maguire in Sam Raimi’s trilogy, Andrew Garfield in Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man series, and Tom Holland in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Peter Parker version of Spider-Man was also voiced by Jake Johnson and Chris Pine in the animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, with Jake Johnson returning for the sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Publication history

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In 1962, after the success of the Fantastic Four, Stan Lee, who was the editor and head writer at Marvel Comics, wanted to create a new superhero. He believed that teenagers liked comic books and needed a character they could relate to, which led to the creation of Spider-Man. Like with the Fantastic Four, Lee saw Spider-Man as a way to express ideas he felt were missing in comic books.

There are many different stories about what inspired Spider-Man and who created different parts of his appearance and character. In his autobiography, Lee said that a crime fighter from old pulp magazines named the Spider influenced him. The Spider was chased by both the law and criminals, and he had a special ability that warned him of danger, which inspired Spider-Man's "spider-sense." In many interviews, Lee also said that he was inspired by watching a spider climb a wall. However, he later became unsure if this was true.

At the time, teenage superheroes usually had names ending with "boy," but Lee chose "Spider-Man" because he wanted the character to grow older as the story continued. He felt the name "Spider-Boy" would make the character seem less important. Comics scholar Ben Saunders says that focusing on adolescence was a new and important idea for superhero comics.

Lee needed approval from Marvel publisher Martin Goodman to create Spider-Man. In a 1986 interview, Lee explained why Goodman agreed. Goodman eventually allowed a tryout for Spider-Man in what Lee said was the last issue of the science-fiction and supernatural anthology series Amazing Adult Fantasy, which was renamed Amazing Fantasy for issue #15 (cover-dated August 1962, on sale June 5, 1962). Lee said that the decision to cancel Amazing Fantasy after issue #15 was the only reason Goodman allowed him to present Spider-Man. Although this was the final issue, the editorial page suggested that Spider-Man would appear in future issues.

Lee got Goodman's approval for the name "Spider-Man" and the idea of an ordinary teenager with powers. He then approached artist Jack Kirby. Comics historian Greg Theakston said that Kirby told Lee about a character he had worked on with Joe Simon in the 1950s, in which an orphaned boy living with an old couple finds a magic ring that gives him superhuman powers. Lee and Kirby "immediately sat down for a story conference," Theakston wrote, and Lee later told Kirby to develop the character and draw some pages. Steve Ditko would be the inker. When Kirby showed Lee the first six pages, Lee said, "I hated the way he was doing it! Not that he did it badly—it just wasn't the character I wanted; it was too heroic." Lee then turned to Ditko, who created an art style that Lee found satisfactory. Ditko recalled:

Although the interior artwork was by Ditko alone, Lee rejected Ditko's cover art and asked Kirby to draw a cover that Ditko inked. As Lee explained in 2010, "I think I had Jack sketch out a cover for it because I always had a lot of confidence in Jack's covers."

Kirby disagreed with Lee's version of the story and said that Lee had little to do with creating the character. Kirby said the idea for Spider-Man came from him and Joe Simon, who had created a character called the Silver Spider for the Crestwood Publications comic Black Magic in the 1950s, but the character was never used. Simon, in his 1990 autobiography, said that Black Magic was not a factor and that he came up with the name "Spider-Man" (later changed to "The Silver Spider"), while Kirby outlined the character's story and powers. Simon later said that his and Kirby's character became the basis for his superhero, the Fly. Artist Steve Ditko said that Lee liked the name Hawkman from DC Comics and that "Spider-Man" was influenced by that.

Simon agreed that Kirby had shown Lee the original Spider-Man version, and Lee liked the idea and asked Kirby to draw sample pages of the new character, but didn't like the results—in Simon's description, "Captain America with cobwebs." Writer Mark Evanier said that Lee's reasoning that Kirby's character was too heroic seems unlikely—Kirby still drew the covers for Amazing Fantasy #15 and the first issue of The Amazing Spider-Man. Evanier also said that Kirby's reason for being "too busy" to draw Spider-Man in addition to his other duties is unlikely, since Kirby was always busy. Neither Lee's nor Kirby's explanation explains why key story elements like the magic ring were dropped; Evanier said that the most likely reason was that Goodman or one of his assistants decided that Spider-Man, as drawn and envisioned by Kirby, was too similar to the Fly.

