Editing Spider-Man (section)

==Legacy==
In ''The Creation of Spider-Man'', comic book writer-editor and historian Paul Kupperberg calls the character's superpowers "nothing too original"; what was original was that outside his secret identity, he was a "nerdy high school student".<ref name="Kupperberg" />{{rp|5}} Going against typical superhero fare, Spider-Man included "heavy doses of [[Soap opera|soap-opera]] and elements of melodrama". Kupperberg feels that Lee and Ditko had created something new in the world of comics: "the flawed superhero with everyday problems". This idea spawned a comics revolution.<ref name="Kupperberg">{{Cite book |last=Kupperberg |first=Paul |url=https://archive.org/details/creationofspider0000kupp |title=The Creation of Spider-Man |publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-4042-0763-9 |quote=spiderman legacy ditko lee. |url-access=registration}}</ref>{{rp|6}} The insecurity and anxieties in Marvel's early 1960s comic books, such as ''The Amazing Spider-Man'', ''The Incredible [[Hulk]]'', ''The [[Fantastic Four]]'', and ''The [[X-Men]]'' ushered in a new type of superhero, very different from the certain and all-powerful superheroes before them, and changed the public's perception of them.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Fleming |first=James R. |year=2006 |title=Review of Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us about Ourselves and Our Society. By Danny Fingeroth |url=http://www.english.ufl.edu/imagetext/archives/v2_2/reviews/fleming.shtml |url-status=live |journal=ImageText |publisher=University of Florida |issn=1549-6732 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151209205725/http://www.english.ufl.edu/imagetext/archives/v2_2/reviews/fleming.shtml |archive-date=December 9, 2015 |access-date=December 4, 2015}}</ref> After the comics depicted a real address in [[Forest Hills, Queens]], New York, as May Parker's residence, its residents received many letters from children to the superhero.<ref name="barron20230207">{{Cite news |last=Barron |first=James |date=2023-02-07 |title=Spider-Man, We Know Where You Live |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/07/nyregion/spider-man-letters-queens.html |access-date=2023-03-01 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Spider-Man has become one of the most recognizable fictional characters in the world, and has been used to sell toys, games, cereal, candy, soap, and many other products.<ref name="Knowles">{{Cite book |last=Knowles |first=Christopher |title=Our Gods Wear Spandex |title-link=Our Gods Wear Spandex |publisher=Weiser |others=illustrated by Joseph Michael Linsner |year=2007 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=93Mv-1R5yskC&pg=PA139 139] |author-link=Christopher Knowles (comics)}}</ref> He has been used as the company mascot. When Marvel became the first comic book company to be listed on the [[New York Stock Exchange]] in 1991, ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' announced "Spider-Man is coming to [[Wall Street]]"; the event was in turn promoted with an actor in a Spider-Man costume accompanying Stan Lee to the Stock Exchange.<ref name="Wright" />{{rp|254}} Since 1962, hundreds of millions of comics featuring the character have been sold around the world.<ref>{{Cite magazine |year=2002 |title=Spider-Man Weaving a spell |url=http://www.screenindia.com/old/20020524/intcov.html |magazine=Screen India |access-date=February 13, 2009}}{{dead link|date=November 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Spider-Man is the world's most profitable superhero.<ref name="Davis">{{Cite web |last=Davis, Lauren |date=November 14, 2014 |title=This Superhero Is More Lucrative Than Batman And The Avengers Combined |url=http://io9.gizmodo.com/this-superhero-is-more-lucrative-than-batman-and-the-av-1658853707 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313104405/http://io9.gizmodo.com/this-superhero-is-more-lucrative-than-batman-and-the-av-1658853707 |archive-date=March 13, 2016 |access-date=November 14, 2014 |website=[[io9]] |publisher=[[Gizmodo Media Group]]}}</ref>{{Update inline|date=July 2023|reason=This sentence cites an article from 2014.}} In 2014, global retail sales of licensed products related to Spider-Man reached approximately $1.3 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Block, Alex |date=November 13, 2014 |title=Which Superhero Earns $1.3 Billion a Year? |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/superhero-earns-13-billion-a-748281 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141116023001/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/superhero-earns-13-billion-a-748281 |archive-date=November 16, 2014 |access-date=November 13, 2014 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |publisher=[[Lynne Segall]]}}</ref> Comparatively, this amount exceeds the global licensing revenue of [[Batman]], [[Superman]], and the [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]] combined.<ref name="Davis" />

