With tons of metal and debris pinning him down, river water slowly filling the room, and his Aunt May’s only hope of recovery lying just out of his reach, Peter Parker (a.k.a. Spider-Man) can either give up, let his loved ones down and quite possibly die, or push past his perceived physical and mental limits to free himself and save his long-suffering aunt. Can he muster the marvelous, mind-blowing muscle needed to move the mountain of merciless metal?
Since he first swung onto the comic book scene in August of 1962, thanks to the limitless imagination of co-creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Spider-Man has captured the imagination of fans worldwide. He’s so popular that practically any time a Spider-Man film is released, it is guaranteed to perform well at the box office, no matter the complaints or problems in the film itself. He’s so incredibly beloved that some might say it’s cliché to label him your favorite superhero.
I don’t care.
Where It Started
Spider-Man has always had a place in my childhood memories, but as a pre-teen reading the Marvel Essentials line (which you can find used in places like eBay and Thriftbooks.com), I became truly enthralled by the web-slinger. His character, his kindness, his wit, his adventures, his rogues’ gallery, his perseverance, his suit — everything about Spider-Man is uplifting, hopeful and worth celebrating. From his humorous quipping to remind thugs to spell his name right (“There’s a hyphen in it, remember!”) to intense, tragic stories like the infamous issues #121-122 (June-July 1973) featuring the (spoilers) Death of Gwen Stacy, Spider-Man can inspire and entertain in equal measure.
In fact, it was that moment when Peter holds a lifeless Gwen in his arms and roars at the Green Goblin, “You killed the woman I loved, and for that you’re going to die!” that I realized there is far more depth to this arachno-powered, spandex-wearing everyman than one might assume. I never thought I’d read such a tragic tale within the black-and-white print of a comic, yet here I was! I was astounded that these “silly” comics could deliver such heart-wrenching, passionate stories! And I loved it.
The love of Spider-Man expanded, of course, to many more characters and worlds, even if I never delved the depths of longboxes and first editions. Instead, I read the collections in book form, like the aforementioned Marvel Essentials line, to catch up on the adventures of the Fantastic Four, Captain America, Daredevil, and more. I branched out to more stories, from Batman to Hellboy to My Hero Academia. Tons of stories of all manner of styles and themes, all, well, most of them a fun read, but across all my graphic literary adventures Spider-Man has remained my favorite.
That Balancing Act
But why? Everybody loves Spider-Man, and with good reason! (Obviously not everyone; some people can’t get over the tights, the quipping or the “ridiculousness” of superpowers, to which I say “Go in peace. Godspeed!”) He has friends, family, school, work, love, hates and days where everything just goes wrong. Just like we do. Of course, he also has the awesome superpowers which come with a gigantic helping of their own responsibilities, but he has to balance all of it with his personal life. And that balancing act is what makes him most relatable.
As the husband and father of my own family, I have lots of responsibilities. Work, relationships, bills, taxes, maintenance, projects, growth (spiritually, familially, financially, socially, etc.), just to name a few. Sometimes everything’s great. And other times the car breaks down an hour from home on the day you were supposed to be going to the Gulf Coast 7 hours away, so you have to get your car towed an hour home and rent a car from the (thankfully) nearby airport because it was a holiday, so all the regular rental locations were closed! (We made it and had a nice time, too.) And, boy, does it feel like a pile of rubble weighing you down when you’re the one providing for and protecting your family. The responsibilities and the problems never end, but how will I face them?
How I Face Them
First, you take it to God. I’m serious. I’m not trying to lure you in with a “Yay, Spider-Man!” article and then smack you with the Bible, but this is the truth. No matter how foolish or trivial you think the problem is, take it to God first. I Peter 5:7 says you should be “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (NASB 1995), and I have no better advice than what the Bible gives us.
Secondly, sometimes remembering my favorite fictional characters, in this case Spider-Man, and the epic, moving ways they push through their obstacles and keep going is a stirring inspiration. Time after time, Spider-Man is faced with seemingly insurmountable problems where a lesser man would’ve given up, and still, he pushes through the hardship.
Still Suited Up
In the Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1, Doc Ock (Doctor Otto Octavius, aka Doctor Octopus) organizes six super-villains (including himself) into a gauntlet designed to bring down Spider-Man once and for all. And right before this happens, in a moment of severe doubt and despair, Peter loses his abilities. He has no strength, spider-sense, wall-crawling, nothing. To make matters worse, the Sinister Six kidnap his Aunt May and current girlfriend, Betty Brant. What’s a non-superpowered superhero to do?
To quote the man himself,
But I can’t sit back and do nothing! Not with Betty and Aunt May in the hands of my most dangerous enemies! I’ve got to show myself . . . for their sake! And, if this is to be my finish . . . at least I’ll face it . . . like a man!
Peter Parker · The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (1964), by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
If the Death of Gwen Stacy was my realization of the depths comic book stories could reach, Spider-Man’s first outing against the combined threat of the original Sinister Six was the point I knew Spider-Man was my favorite. Even when he thought he had lost his powers, even when he was certain he would die, he still suited up and went to rescue his loved ones.
With Great Power
And moments like that help me persevere in the face of my own challenges, even if they’re nowhere near as dramatic or life-threatening. If God told Joshua to be strong and courageous multiple times, I doubt He expects less from me. And sometimes, it’s helpful to remember the story of a fictional guy named Peter Parker and how he fought through hell and high water to save the people he loved, and occasionally, even the people who hated him. In fact, it’s downright Christ-like.
It’s easy to carry on when everything’s going amazingly. It’s a lot harder with a mountain of rubble on your back and people relying on you. In the conclusion to “The Master Planner” storyline in issues #31-33 (1965-66), Peter could’ve given up, but instead persevered, pushed the weight of stone and metal off his back and saved his Aunt May. And for a character like Spider-Man, he really had no other choice, because “with great power there must also come great responsibility.”
All images are my own photos of my Marvel Essentials collection. The artwork is © Marvel and is shown here for commentary.
◆
Filed under Recreation · Faith