Peter Parker (Earth-616)/History

## Early Life

Peter Benjamin Parker was born in Forest Hills, Queens. Orphaned at a young age, Peter was brought into his Aunt May and Uncle Ben's care.

Peter began attending Midtown High School where he was mocked for being a nerd and loner.

## Origin of Spider-Man

Peter had planned to attend a demonstration of radioactivity at the New York Hall of Science, and he attempted to invite some of his classmates but he was rebuffed and once again made fun of as the group drove off in Flash Thompson's car.

Peter attended the demonstration by himself distraught that he was consistently bullied for his intelligence. Unbeknownst to the crowd watching the demonstration, a spider crawled in-between the device and was irradiated. The spider then crawled on Peter and bit him. Peter began feeling ill and left the demonstration, all the while being mocked by the scientists for having a perceived weak constitution. As Peter began walking home, he felt an immense energy in his body before leaping out of the way of an oncoming car. Peter then clung to the side of a building and began climbing, amazed at his ability to stick to a building. At the top of the building, Peter squeezed a steel pipe, crushing it. Peter made the connection that the spider that bit him gave him the power of a spider, as he scaled down a cable like a spider moving on its web.

Peter once again made his way back home, but saw a wrestling promotion that promised $100 to anyone who could stay in the wring with Crusher Hogan for three minutes. Peter thought that getting in the ring would allow him to explore his powers and make some money, but he was fearful of being humiliated if he failed so he rushed home to make a disguise. Returning to the ring, Peter challenged Hogan and leaped over him. Peter then lifted Hogan effortlessly begore scaling a pillar holding the ring. Hogan immediately surrendered and Peter safely dropped him off on the ground. In attendance in the crowd was tv producer Maxie Shiffman who offered to be Peter's agent. Peter accepted and returned home to design a new costume and two wrist-mounted devices that could fire a synthetic webbing which he called web-shooters. With his costume complete, Peter decided to call himself Spider-Man.

Peter was then put on a tv show, where he amazed the crowd with his tricks of agility and used his new web-shooters. At the end of the performance, Peter was about to leave the studio when a security guard began chasing a thief. While Peter had the ability to stop the thief, he refused and the thief escaped down an elevator. The security guard admonished Peter for not helping, but Peter retorted that it wasn't his job to stop criminals and he would only be taking care of himself. At home, May and Ben gave Peter a new microscope that he had his eye on. Peter resolved that he would make sure that his Aunt and Uncle would always be happy, but the rest of the world didn't matter to him.

In the next few days, Spider-Man became a national sensation, however one day Peter returned home to find the cops were at his home. The police told Peter that a burglar had broken into the house and shot Ben out of fear. Learning that the burglar was found at a warehouse in Manhattan and that his Aunt May was under the care of their neighbors, Peter rushed out of the house and donned his Spider-Man costume before rushing into the city to get his revenge. At the warehouse, the burglar had barricaded his position so the police wouldn't be able to get in without casualties. Peter, as Spider-Man, broke into the warehouse and began beating the burglar. Peter then saw that the burglar was the thief that he had refused to stop at the tv studio. Peter lowered the burglar to the police on one of his webs, before walking home ashamed. Peter then learned that with great power, came great responsibility.

## Aftermath

Having returned home, Peter was enraged with himself for being unable to stop his uncle's death. Even worse, without Uncle Ben, Peter and Aunt May would have difficulty with paying their bills and rent. Peter told Aunt May that he planned to drop out of school and get a job, but Aunt May shot the idea down. Peter entertained the idea of using his powers to steal, but decided against it as if he was ever caught then Aunt May would be in a worse position. Peter then decided to ask Shiffman for a new tv spot. While his classmates were excited to see Spider-Man in action, they admonished Peter when he told them that he was unable to go, unaware that Peter was Spider-Man. After the show, Shiffman told Peter that he was unable to pay him in cash and that only a check could be issued. Peter was unwilling to show his real identity and so he told Shiffman to write the check out to Spider-Man. Shiffman joked that Spider-Man would have a difficult time cashing the check, but Peter ignored him. At the bank, Peter attempted to cash in the check in his Spider-Man costume, but because he had no way to prove he was Spider-Man legally he was unable to do so.

