A spoiler-free discussion.
Spider-Man, in the flesh!
Spider-Man, Spider-Man. Does whatever a spider can!
While the above turn of phrase may allude to the fact that fans adore Spider-Man merely out of love for his spider-like abilities, the fact is that the character has certainly touched fans in a far greater way than merely being associated with spiders.
It is no secret: we love Spider-Man, and we cannot seem to get enough about him. His universal acclaim that has spanned over decades in the comic books and on-screen does not appear to be waning anytime soon, and with last year’s release of No Way Home, the character is certainly enjoying a comfortable time in the spotlight, to say the least.
So, what makes Spidey so darn popular among comic book and film enthusiasts around the globe? Well, the answer is pretty straightforward: Spider-Man is arguably Marvel’s most relatable character.
As opposed to the various other members of the Avengers and characters associated with the Marvel IP, Spider-Man is a character that we are able to see ourselves as, or one that we envision is possible for us to be. The character, whether in the comics or on-screen, is the only one most in tune with the struggles of everyday life, something each and every one of us faces as human beings.
Spider-Man is that kid that we knew back in high school, the gifted loner who was just trying to do his best to get good grades and make his family happy. In short, Spider-Man, or Peter Parker more specifically, is just a simple guy, much in the way that we are all just simple people trying to navigate ourselves in the real world.
Of course, we must take care not to forget that Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and thus imbued him with spider-like abilities, but despite this fantastical element introduced into the storytelling of the character, Spider-Man does not come across as being a larger-than-life character that we, like regular folk, would otherwise not be able to relate to.
Regardless of which foe our favorite web crawler faces off in his next appearance, the thing that would still remain prevalent throughout the narrative would be his struggles to adjust to living his life. It is a duality that we too, as people, grapple with, having to project a different persona to the outside world, our very own Spider-Man, while possessing another personality that we reveal to our friends and family in the confines of a space that we deem comfortable, our Peter Parker.
Therefore, it is for this reason alone that has made Spider-Man such a loved character where comic book superheroes are concerned. Sure, it is highly entertaining to witness him battling foes and escaping dangerous situations, but at his core, he is just a simple guy, just like the rest of us. And that is what we love about him.
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