Reilly, Maybelle

Maybelle "May" Parker nee Reilly was the wife of Ben Parker and aunt to Peter Parker.

## Maybelle Parker

### Relatives

Ben Parker (husband, dead), Ray Parker (brother-in-law, dead), Mary Parker (sister-in-law, dead), Peter Parker (father-in-law, dead), Ann Parker (mother-in-law), Peter Parker II (nephew/adopted son)

## History

### Early Years

Born May Reilly, she came from a poor family where her parents constantly argued over money. Her father eventually left her and her mother blamed her for the troubles. It was her lack of money that attracted her to a wealthy young rogue named Johnny Jerome. He took her dancing and bought expensive clothes for her. She loved him and refused to hear the warnings from Ben Parker, who worked at Coney Island as a barker. Ben proved to be correct about Johnny after he held up a jewelry store. Johnny threatened to kill Ben, but he had to run off after the police neared May's home. He was arrested as he tried to escape. May soon fell for the responsible Ben.

Even after becoming a couple, May and Ben didn't always got along, and they broke up several times. After a big discussion, May and Ben ended their relationship; but three weeks later, they got back together and were married, much to May's friend Anna Watson's delight. May and Ben attempted to start a family but May had a miscarriage and was prevented from having another child when they discovered a cardiac anomaly.

### Raising Peter

May and Ben took in their nephew Peter after the death of his parents and raised him. Ben immediately took to the role of the boy's father, but May was at first reluctant. She still remembered her parents blaming her own birth for the destruction of their marriage, and she was afraid that Peter might signal the end of her own marriage. In time, however, she warmed up to Peter, who unexpectedly strengthened the couple's marriage. After Ben's death, life became a struggle with money problems and Peter did his best to help.

Peter's secret life as Spider-Man endlessly complicated both his and his aunt's lives. Aunt May lived in constant fear for her "frail" (but now unaccountably secretive) nephew who insisted on a job as a freelance photographer. Parker was determined to capture Spider-Man in action, frequently submitting pictures of him to the Daily Bugle, Spider-Man was a vigilante whom Aunt May feared because of her unquestioning acceptance of the Daily Bugle's smearing.

### Doctor Octopus

Meanwhile, Peter feared for his aunt's well-being and the fatal shock that could result if she ever learned about his career as Spider-Man. Peter was often torn between dealing with a major crisis while his aunt needed nearly constant care. This conflict took on a bizarre turn when Aunt May had his enemy, Doctor Otto Octavius (also known as Doctor Octopus), as an apparent sweetheart and even became ready to marry him; Peter struggled to deal with his enemy's game while not hurting his aunt.

### Nathan Lubensky

For a while, after Peter moved out, May joined the Gray Panthers, a civil rights group for the elderly. While protesting at city hall, May had a heart attack and went to the hospital. At this time, she met and began a relationship with Nathan Lubensky. May and Nathan were soon engaged. Soon it was revealed that Nathan had a gambling addiction and was beaten up by his bookie and his thugs. May blamed Peter for Nathan's assault, as he had promised to look after the old man. Soon the relationship ended in tragedy at the hands of the Vulture.