Author and Ditko scholar Blake Bell wrote that it was Ditko who noticed the similarities to the Fly. Ditko recalled that "Stan called Jack about the Fly," adding that "[d]ays later, Stan told me I would be penciling the story panel breakdowns from Stan's synopsis." At this point, the entire concept of the strip went through a major change. "Out went the magic ring, adult Spider-Man and whatever legend ideas that Spider-Man story would have contained." Lee gave Ditko the premise of a teenager bitten by a spider and developing powers, where Ditko would expand upon to the point he became what Bell describes as "the first work for hire artist of his generation to create and control the narrative arc of his series." On the issue of the initial creation, Ditko said, "I still don't know whose idea was Spider-Man." However, Ditko did see the published version of Spider-Man as a separate creation from the one he saw in the five pencilled pages that Kirby had completed. To support this, Ditko used the analogy of the Kirby/Marvel Thor, which was based on a name or idea of a character in Norse mythology: "If Marvel's Thor is a valid created work by Jack, his creation, then why isn't Spider-Man by Stan and me valid created work, our creation?"

At the time of Spider-Man's creation, Ditko shared a Manhattan studio with noted fetish artist Eric Stanton, an art-school classmate who, in a 1988 interview with Theakston, recalled that although his contribution to Spider-Man was "almost nil," he and Ditko had "worked on storyboards together and I added a few ideas. But the whole thing was created by Steve on his own … I think I added the business about the webs coming out of his hands."

Kirby noted in a 1971 interview that it was Ditko who "got Spider-Man to roll, and the thing caught on because of what he did." Lee, while claiming credit for the initial idea, had acknowledged Ditko's role, stating, "If Steve wants to be called co-creator, I think he deserves [it]." In an interview with Roy Thomas, Lee further commented that Ditko's costume design was key to the character's success; since the costume completely covers Spider-Man's body, people of all races could visualize themselves inside the costume and thus easily identify with the character.

As depicted in Amazing Fantasy #15 (Aug. 1962), Peter Parker is bitten by a radioactive spider (erroneously classified as an insect in the panel) at a science exhibit and "acquires the agility and proportionate strength of an arachnid." When "[h]e blithely ignores the chance to stop a fleeing thief, [and] his indifference ironically catches up with him when the same criminal later robs and kills his Uncle Ben." Spider-Man tracks and subdues the killer and learns, in the story's next-to-last caption, "With great power there must…"

Fictional character biography

Peter Benjamin Parker was born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City. His parents died in a plane crash when he was very young. His uncle Ben and aunt May raised him. As a student at Midtown High School, Peter was a top student and very skilled in science. However, he was not popular with his classmates. During a science exhibit, he was bitten by a radioactive spider. This gave him superhuman strength, speed, and the ability to climb walls and ceilings. Using his science skills, he created a device that shoots sticky webbing from small barrels on his wrists. At first, Peter used his powers for fame by becoming a television star as "Spider-Man." However, he failed to stop a thief who later killed his uncle Ben. Feeling guilty, Peter vowed to use his powers to help others.

Peter struggled to help his aunt May pay rent and faced challenges at school. He also fought crime as Spider-Man. His actions upset J. Jonah Jameson, the publisher of the Daily Bugle, who hated Spider-Man. Jameson hired Peter as a freelance photographer, not knowing he was Spider-Man. Spider-Man fought many enemies, including Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Sandman, and others. Balancing his personal life and superhero duties was difficult for Peter.

