title: Marc Dutroux

text: On 19 August 2012, about 2,000 people in Brussels demonstrated against Martin's possible early release from prison. She has since been paroled, 16 years into her sentence, and was released into the care of the Poor Clares in Malonne. She was given shelter, although she was not part of the community. The sisters have declared that they were not her guardian and shelter was given under the condition that she would not violate the conditions of her parole. As the convent has since been sold, she has had to find new shelter or go back to prison. A former judge has created an apartment in his converted farmhouse, where she now lives.


title: Marc Dutroux

text: Lelièvre is currently serving his prison sentence in the prison of Ittre. His application for parole in 2013 was denied. He has since then been granted temporary leave, but has violated the conditions of release. He may be released if he can find an apprenticeship as a cabinet-maker, which has so far been unsuccessful. The Belgian state was forced to pay Lelièvre €6,000. The European Court of Human Rights ruled that a moral compensation was in order because he was held in custody (nearly eight years) without receiving answers to his requests.


title: Marc Dutroux

text: On 4 February 2013, Dutroux requested the court in Brussels for an early release from prison. He insisted that he was "no longer dangerous" and wanted to be released into house arrest with an electronic tag (ankle bracelet) placed upon him. On 18 February, the court denied his request.


title: Marc Dutroux

text: In October 2019, Dutroux won the pre-parole right to a psychiatric assessment, which was supposed to take place in May 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.


title: Marc Dutroux

text: Michel Nihoul was a businessman known to frequently attend sex parties. He was accused of being the brains behind the child kidnapping and abuse operation around Dutroux. According to Vos, Nihoul was charged in relation to the case with "kidnapping, rape, conspiracy and drug offenses." Nihoul's lawyer in the case, Frederic Clement de Clety, denied all charges made against Nihoul by Dutroux and called him a "liar and manipulator." When the investigative journalist Olenka Frenkiel met Nihoul in Brussels, he reportedly greeted her with the words "I am the monster of Belgium." He told her that he was certain that he would never be prosecuted. During the encounter he grabbed her, tickled her and pulled her onto him so that she called for her colleagues to help her get away from him. Frenkiel was working on a documentary on the case for the BBC. In 2004 at the end of the Dutroux case trial he was released of all charges of child abduction. In May 2010 the Belgian prosecutor's office dropped all charges against Nihoul relating to a participation to a pedophile ring in the absence of any tangible evidence.


title: Marc Dutroux

text: The Dutroux case is so infamous that more than a third of Belgians with the surname "Dutroux" applied to have their surname changed between 1996 and 1998.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: The Queen is a 2006 British biographical drama film that depicts the events following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997. Initially, the Royal Family regard Diana's death as a private affair and thus not to be treated as an official royal death, in contrast with the views of Prime Minister Tony Blair and Diana's ex-husband, Prince Charles, who favour the general public's desire for an official expression of grief. Matters are further complicated by the media, royal protocol regarding Diana's official status, and wider issues about republicanism.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: The film was written by Peter Morgan, directed by Stephen Frears, and starring Helen Mirren in the title role of Queen Elizabeth II. The film's production and release coincided with a revival of favourable public sentiment in respect to the monarchy, a downturn in fortunes for Blair, and the British inquest into the death of Diana, Operation Paget. Actor Michael Sheen reprised his role as Blair from "The Deal" in 2003, and he did so again in "The Special Relationship" in 2010.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: "The Queen" garnered general critical and popular acclaim for Mirren playing the title role, which earned her numerous awards, namely the Academy Award, the Volpi Cup for Best Actress, the BAFTA Award, and the Golden Globe Award. Mirren was praised by the Queen herself and was invited to dinner at Buckingham Palace. However, Mirren could not attend due to filming commitments in Hollywood.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: The 1997 general election has Tony Blair and the Labour Party elected as government, on a manifesto of reform and modernisation. Less than four months later, Diana, Princess of Wales, is killed in a car crash at the Alma Bridge tunnel in Paris.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: Immediately, her death presents problems for her former husband, Prince Charles, and the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to accord the mother of a future king who is no longer a member of the royal family. Queen Elizabeth II wonders if Blair will turn his modernisation pledge on to the royal family since he attempts to have her reconsider her views on the funeral plans. Diana's family, the Spencers, calls for the funeral to be private.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: In the press, Diana is dubbed the "People's Princess"; this begins an outpouring of grief by the general public in broadcasts, and displays of floral tributes so numerous at Buckingham and Kensington Palaces that the main entrances onto the complexes have to be rerouted. The royal family's senior members make no effort to acknowledge Diana's significance to society as the Queen feels that her duty is to comfort and shield her grandsons following the death of their mother and so remains on holiday at Balmoral. The royal family's popularity plummets, while Blair's approval rises as he responds to the royal family's public outcry of inaction.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: Blair's attempts to guide the royal family through the controversy are met with resistance: the Queen describes them as a surrender to public hysteria. Despite the Queen and Prince Philip's indignation toward any sympathy toward Diana or acknowledgment of the country's mourning, he is encouraged by the private secretaries of both the Prince of Wales and the Queen to continue with his attempts to change the attitude of the royal family. As Britain continues its outpouring of grief, Blair attempts to defend the royal family publicly, but his attempts are futile. Blair's compassion earns him overwhelming praise and adoration, while the royal family's indifference earns them fiery condemnation from the people. As Britain's outrage hits a critical mass, Blair cannot placate the Queen's refusal to acknowledge Diana and the public any longer, revealing to her that 70% of the country believes her actions are damaging to the monarchy, and "1 in 4" people are in favour of abolishing the monarchy altogether. Blair adamantly insists that the royal family fly the flag at Buckingham Palace at half-mast, that the Queen pay her respects to Diana, and give a public address consoling the country.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: Although she is demoralised by the country's reaction and the Prime Minister's suggestions, the Queen comes to realise that the world has changed during her reign. She and Prince Philip return to London, despite their disagreement. The Queen finally pays public tribute on live television to Diana's significance to the nation and society and can somewhat quell Britain's agony. The royal family attends the public funeral for Diana at Westminster Abbey.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: At Blair's next meeting with the Queen, they exchange views about what has happened since their last meeting, including the controversy surrounding Diana's death and the actions that followed. Then she cautions the prime minister that, just as public opinion has changed about how the royal family should react to a new Britain, so must he as he may very well find himself in the same position of changing public opinion.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: The film uses archival footage of Diana, Princess of Wales, Camilla Parker Bowles, Nicholas Owen, Julia Somerville, Martyn Lewis, Trevor McDonald and John Suchet.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: The screenplay was written by Peter Morgan. It was produced by Pathé Pictures and Granada Productions (ITV Productions). Stephen Frears had a clause in his contract from "The Deal" that allowed him to direct any follow-ups or sequels, and he was officially announced as director in September 2003. The film was shot on location in the United Kingdom, in England in London, Halton House and Waddesdon Manor, in Buckinghamshire, Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire and in Scotland at Balmoral Castle, Castle Fraser and Cluny Castle in Aberdeenshire, and Blairquhan Castle and Culzean Castle in South Ayrshire.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: The sets were designed by Alan MacDonald, which won him Best Art Direction in a Contemporary Film from the Art Directors Guild and Best Technical Achievement at the British Independent Film Awards.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: Mirren says transforming herself into the Queen came almost naturally after the wig and glasses, since she shares a default facial expression—a slightly downturned mouth—with the monarch. She regularly reviewed film and video footage of Elizabeth and kept photographs in her trailer during production. She also undertook extensive voice coaching, faithfully reproducing the Queen's delivery of her televised speech to the world. Morgan has said that her performance was so convincing that, by the end of production, crew members who had been accustomed to slouching or relaxing when they addressed her were standing straight up and respectfully folding their hands behind their backs. Mirren arranged to spend time off-camera with the supporting cast playing other members of the Royal Family, including James Cromwell, Alex Jennings and Sylvia Syms so they would be as comfortable with each other as a real family.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: To enhance the contrast of their different worlds, shots involving the Queen were taken in 35mm film and those of Tony Blair in 16mm film.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: ITV's role in the production of the film allowed them an option for its television premiere and it was broadcast on 2 September 2007 (coinciding that weekend with a memorial service to Diana) to an average audience of 7.9 million, winning its timeslot. The DVD was released in the UK on 12 March 2007. Special features include a making-of featurette and an audio commentary by Stephen Frears, writer Peter Morgan and Robert Lacey, biographer of Queen Elizabeth II. It was released on Blu-ray and DVD in the USA on 24 April 2007 and, , US DVD sales had exceeded $29 million.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: Some aspects of the characters are known to be true to their real-life counterparts. According to Morgan, "cabbage" is an actual term of endearment Philip used for his wife ("mon chou" – "my cabbage" – is a standard affectionate nickname in French).


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: Other elements represent characteristics associated with people depicted. The electric guitar seen behind Blair in his personal office is a reference to his past membership in the band Ugly Rumours while a student. The Newcastle United football jersey he wears to a family breakfast is a reference to his support of that team. The film also shows Alastair Campbell coining the term "The People's Princess", but in 2007 he revealed that it was Tony Blair who came up with it.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: A notable inaccuracy is that Robin Janvrin is represented as the Queen's private secretary during the aftermath of Diana's death. In fact, that position was then occupied by Janvrin's predecessor, Sir Robert Fellowes; Janvrin was the "deputy" private secretary until 1999. However, the film is accurate in depicting Janvrin as the person who delivered the news of Diana's accident to the Queen at Balmoral during the night. The change may have been made to avoid confusing the audience by depicting the complicated family relationships involved— Fellowes was, in fact, also Diana's brother-in-law (by his marriage to her sister, Lady Jane Spencer) and is a first cousin of Sarah, Duchess of York.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: The film exceeded box-office expectations; with a budget of $15 million the film earned $56.4 million in the United States and Canada.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 96%, based on 198 reviews, and an average rating of 8.4/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Full of wit, humour and pathos, Stephen Frears' moving portrait looks at life of the British royals during the period after Princess Diana's death." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 91 out of 100, based on 37 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: Before the film was released, critics praised both Stephen Frears and Peter Morgan, who later received Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Screenplay. Michael Sheen's performance as Tony Blair earned him particular acclaim. Helen Mirren's portrayal, which garnered her acclaim from critics around the world, made her a favourite for the Academy Award for Best Actress well before the film was released in cinemas. After its showing at the Venice Film Festival, Mirren received a five-minute-long standing ovation. Roger Ebert came out of recovery from surgery to give the film a review, in which he called it "spellbinding" and gave it four out of four stars.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: Amongst the few negative reviews, "Slant Magazine"<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Nick Schager criticised the insider portraiture of the film as "somewhat less than revelatory, in part because Morgan's script succumbs to cutie-pie jokiness [...] and broad caricature", mentioning particularly "James Cromwell's Prince Philip, who envisions the crowned heads as exiled victims and the gathering crowds as encroaching 'Zulus'".


