1. Spider-Man is the most influential character, both financially and culturally due to his relatability.
2. Spider-Man has the best quality movies and stories because of his relatability.

Final hypothesis: Spider-Man’s reason for being so financially and culturally successful is the fact that he is the most relatable fictional character.

How Spider-Man Conquered the World– Rolling Stone

Spider-Man in theory was untested in the world of comics at the time. A teenager who was considered a loser just wouldn’t be enough to appeal to mainstream audiences, who were just starting to read comics again. Spider-Man being a teenager facing real problems was what set him apart from the other heroes. Parker’s problems made seeing his alter ego just as interesting as the one in spandex. Peter Parker is a look at the more insecure side of ourselves. Seeing Parker versus a Clark Kent face modern challenges and how someone who is bulletproof, against someone who can barely get the girl at school to notice him is where these types of characters will diverge.

The lack of skin shown on the hero proves that anyone can be behind the mask. Parker’s problems also being the first real tragic set, gives him weight. At the time of Gwen Stacy’s death no real hero was faced with such consequence.

CE/D/R

Stan Lee on What Made Spider-Man So Special– Marvel

Steve Ditko’s costume design was perfect for the every man traits given to Parker. “he is the most relatable since he’s a character that, at times, faces real world problems and makes mistakes along the way” says Matter. Spider-Man’s ability to alleviate serious situations is a quality we all wish we had and he displays this more often than not. Parker’s origin of losing a loved one, blaming themselves, and even getting bit by a radioactive spider could be relevant today, tomorrow, and years to come.

CE/R

Spider-Man Turns 50: Why the Moody Teenage Webslinger Still Matter– The Atlantic

Looking at the heroes before Spider-Man like Superman, really seeing how he was more of a force than character set the precedent for someone like Parker to come into the comic scene. Superman was imitated with these larger than life characters like Captain Marvel or a Wonder Woman. Spider-Man was different for his time than Superman because he had years of stories to compare with. Superman was the first of his kind. Peter Parker was the first bullied superhero. While Superman was worshipped in the press, Spider-Man was vilified by the press specifically J. Jonah Jameson (Parker’s boss). “Where Superman was motivated by his innate goodness, Spider-Man had to work to be a hero, and often fell short of the mark”. Parker’s personal trouble and tragedy affected him day to day. His Uncle Ben was killed because of a decision he made himself. Superman never got to know his family, being that his planet was destroyed the day he was born. “Instead of being a self-assured man with functionally infinite resources for fighting crime, Spider-Man is a lonely and bitter teenager who struggles to help his aunt keep the lights on” is the essence of who he is. He works for no credit, only to atone for his own sin of letting his greed get his Uncle killed. The bitterness of being unnoticed undermines his intelligence, which is something just about anyone can relate to. Spider-Man’s confidence is something that comes out when the mask goes on. The mask hides his insecurities.

CE/D/R

The Great Power and Great Responsibility of Spider-Man– The Ringer

Everyone found the webslinger at a different era like a Tobey Maguire or Todd McFarlane’s illustrations. Parker’s ability to transcend demographics was what made him more appealing than anything else Marvel or DC could pump out. In the mid 2010’s the wall crawler had seen his third incarnation in fifteen years. Comics were at an all time low, especially across the comic industry. Putting him in the largest cinematic universe of all time is a recipe for success. Peter’s personality is always present, even when behind the mask. the success of Spider-Man served as a course correction for Marvel and the wisecracking but sincere attitude was proven for success. Peter Parker is defined by his faults and weakness. Supervillains can be just as much of a problem as girlfriends, bills, and bullying.

Seeing Spidey lift up the machines and concrete in TASM #33 and seeing that even Spider-Man can battle his insecurities is just something that can give a kid that little bit to fight on. With great power comes great responsibility is something that he lives by and helped lift the debris off of his back to save his Aunt in that issue.

Peter projects his best self onto his superhero persona and the nerdy kid who wants to be popular and funny gets to when he is quipping and insulting these powerful foes.

The constant reboots and moving away from the Peter Parker story is the reason “Spider-Man” sales haven’t been what they used to be. Reboots and reboots have muddled what makes the character, the character. Even when becoming a CEO of his own company, the core characteristics still show up.

(the rest is unrelated)

CE

Why Spider-Man Is, And Will Always Be, A Superior Superhero– Forbes

The early holy trinity was Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman pre World War 2. Spider-Man is a loser. His power set is unique and set him apart from most heroes. He doesn’t fly or read minds. He swings around the city like a circus performer. HE sticks to walls and shoots webs out of his wrists. The Peter Parker/ Spider-Man balance is a skill that has to be learned not inherited like a Superman or Wonder Woman. “It is the opposite of wish-fulfillment, the opposite of what super heroism is supposed to be. And yet, Peter Parker cannot give it up, because he is, at heart, a good guy. His goodness means far more than Superman’s boy scout attitude, or Captain America’s patriotism, because it actually costs him something.” Peter is always outgunned and fighting with the odds not in his favor. Seeing a regular man overcome those odds.