After high school, Peter attended Empire State University. There, he met his roommate Harry Osborn and girlfriend Gwen Stacy. Aunt May introduced him to Mary Jane Watson. Peter helped Harry with his drug problems, but Harry’s father, Norman Osborn, was the Green Goblin. Gwen Stacy’s father, a police detective, was accidentally killed during a battle with Doctor Octopus. Later, Green Goblin threw Gwen from a bridge, and she died during Spider-Man’s rescue attempt. Spider-Man swore revenge on Green Goblin, who later died in a battle with him.

Peter eventually developed feelings for Mary Jane, and they became close. He proposed to her, but she refused. After college, Peter became involved with Felicia Hardy, known as the Black Cat. Spider-Man traveled to an alien planet and discovered a black alien suit that obeyed his thoughts. The suit was actually a living organism called a symbiote. Spider-Man rejected it, but the symbiote returned as Venom for revenge. Peter later proposed to Mary Jane again, and she accepted.

A clone of Peter, created by a scientist named Miles Warren, returned to New York after learning Aunt May was sick. The clone, named Ben Reilly, became the Scarlet Spider and allied with Peter. Tests later showed Ben was the original and Peter was the clone. This caused problems when Mary Jane announced she was pregnant with Peter’s child. Later, Norman Osborn poisoned Mary Jane, causing her death and the loss of their unborn daughter. It was revealed that Green Goblin had altered test results to harm Peter. Ben saved Peter’s life and was confirmed to be the clone.

Aunt May appeared to die, but this was a trick. Later, Mary Jane’s death was also a mistake. Peter and Mary Jane became distant. Peter became a teacher at his old high school. He met Ezekiel Sims, who believed Peter had a connection to a spider spirit. Peter thought Gwen Stacy had two children with Norman Osborn, but this was a hoax.

Peter joined the superhero team the New Avengers. After a former classmate destroyed their homes, Peter, Mary Jane, and Aunt May moved into Stark Tower. Peter worked as Tony Stark’s assistant, freelanced for the Daily Bugle, and continued teaching. His powers evolved, and a law required superheroes to reveal their identities publicly. Peter opposed the law and joined the anti-registration underground.

Aunt May was seriously injured by Wilson Fisk’s sniper and fell into a coma. Desperate to save her, Peter made a deal with Mephisto, a demon, who saved May’s life in exchange for erasing Peter and Mary Jane’s marriage and memories. In this new reality, Spider-Man’s identity was secret again. Peter returned to work at the Daily Bugle, now called The DB. He later worked for The Front Line. J. Jonah Jameson became New York City’s mayor.

A conflict between Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus ended when it was revealed Harry was the child’s father. An Octobot swapped Peter’s and Doctor Octopus’ personalities, trapping Peter in the Doctor’s body. Though Peter could not reverse the change, he forced the Doctor to remember his past. Otto, the Doctor, promised to carry on Peter’s ideals as "Superior" Spider-Man. Later, Otto allowed Peter to reclaim his body to defeat Osborn and save Anna Maria Marconi. Peter repaired relationships damaged by Otto’s actions and took over Parker Industries.

Spider-Man later found Cindy Moon, another person bitten by the radioactive spider. He helped her escape and she became Silk. Spider-Man joined spider-people from other worlds to fight the Inheritors, psychic vampires hunting spider-totems. During a mission in 2099, they fought the time-displaced Superior Spider-Man. Together, they defeated the Inheritors.

Peter stopped a plan by the Jackal. His life remained difficult, with challenges as both Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Mayor Fisk publicly supported Spider-Man, condemning other vigilantes.

Personality and themes

The Amazing Spider-Man was more than a superhero story. Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created a series that followed Peter Parker's life as an ongoing story, showing his personal struggles. Unlike other superheroes, who often faced simple problems like stopping villains, Peter dealt with serious issues like dealing with the loss of a loved one, falling in love, working to support himself, and making difficult moral choices.