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: At the same year, Mirren from "The Queen" and Whitaker from "The Last King of Scotland" are the only two lead performances for portraying real-life leaders, and is the only lead actress to ever sweep the rarest achievements known as "The Big Four" critics awards (LAFCA, NBR, NYFCC, NSFC) as well as the Oscar, Globe, BAFTA, SAG, and Critic's Choice to win for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II, among many awards of which are listed below except she was nominated for at least three more. In most of her acceptance speeches, she expressed her admiration for the real Queen, and dedicated both her Golden Globe and her Oscar to Elizabeth II.


title: The Queen (2006 film)

text: The soundtrack album was released on the Milan label on 26 September 2006. The original score and songs were composed by Alexandre Desplat and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. The album was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Score. It was also nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music (it lost to the score of "Babel").


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: T2 Trainspotting is a 2017 British black comedy-drama film, directed by Danny Boyle and written by John Hodge. Set in and around Edinburgh, Scotland, it is based on characters created by Irvine Welsh in his 1993 novel "Trainspotting" and its 2002 follow-up "Porno". A sequel to Boyle's 1996 film "Trainspotting", "T2" stars the original ensemble cast, including leads Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, and Robert Carlyle, with Shirley Henderson, James Cosmo, and Kelly Macdonald. The film features a new character, Veronika, played by Anjela Nedyalkova, and includes clips, music, and archive sound from the first film.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: "T2 Trainspotting" was released in the United Kingdom on 27 January 2017, and worldwide throughout February and March 2017. It received generally positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success, grossing $42.1 million against a production budget of $18 million.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: Nearly twenty years after stealing a large sum of drug money from his friends and making a new life in Amsterdam, 46-year-old Mark Renton suffers a heart attack in a gym. Though now two decades sober from heroin, he is undergoing divorce and imminent redundancy. Facing a mid-life crisis and depression, he decides to take a nostalgic trip back to Edinburgh. Daniel "Spud" Murphy has returned to a cycle of heroin addiction after separating from his wife, Gail, and losing custody of his teenage son, Fergus, whom he fathered shortly after Renton left. Simon "Sick Boy" Williamson abuses cocaine, runs a failing pub and engages in blackmail schemes with his Bulgarian girlfriend, Veronika. Francis "Franco" Begbie is serving a lengthy prison sentence and attacks his lawyer after having his sentence extended for another five years.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: Renton visits Spud just in time to save him from a suicide attempt, offering to help him overcome his addictions. Renton visits Sick Boy at his pub, where Sick Boy attacks Renton, still furious from being ripped off. Afterwards, Renton meets Veronika and pays Sick Boy back his original share of the money. Unimpressed, Sick Boy informs Veronika that he plans to take revenge.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: Begbie escapes from prison and returns to his estranged wife June's flat, meeting his college-bound son, Frank Jr., whom he forces to join him in burgling houses after ridiculing his son's choice of studying hotel management instead of committing crimes. He visits Sick Boy, who pretends to have heard of Renton living in Amsterdam and promises to provide Begbie with a false passport so he can travel to the Netherlands to exact revenge.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: Renton, Sick Boy and Veronika fraudulently apply for a £100,000 EU business-development grant to turn the pub's upper floor into the business venture he had promised Veronika, a brothel disguised as a sauna. Veronika, however, finds herself attracted to Renton, and they begin an affair. Meanwhile, Spud joins in the renovation and befriends Veronika, who inspires him to write his memoirs. One of Sick Boy's blackmail targets reports him to the police, and Renton seeks legal advice from his ex-girlfriend, Diane Coulston, now a solicitor. The proceeds of their crimes are quickly used up in legal fees and Sick Boy's cocaine addiction. Renton manages to escape from Begbie after a chance encounter at a nightclub, but Doyle, owner of a rival brothel, kidnaps him and Sick Boy, drives them to the countryside, and intimidates them into abandoning their scheme, leaving them to walk back to Edinburgh naked.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: Begbie visits Spud and, reading his memoirs, discovers that Renton left Spud his share of the money. Veronika arrives, and Begbie steals her phone, which he uses to text Renton and Sick Boy to come to the pub at midnight. Veronika takes Spud to her apartment and asks him to leave with her, promising him half of the £100,000. Spud fears he will spend it on heroin again, so she offers to give his share to Gail and Fergus. He helps transfer the money to Veronika's account by forging Renton's and Sick Boy's signatures. After reading another excerpt of Spud's writings about their encounter with Begbie's alcoholic father in the derelict Leith Central railway station, Begbie visits June's flat for the last time, apologising to Frank Jr. for his abuse and telling him that he (Frank Jr.) will be a better man than Begbie or his father were.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: Spud arrives too late at the pub to warn Renton and Sick Boy of Begbie's ploy. Begbie knocks Sick Boy unconscious and chases Renton across the upstairs floor. He throws Renton through the floorboards, leaving him hanging by the neck from electrical wiring; Begbie tries to strangle him, but Sick Boy douses him with pepper spray and saves Renton. Begbie pulls out a sawn-off shotgun and tries to kill them both, but Spud hits him with a toilet bowl.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: They leave Begbie in the boot of Sick Boy's car outside the prison. Veronika returns to her son in Bulgaria. Spud puts together his book of memoirs and mends his relationship with Fergus and Gail, who suggests the title "Trainspotting." Renton and Sick Boy resume their old friendship. Renton moves back into his now-widowed father's home and embraces him in reconciliation before going to his bedroom and dancing to a remix of "Lust for Life".


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: Archival footage included Eileen Nicholas as Mrs Renton and Kevin McKidd as Tommy MacKenzie from the first film. McGregor, Bremner, Miller and Carlyle also appear in footage from the original "Trainspotting" film. The author of "Trainspotting", Irvine Welsh, appears near the middle of the film as Mikey Forrester, reprising his role from the first film. Carlyle also plays Begbie's father, the briefly seen wino in the Leith Railway Station.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: In 2007, Danny Boyle declared his wish to make a sequel to his 1996 film "Trainspotting" which would take place nine years after the original film, based on Irvine Welsh's sequel "Porno". He was waiting until the original cast aged visibly enough to portray the characters again. "I want them to look ravaged by the passing of time," Boyle explained. Having previously expressed doubts about a sequel, Ewan McGregor said in a 2013 interview that he would return for a sequel, saying, "I'm totally up for it. I'd be so chuffed to be back on set with everybody and I think it would be an extraordinary experience."


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: In March 2013, Boyle said the sequel would be only loosely based on "Porno" which he felt is "not a great book in the way that "Trainspotting", the original novel, is genuinely a masterpiece". Boyle said that if the sequel were to happen, it would be for a 2016 release.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: In May 2014, Welsh said that he had spent a week with Boyle, Andrew Macdonald and the creative team behind "Trainspotting" to discuss the sequel. Welsh said the meeting explored the story and script ideas. "We're not interested in doing something that will trash the legacy of "Trainspotting". ... We want to do something that's very fresh and contemporary." That November, Welsh said that McGregor and Boyle had resolved differences and had held meetings about the film, saying "I know Danny and Ewan are back in touch with each other again. There are others in the cast who've had a rocky road, but now also reconciled. With the "Trainspotting" sequel the attention is going to be even more intense this time round because the first was such a great movie—and Danny's such a colossus now. We're all protective of the "Trainspotting" legacy and we want to make a film that adds to that legacy and doesn't take away from it."


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: In September 2015, Boyle stated his next film would be a sequel, tentatively titled "Trainspotting 2". Later that month Boyle revealed that a script for the sequel had been written, and that filming would take place between May and June 2016. He hoped to release the film by the end of that year to commemorate "Trainspotting"s 20th anniversary.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: While promoting "Steve Jobs" in November 2015, Boyle reiterated the hopes of beginning principal photography for the sequel in May and June 2016, and said that pre-production had begun in Edinburgh. Boyle also clarified that John Hodge wrote an original screenplay for the sequel, and that the film would not be a strict adaptation of "Porno". An earlier script was reportedly written about 10 years prior, but was scrapped so that the original cast would agree to return for a film sequel. The working title for the sequel was "T2".


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: In November 2015, Robert Carlyle said he would return as Begbie. According to Carlyle, he and the other "Trainspotting" cast members had already read Hodge's script, which was set 20 years after the original. Carlyle praised Hodge's screenplay and said that "T2" "is going to be quite emotional for people. Because the film sort of tells you to think about yourself. You are going to be thinking: 'Fuck. What have I done with my life?