Peter attempted to hold a new show, but Shiffman told him that there was unlikely to be a new show ever again as the Daily Bugle and its owner J. Jonah Jameson had begun slandering Spider-Man on the grounds that he was a vigilante and children would injure themselves copying his stunts; all the while Jameson was pushing for the recognition of his son: astronaut John Jameson. Peter was angered by this development, especially as other heroes like the Fantastic Four and the Ant-Man weren't targeted but he was singled out. Peter decided that if he can't earn money as Spider-Man then he would find a part time job. Unfortunately, Peter was unable to find a job that would accept him. While out on town, Peter found Aunt May pawning off her possession to pay the bills. Distraught, Peter had a breakdown in an alley as he couldn't get a job to help out his Aunt May and he was unable to be Spider-Man. Peter decided that he would find some way to get money, even if it meant that Spider-Man would prowl the night one again.

## Saving John Jameson

Having nothing to do, Peter decided to observe the space mission that John Jameson was about to partake in. The space capsule then went wrong as a guidance unit had broken and John lost control. The command then attempted to find a way to rescue John.

The first attempt to save John failed, and Peter raced to put on his Spider-Man outfit to help the rescue effort. Peter made his way to the command center to offer his help. The command center stated they had a spare guidance unit, and Peter offered to take it to the capsule but Jameson continued to admonish him as an attention seeker. Despite this Peter took the guidance unit and swung to an airfield. Peter webbed up a guard who attempted to stop him and commandeered a jet and pilot to help him reach the capsule. With the jet next to the capsule, Peter webbed onto the capsule and barely managed to place the guidance unit on the capsule. With his control restored, John managed to engage the parachutes and land safely. Peter then ran off from the landing site, under the belief that the attention such a stunt would get him would be positive and he would be able to perform as Spider-Man once again.

To Peter's disbelief Jameson charged that Spider-Man sabotaged the capsule, broke the law in attacking a soldier and stealing a plane, and was attempting to use the incident for publicity. The news turned more people against Spider-Man, a bounty was placed on his head, and even Aunt May had bought in on the stigma against Spider-Man. Peter once again began considering that his only course of action to provide for Aunt May would become the very thing the public was charging him as: a criminal.

## Meeting the Fantastic Four and fighting the Chameleon

Peter then had the idea to join the Fantastic Four under the impression that he would earn a fortune and the Four would jump for joy to have someone like him on their team. Peter attempted to use the elevator but remembered that only the Fantastic Four could use that elevator to get to their hideout. Peter then attempted to force his way into the elevator shaft, but the elevator was above him. Peter then went outside, put on his costume, and attempted to sneak into the Fantastic Four's hideout attracting a crowd in the streets. An alarm then sounded in the Fantastic Four's lab, and they were confused when their security cams revealed that it was Spider-Man entering their base and questioning why he didn't book an appointment with them. Having snuck in through a window, Peter was trapped in a plexi glass container and surrounded by the Fantastic Four. Peter busted his way out of the trap, before getting in a fight with the Thing. Peter lifted the Thing and threw him at the Human Torch. Mr. Fantastic then attempted to catch Spider-Man and question what they were fighting about, when Peter responded it was less of a fight and more of him demonstrating his abilities to the group. Peter then caught Mr. Fantastic's hands in webbing. The Invisible Girl then attempted to lasso Spider-Man, but his Spider-Sense alerted him to her presence and he defeated her. The Human Torch then attempted to use his fire to capture Spider-Man, but Peter jumped onto the wall and the ceiling to avoid the flames. The Thing then attempted to fight Spider-Man once again (this time not holding back his punches) but Mr. Fantastic got in his way and stopped the fight and asked why Spider-Man was there. Peter then explained that he went there to join them and fought them to demonstrate his value to the group, before asking how much the job payed. The four then explained that they are a non-profit organization and they only make enough money to pay their expenses and any extra goes into Mr. Fantastic's inventions and experiments. In addition Spider-Man's status as a outlaw was brought up, which enraged Peter and he rushed out of the Baxter Building.