In 1965, Sally Kempton wrote for the Village Voice that Spider-Man had problems with his identity, felt less confident than others, and had fears about women. She described him as someone with mental health challenges, including feelings of guilt and a tendency to have accidents. However, Spider-Man's writers often say he represents the average person, and he is sometimes seen as one of the first heroes who is a "nerd." Scholar Phillip Lamarr Cunningham said Peter Parker best shows the mix of being an average person and a nerdy character better than any other figure in pop culture. He faces tough choices and tries to do the right thing, but others often distrust him, unsure if he is a hero or a criminal.

Cultural historian Bradford W. Wright noted that stories from the mid-1960s reflected the political issues of the time, such as Cold War tensions and fears about communism. Scholar Peter Lee said Spider-Man's stories from the 1960s showed Baby Boomers' awareness of their generation's differences from older people. Douglas Wolk pointed out that Peter Parker's identity is shaped by conflicts with father-like figures, many of whom are villains. He also said that Peter's journey to adulthood is often interrupted by challenges before he can fully grow up.

Mike Flanagan also mentioned Spider-Man's connection to New York City, highlighting how the real city and its portrayal in comics relate in complex ways.

Powers, skills, and equipment

Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and later gained abilities similar to a spider, such as the ability to stick to walls and climb smooth surfaces. He also has strength, speed, agility, and reflexes like a spider, as well as a "spider-sense" that alerts him to danger. Experts suggest that a force called the van der Waals force, which acts between his body and surfaces, explains how he can stick to walls.

The character was first created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko as a very smart person. Later stories show Peter Parker to be extremely intelligent. He has knowledge in areas such as applied science, chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, mathematics, and mechanics.

Spider-Man made his own web-shooters, which use a special liquid to create webs. He uses these webs to swing quickly between buildings and to fight enemies. He also invented spider-tracers, which he can follow using his spider-sense.

Supporting cast

Spider-Man has many supporting characters in the comics who play important roles in his stories. After Peter Parker lost his parents, he was raised by his aunt, May Parker, and his uncle, Ben Parker, who acted as a father figure. When Uncle Ben was killed by a burglar, Aunt May became Peter's main family member, and they shared a close relationship.

J. Jonah Jameson is the boss of Peter Parker and the publisher of the Daily Bugle newspaper. He often writes negative articles about Spider-Man. Jameson can be seen as a representation of media that stirs up emotions and focuses on exciting but sometimes exaggerated stories. In contrast, Robbie Robertson, Jameson's editor and close friend, always supports Spider-Man and Peter Parker.

Eugene "Flash" Thompson is often shown as a bully in Peter's high school who admires Spider-Man but does not know Peter's identity. Later, he becomes a friend of Peter and takes on the superhero identity Agent Venom after merging with the Venom symbiote. Harry Osborn, the son of Norman Osborn, is Peter's best friend and struggles with drug addiction.

Over time, writers and artists have created a group of supervillains for Spider-Man to face in comics and other media. Many of these villains gain their powers from scientific accidents or the misuse of technology. Some have costumes or abilities inspired by animals. Comics scholar Rick Hudson notes that Spider-Man's enemies are often "ordinary people" living in a fantastical world, unlike the dramatic, gothic villains faced by Batman. In early stories written by Steve Ditko, Spider-Man's enemies were usually older men whose powers came from scientific inventions.

The Norman Osborn version of the Green Goblin is considered Spider-Man's main enemy. Norman is typically shown as an immoral industrialist and the leader of Oscorp, a scientific company. The Green Goblin is a separate, psychopathic personality that developed after Norman was exposed to unstable chemicals that increased his strength and agility. The Goblin wears Halloween-themed costumes and uses high-tech weapons, such as a glider and pumpkin-shaped explosives. Unlike most villains, the Goblin targets Spider-Man's loved ones and shows no regret for killing them if it causes pain to Spider-Man. His most famous act was killing Gwen Stacy in the story "The Night Gwen Stacy Died." Although the Goblin died in that story, he returned in the 1990s and fought other heroes like the Avengers. Norman is sometimes shown as an enemy of Spider-Man even when not in the Green Goblin form.