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: In early December 2015, it was announced that Sony's TriStar Pictures had acquired worldwide rights to the film and that the original lead cast would return.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: Principal photography on the film began on 10 March 2016, in Edinburgh, according to Boyle. Filming was previously scheduled to take place in May 2016.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: The official soundtrack was released on 27 January 2017. It features Blondie, the Clash, Wolf Alice, High Contrast, the Prodigy, Queen, Run–D.M.C., Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Underworld, the Rubberbandits and Young Fathers.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: "T2" was released in the UK on 27 January 2017, followed by rolling worldwide releases from 10 February 2017. The film was given a limited release in the US on 17 March 2017, followed by a wider release on 31 March 2017 in a few major cities. "T2" also screened out of competition at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: "T2 Trainspotting" grossed £17.1 million in the United Kingdom ($21.7 million). It grossed $2.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $18 million in other territories, for a worldwide gross of $42.1 million, against a production budget of $18 million.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 81% based on 250 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. The website's critical consensus reads, ""T2 Trainspotting" adds an intoxicating, emotionally resonant postscript to its classic predecessor, even without fully recapturing the original's fresh, subversive thrill." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on reviews from 42 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: Robbie Collin of "The Telegraph" rated the film 3 out of 5 stars. Collin praised writer Hodge for refinding the voices of the characters, and called McGregor the dramatic linchpin of the film. Although the film doesn't match up to the first, Collin concludes "it's worthwhile on its own terms." Peter Bradshaw of "The Guardian" rated the film four stars out of five, saying it has "the same punchy energy, the same defiant pessimism" as the first film.


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: In March 2017, Danny Boyle discussed the possibility of a third "Trainspotting" film, suggesting that it could be a spin-off centred on the character of Begbie, in a story based on the Irvine Welsh novel "The Blade Artist". "I think [Robert Carlyle] would love to do that because it's an interesting twist on the character", Boyle said. "That may be made into a film. You couldn't call it "T3" because, although some of the other characters come into it, they're only featured just momentarily. It's a solo story. You could call that a spin-off. ["The Blade Artist"] is a great read." Carlyle was likewise open to an adaptation of "The Blade Artist". "We've been talking about that, I am up for doing it", he said at the "T2" premiere in Edinburgh. "So maybe we ain't seen the end of Begbie just yet".


title: T2 Trainspotting

text: Boyle stated he would be more interested in directing a true sequel rather than a spin-off, preferring to work with all of the principal actors. "My affection is toward all four of them", Boyle said. "People regarded the first movie as being Renton's movie, and I never really saw it like that, though he does dominate because of the voice-over. I always saw it as an ensemble movie, so I'm still very much in that mode."


title: High-intensity interval training

text: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a training protocol alternating short periods of intense or explosive anaerobic exercise with brief recovery periods until the point of exhaustion. HIIT involves exercises performed in repeated quick bursts at maximum or near maximal effort with periods of rest or low activity between bouts. The very high level of intensity, the interval duration, and number of bouts distinguish it from aerobic (cardiovascular) activity, because the body significantly recruits anaerobic energy systems (although not completely to the exclusion of aerobic pathways). The method thereby relies on "the anaerobic energy releasing system almost maximally".


title: High-intensity interval training

text: Although there are varying forms of HIIT-style workouts which may involve exercises associated with both cardiovascular activity and also resistance training, HIIT's crucial features of maximal effort, duration, and short rest periods (thereby triggering the anaerobic pathways of energy production) materially differentiate it from being considered a form of cardiovascular exercise. Though there is no universal HIIT session duration, a HIIT workout typically lasts under 30 minutes in total as it uses the anaerobic energy systems which are typically used for short, sharp bursts. The times vary, based on a participant's current fitness level. Traditional HIIT initially had been designed to be no longer than 20 seconds on with no more than 10 seconds off; however, intervals of exercise effort tend to range from 20 to 45 seconds but no longer than 75 seconds, at which point the aerobic system would then kick in.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: HIIT workouts provide improved athletic capacity and condition as well as improved glucose metabolism. Compared with longer sessions typical of other regimens, HIIT may not be as effective for treating hyperlipidemia and obesity, or improving muscle and bone mass. However, research has shown that HIIT regimens produced significant reductions in the fat mass of the whole-body in young women. Some researchers also note that HIIT requires "an extremely high level of subject motivation" and question whether the general population could safely or practically tolerate the extreme nature of the exercise regimen.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: A sprint interval training (SIT) is an exercise designed in a similar way to HIIT, but instead of using "near maximal" effort for the high-intensity periods, "supramaximal" or "all-out" efforts are used in shorter bursts. In physiological terms, "near maximal" means reaching 80–100% HR, while "supramaximal" means a pace that exceeds what would elicit VO peak. SIT regimens generally include a lower amount of total exercise compared HIIT ones. Both HIIT and SIT fall into the larger class of interval training. Distinction between the two is not always maintained, even in academia: for example, Tabata describes his 170% VO max regimen as "supermaximal", but does not use the term SIT.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: HIIT exercise sessions generally consist of a warm-up period followed by repetitions of high-intensity exercises separated by medium intensity exercises for recovery, then a cool-down period. The high-intensity exercise should be done at near maximum intensity. The medium exercise should be about 50% intensity. The number of repetitions and length of each depends on the exercise, but maybe as little as three repetitions with just 20 seconds of intense exercise. The specific exercises performed during the high-intensity portions vary. Most of the research on HIIT has been done using a cycling ergometer, but other exercises like a rowing ergometer, running, stair climbing and uphill walking can also be effective.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: There is no specific formula for HIIT. Depending on one's level of cardiovascular development, the moderate-level intensity can be as slow as walking. A common formula involves a 2:1 ratio of work to recovery periods, for example, 30–40 seconds of hard sprinting alternated with 15–20 seconds of jogging or walking, repeated to failure.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: The entire HIIT session may last between four and 30 minutes, meaning that it is considered to be an excellent way to maximize a workout limited by time constraints. Use of a clock or timer is recommended to keep accurate times, the number of rounds, and intensity.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: An alternative form of HIIT, designed for heart rate training, involves a 30-minute period of cardio followed by 30 minutes of full-body resistance training to help maximize calorie burning. The idea is to combine aerobic exercise with intense weight and resistance training to achieve a high level heart rate for an extended period of time, in order to maximize strength and endurance.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: A type of high-intensity interval training with short recovery periods was used in the 1970s by the athletics coach Peter Coe when setting sessions for his son Sebastian Coe. Inspired by the principles propounded by the German coach and university professor Woldemar Gerschler and the Swedish physiologist Per-Olof Åstrand, Coe set sessions involving repeated fast 200 meter runs with only 30 seconds recovery between each fast run.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: A version of HIIT was based on a 1996 study by Ritsumeikan University Professor Izumi Tabata (田畑泉) et al. initially involving Olympic speedskaters. The study used 20 seconds of ultra-intense exercise (at an intensity of about 170% of VOmax) followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated continuously for 4 minutes (8 cycles). The exercise was performed on a mechanically braked cycle ergometer. Tabata called this the IE1 protocol. In the original study, athletes using this method trained 4 times per week, plus another day of steady-state training, for 6 weeks and obtained gains similar to a group of athletes who did steady state training (70% VOmax) 5 times per week. The steady state group had a higher VOmax at the end (from 52 to 57 mL/(kg•min)). However the Tabata group had achieved comparable aerobic improvements but only exercised 4 minutes per day on their 4 HIIT days compared to 60 minutes for the aerobic group. The Tabata group also started lower and gained more overall (from 48 to 55 mL/(kg•min)). Also, only the Tabata group had gained anaerobic capacity benefits. (As Tabata's protocol is "supermaximal", his regimen technically falls into the scope of SIT.)


title: High-intensity interval training

text: In popular culture, "Tabata training" has now come to refer to a wide variety of HIIT protocols and exercise regimens that may or may not have similar benefits to those found in Tabata's original study.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: Professor Martin Gibala and his team at McMaster University in Canada have been researching high-intensity exercise for several years. Their 2010 study on students uses 3 minutes for warming up, then 60 seconds of intense exercise (at 95% of VOmax) followed by 75 seconds of rest, repeated for 8–12 cycles (sometimes referred to as "The Little Method"). Subjects using this method training 3 times per week obtained gains similar to what would be expected from subjects who did steady-state (50–70% VOmax) training five times per week. While still a demanding form of training, the general public could use this exercise protocol with nothing more than an average exercise bike.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: Gibala's group published a less intense version of their regimen in a 2011 paper in "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise". This was intended as a gentler option for sedentary people who had done no exercise for over a year. It included 3 minutes of warm-up, 10 repetitions of 60-second bursts at 60% peak power (80–95% of heart rate reserve) each followed by 60 seconds of recovery, and then a 5-minute cool-down.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: Jorge Zuniga, assistant professor of exercise science at Creighton University, set out to determine how to fit the highest volume of work and oxygen consumption into the smallest amount of time. He found that intervals of 30 seconds at 90% of power output at VO max followed by 30 seconds of rest allowed for the highest VO consumption and the longest workout duration at specified intensity. Alternative protocols considered included 100% of maximum power output on the same interval schedule, similar to the Coe regimen, and 90% of maximum power output for three minutes, similar to traditional interval training.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: Zuniga's protocol has been implemented with great success by students of his who were participating in Creighton's Army ROTC program. Cadets completing the protocol twice a week saw greater improvements in APFT scores than in years past. Zuniga's protocol typically consists of 10 repetitions.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: Dr Niels Vollaard at the University of Stirling proposed that when high-intensity intervals are done at "all-out" intensities, associated health benefits plateau after performing 2 or 3 sprint repetitions. This led to the development of a 10-minute exercise routine consisting of easy pedalling interspersed with two 20-second "all-out" cycling sprints. In a 2017 meta-analysis, Vollaard indeed showed that common protocols with as many as 6 to 10 repetitions of 30-second "all-out" sprints do not improve aerobic fitness more than the "2×20-s" protocol. He shifted the terminology for his to SIT. It is claimed that this short protocol may remove many of the drawbacks that make other high-intensity interval training protocols unsuitable for the general population.<ref name="Vollaard/Metcalfe"></ref>


title: High-intensity interval training

text: In a BBC "Horizon" program in February 2012, Jamie Timmons, professor of systems biology at the University of Loughborough, led Michael Mosley through this exercise bike regimen, each time using three sprints instead of two. This protocol was performed three times a week for a total of 30 minutes of exercise per week (3 minutes of intense exercise), plus warm-up and recovery time.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: A study compared HIIT of eight 1-minute bouts at 85% maximum Watts (Wmax) interspersed with 1-minute active recovery at 25% Wmax, to SIT of eight 30-second bouts at 130% Wmax interspersed with 90-second active recovery at 25% Wmax (Total time-matched at 24 minutes including warm-up & cooldown). Its conclusion was "HIIT is the recommended routine" but "the magnitude of differences in various parameters between regimens was small; therefore, preference for either modality may be up to the individual".


