Spider-Man DVDs; Spider-Man History; Spider-Man Film Review

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Marvel Comics Green Goblin Spider-Man

Spider-Man, aka Peter Parker, was created in 1962 by Stan Lee, and was not an obvious Marvel Comics super hero.

Peter was a bright, but shy and insecure teenager. Both his parents had died, but he was raised by his uncle and aunt, Ben and May Parker. Because Peter was never told the truth about his parents, he believed his parents had abandoned him, and so he became full of self-doubt.

The transformation into Spider-Man came about, when an unfortunate house spider mistakenly got a dose of radiation, during a scientific experiment at an exhibition. Peter was bitten by the dying spider, and later nearly got run over by a car, but leapt out of the way and found that he had not only leapt a long way up the wall of a building, but that his fingertips were enabling him to stick to the wall of the building. Spider-Man was born!

When Peter's uncle was shot dead, Peter used his Spider-Man powers to sort out the bad guys and gals, including the Chameleon, the Sandman, Venom, the Green Goblin, and the Black Cat. The latter, lovely but dubious, individual fell in love with Spider-Man, and changed her ways.

Like Clark Kent, Peter tried to lead a normal life, working for The Daily Bugle as a photographer, then, as his alter ego, Spidey, carrying out what he feels is his duty to make the world a better place, helping fight crime in the New York area and beyond, including with such famous names as Captain America, the Avengers, the X-Men, the Incredible Hulk, and the lesser-known Dr. Strange, Wolverine, and the Punisher.

Spider-Man, from an uncertain start, has become, along with Superman and Batman, the most famous of all super heroes, being made into live and animated TV series, and, more recently, highly successful films. As Stan Lee (also creator of the Hulk, the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four) said of the reasons for Spider-Man's popularity: "He's possibly the most realistically human of all super heroes."

- Paul Rance.

SPIDER-MAN DVDs available from Amazon.com

Spider-Man

The 2002 film , 'Spider-Man', was a superb interpretation of Stan Lee's classic comic book character - helped undoubtedly by Lee's heavy involvement in the film.

Good casting included Tobey Maguire as a convincing and sensitive Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Kirsten Dunst as the sweet-natured love of his life, Mary Jane Watson, and Willem Dafoe as the schizoid Norman Osborn, aka Green Goblin.

The special effects were stunning - even by modern standards, especially when the Green Goblin was hurtling through New York City causing mayhem.

- Paul Rance.

Spider-Man 2

'Spider-Man 2' follows on from the excellent 'Spider-Man', and is even more spectacular. This time Dr. Octopus (Alfred Molina) replaces the Green Goblin as Spidey's foe. Molina proves to be an inspired choice as a "geek gone bad."

The beauty of the two 'Spider-Man' movies is the humanity. The special effects and music are great, but the chemistry and vulnerability of Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker/Spider-Man, and Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane Watson is the most appealing aspect.

In 'Spider-Man 2' we see Peter Parker at a low ebb, frustrated that Mary Jane has found a new love, and that his own good deeds seem to be bringing him bad fortune rather than good.

Spider-Man - The '67 Collection