Doctor Octopus (a.k.a. Doc Ock) is a highly intelligent mad scientist who uses four mechanical arms for movement and combat. He is considered Spider-Man's greatest enemy and is sometimes described as the person Peter Parker might have become without a strong sense of responsibility. Doc Ock is known for defeating Spider-Man in their first battle and nearly marrying Peter's Aunt May. He also leads the Sinister Six, a group of villains. Later stories show Doc Ock's mind taking over Peter Parker's body, with Doc Ock acting as the main character.

Eddie Brock, as Venom, is often seen as Spider-Man's most dangerous foe. He is sometimes described as an evil version of Spider-Man. Originally a reporter who hated Spider-Man, Eddie later merged with the Venom symbiote, which Spider-Man had rejected. The symbiote gives Eddie the same powers as Spider-Man and makes him immune to Spider-Man's "spider-sense." Venom's goal is to harm Peter Parker and confuse him mentally. Despite his villainy, Venom has a sense of honor and justice. He has appeared in his own stories as an antihero who protects people and has even teamed up with Spider-Man against common enemies.

As a high school student, Peter Parker had romantic interests, including his first crush, Liz Allan, and his first date, Betty Brant, who worked for J. Jonah Jameson. Peter later fell in love with Gwen Stacy, the daughter of Captain George Stacy, a New York City detective. Gwen's father was killed by Doctor Octopus, and she blamed Spider-Man for his death, not knowing Peter's identity. Gwen later died when the Green Goblin threw her from a bridge. Spider-Man tried to save her, but a "snap" sound effect suggests his web broke her neck during the fall. Gwen's death and its effects are revisited in many stories.

Mary Jane Watson was first introduced in 1965 but became more prominent the following year. Peter's Aunt May often suggested Mary Jane as a blind date, which Peter avoided. When they finally met, Mary Jane said, "Face It Tiger…. You Just Hit the Jackpot!" This became a famous phrase. They dated on and off over the years. In a 1987 storyline, they married. However, in a story from two decades later, their marriage was erased from the world's memory by Mephisto in exchange for saving Aunt May's life.

Felicia Hardy, also known as the Black Cat, is a reformed cat burglar who was Spider-Man's only superhuman girlfriend and partner.

The main version of Spider-Man has never had children. However, other versions of Peter Parker in the comics have had children, usually with Mary Jane Watson. These include Spider-Girl (Mayday Parker) and Benjy Parker from the MC2 universe, and Spiderling (Annie Parker) from Earth-18119.

In the Marvel Universe, there is a multiverse with many different versions of Spider-Man. One early character from the 1980s was Spider-Ham (Peter Porker), a pig version of Spider-Man. Other versions include a futuristic Spider-Man named Miguel O'Hara from Marvel 2099, and a version in the Marvel Comics 2 imprint where Peter marries Mary Jane and has a daughter named Mayday Parker, who continues Spider-Man's legacy. Other versions include a 1930s version of Peter Parker from Marvel Noir and themed versions like a British Spider-UK (Billy Braddock) from the 2000s.

Ultimate Spider-Man was a modern retelling of Peter Parker's story. In this version, Peter was later killed and replaced by a Black Hispanic Spider-Man named Miles Morales.

The storyline "Spider-Verse" brought back many alternate versions of Spider-Man and introduced new ones, such as a version where Gwen Stacy was bitten by a radioactive spider instead of Peter, and a British-themed Spider-UK (Billy Braddock) from the Captain Britain Corps.

Reception and legacy

In The Creation of Spider-Man, comic book writer-editor and historian Paul Kupperberg says Spider-Man’s superpowers are not very new; what is new is that he is a "nerdy high school student" outside his superhero identity. Unlike typical superheroes, Spider-Man includes many "soap-opera" and "melodrama" elements. Kupperberg believes Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created something new in comics: "a superhero with flaws and everyday problems." This idea started a big change in comics. The worries and fears shown in Marvel’s 1960s comics, like The Amazing Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, The Fantastic Four, and The X-Men, introduced a new kind of superhero, very different from the confident, all-powerful heroes before them. These stories changed how the public saw superheroes. Later stories also influenced the entire superhero comic genre. Historians say the sad and serious ending of the 1973 story The Night Gwen Stacy Died helped shift comic books from the hopeful Silver Age to the more serious Bronze Age.