title: High-intensity interval training

text: HIIT training and traditional endurance training both lead to significantly improved cardiovascular fitness in healthy adults ages 18–45 but HIIT leads to greater improvements in VO max. HIIT regimens of one month or longer effectively improve cardiovascular fitness in adolescents and lead to moderate improvements in body composition. HIIT (when defined as four intervals of four minutes at 85–95% of max heart rate with three-minute intervals at 60–70% of max heart rate) is also more effective than moderate-intensity continuous training at improving blood vessel function and markers of blood vessel health.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: Comparing HIIT to moderate intensity continuous training (MICT) in people with coronary artery disease, HIIT leads to greater improvements in VO max but MICT leads to greater reductions in body weight and heart rate. Improvement to cardiorespiratory fitness, as measured by VO max, of individuals with lifestyle-induced chronic cardiovascular or metabolic diseases (including high blood pressure, obesity, heart failure, coronary artery disease, or metabolic syndrome) who completed a HIIT exercise program can be nearly double that of individuals who completed a MICT exercise program (19.4% increase and 10.3% increase, respectively).


title: High-intensity interval training

text: For people suffering from coronary artery disease or heart failure, a HIIT regiment is beneficial for substantially improving both groups VO max and overall exercise capacity; with more intense HIIT leading to the greatest cardiovascular improvements. A combination of a proper HIIT program with active recovery instead of passive recovery is most beneficial to improving heart contractibility in people with heart failure.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: HIIT significantly lowers insulin resistance compared to continuous training or control conditions and leads to modestly decreased fasting blood glucose levels and increased weight loss compared to those who do not undergo a physical activity intervention.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: HIIT can result in modest reductions of subcutaneous fat in young and healthy individuals, but greater reductions for overweight individuals. HIIT, particularly running, is a time-efficient strategy in decreasing abdominal and visceral fat-mass deposits.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: A 2021 systematic review examined the effects of HIIT combined with resistance training in teens (ages 10–19), without providing a nutritional plan. The study found that 8 to 12 weeks of HIIT combined with resistance training can substantially reduce waist size and body fat percentage. However the study did not find conclusive evidence of HIIT and resistance training being an effective solitary treatment for type 2 diabetes or arterial hypertension, but did find HIIT has the potential to reduce future cardiovascular problems in teens.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: HIIT can elicit short term brain improvements similar to those usually observed with aerobic exercise.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: The American College of Sports Medicine suggests consulting one's doctor before starting a HIIT regimen, particularly if there is a history of coronary heart disease. This is to ascertain its safety and allow the patient to build up the intensity of exercise without causing harm. It is advised to start a lower intensity and go at one's own pace.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: There is a risk of injury due to fatigue and overtraining, so it is advised to allow time for recovery. Research from Rutgers University demonstrated that the knees, shoulders, and ankles were the most commonly involved injuries. More specifically, knee and ankle sprains were very common. Based on that, neuromuscular training and pre-strengthening programs are recommended to improve flexibility, particularly before exercise.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: A 2007 study examined HIIT's physiological effects on fat oxidation in moderately active women. The participants in the study performed HIIT (defined as ten sets of 4-minute cycling bursts at an intensity of 90% VO2max separated by 2 minutes of rest) every other day over a 2-week period. The study found that seven sessions of HIIT over a 2-week period improved whole body fat oxidation and the capacity for skeletal muscle to oxidize fat in moderately active women.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: A 2008 research study found that HIIT was more effective than moderate-intensity continuous training at fasting insulin levels (31% decrease and 9% decrease, respectively).


title: High-intensity interval training

text: A 2017 study examined the effect of HIIT on cognitive performance among a group of children. The authors show that HIIT is beneficial to cognitive control and working memory capacity when compared against "a blend of board games, computer games, and trivia quizzes" and that this effect is mediated by the BDNF polymorphism. They conclude that the study "suggests a promising alternative to enhance cognition, via short and potent exercise regimens".


title: High-intensity interval training

text: A 2019 clinical trial assessed the effects of HIIT on vascular health in inactive people and found that HIIT has beneficial vascular effects, based on observed decreases in arterial wall thickness and increase in endothelial function. The trial also found that HIIT had stronger effects than medium intensity continuous training (MICT) in enhancing flow mediated dilation and lowering pulse wave velocity in inactive adults from the greater blood flow and vasodilation of blood vessels stimulated by HIIT. Increased flow mediated dilation allows for greater opening of an artery and increased blood flow, allowing for more oxygen to be supplied throughout the body during activity. Pulse wave velocity is used to monitor arterial stiffness; which increases with age and high blood pressure, leading to a higher probability of cardiovascular problems including hypertension or a stroke.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: A 2019 study on the relevance of exercise intensity in lower back rehabilitation, demonstrated higher intensity had a greater effectiveness with back therapy than moderate intensity exercise. Participants in the HIIT group had a decrease in back pain intensity and an increase in back muscle strength. In 2020, a similar study explained the strong effectiveness of cardiorespiratory HIIT in treating lower back pain, when combined with other forms of HIIT or mobility exercises.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: A 2020 study examined the impact of HIIT and moderate intensity continuous training (MICT) on overweight individuals by measuring the effect on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). The study found that both forms of training were effective in improving CRF with an increase in VO max, however there was no evidence that either training method was more effective than the other in improving cardiorespiratory fitness.


title: High-intensity interval training

text: According to a 2020 study HIIT could be used as prehabilitation for men awaiting surgery for urological cancer and it may improve heart and lung fitness within a month before their surgery.


title: Three Identical Strangers

text: Three Identical Strangers is a 2018 documentary film directed by Tim Wardle, about the lives of Edward Galland, David Kellman, and Robert Shafran, a set of identical triplet brothers adopted as infants by separate families. Combining archival footage, re-enacted scenes, and present-day interviews, it recounts how the triplet brothers discovered one another by chance in New York in 1980 at age 19, their public and private lives in the years that followed, and their eventual discovery that their adoption had been part of an undisclosed scientific "nature versus nurture" study of the development of genetically identical siblings raised in differing socioeconomic circumstances.


title: Three Identical Strangers

text: The film premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Storytelling. The film was a nominee in the Best Documentary category at the 72nd British Academy Film Awards. It was also on the shortlist of 15 films considered for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, out of 166 candidates. In the same year the film was presented at the Rome Film Fest.


title: Three Identical Strangers

text: The film describes how Robert Shafran discovered that he had a twin brother when he arrived on the campus of a New York community college and was constantly greeted by students and staff who incorrectly recognized him as Eddy Galland. The two eventually met and, finding out both had been adopted, quickly concluded that they were twins. Months later, the publicity of this human-interest story reached David Kellman, whose resemblance and matching adoption circumstances indicated that the three were actually identical triplets.


title: Three Identical Strangers

text: The triplet brothers found themselves alike in many ways and celebrated their newfound brotherhood. They quickly became a minor media sensation, appearing on talk shows such as the popular "Phil Donahue Show". They moved in together and opened a restaurant called "Triplets Roumanian Steakhouse", which they operated together. Over time, however, differences between the three men became apparent, and their relationships with others experienced difficulties. All three had struggled with mental health problems for years, and Galland died by suicide in 1995.


title: Three Identical Strangers

text: The triplet brothers had been involved as children in a study by psychiatrists Peter B. Neubauer and Viola W. Bernard, under the auspices of the Jewish Board of Guardians, which involved periodic visits and evaluations of the boys, the full intent of which was never explained to the adoptive parents. Following the revelation that the boys were triplets, the parents sought more information from the Louise Wise adoption agency, which claimed that they had separated the boys because of the difficulty of placing triplets in a single household. But upon further investigation, it was revealed that the infants had been intentionally separated and placed with families having different parenting styles and economic levels – one blue-collar, one middle-class, and one affluent – as an experiment on human subjects.


title: Three Identical Strangers

text: On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . The website's critical consensus reads: "Surreal and surprising, "Three Identical Strangers" effectively questions the nature of reality and identity." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 81 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".


title: Three Identical Strangers

text: The Neubauer twin experiment was first publicized in a 1995 "New Yorker" article by investigative journalist Lawrence Wright, who appears in the film. The same, never-published twin study was the subject of the 2007 memoir "Identical Strangers" written by Elyse Schein and Paula Bernstein (who also appear in the film) and the subject of the 2017 documentary "The Twinning Reaction", followed by the 2018 television episode "Secret Siblings". The studios Raw TV, Film4 Productions, and Sidney Kimmel Entertainment are jointly developing a dramatic feature version of "Three Identical Strangers", with the documentary's director Tim Wardle as an executive producer.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: The Amazing Spider-Man is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its main protagonist. Being in the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a bimonthly periodical (as "Amazing Fantasy" had been), quickly being increased to monthly, and was published continuously, with a brief interruption in 1995, until its second volume with a new numbering order in 1999. In 2003, the series reverted to the numbering order of the first volume. The title has occasionally been published biweekly, and was published three times a month from 2008 to 2010.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: After DC Comics' relaunch of "Action Comics" and "Detective Comics" with new No. 1 issues in 2011, it had been the highest-numbered American comic still in circulation until it was cancelled. The title ended its 50-year run as a continuously published comic with the landmark issue #700 in December 2012. It was replaced by "The Superior Spider-Man" as part of the Marvel NOW! relaunch of Marvel's comic lines.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Volume 3 of "The Amazing Spider-Man" was published in April 2014, following the conclusion of "The Superior Spider-Man" story arc. In late 2015, the series was relaunched with a 4th volume, following the 2015 "Secret Wars" event. The 5th volume began in 2018, as part of Marvel's "Fresh Start" series of comic relaunches. The 6th volume began in April 2022 to celebrate Spider-Man's 60th anniversary.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Steve Ditko created the character of Spider-Man, and the pair produced 38 issues from March 1963 to July 1966. Ditko left after the 38th issue, while Lee remained as writer until issue 100. Since then, many writers and artists have taken over the monthly comic through the years, chronicling the adventures of Marvel's most identifiable hero.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: "The Amazing Spider-Man" has been the character's flagship series for his first fifty years in publication, and was the only monthly series to star Spider-Man until "Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man", in 1976, although 1972 saw the debut of "Marvel Team-Up", with the vast majority of issues featuring Spider-Man along with a rotating cast of other Marvel characters. Most of the major characters and villains of the Spider-Man saga have been introduced in "Amazing", and with few exceptions, it is where most key events in the character's history have occurred. The title was published continuously until No. 441 (Nov. 1998) when Marvel Comics relaunched it as vol. 2 No. 1 (Jan. 1999), but on Spider-Man's 40th anniversary, this new title reverted to using the numbering of the original series, beginning again with issue No. 500 (Dec. 2003) and lasting until the final issue, No. 700 (Feb. 2013).