The next day, Peter got a message through radio waves that his Spider-Sense picked up from a man who promised him an opportunity to earn a profit at the roof of the Lark Building. Unable to resist the chance, Peter swung to the building, unaware that the man who contacted him was an international spy-for-hire known as the Chameleon who wanted to use Spider-Man as a fall-guy. Peter arrived just as the Chameleon was escaping via a helicopter with missile defense plans. The police and security guards then arrived and attempted to arrest Spider-Man, but Peter webbed them up and realized the helicopter had the man who framed him. Peter then created a slingshot out of his webbing and catapulted to the waterfront. Peter then created some parachutes to slow his descent, steal a motorboat, and web up the hatch of the submarine the Chameleon was going to use to escape. Peter then webbed up to the helicopter and busted through the door and apprehended the Chameleon. Peter then returned to the Lark Building to turn the Chameleon in, but the Chameleon used a smoke pellet to escape into the building. Peter teamed up with the police to find the Chameleon and his Spider Sense alerted him that one of the police officers was the Chameleon in disguise. The Chameleon then shut off the lights, but Spider-Man could still sense him but ran out of we fluid before he could capture him. Peter then tackled the officer leaving the room, but the lights turned on and the cop claimed that the Chameleon was disguised as Spider-Man and attacked him. The rest of the police tried to dog pile on Peter, but Peter knocked them off and jumped out the window in his fury. Peter then began running home in anguish that every time he does a good deed, something happens to ruin it unaware that in the scuffle he ripped the Chameleon's disguise and he was arrested.

## Fighting the Vulture

At school, news of the many heists of the winged criminal known as the Vulture gives Peter the idea to photograph the Vulture in action as no photographer was able to get a clear photo of him. Back at home, Peter asks Aunt May for Uncle Ben's old camera to help earn money. Later, Peter began scouring the city as Spider-Man to find the Vulture and take photos. Peter witnessed the Vulture toss a message into the offices of the Daily Bugle, Radio Network, and Police Station that he would steal from the Park Avenue Jewelry Exchange. Peter stalked the Vulture and took pictures but in his rush he kicked a brick which alerted the Vulture that he was behind him. The Vulture then flew behind Peter, knocked him unconscious, and dumped him into a water tower. Peter immediately woke up upon hitting the water, Peter was trapped as he had run out of web fluid and and he couldn't climb the walls because of the walls being soaked. Peter then swam to the bottom and spring boarded off the ground out of the hatch. Peter then recovered his camera and developed his photos. Peter decided to sell his photos to J. Jonah Jameson, before developing a utility belt for his costume (with containers for web fluid and a slot for his camera), and developing a counter for the Vulture's wing harness. Peter then sold his photos to Jameson who asked if Peter could get photos of Spider-Man and Peter asks to not be credited as the photographer and that he would only sell the photos on the conditions that Jameson not ask how Peter managed to get the photos.

The next day, Peter was invited by his classmates to watch the Park Avenue Jewelry Exchange in hopes of catching a glimpse of the Vulture in action. At the exchange, the police presence was so great that it seemed impossible for the Vulture to be able to steal the diamonds. Peter snuck off from the crowd, but was mocked by his class mates as they believed he had a weak constitution. The Vulture then robbed the exchange from the sewers, not from above as most believed. Peter then donned his costume and gave chase, but the Vulture noticed him and flew behind him again. Peter sensed the Vulture behind him and dodged, but the Vulture still managed to knock him off. Peter then webbed the Vulture's foot, shimmied up the web, and activated the device he created (an anti-magnetic inverter) that counteracted the Vulture's ability to fly. Peter then swung to a nearby building and let the Vulture glide down to the ground where he was arrested by the police. Peter then sold the pictures he took to Jameson who gave Peter a bonus. Peter used the money to pay the bills and to get Aunt May some new kitchen appliances.

