Fun & Educational Facts About Spider-Man
1. In the Spider-Man series, Peter Parker has always taken care of Mary Jane, but in Spider-Man Reign, the lead character is responsible for her death. According to the storyline, Mary Jane died from cancer, which was caused by exposure to Spider-Man’s radioactive bodily fluids.
Spider-Man and Pop Culture
2. The iconic cafeteria scene where Spider-Man saves Mary Jane from falling and grabs all her food on the tray was real. Played by Tobey Maguire, he had to redo the scene 156 times before getting it right. The only trick the production team did was put glue on Maguire’s hands so the tray would stick firmly.
Spider-Man Film Production
3. The Spider-Man (2002) film would have been very different if James Cameron had stuck to his original script. He originally wanted the movie to be based in the 1980s, filled with lots of… It was, however, canceled.
Michael Jackson and Spider-Man
4. Legendary pop star Michael Jackson was a big fan of the Spider-Man series. During the 90s, he had a keen interest in playing Spider-Man. So much so that when he heard Marvel was on the verge of bankruptcy, Michael Jackson’s management guided him against the idea, and the role was later given to Tobey Maguire.
Spiders Named After Spider-Man Actors
5. Two spiders discovered in 2015 in southern Iran were named Pritha garfieldi and Filistata maguirei, after the famous Spider-Man actors Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire.
Superhero Costumes Stolen
6. During the filming of Spider-Man 1, 4 suits, each costing about $25,000, were stolen from the set. The studio offered a reward of $25,000 for the return of each suit. Three were retrieved in Los Angeles and New York City, while the other was found in Japan. Apparently, the costumes were stolen by a security guard who worked within the facilities. Turns out the same security guard had previously been found guilty of stealing a Batman suit in 1989.
Spider-Man’s Profitability
7. Of all superheroes, Spider-Man is the most profitable character, having accrued more than $1.3 billion in revenue for Marvel. He is followed by Batman and Iron Man in that order.
Spider-Man’s Early Life
8. Even though Spider-Man didn’t invent ankle monitors himself, he played a crucial role in their creation. After reading the Amazing Spider-Man Comic in 1977, where a villain attaches a tracking device to the superhero, a judge called Jack Love was inspired to create a tracking device for criminals. He approached an engineer, Micheal Goss, with this idea, and the two invented the famous ankle monitor.
Stan Lee’s Surprise
9. Stan Lee, the man whose Super Heroes inspired the Spider-man franchise, was shocked to find out Gwen had been killed in the Spider-Man comics after arriving from a trip to Europe. Earlier, he had been consulted by editor Romita and Conway on whether they should exterminate Aunt May or Gwen Stacy. He quickly agreed to the latter so they could let him pack his belongings.
Peter Parker’s Family Life
10. In the Spider-Man series, Peter Parker starts living with Aunt May and Uncle Ben. The story of his parents has always been a mystery. However, his dad, Richard Parker, was a biologist, and he died in an air crash alongside his wife, Mary.
Stan Lee’s Unique Vision for Spider-Man
11. The idea of a spider webbing through the city was very odd during the creation of Spider-Man in the early 60s. Stan Lee, however, opposed this narrative and created one of the first teenage superheroes. This approach helped sell Spider-Man more to the younger generation because he related to their struggles. Also, Spider-Man was one of the first teen heroes who wasn’t a sidekick.
Spider-Man’s Fandom
12. In numerous child-related events, Obama has mentioned that Spider-Man is his favorite superhero. Before his inauguration, Marvel organized for Spider-Man to meet Obama, and a special comic issue was released. Obama also has a fondness for Batman.
Inspiration Behind Spider-Man
13. Superman inspired the character Spider-Man. Stan-Lee, the creator, knew that his creation would often be confused with Superman, so he added a hyphen between Spider and Man.
Stan Lee’s Surprise
14. The creator of Spider-Man originally envisioned the character as a fly. Had he proceeded with the idea, the dimension of the franchise would have been a lot more different.