Spider-Man has become one of the most well-known fictional characters in the world. He has been used to sell toys, games, cereal, candy, soap, and many other products. When comics showed a real address in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, as May Parker’s home, people living there received many letters from children asking for help. He has also been used as a company mascot. When Marvel became the first comic book company listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1991, The Wall Street Journal said, "Spider-Man is coming to Wall Street." The event was promoted with an actor dressed as Spider-Man walking with Stan Lee to the Stock Exchange. Comics scholars Robert G. Weiner and Robert Moses Peaslee say Spider-Man is the most important character for Marvel Comics and one of the best-known superheroes worldwide, only matched by Batman and Superman. They cite research showing he is a globally recognized character. They also mention that from 1966 to 2012, The Amazing Spider-Man sold about 145 to 150 million copies. By 2014, Spider-Man was the world’s most profitable superhero. In 2014, sales of licensed Spider-Man products reached about $1.3 billion, more than the combined sales of Batman, Superman, and the Avengers.

Spider-Man appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade from 1987 to 1998 as a balloon float, designed by John Romita Sr., one of the character’s main artists. A new Spider-Man balloon float also appeared from 2009 to 2014.

When Marvel wanted to write a story about the events after the September 11 attacks, the company chose the November 2001 issue of The Amazing Spider-Man. In 2006, Spider-Man got a lot of media attention when the character’s secret identity was revealed in a full-page story in the New York Post before the comic was released.

In 2008, Marvel planned to release educational comics with the United Nations, showing Spider-Man working with UN Peacekeeping Forces to highlight their missions. A BusinessWeek article listed Spider-Man as one of the top 10 smartest fictional characters in American comics.

In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Kimble v. Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a case about money from a patent for a fake web shooter. Justice Elena Kagan’s opinion included references to Spider-Man, ending with the line, "with great power, there must also come—great responsibility."

Spider-Man has also been studied by scientists. In 1987, researchers at Loyola University looked at whether Spider-Man comics could help children and parents learn about child abuse.

Spider-Man is a mix of all superheroes before him. He has fun and cool powers, but not as powerful as Thor. He is a normal person with problems like relationship issues and money troubles, making him more relatable than Iron Man, who is a wealthy playboy. He is also an awkward teenager, unlike Captain America, who is an older adult. Spider-Man is not too extreme in any way—he is just right.

In 2005, Bravo’s TV show Ultimate Super Heroes, Vixens, and Villains said Spider-Man was the number 1 superhero. Empire magazine ranked him the fifth-greatest comic book character of all time. Wizard magazine listed him as the third-greatest comic book character on their website. In 2011, Spider-Man placed third on IGN’s Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time, behind Superman and Batman, and sixth in their 2012 list of "The Top 50 Avengers." In 2014, IGN said Spider-Man was the greatest Marvel Comics character of all time. A 2015 poll by Comic Book Resources also named him the greatest Marvel character. IGN described him as a regular person who represents many people but is also unique because of his flaws. They said he is one of the most tragic superheroes but also one of the most fun and witty. Empire praised his humor and jokes even during sad events. The magazine also admired his "iconic" superhero poses, calling them "a top artist’s dream."

In 2022, Penguin Random House released a Penguin Classics edition of the first Spider-Man comics as part of a series of classic Marvel character editions.