## Fighting the Tinkerer

One day as Peter was working on a science project at school, Peter's science teacher, Raymond Warren, introduced him to Professor Cobbwell a professor who looking for an assistant to help his experiments. Peter accepted the position and Cobbwell asked Peter to pick up a radio from a repair shop before arriving at the lab. Peter was mocked by his classmates for being a teacher's pet and working on the weekend, but Peter retorted that he was happy to work for Cobbwell and that his classmates were born idiots.

The next day, Peter goes to the repair shop but not before putting his costume on under his street clothes. At the repair shop, Peter gives the owner, who calls himself the Tinkerer, Cobbwell's order. Peter sensed something strange coming from the electronics in the shop, but dismissed his suspicions as the Tinkerer's advanced age made him seem like a nonthreat. Peter took the radio and was shocked that the price for repair was so cheap. Peter gave Cobbwell his radio, and began working on the experiment but couldn't shake a strange feeling regarding the low cost of repair and the strange radio impulse he felt in the shop. Peter sensed the same impulse in the radio, and as Cobbwell left for a class and Peter investigated the radio to see what was causing it. Peter saw strange machinery in the radio and left the lab to investigate the shop as Spider-Man.

Peter snuck into the shop and sensed the same impulse in the basement. Peter snuck into the basement and witnessed the Tinkerer was working in collaboration with a group of "aliens" who were luring people in with cheap prices, then put listening devices in their electronics to learn government and scientific secrets. One of the "aliens" noticed Peter, and fired at him but Peter sensed him and began fighting the group. Peter was shot with a ray gun by the Tinkerer and put in a glass enclosure. The air was then syphoned out of the enclosure, Peter managed to shoot a web ball out of the enclosure to hit the release button. Peter then got in another fight with the "Aliens" and a fire started as a result of the fight. The "aliens" fled the scene and Peter attempted to catch the Tinkerer but the smoke was too thick and Peter was forced to flee. Peter returned to the lab and continued his work with Cobbwell, and he mused on the mask of the Tinkerer being the only proof he had of aliens existence.

## Fighting Doctor Octopus

One night, Peter foiled a robbery while testing out his new Spider-Signal. The next day, Peter is told by Jameson to get pictures of Dr. Octavius, also known as Dr. Octopus because of the four mechanical arms he wore through a harness, a scientist who was recently injured in a lab accident as no one was allowed into the hospital to see him. Peter snuck into the hospital as Spider-Man and witnessed Dr. Octopus, who had gone insane from the brain damage he sustained from the accident and his mechanical arms were fused to his body, threatening the hospital staff as they had begun speaking out against him. Peter then busted in through a window and began fighting Dr. Octopus. While Peter put up his best fight, Dr. Octopus' arms were too powerful and he was defeated. Dr. Octopus then tossed Peter out the window and Peter had a breakdown realizing that he could have easily died and it was the first time he was seriously defeated.

