Spider-Man

The world was robbed of Stan Lee this year, such a great visionary and beyond ordinary storytelling skills, his comics have changed the world. His universe envisaged a world where anything was possible. He taught us that heroes are not only because of their powers, but it is also the heart of gold that makes them a real hero.

We all know Stan as an affable old guy who used to drop in every Marvel or 20th-century FOX X-men universe but many people don’t know that he fathered almost every character we see on the screen.

In my opinion, Spider-Man remains as the crowning jewel of Stan Lee by becoming one of the most recognized superheroes of all time. He had an audience in every age group and all around the world, let’s dive into his life!

Origins

Peter Parker is a regular school-going intelligent science student who lives with his uncle and Aunt. His life is changed drastically when he’s bitten by a mutated spider which imparts him with powers similar to a spider-like shooting web, climbing walls, flexibility, strength, perseverance, sixth sense, and a rubber-like body. In his resolve to test his strength he participates in an underground wrestling competition to get some easy money. He wins but he’s duped by the owner. As he’s leaving he lets a thief get away who steals money from the same owner who dumped him. Peter Parker didn’t realize how this action of his would haunt him forever, the thief in a twisted turn of fate shoots Peter’s uncle to gain possession of his car. Peter watches his uncle die in front of his eyes and now he takes the mantle of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

Philosophy

In the 60s when Spider-Man was created a whole pantheon of superheroes were being created that were philosophically sound but people just couldn’t connect with them. The most amazing thing about Spider-Man is his infectious relatability. Yes, a college going student who has to balance his grades, his relationship, his job, his aunt & friends while saving New York from dangerous supervillains. Peter Parker isn’t perfect that’s what makes him connect with everyone. He falls, he fails, he gets fired from his job and sometimes gets dumped too. His life isn’t easy. He’s not a billionaire or an heir whose problems just vanish in an instant. You never see Bruce Wayne buying vegetables, studying for SATs, going on a date or doing the mundane things that normal people go through. Peter Parker does all these things and we love him for it. This is one character we can look at and say “yes, this happened to me” or I know exactly how he feels. He doesn’t take himself seriously even when faced with catastrophic situations. He talks while fighting with his enemies which is something that was never done before this. The fight sequences are much more colorful and humorous when you see your hero making fun of his situation and his whole messed up life. Most of the superheroes undergo internal conflicts and dilemmas which shape their personalities but Peter Parker faced both external and internal struggles as he has to make ends meet every day just like everyone else while doing his best to save people’s lives.

Peter doesn’t blame anyone for his life neither does he embitter himself whenever life throws shit on him. He accepts his life. I think it’s a lesson for all of us who have had to face hardships or whose paths are paved with struggles. Spider-Man reflects the philosophy of not giving up. Many superheroes teach us this philosophy but what makes us listen to Spider-Man more is because he’s just like us in some ways. Exactly this simple statement is so powerful that it makes an impact. We read his stories of him maneuvering his life through the struggles of how he finds solutions to every problem & that’s what makes us think if he can I can too.

Responsibility

‘With great power comes great responsibility ‘ said Uncle Ben to Peter Parker. I don’t think that I have to tell you how much this quote has inspired me over the years. Stan Lee contribution to the comic books could be summed up by just this one quote. Peter Parker is a teenager with superhuman powers. This is the age where the movies, books, comics, theatre & the songs that we watch leaves an imprint on us that shapes us throughout our lives. Comic books with their instant visualization power and dialogue can convey a lot of things we go through. This quote is so layered that I can only give explanations to what I feel as it’s completely based on our perspectives. Peter Parker when bit by the spider was not only going through some changes in his body externally but also internally via teenage angst and anxiety that all of the teenagers go through. Uncle Ben completely understood what Peter was going through. He was empathetic and kind to Peter when he said those lines. Power is a very elusive concept and wielding is like holding a hot steel glass in your hands as you never know how to handle it. Some people are successful in wielding it but it corrupts them so much that it changes them while some people are so confused and overwhelmed by it they spend their entire lives analyzing it. Stan Lee understood it perfectly. He attached power with the responsibility to hold it in. Power is an untrained horse that needs it’s reigns to be effective because power in its core is a force of nature. Responsibility is the rider that controls the horse effectively for it be efficient. Spider-Man core beliefs are laid down by this quote. Power should be used responsibly for the greater good of the people. The more power you wield the more responsible you should be while using it. It rings true for everyone who is seated in a seat of power or for that matter anybody that has some kind of power over anybody. Our lives would be much better if we could understand that if we become influential in any way we shouldn’t let it affect us and do our best to help people and use that influence responsibly.

Conclusion

Stan Lee was a legend in every right and what makes Spider-Man so everlasting is that it’s based on 3 R’s – Relatability, Resilience and Responsible. That’s what makes Spider-Man so unique among the numerous other creations of Stan Lee is it because this is one superhero who just likes us searching for a job, making ends meet, taking care of his friends and family, being responsible and lastly not giving up.
Visionary and creative eye of Stan Lee is what makes him an extraordinary person, he taught us life lessons beyond the Cinderella and Snow White. This world is a little better because his preachings are preserved in our mind through stories drawn by him. He was a human marvel!

I love you, Stan Lee, May you rest in peace!