[[File:Barack Obama with Spider-Man.jpg|thumb|left|U.S. President [[Barack Obama]] pretending to be webbed up by a boy dressed in a Spider-Man costume inside the [[White House]]|alt=A boy in a Spider-Man costume pretends to shoot out spider webs towards Barack Obama.|251x251px]]
Spider-Man joined the [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]] from 1987 to 1998 as one of the balloon floats,<ref name="APCBS">[http://www.wcbs880.com/pages/5021372.php? "Spider-Man Returning to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade"], [[Associated Press]] via [[WCBS (AM)]], August 17, 2009, {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091106155836/http://www.wcbs880.com/pages/5021372.php |date=November 6, 2009 }}</ref> designed by [[John Romita Sr.]],<ref name=sketch45>Spurlock, J. David, and John Romita. ''John Romita Sketchbook''.<!--Note: No "The" in copyrighted title or on book cover--> (Vanguard Productions: Lebanon, N.J. 2002) {{ISBN|1-887591-27-3}}, p. 45: Romita: "I designed the Spider-Man balloon float. When we went to Macy's to talk about it, Manny Bass was there. He's the genius who creates all these balloon floats. I gave him the sketches and he turned them into reality".</ref> one of the character's signature artists. A new, different Spider-Man balloon float also appeared from 2009 to 2014.<ref name="APCBS" />

When Marvel wanted to issue a story dealing with the immediate aftermath of the [[September 11 attacks]], the company chose the December 2001 issue of ''The Amazing Spider-Man''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yarbrough, Beau |date=September 24, 2001 |title=Marvel to Take on World Trade Center Attack in "Amazing Spider-Man" |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=418 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081026235244/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article |archive-date=October 26, 2008 |access-date=April 28, 2008 |website=[[Comic Book Resources]]}}</ref> In 2006, Spider-Man garnered major media coverage with the revelation of the character's secret identity,<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 15, 2006 |title=Spider-Man Removes Mask at Last |work=[[BBC]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5084326.stm |url-status=live |access-date=September 29, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060823041653/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5084326.stm |archive-date=August 23, 2006}}</ref> an event detailed in a full-page story in the ''[[New York Post]]'' before the issue containing the story was even released.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brady, Matt |date=June 14, 2006 |title=New York Post Spoils Civil War #2 |url=http://www.newsarama.com/marvelnew/CivilWar/CivilWar2_End.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011110225/http://newsarama.com/marvelnew/CivilWar/CivilWar2_End.html |archive-date=October 11, 2007 |access-date=April 2, 2008 |website=[[Newsarama]]}}</ref>

In 2008, Marvel announced plans to release a series of educational comics the following year in partnership with the [[United Nations]], depicting Spider-Man alongside the [[UN Peacekeeping Forces]] to highlight UN peacekeeping missions.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lane, Thomas |date=January 4, 2008 |title=Can Spider-Man help UN beat evil? |work=[[BBC]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7172016.stm |url-status=live |access-date=April 29, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080219201724/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7172016.stm |archive-date=February 19, 2008}}</ref> A ''[[BusinessWeek]]'' article listed Spider-Man as one of the top 10 most intelligent fictional characters in American comics.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pisani |first=Joseph |author-link=Joseph Pisani |date=June 1, 2006 |title=The Smartest Superheroes |url=http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/05/smart_heroes/index_01.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111004559/http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/05/smart_heroes/index_01.htm |archive-date=January 11, 2012 |access-date=November 25, 2007 |publisher=Business Week Online}}</ref>

In 2015, the [[Supreme Court of the United States]] decided ''[[Kimble v. Marvel Entertainment, LLC]]'', a case concerning royalties on a [[patent]] for an imitation web shooter. The opinion for the Court, by Justice [[Elena Kagan]], included several Spider-Man references, concluding with the statement that "with great power, there must also come—great responsibility".<ref>{{Citation |last=Caldwell |first=Patrick |title=Justice Elena Kagan Had Some Fun Writing About Spider-Man |date=June 22, 2015 |url=https://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2015/06/elena-kagan-spider-man-supreme-court-kimble-marvel |work=[[Mother Jones (magazine)|Mother Jones]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623064544/http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2015/06/elena-kagan-spider-man-supreme-court-kimble-marvel |access-date=June 23, 2015 |archive-date=June 23, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Spider-Man has become a subject of scientific inquiry. In 1987, [[James Garbarino|researchers]] at [[Loyola University Chicago|Loyola University]] conducted a study into the utility of Spider-Man comics for informing children and parents about issues relating to [[Sexual abuse#Children|child abuse]].<ref name="pmid27065510">{{Cite journal |vauthors=Garbarino, J |year=1987 |title=Children's response to a sexual abuse prevention program: A study of the Spiderman comic |journal=Child Abuse & Neglect |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=143–148 |doi=10.1016/0145-2134(87)90044-5 |pmid=3828869}}</ref>