Having returned home, Peter began moping in his room and informed Jameson that he was unable to get any pictures. Peter then went to school and was told by his classmates that the Fantastic Four were contacted to deal with Dr. Octopus, but were too busy and that the Human Torch was going to give a speech at a school assembly. Peter attended the assembly where the Torch explained that he was unable to fight Dr. Octopus because he had recently over used his powers and needed time for them to return to their full extent. The Torch demonstrated his powers to the school and concluded by telling the students to never give up and that even the Fantastic Four has had their fair share of defeats, but they never gave up. Inspired by the words of the Human Torch, Peter thanked him before rushing home to once again try to defeat Dr. Octopus. Peter swung to a nearby atomic plant which Dr. Octopus had taken over. Peter created a slingshot and blasted past the guards into the building. Peter was spotted by the security cameras which alerted Dr. Octopus to his presence, who then attempted to use traps he had set up and the machinery in the plant to defeat him. Peter evaded the traps and snuck into a lab to create a chemical compound to help him fight Dr. Octopus. Peter crafted a weapon out of the vials containing his chemical and wires and threw one at Dr. Octopus' arms which fused two of them together. Peter was nearly defeated in the ensuing fight, but managed to blind Dr. Octopus with his webs and knocked him unconscious with a single punch. Peter then webbed Dr. Octopus' arms together several times, before leaving the area and Dr. Octopus for the guards to find. Peter then found the hotel where the Human Torch was staying at and alerted him that he had already dealt with Dr. Octopus and thanked him for helping, which confused the Torch who had no idea that Spider-Man was one of the students at Midtown High. The next day the Torch demonstrated his full powers to Midtown High, with Peter one of the many students watching.

## Fighting the Sandman

One night, Peter was swinging through the city when he noticed a trio of criminals casing a jewelry store. Peter then swung into action and began webbing up the criminals, but the leader announced his intention to sue him for assault and battery. Peter realized that since he stopped them before they actually committed a crime, they were innocent and he had technically attacked them. The criminals then call for the police and an officer arrives. Peter fled the scene as the officer arrived and he filed the incident away as lesson to not charge into a situation without thinking. Peter blamed J. Jonah Jameson for causing everyone to hate him and for criminals to not fear him. Peter then swung to the office of the Daily Bugle to confront him, but Jameson wasn't in. Peter then webbed up Jameson's chair as a prank before leaving through the window.

Peter noticed police cars speeding off and followed them. Peter then saw a man frantically running from the cops and climbing a ladder onto a nearby rooftop. Peter then confronted the man who identified himself as the Sandman, a notorious criminal who Peter believed to be a myth. Peter attacked the Sandman who revealed that he was constituted of sand and thus was able to absorb and evade Peter's punches and could harden his body as hard as steel. One of Sandman's attacks ripped Peter's mask and Peter was afraid of what would happen if his identity was revealed so he fled the scene. At home Peter began sewing his mask back together with some difficulty, and then watched a news report on the origin of the Sandman. The Sandman was a criminal known as Flint Marko who escaped from prison and hid on a beach and was exposed to radiation that caused his molecules to merge with the sand on the beach. Aunt May then came in to check on Peter, who covered his costume with a robe. Aunt May believed that Peter was sick and had him go to bed to recover.

The next day Peter finished working on his mask and went to the Daily Bugle. There Peter met Jameson's secretary Betty Brant (who was getting Jameson a new pair of pants after the pair he was wearing was stuck to his desk chair because of the webs Peter left) and asked Jameson for an advance on his next check but was rebuffed and told he would only be payed after he presented Jameson with photos. At school, Peter broke off a date he was supposed to have with Liz Allen which infuriated Liz and caused Flash to mock him. Peter was then punished by his teacher for not paying attention in class by having to take old lab supplies to the boiler room so they could be disposed of properly. Unbeknownst to Peter, the Sand man had snuck into the school in order to hide from the police. Sandman had entered a room which he didn't know was full and accosted Principal Andrew Davis and attempted to threaten him into giving him a high school diploma. Peter overheard the commotion and switched into his Spider-Man outfit and burst into the room to fight the Sandman. Peter then knocked the Sandman out of the room away from students and staff, and began fighting him throughout campus while the school evacuated. The fight in the school lead both into the boiler room, and Peter managed to grab an industrial-strength vacuum cleaner and sucked up the Sandman, neutralizing him. Realizing that he hadn't taken any pictures of the fight, Peter faked them by using a nearby bucket of sand to mimic the Sandman's powers and punching the dust clouds.

