By Jim Beard
For over 50 years, Spider-Man has been a sensational standout in the Marvel Universe and the web-slinger swung onto the silver screen once more in 2017’s “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and will do so again in Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Infinity War” in 2018! In celebration of his memorable history, we present Spidey’s spectacular step-by-step story…
Doctor Octopus learned our hero’s secret identity while the webslinger slugged it out with Stunner in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #397, but later Ock attempted a cure for a deadly virus plaguing Spidey in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #220. Battle broke out between the two in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #398, and the mysterious Kaine lurked on the sidelines while Octopus and Spider-Man concluded their battering business in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #221.
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #221
- Published: February 10, 1995
- Added to Marvel Unlimited: May 26, 2015
- Writer: Tom DeFalco
- Penciller: Sal Buscema, Bill Sienkiewicz
- Cover Artist: Sal Buscema
What is Marvel Unlimited?
Peter Parker’s clone, Ben Reilly, carved out some crunch time with the Grim Hunter in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #120 and SPIDER-MAN #54, but Kaine and the Jackal insisted on their own appointment with the Scarlet Spider in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #121. In the aftermath, the Hunter lost his life in SPIDER-MAN #55, and Ben took on Terror Unlimited in SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED #8.
Peter and Ben put aside their differences to team up against the Jackal in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #122, while the villain renewed his lust for life in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #399 and manipulated his mind games on the heroes with a clone of the late Gwen Stacy in SPIDER-MAN #56. A third Parker clone entered stage left in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #222, both Ben and Peter learned the supposed “truth” about their own existence in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #123, and the ultimate unthinkable, the death of our beloved Aunt May, occurred in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #400.
Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #400
- Published: April 10, 1995
- Added to Marvel Unlimited: May 20, 2013
What is Marvel Unlimited?
Despite the pall fallen over Peter’s life, Kaine continued to stir the pot in SPIDER-MAN #57, and the Jackal escaped prison while at the same time Peter found himself incarcerated in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #223. Accused of murder in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #124, the wallcrawler felt the mark of Kaine upon him in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #401, and Mary Jane encountered a threat of her own in SPIDER-MAN #58. Ben swapped places with Peter behind bars in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #224, and the third Parker clone transformed into a monster called Spidercide. The Sinister Seven declared war on Kaine in SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED #9.
The Traveler vied for Aunt May’s soul in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #402, and Ben took the fight directly to him and Scrier in SPIDER-MAN #59. Peter encountered the Gwen clone in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #125, and witnessed the rise of a strange, new Green Goblin in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #225. Ben, posing as Peter, faced a murder trial in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #126, while the Traveler began to conduct a trial of his own against Spidey in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #403. Kaine stood revealed as another clone of Peter in SPIDER-MAN #60, and Ben trial concluded with a big battle in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #226.
Spider-Man: Maximum Clonage Alpha (1995) #1
- Published: August 01, 1995
- Added to Marvel Unlimited: June 20, 2016
- Rating: All Ages
- Writer: Todd Dezago, Tom DeFalco
- Penciller: Ron Lim
- Cover Artist: Ron Lim
What is Marvel Unlimited?
Spidercide reared his ugly head in SPIDER-MAN: MAXIMUM CLONAGE ALPHA, the Punisher shot the Jackal in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #127, only to see him healed in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #404 and tormenting Kaine and Ben. The Scarlet Spider faced down an entire army of Spider-Clones in SPIDER-MAN #61, joined with Spidey to clash with Kaine in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #227, and observed the deaths of both the Jackal and Spidercide in SPIDER-MAN: MAXIMUM CLONAGE OMEGA.
The question of the right to continue as Spider-Man plagued both Peter and Ben in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #128, prompting Ben to leave town in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #405 only to be captured by the new Doctor Octopus when he decided to return. The Vulture flapped his wings for attention in SPIDER-MAN #62, so Ben clipped said wings in SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED #10.
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #229
- Published: October 10, 1995
- Added to Marvel Unlimited: June 13, 2016
- Writer: Tom DeFalco
- Penciller: Sal Buscema, Bill Sienkiewicz
- Cover Artist: Sal Buscema
What is Marvel Unlimited?
The Jackal’s hypnotic suggestion for Peter to kill Mary Jane flared up in full flame in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #228, and later he joined forces with the Scarlet Spider and the New Warriors in WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #129. It proved to be one of Peter’s last missions as Spidey (for the time being), because after the new Doctor Octopus’ virtual reality debacle in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #406, and the two heroes’ takedown of the villain in SPIDER-MAN #63, Ben Reilly too over as the one, the only Spider-Man in SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #229.
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