===Reception===
{{Quote box
|quote  = The culmination of nearly every superhero that came before him, Spider-Man is the hero of heroes. He's got fun and cool powers, but not on the god-like level of [[Thor (Marvel Comics)|Thor]]. He's just a normal guy with girlfriend problems and money issues, so he's more relatable than playboy billionaire [[Iron Man]]. And he's an awkward teenager, not a wizened adult like [[Captain America]]. Not too hot and not too cold, Spider-Man is just right.
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|author = —IGN staff on placing Spider-Man as the number one hero of Marvel.<ref name="heroes" /> }}

In 2005, [[Bravo (U.S. TV network)|Bravo]]'s ''Ultimate Super Heroes, Vixens, and Villains'' TV series declared that Spider-Man was the number 1 superhero.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Ultimate Super Heroes, Vixens, and Villains Episode Guide 2005 – Ultimate Super Villains |url=https://www.tvguide.com/detail/tv-show.aspx?tvobjectid=191868&more=ucepisodelist&episodeid=4615590 |url-status=live |magazine=[[TV Guide]].com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501204412/http://www.tvguide.com/detail/tv-show.aspx?tvobjectid=191868&more=ucepisodelist&episodeid=4615590 |archive-date=May 1, 2011 |access-date=October 9, 2010}}</ref> ''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'' magazine ranked him the fifth-greatest comic book character of all time.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=The 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters |url=https://www.empireonline.com/50greatestcomiccharacters/default.asp?c=5 |url-status=live |magazine=Empire Online |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120122170913/http://www.empireonline.com/50greatestcomiccharacters/default.asp?c=5 |archive-date=January 22, 2012 |access-date=February 8, 2009}}</ref> ''[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]]'' magazine placed Spider-Man as the third-greatest comic book character on their website.<ref name="Wizard">{{Cite magazine |title=Top 200 comic book characters |magazine=[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]]}}</ref> In 2011, Spider-Man placed third on [[IGN]]'s Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time, behind [[DC Comics]] characters [[Superman]] and [[Batman]],<ref name="heroes">{{Cite web |title=IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes |url=https://www.ign.com/top/comic-book-heroes/3 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106211419/http://www.ign.com/top/comic-book-heroes/3 |archive-date=January 6, 2012 |access-date=May 9, 2011}}</ref> and sixth in their 2012 list of "The Top 50 Avengers".<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 30, 2012 |title=The Top 50 Avengers |url=https://www.ign.com/top/avengers/6 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150831012100/http://www.ign.com/top/avengers/6 |archive-date=August 31, 2015 |access-date=July 28, 2015 |website=[[IGN]]}}</ref> In 2014, IGN identified Spider-Man the greatest Marvel Comics character of all time.<ref name="Marvel">{{Cite web |last1=Yehl |first1=Joshua |last2=Lakes |first2=Jeff |title=Top 25 Best Marvel Superheroes – IGN – Page 5 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/09/10/top-25-best-marvel-superheroes?page=5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507235206/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/09/10/top-25-best-marvel-superheroes?page=5 |archive-date=May 7, 2016 |access-date=May 4, 2016 |website=IGN}}</ref> A 2015 poll at [[Comic Book Resources]] named Spider-Man the greatest Marvel character of all time.<ref name="CBR">{{Cite web |last=Conin |first=Brian |date=November 5, 2015 |title=2015 Top 50 Marvel Characters 3–1 {{!}} Page 2 of 2 {{!}} Comics Should Be Good @ CBR |url=http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2015/11/05/2015-top-50-marvel-characters-3-1/2/#storyContinued |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423013926/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2015/11/05/2015-top-50-marvel-characters-3-1/2/#storyContinued |archive-date=April 23, 2016 |access-date=May 4, 2016 |website=[[Comic Book Resources]]}}</ref> IGN described him as the common everyman that represents many normal people, but also noted his uniqueness compared to many superheroes with his depicted flaws as a superhero. IGN wrote that despite being one of the most tragic superheroes of all time, he is "one of the most fun and snarky superheroes in existence."<ref name="heroes" /> ''Empire'' praised Spider-Man's always-present sense of humor and wisecracks in the face of the many tragedies he faces. The magazine website appraised the depiction of his "iconic" superhero poses, describing it as "a top artist's dream".<ref name="Wizard" />