The police and J. Jonah Jameson then arrived on the scene, and Peter revealed that he had already dealt with the Sandman. Peter lowered the container containing the Sandman to the police before swinging back into the school and switching back into his normal clothes. Peter then gave his pictures to Jameson and was paid. Peter then attempted to ask Liz out on a date, but Liz was still upset that he had canceled their first date, had hidden when the Sandman attacked the school, and already made plans to go on a date with Flash. Flash then insulted Peter, and in a fit of rage, Peter attempted to fight Flash but realized that if he didn't control his temper he could easily kill Flash with his super strength. Peter dropped the issue and while the other kids mocked him, a few students felt his arm and realized that he was very muscular. This didn't change Liz or Flash's attitudes toward Peter who continued to mock him for his perceived cowardice. Peter then walked home sullenly while news of Spider-Man's fight with the Sandman spread and more people spread the belief that Spider-Man was a menace to society. At home Peter pondered if people were right about him being a narcist more interested in being Spider-Man than helping people and whether he should quit or not, but decided he had a responsibility to help people as Spider-Man and had no justification for quitting.

## Dr. Doom

While in a bowling alley with his classmates, J. Jonah Jameson was hosting a news program that was slandering Spider-Man. The other students stated that Jameson was only using Spider-Man to get publicity, and Flash state that he was a big fan of the webslinger. Peter defended Jameson's claims as he didn't want to implicate himself as Spider-Man. Flash made fun of Peter, stating that Peter would probably faint if he and Spider-Man ever crossed paths. Liz stated that she would also faint if she met Spider-Man as she had a crush on him. Flash continued to mock Peter, who left the alley seething.

Back at home, Peter was testing his powers in his room when he suddenly received a message through his Spider-Sense. Peter decided to follow the signal to its source. Peter reached a warehouse on the docks, where Dr. Doom was hiding out. Peter entered and questioned why Doom contacted him. Doom revealed that he wanted to team up with Peter so they could defeat the Fantastic Four. Peter turned the offer down, and Doom stated that this would make the two of them enemies. Peter responded by shooting a web-net at Doom, however it was a robotic duplicate. Doom then activated a trap door at Peter's feet, however Peter jumped out of the way and attempted to tackle Doom. Doom then threw Peter across the room and began firing lasers at him, which Peter dodged before escaping through the window into the docks. Peter emerged from the water with the intention of sneaking back into the warehouse and attacking Doom, however the warehouse exploded forcing Peter to find shelter on a nearby building. Peter realized that Doom was already ahead of him, and he decided to take photos of the warehouse to sell to Jameson. A crowd then saw Peter swinging away from the scene, which Peter knew that the crowd would in all likelihood blame him for it.

The next day, Peter sold the photos to Jameson who stated that he wanted Peter to get more pictures of Spider-Man so he could implicate him for the explosion. Peter decided to needle Jameson by stating that the public was beginning to wonder what Jameson's motives for attacking Spider-Man were. Betty Brant agreed with Peter's assessment (which caused Peter to take an interest in her), though Jameson shut them down and stated his only motive is profit.

Later, while Peter walked home where he saw that Aunt May was watching tv. The TV broadcast then cut out, and Dr. Doom appeared on screen declaring that he had captured Spider-Man and was holding him hostage until the Fantastic Four disbanded. Peter was confused by this, when the phone rang. Liz called stating that Flash had gone missing, and he was last seen wearing a Spider-Man costume for a prank. Peter put two and two together and realized that Flash was the Spider-Man that Dr. Doom had captured and told Liz that he couldn't help find him. Peter briefly considered allowing Flash to stay in Dr. Doom's custody and let whatever happen happen, but he quickly changed his mind since he knew that he just couldn't let that happen. Peter tried to leave the house under the pretenses of having errands, but Aunt May though it was too dangerous for him to leave unattended with all the dangerous people running around.

Peter then tampered with the fuse box in the basement, shutting off all the power and then told Aunt May that was leaving to get more fuses.