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Due to strong sales on the character's first appearance in "Amazing Fantasy" No. 15, Spider-Man was given his own ongoing series in March 1963. The initial years of the series, under Lee and Ditko, chronicled Spider-Man's nascent career as a masked super-human vigilante with his civilian life as hard-luck yet perpetually good-humored and well-meaning teenager Peter Parker. Peter balanced his career as Spider-Man with his job as a freelance photographer for "The Daily Bugle" under the bombastic editor-publisher J. Jonah Jameson to support himself and his frail Aunt May. At the same time, Peter dealt with public hostility towards Spider-Man and the antagonism of his classmates Flash Thompson and Liz Allan at Midtown High School, while embarking on a tentative, ill-fated romance with Jameson's secretary, Betty Brant.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: By focusing on Parker's everyday problems, Lee and Ditko created a groundbreakingly flawed, self-doubting superhero, and the first major teenaged superhero to be a protagonist and not a sidekick. Ditko's quirky art provided a stark contrast to the more cleanly dynamic stylings of Marvel's most prominent artist, Jack Kirby, and combined with the humor and pathos of Lee's writing to lay the foundation for what became an enduring mythos.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Most of Spider-Man's key villains and supporting characters were introduced during this time. Issue No. 1 (Mar. 1963) featured the first appearances of J. Jonah Jameson and his astronaut son John Jameson, and the supervillain the Chameleon. It included the hero's first encounter with the superhero team the Fantastic Four. Issue No. 2 (May 1963) featured the first appearance of the Vulture and the Tinkerer as well as the beginning of Parker's freelance photography career at the newspaper "The Daily Bugle".


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: The Lee-Ditko era continued to usher in a significant number of villains and supporting characters, including Doctor Octopus in No. 3 (July 1963); the Sandman and Betty Brant in No. 4 (Sept. 1963); the Lizard in No. 6 (Nov. 1963); Living Brain in No. 8 (Jan. 1964); Electro in No. 9 (Mar. 1964); Mysterio in No. 13 (June 1964); the Green Goblin in No. 14 (July 1964); Kraven The Hunter in No. 15 (Aug. 1964); reporter Ned Leeds in No. 18 (Nov. 1964); and the Scorpion in No. 20 (Jan. 1965). The Molten Man was introduced in No. 28 (Sept. 1965) which also featured Parker's graduation from high school. Peter began attending Empire State University in No. 31 (Dec. 1965), which featured the first appearances of friends and classmates Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn. Harry's father, Norman Osborn first appeared in No. 23 (April 1965) as a member of Jameson's country club but was not named nor revealed as Harry's father until No. 37 (June 1966).


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: One of the most celebrated issues of the Lee-Ditko run is No. 33 (Feb. 1966), the third part of the story arc "If This Be My Destiny...!", which features the dramatic scene of Spider-Man, through force of will and thoughts of family, escaping from being pinned by heavy machinery. Comics historian Les Daniels noted that "Steve Ditko squeezes every ounce of anguish out of Spider-Man's predicament, complete with visions of the uncle he failed and the aunt he has sworn to save." Peter David observed that "After his origin, this two-page sequence from "Amazing Spider-Man" No. 33 is perhaps the best-loved sequence from the Stan Lee/Steve Ditko era." Steve Saffel stated the "full page Ditko image from "The Amazing Spider-Man" No. 33 is one of the most powerful ever to appear in the series and influenced writers and artists for many years to come." and Matthew K. Manning wrote that "Ditko's illustrations for the first few pages of this Lee story included what would become one of the most iconic scenes in Spider-Man's history." The story was chosen as No. 15 in the 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time poll of Marvel's readers in 2001. Editor Robert Greenberger wrote in his introduction to the story that "These first five pages are a modern-day equivalent to Shakespeare as Parker's soliloquy sets the stage for his next action. And with dramatic pacing and storytelling, Ditko delivers one of the great sequences in all comics."


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Although credited only as artist for most of his run, Ditko would eventually plot the stories as well as draw them, leaving Lee to script the dialogue. A rift between Ditko and Lee developed, and the two men were not on speaking terms long before Ditko completed his last issue, "The Amazing Spider-Man" No. 38 (July 1966). The exact reasons for the Ditko-Lee split have never been fully explained. Spider-Man successor artist John Romita Sr., in a 2010 deposition, recalled that Lee and Ditko "ended up not being able to work together because they disagreed on almost everything, cultural, social, historically, everything, they disagreed on characters..."


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: In successor penciler Romita Sr.'s first issue, No. 39 (Aug. 1966), nemesis the Green Goblin discovers Spider-Man's secret identity and reveals his own to the captive hero. Romita's Spider-Man – more polished and heroic-looking than Ditko's – became the model for two decades. The Lee-Romita era saw the introduction of such characters as "Daily Bugle" managing editor Robbie Robertson in No. 52 (Sept. 1967) and NYPD Captain George Stacy, father of Parker's girlfriend Gwen Stacy, in No. 56 (Jan. 1968). The most important supporting character to be introduced during the Romita era was Mary Jane Watson, who made her first full appearance in No. 42 (Nov. 1966), although she first appeared in No. 25 (June 1965) with her face obscured and had been mentioned since No. 15 (Aug. 1964). Peter David wrote in 2010 that Romita "made the definitive statement of his arrival by pulling Mary Jane out from behind the oversized potted plant [that blocked the reader's view of her face in issue #25] and placing her on panel in what would instantly become an iconic moment." Romita has stated that in designing Mary Jane, he "used Ann-Margret from the movie "Bye Bye Birdie" as a guide, using her coloring, the shape of her face, her red hair and her form-fitting short skirts."


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Lee and Romita toned down the prevalent sense of antagonism in Parker's world by improving Parker's relationship with the supporting characters and having stories focused as much on the social and college lives of the characters as they did on Spider-Man's adventures. The stories became more topical, addressing issues such as civil rights, racism, prisoners' rights, the Vietnam War, and political elections.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Issue No. 50 (June 1967) introduced the highly enduring criminal mastermind the Kingpin, who would become a major force as well in the superhero series "Daredevil". Other notable first appearances in the Lee-Romita era include the Rhino in No. 41 (Oct. 1966), the Shocker in No. 46 (Mar. 1967), the Prowler in No. 78 (Nov. 1969), and the Kingpin's son, Richard Fisk, in No. 83 (Apr. 1970).


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Several spin-off series debuted in the 1970s: "Marvel Team-Up" in 1972, and "The Spectacular Spider-Man" in 1976. A short-lived series titled "Giant-Size Spider-Man" began in July 1974 and ran six issues through 1975. "Spidey Super Stories", a series aimed at children ages 6–10, ran for 57 issues from October 1974 through 1982.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: The flagship title's second decade took a grim turn with a story in #89-90 (Oct.-Nov. 1970) featuring the death of Captain George Stacy. This was the first Spider-Man story to be penciled by Gil Kane, who would alternate drawing duties with Romita for the next year-and-a-half and would draw several landmark issues.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: One such story took place in the controversial issues #96–98 (May–July 1971). Writer-editor Lee defied the Comics Code Authority with this story, in which Parker's friend Harry Osborn, was hospitalized after over-dosing on pills. Lee wrote this story upon a request from the U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare for a story about the dangers of drugs. Citing its dictum against depicting drug use, even in an anti-drug context, the CCA refused to put its seal on these issues. With the approval of Marvel publisher Martin Goodman, Lee had the comics published without the seal. The comics sold well and Marvel won praise for its socially conscious efforts. The CCA subsequently loosened the Code to permit negative depictions of drugs, among other new freedoms.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: "The Six Arms Saga" of #100–102 (Sept.–Nov. 1971) introduced Morbius, the Living Vampire. The second installment was the first "Amazing Spider-Man" story not written by co-creator Lee, with Roy Thomas taking over writing the book for several months before Lee returned to write #105–110 (Feb.-July 1972). Lee, who was going on to become Marvel Comics' publisher, with Thomas becoming editor-in-chief, then turned writing duties over to 19-year-old Gerry Conway, who scripted the series through 1975. Romita penciled Conway's first half-dozen issues, which introduced the gangster Hammerhead in No. 113 (Oct. 1972). Kane then succeeded Romita as penciler, although Romita would continue inking Kane for a time.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Issue 121 (June 1973 by Conway-Kane-Romita) featured the death of Gwen Stacy at the hands of the Green Goblin in "The Night Gwen Stacy Died." Her demise and the Goblin's apparent death one issue later formed a story arc widely considered as the most defining in the history of Spider-Man. The aftermath of the story deepened both the characterization of Mary Jane Watson and her relationship with Parker.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: In 1973 Gil Kane was succeeded by Ross Andru, whose run lasted from issue #125 (Oct. 1973) to #185 (Oct. 1978). Issue#129 (Feb. 1974) introduced the Punisher, who would become one of Marvel Comics' most popular characters. The Conway-Andru era featured the first appearances of the Man-Wolf in #124–125 (Sept.-Oct. 1973); the near-marriage of Doctor Octopus and Aunt May in #131 (Apr. 1974); Harry Osborn stepping into his father's role as the Green Goblin in #135–137 (Aug.-Oct.1974); and the original "Clone Saga", containing the introduction of Spider-Man's clone, in #147–149 (Aug.-Oct. 1975).