George Marston of ''[[Newsarama]]'' called Spider-Man's origin the greatest origin story of all time, opining that "Spider-Man's origin combines all of the most classic aspects of pathos, tragedy and scientific wonder into the perfect blend for a superhero origin."<ref name="Origin">{{Cite web |last=Marston |first=George |title=The 10 Best Superhero Origin Stories of ALL TIME! |url=http://www.newsarama.com/15572-the-10-best-superhero-origin-stories-of-all-time.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508004842/http://www.newsarama.com/15572-the-10-best-superhero-origin-stories-of-all-time.html |archive-date=May 8, 2016 |access-date=May 4, 2016 |website=Newsarama.com}}</ref>

===Real-life comparisons===
Real-life people who have been compared to Spider-Man for their climbing feats include:

*In 1981, skyscraper-safety activist [[Dan Goodwin]], wearing a Spider-Man suit, scaled the [[Sears Tower]] in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], the [[Renaissance Tower (Dallas)|Renaissance Tower]] in [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], and the [[John Hancock Center]] in Chicago.<ref name="Skyscraper Defense">{{Cite web |title=Skyscraper Defense |url=http://skyscraperdefense.com/building_climbs.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716083034/http://www.skyscraperdefense.com/building_climbs.html |archive-date=July 16, 2011 |access-date=July 4, 2011}}</ref>
*[[Alain Robert]], nicknamed "Spider-Man", is a rock and urban climber who has scaled more than 70 tall buildings using his hands and feet, without using additional devices. He sometimes wears a Spider-Man suit during his climbs. In May 2003, he was paid approximately $18,000 to climb the {{convert|312|ft|adj=on|disp=flip}} [[Lloyd's building]] to promote the premiere of the movie ''Spider-Man'' on the British television channel [[Sky Movies]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Moss |first=Stephen |date=2003-05-14 |title=I'm Spider-Man |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2003/may/14/features.stephenmoss |access-date=2023-07-29 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
*"The Human Spider", alias Bill Strother, scaled the [[Lamar Building]] in [[Augusta, Georgia]], in 1921.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cobb |first=Jocelyn |date=September 19, 1999 |title=Recalls 1921 climb of 'human spider' |work=[[The Augusta Chronicle]] |url=http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/091999/opi_032-5758.shtml |url-status=dead |access-date=June 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211141818/http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/091999/opi_032-5758.shtml |archive-date=December 11, 2007}}</ref>
* In Argentina, [[Crime in Argentina|criminals]] that climb buildings and [[trespass]] into private property through the open balconies are said to use the "Spider-Man method" (in Spanish, ''el Hombre Araña'').<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 17, 2017 |title=Video: un robo con la modalidad "hombre araña"en un departamento de Belgrano |trans-title=Video: a theft with the "Spider-Man" method at a Belgrano apartment |url=https://www.infobae.com/sociedad/policiales/2017/02/17/video-un-robo-con-la-modalidad-hombre-aranaen-un-departamento-de-belgrano/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110114608/https://www.infobae.com/sociedad/policiales/2017/02/17/video-un-robo-con-la-modalidad-hombre-aranaen-un-departamento-de-belgrano/ |archive-date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=November 10, 2017 |publisher=Infobae |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=January 17, 2008 |title=Un "hombre araña" asaltó y violó a una profesora de gimnasia |language=es |trans-title=A "Spider-man" raped and stole from a gym teacher |work=Clarín |url=https://www.clarin.com/policiales/hombre-arana-asalto-violo-profesora-gimnasia_0_H1lSvIRC6tx.html |url-status=live |access-date=November 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110061829/https://www.clarin.com/policiales/hombre-arana-asalto-violo-profesora-gimnasia_0_H1lSvIRC6tx.html |archive-date=November 10, 2017}}</ref>