Real-life people compared to Spider-Man for climbing skills include:

• In 1981, skyscraper-safety activist Dan Goodwin wore a Spider-Man suit and climbed the Sears Tower in Chicago, Illinois, the Renaissance Tower in Dallas, Texas, and the John Hancock Center in Chicago.
• Alain Robert, nicknamed "Spider-Man," is a rock and city climber who has climbed over 70 tall buildings using only his hands and feet. He sometimes wears a Spider-Man suit during climbs. In 2003, he was paid about $18,000 to climb the 95-meter (312 ft) Lloyd’s building to promote the movie Spider-Man on Sky Movies in the UK.
• "The Human Spider," Bill Strother, climbed the Lamar Building in Augusta, Georgia, in 1921.
• In Argentina, criminals who climb buildings and enter private homes through open balconies are said to use the "Spider-Man method" (in Spanish, el Hombre Araña).

In other media

Spider-Man has appeared in many different forms of media, including comics, cartoons, films, video games, coloring books, novels, records, children's books, and theme park rides. On television, he first appeared in the ABC animated series Spider-Man (1967–1970), Spidey Super Stories (1974–1977) on PBS, and the CBS live-action series The Amazing Spider-Man (1978–1979), which starred Nicholas Hammond. Other animated series featuring Spider-Man include Spider-Man (1981–1982), Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (1981–1983), Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994–1998) on Fox Kids, Spider-Man Unlimited (1999–2000), Spider-Man: The New Animated Series (2003), The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008–2009), Ultimate Spider-Man (2012–2017), Spider-Man (2017–2020) on Disney XD, and Spidey and His Amazing Friends (2021–present). Spider-Man was first shown in a live-action format in Spidey Super Stories, a recurring segment on The Electric Company from 1974 to 1977.

A Japanese tokusatsu series featuring Spider-Man was created by Toei and aired in Japan. It is often called Supaidā-Man in Japan. Spider-Man also appeared in print forms other than comics, such as novels, children's books, and the daily newspaper comic strip The Amazing Spider-Man, which began in January 1977. Stan Lee wrote the earliest parts of the comic strip, and John Romita Sr. drew them. Spider-Man has been adapted into other media, including games, toys, collectibles, and memorabilia, and has been the main character in many computer and video games on more than 15 gaming platforms.

Spider-Man was in a trilogy of live-action films directed by Sam Raimi, with Tobey Maguire playing the hero. The first film was released on May 3, 2002, followed by Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007). A third film was planned for 2011, but Sony decided to start over with a new director and cast. The reboot, The Amazing Spider-Man, was released on July 3, 2012, directed by Marc Webb, and starred Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man. It was followed by The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014). In 2015, Sony and Disney agreed to let Spider-Man appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Tom Holland first played Spider-Man in the MCU film Captain America: Civil War (2016), then in his own movie Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), directed by Jon Watts. Holland played Spider-Man again in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield also returned as Spider-Man in No Way Home. Jake Johnson voiced a different version of Spider-Man in the animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023). Chris Pine also voiced another version of Peter Parker in Into the Spider-Verse. In 2021, Hudson Thames was cast as the voice of Spider-Man in the animated series What If…?, replacing Tom Holland. He later played Spider-Man in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2025).

After a short disagreement about money, Sony and Disney reached an agreement in 2019 to let Spider-Man return to the MCU, with both studios producing Spider-Man films together.

A Broadway musical called Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark began previews on November 14, 2010, at the Foxwoods Theatre on Broadway. It officially opened on June 14, 2011. Reeve Carney played the main role. The music and lyrics were written by Bono and The Edge of the band U2, and the story was written by Julie Taymor, Glen Berger, and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. Turn Off the Dark is the most expensive Broadway musical ever made, costing about $70 million. The show also had very high weekly costs, estimated at $1.2 million per week.

In the fine arts, since the 1960s Pop Art movement, Spider-Man has been used by many artists in their artwork. Artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Mel Ramos, Vijay, Dulce Pinzon, Mr. Brainwash, and F. Lennox Campello have included Spider-Man in their work.

In 2025, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago opened an exhibition called Marvel's Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing – The Exhibition. The exhibit has two galleries. The first gallery shows how Spider-Man was created, and the second shows how the character grew and became popular. The exhibition includes items from eight collectors, not from Marvel or DC, as well as film props. The final section lets visitors use supplies to draw their own version of Spider-Man.