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Archie Goodwin and Gil Kane produced the title's 150th issue (Nov. 1975) before Len Wein became writer with issue #151. During Wein's tenure, Harry Osborn and Liz Allen dated and became engaged; J. Jonah Jameson was introduced to his eventual second wife, Marla Madison; and Aunt May suffered a heart attack. Wein's last story on "Amazing" was a five-issue arc in #176–180 (Jan.-May 1978) featuring a third Green Goblin (Harry Osborn's psychiatrist, Bart Hamilton).


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Marv Wolfman, Marvel's editor-in-chief from 1975 to 1976, succeeded Wein as writer and, in his first issue, #182 (July 1978), had Parker propose marriage to Watson, who refused in the following issue. Keith Pollard succeeded Andru as artist shortly afterward and, with Wolfman, introduced the likable rogue the Black Cat (Felicia Hardy) in #194 (July 1979). As a love interest for Spider-Man, the Black Cat would go on to be an important supporting character for the better part of the next decade and remain a friend and occasional lover into the 2010s.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: "The Amazing Spider-Man" #200 (Jan. 1980) featured the return and death of the burglar who killed Spider-Man's Uncle Ben. Writer Marv Wolfman and penciler Keith Pollard both left the title by mid-year, succeeded by Dennis O'Neil, a writer known for groundbreaking 1970s work at rival DC Comics, and penciler John Romita Jr. O'Neil wrote two issues of "The Amazing Spider-Man Annual" which were both drawn by Frank Miller. The 1980 "Annual" featured a team-up with Doctor Strange while the 1981 "Annual" showcased a meeting with the Punisher. Roger Stern, who had written nearly 20 issues of sister title "The Spectacular Spider-Man", took over "Amazing" with #224 (Jan. 1982). During his two years on the title, Stern augmented the backgrounds of long-established Spider-Man villains and, with Romita Jr., created the mysterious supervillain the Hobgoblin in #238–239 (Mar.–Apr. 1983). Fans engaged with the mystery of the Hobgoblin's secret identity, which continued throughout #244–245 and 249–251 (Sept.-Oct. 1983 and Feb.-April 1984). One lasting change was the reintroduction of Mary Jane Watson as a more serious, mature woman who becomes Peter's confidante after she reveals that she knows his secret identity. Stern also wrote "The Kid Who Collects Spider-Man" in "The Amazing Spider-Man" #248 (Jan. 1984), a story which ranks among his most popular.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: By mid-1984, Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz took over scripting and penciling. DeFalco helped establish Parker and Watson's mature relationship, laying the foundation for the characters' wedding in 1987. Notably, in #257 (Oct. 1984), Watson tells Parker that she knows he is Spider-Man, and in #259 (Dec. 1984), she reveals to Parker the extent of her troubled childhood. Other notable issues of the DeFalco-Frenz era include #252 (May 1984), the first appearance of Spider-Man's black costume, which the hero would wear almost exclusively for the next four years' worth of comics; the debut of criminal mastermind the Rosein #253 (June 1984); the revelation in #258 (Nov. 1984) that the black costume is a living being, a symbiote; and the introduction of the female mercenary Silver Sable in #265 (June 1985).


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: DeFalco and Frenz were both removed from "The Amazing Spider-Man" in 1986 by editor Jim Owsley under acrimonious circumstances. A succession of artists including Alan Kupperberg, John Romita Jr., and Alex Saviuk penciled the series from 1987 to 1988, and Owsley wrote the book for the first half of 1987, scripting the five-part "Gang War" story (#284–288) that DeFalco plotted. Former "Spectacular Spider-Man" writer Peter David scripted #289 (June 1987), which revealed Ned Leeds as being the Hobgoblin although this was retconned in 1996 by Roger Stern into Leeds not being the original Hobgoblin after all.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: David Michelinie took over as writer in the next issue, for a story arc in #290–292 (July–Sept. 1987) that led to the marriage of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson in "Amazing Spider-Man Annual" No. 21. The "Kraven's Last Hunt" storyline by writer J.M. DeMatteis and artists Mike Zeck and Bob McLeod crossed over into "The Amazing Spider-Man" #293 and 294. Issue #298 (Mar. 1988) was the first Spider-Man comic to be drawn by future industry star Todd McFarlane, the first regular artist on "The Amazing Spider-Man" since Frenz's departure. McFarlane revolutionized Spider-Man's look. His depiction – "Ditko-esque" poses, large eyes; wiry, contorted limbs; and messy, knotted, convoluted webbing – influenced the way virtually all subsequent artists would draw the character. McFarlane's other significant contribution to the Spider-Man canon was the design for what would become one of Spider-Man's most wildly popular antagonists, the supervillain Venom. Issue #299 (Apr. 1988) featured Venom's first appearance (a last-page cameo) before his first full appearance in #300 (May 1988). The latter issue featured Spider-Man reverting to his original red-and-blue costume and the symbiote eventually bonded to Peter's rival Eddie Brock turning him into Venom.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Other notable issues of the Michelinie-McFarlane era include #312 (Feb. 1989), featuring the Green Goblin vs. the Hobgoblin; and #315–317 (May–July 1989), with the return of Venom. In July 2012, Todd McFarlane's original cover art for "The Amazing Spider-Man" No. 328 sold for a bid of $657,250, making it the most expensive American comic book art ever sold at auction.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: With a civilian life as a married man, the Spider-Man of the 1990s was different from the superhero of the previous three decades. McFarlane left the title in 1990 to write and draw a new series titled simply "". His successor, Erik Larsen, penciled the book from early 1990 to mid-1991. After issue No. 350, Larsen was succeeded by Mark Bagley, who had won the 1986 Marvel Tryout Contest and was assigned a number of low-profile penciling jobs followed by a run on "New Warriors" in 1990. Bagley penciled the flagship Spider-Man title from 1991 to 1996. During that time, Bagley's rendition of Spider-Man was used extensively for licensed material and merchandise.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Issues #361–363 (April–June 1992) introduced Carnage, a second symbiote nemesis for Spider-Man. The series' 30th-anniversary issue, No. 365 (Aug. 1992), was a double-sized, hologram-cover issue with the cliffhanger ending of Peter Parker's parents, long thought dead, reappearing alive. It would be close to two years before they were revealed to be impostors, who are killed in No. 388 (April 1994), scripter Michelinie's last issue. His 1987–1994 stint gave him the second-longest run as writer on the title, behind Stan Lee.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Issue No. 375 was released with a gold foil cover. There was an error affecting some issues and which are missing the majority of the foil.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: With No. 389, writer J. M. DeMatteis, whose Spider-Man credits included the 1987 "Kraven's Last Hunt" story arc and a 1991–1993 run on "The Spectacular Spider-Man", took over the title. From October 1994 to June 1996, "Amazing" stopped running stories exclusive to it, and ran installments of multi-part stories that crossed over into all the Spider-Man books. One of the few self-contained stories during this period was in No. 400 (April 1995), which featured the death of Aunt May – later revealed to have been faked (although the death still stands in the MC2 continuity). The "Clone Saga" culminated with the revelation that the Spider-Man who had appeared in the previous 20 years of comics was a clone of the real Spider-Man. This plot twist was massively unpopular with many readers, and was later reversed in the "Revelations" story arc that crossed over the Spider-Man books in late 1996.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: The Clone Saga tied into a publishing gap after No. 406 (Oct. 1995), when the title was temporarily replaced by "The Amazing Scarlet Spider" #1–2 (Nov.-Dec. 1995), featuring Ben Reilly. The series picked up again with No. 407 (Jan. 1996), with Tom DeFalco returning as writer. Bagley completed his 5½-year run by September 1996. A succession of artists, including Ron Garney, Steve Skroce, Joe Bennett, Rafael Kayanan and John Byrne penciled the book until the final issue, No. 441 (Nov. 1998), after which Marvel rebooted the title with vol. 2, No. 1 (Jan. 1999).


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Marvel began "The Amazing Spider-Man" relaunching the 'Amazing' comic book series with (vol. 2) #1 (Jan. 1999). Howard Mackie wrote the first 29 issues. The relaunch included the Sandman being regressed to his criminal ways and the "death" of Mary Jane, which was ultimately reversed. Other elements included the introduction of a new Spider-Woman (who was spun off into her own short-lived series) and references to John Byrne's miniseries "", which was launched at the same time as the reboot. Byrne also penciled issues #1–18 (from 1999 to 2000) and wrote #13–14, John Romita Jr. took his place soon after in October 2000. Mackie's run ended with "The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 2001", which saw the return of Mary Jane, who then left Parker upon reuniting with him.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: With issue #30 (June 2001), J. Michael Straczynski took over as writer and oversaw additional storylines – most notably his lengthy "Spider-Totem" arc, which raised the issue of whether Spider-Man's powers were magic-based, rather than as the result of a radioactive spider's bite. Additionally, Straczynski resurrected the plot point of Aunt May discovering her nephew was Spider-Man, and returned Mary Jane, with the couple reuniting in "The Amazing Spider-Man" (vol. 2) #50. Straczynski gave Spider-Man a new profession, having Parker teach at his former high school.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Issue #30 began a dual numbering system, with the original series numbering (#471) returned and placed alongside the volume two number on the cover. Other longtime, rebooted Marvel Comics titles, including "Fantastic Four", likewise were given the dual numbering around this time. After (vol. 2) #58 (Nov. 2003), the title reverted completely to its original numbering for issue #500 (Dec. 2003). Mike Deodato, Jr. penciled the series from mid-2004 until 2006.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: That year Peter Parker revealed his Spider-Man identity on live television in the company-crossover storyline "Civil War", in which the superhero community is split over whether to conform to the federal government's new Superhuman Registration Act. This knowledge was erased from the world with the event of the four-part, crossover story arc, "", written partially by J. Michael Straczynski and illustrated by Joe Quesada, running through "The Amazing Spider-Man" #544–545 (Nov.-Dec. 2007), "Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man" No. 24 (Nov. 2007) and "The Sensational Spider-Man" No. 41 (Dec. 2007), the final issues of those two titles. Here, the demon Mephisto makes a Faustian bargain with Parker and Mary Jane, offering to save Parker's dying Aunt May if the couple will allow their marriage to have never existed, rewriting that portion of their pasts. This story arc marked the end of Straczynski's work on the title.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Following this, Marvel made "The Amazing Spider-Man" the company's sole Spider-Man title, increasing its frequency of publication to three issues monthly, and inaugurating the series with a sequence of "back to basics" story arcs under the banner of "". Parker now exists in a changed world where he and Mary Jane had never married, and Parker has no memory of being married to her, with domino effect differences in their immediate world. The most notable of these revisions to Spider-Man continuity are the return of Harry Osborn, whose death in "The Spectacular Spider-Man" No. 200 (May 1993) is erased; and the reestablishment of Spider-Man's secret identity, with no one except Mary Jane able to recall that Parker is Spider-Man (although he soon reveals his secret identity to the New Avengers and the Fantastic Four). Under the banner of "Brand New Day", Marvel tried to only use newly created villains instead of relying on older ones. Characters like Mister Negative and Overdrive both in Free Comic Book Day 2007 Spider-Man (July 2007), Menace in No. 549 (March 2008), Ana and Sasha Kravinoff in No. 565 (September 2008) and No. 567 (October 2008) respectively, and several more were introduced. The alternating regular writers were initially Dan Slott, Bob Gale, Marc Guggenheim, and Zeb Wells, joined by a rotation of artists that included Steve McNiven, Salvador Larroca, Phil Jimenez, Barry Kitson, Chris Bachalo, Mike McKone, Marcos Martín, and John Romita Jr. Joe Kelly, Mark Waid, Fred Van Lente and Roger Stern later joined the writing team and Paolo Rivera, Lee Weeks and Marco Checchetto the artist roster. Waid's work on the series included a meeting between Spider-Man and Stephen Colbert in "The Amazing Spider-Man" No. 573 (Dec. 2008).


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Issue No. 583 (March 2009) included a back-up story in which Spider-Man meets President Barack Obama.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Mark Waid scripted the opening of "The Gauntlet" storyline in issue No. 612 (Jan. 2010). The "Gauntlet" story was concluded by "Grim Hunt" (No. 634-637) which saw the resurrection of long-dead Spider-Man villain, Kraven the Hunter. The series became a twice-monthly title with Dan Slott as sole writer at issue No. 648 (Jan. 2011), launching the "" storyline. Eight additional pages were added per issue. "Big Time" saw major changes in Spider-Man/Peter Parker's life, Peter would start working at Horizon Labs and begin a relationship with Carlie Cooper (his first serious relationship since his marriage to Mary Jane), Mac Gargan returned as Scorpion after spending the past few years as Venom, Phil Urich would take up the mantle of Hobgoblin, and the death of J. Jonah Jameson's wife, Marla Jameson. Issues 654 and 654.1 saw the birth of Agent Venom, Flash Thompson bonded with the Venom symbiote, which would lead to Venom getting his own series "Venom (volume 2)". Starting in No. 659 and going to No. 655, the series built-up to the "Spider-Island" event which officially started in No. 666 and ended in No. 673. "Ends of the Earth" was the next event that ran from No. 682 through No. 687. This publishing format lasted until issue No. 700, which concluded the "Dying Wish" storyline, in which Parker and Doctor Octopus swapped bodies, and the latter taking on the mantle of Spider-Man when Parker apparently died in Doctor Octopus' body. "The Amazing Spider-Man" ended with this issue, with the story continuing in the new series "The Superior Spider-Man". Despite "The Superior Spider-Man" being considered a different series to "The Amazing Spider-Man", the first 33 issue run goes towards the legacy numbering of "The Amazing Spider-Man" acting as issues 701–733. In December 2013, the series returned for five issues, numbered 700.1 through 700.5, with the first two written by David Morrell and drawn by Klaus Janson.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: In January 2014, Marvel confirmed that "The Amazing Spider-Man" would be relaunched on April 30, 2014, starting from issue No. 1, with Peter Parker as Spider-Man once again.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: The first issue of this new version of "The Amazing Spider-Man" was, according to Diamond Comics Distributors, the "best-selling comic book... in over a decade."


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Issues #1–6 were a story arc called "Lucky to be Alive", taking place immediately after "Goblin Nation", with issues No. 4 and No. 5 being a crossover with the "Original Sin" storyline. Issue No. 4 introduced Silk, a new heroine who was bitten by the same spider as Peter Parker. Issues #7–8 featured a team-up between Ms. Marvel and Spider-Man, and had backup stories that tied into "Edge of Spider-Verse". The next major plot arc, titled "Spider-Verse", began in Issue No. 9 and ended in No. 15, features every Spider-Man from across the dimensions being hunted by Morlun, and a team-up to stop him, with Peter Parker of Earth-616 in command of the Spider-Men's Alliance. "The Amazing Spider-Man Annual" No. 1 of the relaunched series was released in December 2014, featuring stories unrelated to "Spider-Verse".


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: In 2015, Marvel started the universe wide Secret Wars event where the core and several other Marvel universes were combined into one big planet called Battleworld. Battleworld was divided into sections with most of them being self-contained universes. Marvel announced that several of these self-contained universes would get their own tie in series and one of them was "", an alternate universe where Peter Parker and Mary Jane are still married and give birth to their child Annie May Parker, written by Dan Slott. Despite the series being considered separate from the main "Amazing Spider-Man" series, the original 5 issue run is counted towards its legacy numbering acting as No. 752-756.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Following the 2015 "Secret Wars" event, a number of Spider-Man-related titles were either relaunched or created as part of the "All-New, All-Different Marvel" event. Among them, "The Amazing Spider-Man" was relaunched as well and primarily focused on Peter Parker continuing to run Parker Industries and becoming a successful businessman operating worldwide. It also tied with "Civil War II" (involving an Inhuman named Ulysses Cain who can predict possible futures), "Dead No More" (where Ben Reilly [the original Scarlet Spider] revealed to be revived and as one of the antagonists instead), and "Secret Empire" (during Hydra's reign led by a Hydra influenced Captain America/Steve Rogers, and the dismissal of Parker Industries by Peter Parker to stop Otto Octavius). Starting in September 2017, Marvel started the Marvel Legacy event which renumbered several Marvel series to their original numbering. The "Amazing Spider-Man" was put back to its original numbering for #789. Issues #789 through 791 focused on the aftermath of Peter destroying Parker Industries and his fall from grace. Issues #792 and 793 were part of the "Venom Inc." story. "Threat Level: Red" was the story for the next three issues which saw Norman Osborn obtain and bond with the Carnage symbiote. "Go Down Swinging" saw the results of the combination of Osborn's goblin serum and Carnage symbiote creating the Red Goblin. Issue #801 was Dan Slott's goodbye issue.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: In March 2018, it was announced that writer Nick Spencer would be writing the main semi-monthly "The Amazing Spider-Man" series beginning with a new No. 1, replacing long-time writer Dan Slott, as part of the Fresh Start relaunch that July.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: The first five-issue story arc was titled 'Back to Basics.' During the "Back to Basics" story, Kindred, a mysterious villain with some relation to Peter's past, was introduced, and Peter resumed his romantic relationship with Mary Jane once more. The first major story under Spencer was "Hunted" which ran through issues 16 through 23, the story also included four ".HU" issues for issues 16, 18, 19, and 20. The end of the story saw the death of long-running Spider-Man villain Kraven the Hunter, being replaced by his clone son, The Last Son of Kraven.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Issue 45 kicked off the "Sins Rising" story which saw the resurrected Sin-Eater carry out the plans of Kindred to cleanse the world of sin, particularly that of Norman Osborn. The story concluded with issue 49, issue 850 in legacy numbering, seeing Spider-Man and Green Goblin team up to defeat Sin-Eater. "Last Remains" started in issue 50 and concluded in issue 55, the story saw Kindred's plans come to fruition as he tormented Spider-Man. The story has also saw five ".LR" for issues 50, 51, 52, 53, and 54 which focused on The Order of the Web, a new faction of Spider-People consisting of Julia Carpenter (Madame Web), Miles Morales (Spider-Man), Gwen Stacy (Ghost-Spider), Cindy Moon (Silk), Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman), and Anya Corazon (Spider-Girl) . The story also revealed that Kindred is Harry Osborn. "Last Remains" also received two fallout issues called "Last Remains Post-Mortem".


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: Nick Spencer concluded his run with the "Sinister War" story which wrapped up in No. 74 (legacy numbering 875). The story saw several retcons to the Spider-Man mythos including that Kindred was Gabriel and Sarah Stacy all along, the fact that the Stacy twins were actually genetically engineered beings using Norman Osborn and Gwen Stacy's DNA, that the Harry Osborn that returned in "Brand New Day" was actually a clone, and that Norman had made a deal with Mephisto where he sold Harry's soul to the demon. The story ended with the deaths of the Harry clone, Gabriel, and Sarah and the real Harry's soul being freed from Mephisto's grasp.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: After Spencer left the book, Marvel announced the "Beyond" era of Spider-Man would start in #75. The book would be moving back to the format it had during "Brand New Day" where it would have a rotating cast of writers including Kelly Thompson, Saladin Ahmed, Cody Ziglar, Patrick Gleason, and Zeb Wells. The book would also be released three times a month. "Beyond" would focus on Ben Reilly taking up the mantle of Spider-Man once again but backed by the Beyond corporation. Peter also falls ill and cannot be Spider-Man so he gives Ben his blessing to carry on as the main Spider-Man. However, following the conclusion of the storyline in #93, Peter has resumed active duties as Spider-Man, while Ben suffers a mental breakdown and becomes the villain Chasm.


title: The Amazing Spider-Man

text: In January 2022, it was announced that writer Zeb Wells and John Romita Jr. would be working on a relaunched "The Amazing Spider-Man", bringing the number of volumes for the title to its sixth, with the series beginning in April 2022. The relaunch encompasses both a legacy numbering of #900 as well as the 60th anniversary for the character. It will also have a crossover event, entitled "Dark Web", with Chasm having teamed up with Madelyne Pryor to bring limbo to Earth.


title: Decision tree

text: A decision tree is a decision support tool that uses a tree-like model of decisions and their possible consequences, including chance event outcomes, resource costs, and utility. It is one way to display an algorithm that only contains conditional control statements.


title: Decision tree

text: Decision trees are commonly used in operations research, specifically in decision analysis, to help identify a strategy most likely to reach a goal, but are also a popular tool in machine learning.


title: Decision tree

text: A decision tree is a flowchart-like structure in which each internal node represents a "test" on an attribute (e.g. whether a coin flip comes up heads or tails), each branch represents the outcome of the test, and each leaf node represents a class label (decision taken after computing all attributes). The paths from root to leaf represent classification rules.


title: Decision tree

text: In decision analysis, a decision tree and the closely related influence diagram are used as a visual and analytical decision support tool, where the expected values (or expected utility) of competing alternatives are calculated.


title: Decision tree

text: Decision trees are commonly used in operations research and operations management. If, in practice, decisions have to be taken online with no recall under incomplete knowledge, a decision tree should be paralleled by a probability model as a best choice model or online selection model algorithm. Another use of decision trees is as a descriptive means for calculating conditional probabilities.


title: Decision tree

text: Decision trees, influence diagrams, utility functions, and other decision analysis tools and methods are taught to undergraduate students in schools of business, health economics, and public health, and are examples of operations research or management science methods.


title: Decision tree

text: Drawn from left to right, a decision tree has only burst nodes (splitting paths) but no sink nodes (converging paths). So used manually they can grow very big and are then often hard to draw fully by hand. Traditionally, decision trees have been created manually – as the aside example shows – although increasingly, specialized software is employed.


title: Decision tree

text: The decision tree can be linearized into decision rules, where the outcome is the contents of the leaf node, and the conditions along the path form a conjunction in the if clause. In general, the rules have the form:


title: Decision tree

text: Decision rules can be generated by constructing association rules with the target variable on the right. They can also denote temporal or causal relations.


title: Decision tree

text: Commonly a decision tree is drawn using flowchart symbols as it is easier for many to read and understand. Note there is a conceptual error in the "Proceed" calculation of the tree shown below; the error relates to the calculation of "costs" awarded in a legal action.


title: Decision tree

text: Analysis can take into account the decision maker's (e.g., the company's) preference or utility function, for example:


title: Decision tree

text: The basic interpretation in this situation is that the company prefers B's risk and payoffs under realistic risk preference coefficients (greater than $400K—in that range of risk aversion, the company would need to model a third strategy, "Neither A nor B").


title: Decision tree

text: Another example, commonly used in operations research courses, is the distribution of lifeguards on beaches (a.k.a. the "Life's a Beach" example). The example describes two beaches with lifeguards to be distributed on each beach. There is maximum budget "B" that can be distributed among the two beaches (in total), and using a marginal returns table, analysts can decide how many lifeguards to allocate to each beach.


title: Decision tree

text: In this example, a decision tree can be drawn to illustrate the principles of diminishing returns on beach #1.


title: Decision tree

text: The decision tree illustrates that when sequentially distributing lifeguards, placing a first lifeguard on beach #1 would be optimal if there is only the budget for 1 lifeguard. But if there is a budget for two guards, then placing both on beach #2 would prevent more overall drownings.


title: Decision tree

text: Much of the information in a decision tree can be represented more compactly as an influence diagram, focusing attention on the issues and relationships between events.


title: Decision tree

text: Decision trees can also be seen as generative models of induction rules from empirical data. An optimal decision tree is then defined as a tree that accounts for most of the data, while minimizing the number of levels (or "questions"). Several algorithms to generate such optimal trees have been devised, such as ID3/4/5, CLS, ASSISTANT, and CART.


title: Decision tree

text: Among decision support tools, decision trees (and influence diagrams) have several advantages. Decision trees:


title: Decision tree

text: A few things should be considered when improving the accuracy of the decision tree classifier. The following are some possible optimizations to consider when looking to make sure the decision tree model produced makes the correct decision or classification. Note that these things are not the only things to consider but only some.


title: Decision tree

text: The accuracy of the decision tree can change based on the depth of the decision tree. In many cases, the tree’s leaves are pure nodes. When a node is pure, it means that all the data in that node belongs to a single class. For example, if the classes in the data set are Cancer and Non-Cancer a leaf node would be considered pure when all the sample data in a leaf node is part of only one class, either cancer or non-cancer. It is important to note that a deeper tree is not always better when optimizing the decision tree. A deeper tree can influence the runtime in a negative way. If a certain classification algorithm is being used, then a deeper tree could mean the runtime of this classification algorithm is significantly slower. There is also the possibility that the actual algorithm building the decision tree will get significantly slower as the tree gets deeper. If the tree-building algorithm being used splits pure nodes, then a decrease in the overall accuracy of the tree classifier could be experienced. Occasionally, going deeper in the tree can cause an accuracy decrease in general, so it is very important to test modifying the depth of the decision tree and selecting the depth that produces the best results. To summarize, observe the points below, we will define the number D as the depth of the tree.


title: Decision tree

text: The ability to test the differences in classification results when changing D is imperative. We must be able to easily change and test the variables that could affect the accuracy and reliability of the decision tree-model.


title: Decision tree

text: The node splitting function used can have an impact on improving the accuracy of the decision tree. For example, using the information-gain function may yield better results than using the phi function. The phi function is known as a measure of “goodness” of a candidate split at a node in the decision tree. The information gain function is known as a measure of the “reduction in entropy”. In the following, we will build two decision trees. One decision tree will be built using the phi function to split the nodes and one decision tree will be built using the information gain function to split the nodes.


title: Decision tree

text: This is the information gain function formula. The formula states the information gain is a function of the entropy of a node of the decision tree minus the entropy of a candidate split at node t of a decision tree.


title: Decision tree

text: This is the phi function formula. The phi function is maximized when the chosen feature splits the samples in a way that produces homogenous splits and have around the same number of samples in each split.


title: Decision tree

text: We will set D, which is the depth of the decision tree we are building, to three (D = 3). We also have the following data set of cancer and non-cancer samples and the mutation features that the samples either have or do not have. If a sample has a feature mutation then the sample is positive for that mutation, and it will be represented by one. If a sample does not have a feature mutation then the sample is negative for that mutation, and it will be represented by zero.


title: Decision tree

text: To summarize, C stands for cancer and NC stands for non-cancer. The letter M stands for mutation, and if a sample has a particular mutation it will show up in the table as a one and otherwise zero.


title: Decision tree

text: Now, we can use the formulas to calculate the phi function values and information gain values for each M in the dataset. Once all the values are calculated the tree can be produced. The first thing to be done is to select the root node. In information gain and the phi function we consider the optimal split to be the mutation that produces the highest value for information gain or the phi function. Now assume that M1 has the highest phi function value and M4 has the highest information gain value. The M1 mutation will be the root of our phi function tree and M4 will be the root of our information gain tree. You can observe the root nodes below


title: Decision tree

text: Now, once we have chosen the root node we can split the samples into two groups based on whether a sample is positive or negative for the root node mutation. The groups will be called group A and group B. For example, if we use M1 to split the samples in the root node we get NC2 and C2 samples in group A and the rest of the samples NC4, NC3, NC1, C1 in group B.


title: Decision tree

text: Disregarding the mutation chosen for the root node, proceed to place the next best features that have the highest values for information gain or the phi function in the left or right child nodes of the decision tree. Once we choose the root node and the two child nodes for the tree of depth = 3 we can just add the leaves. The leaves will represent the final classification decision the model has produced based on the mutations a sample either has or does not have. The left tree is the decision tree we obtain from using information gain to split the nodes and the right tree is what we obtain from using the phi function to split the nodes.


title: Decision tree

text: The tree using information gain has the same results when using the phi function when calculating the accuracy. When we classify the samples based on the model using information gain we get one true positive, one false positive, zero false negatives, and four true negatives. For the model using the phi function we get two true positives, zero false positives, one false negative, and three true negatives. The next step is to evaluate the effectiveness of the decision tree using some key metrics that will be discussed in the evaluating a decision tree section below. The metrics that will be discussed below can help determine the next steps to be taken when optimizing the decision tree.


title: Decision tree

text: The above information is not where it ends for building and optimizing a decision tree. There are many techniques for improving the decision tree classification models we build. One of the techniques is making our decision tree model from a bootstrapped dataset. The bootstrapped dataset helps remove the bias that occurs when building a decision tree model with the same data the model is tested with. The ability to leverage the power of random forests can also help significantly improve the overall accuracy of the model being built. This method generates many decisions from many decision trees and tallies up the votes from each decision tree to make the final classification. There are many techniques, but the main objective is to test building your decision tree model in different ways to make sure it reaches the highest performance level possible.