Practice Opening

Spider-Man is without a doubt the most financially and culturally successful because he is the “every man” of fictional characters. Seeing Superman flying faster than a speeding bullet fighting big monsters is spectacular and all, but seeing a super hero fight crime then go get rejected by his crush, fall behind on rent, or bomb a test speaks loudly. Watching someone with powers beyond belief go through day to day issues is something that resonates with anyone. Whether it’s Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, Sarah Connor, or any other one Peter Parker is always going to be the medium where we find ourselves in the fictional character world.

EXTERNAL SOURCES:

Imported from Google Docs and formatted for WordPress.

Poverty Lines: Visual Depictions of Poverty and Social Class Realities in Comics-FRED JOHNSON, JANINE J. DARRAGH

Janine J Darragh Associate Professor

Positions

• Associate Professor, Curriculum & Instruction , University of Idaho 2017 –
• Assistant Professor, Curriculum & Instruction , University of Idaho 2013 – 2017

Fred Johnson

Professor

Areas of Specialization / Expertise

20th-c. & contemp. American literature; visual narratives (film, comics, media studies); postmodern lit & culture; American immigrant lit; writing & composition pedagogy; computers & writing

Puts into a fiscal perspective exactly where heroes of fiction fit into the class structure of today’s world. Peter Parker is the “working man”.

Excelsior! 100 Stan Lee Quotes About Courage, Optimism and Success– Parade

A few quotes that stand out.

7. “I used to be embarrassed because I was just a comic book writer while other people were building bridges or going on to medical careers. And then I began to realize: Entertainment is one of the most important things in people’s lives. Without it, they might go off the deep end. ”

17. “Let’s lay it right on the line. Bigotry and racism are among the deadliest social ills plaguing the world today. But, unlike a team of costumed super-villains, they can’t be halted with a punch in the snoot, or a zap from a ray gun. The only way to destroy them is to expose them—to reveal them for the insidious evils they really are.”

28. “I never thought that Spider-Man would become the worldwide icon that he is. I just hoped the books would sell and I’d keep my job.”

31. “Comic books to me are fairy tales for grown-ups.”

42. “If you’re writing about a character, if he’s a powerful character, unless you give him vulnerability I don’t think he’ll be as interesting to the reader.”

44. “We all wish we had superpowers. We all wish we could do more than we can do.”

72. “Achilles, without his heel, you wouldn’t even know his name today.”

73. “The cliché I tried to avoid was I hated “teenage sidekicks.” I always figured if I were a superhero, there’s no way on God’s earth that I’m gonna pal around with some teenager. So my publisher insisted I have a teenager in the series, because they always felt teenagers won’t read the books unless there’s a teenager in the story; which is nonsense.”

89. “I like Spider-Man because he’s become the most famous. He’s the one who’s most like me–nothing ever turns out 100 percent OK; he’s got a lot of problems, and he does things wrong, and I can relate to that.”

96. “Comic books sort of follow with the movie–if people see the movie and if they’re interested in the character and want to see more of the character, they start buying the comic books. So a good movie helps the sale of the comic books and the comic books help the movie and one hand washes the other. So, I don’t think there’s any reason to think that comics will die out.”

Using this as background into the mind of Stan Lee, get more from him on why he’s doing what he is doing.

CE/R/D

Jack Kirby Quotes– AZ Quotes

I write from a people’s point of view. I love people because I understand them. I understand an enemy, I understand a friend, I understand grey areas, and I understand black areas.

Jack Kirby

I feel that my characters all have some part of my character. I feel that they’re all me in some way, certainly not in individuality, but they all bear elements of what I feel.

Jack Kirby

Stan Lee’s right hand man could serve a valuable tool for where exactly the creators were at in terms of crafting the stories for Peter Parker.

CE/R

Make Ours Marvel

“superpowers wouldn’t make things better; they’d only limn the ordinary pain we struggle to overcome. Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s profound revision of a basic superheroic trope is arguably the conceptual cornerstone upon which Marvel was built, and it is certainly no accident that the child of their insight—Spider-Man—is the company’s most public face.”

A story on how stories are made at Marvel. The book comes from my own collection on my personal bookshelf. To understand a character, isn’t it best to look at the who, what, where, and when? Chapter 10 specifically starts the dissent into what makes Peter Parker authentic.

CE

Superheroes and Economics: The Shadowy World of Capes, Masks and Invisible Hands edited by Brian O’Roark, Rob Salkowitz

Another look into the technical side of what drives Peter. While having other points like how Elon Musk might be the next Iron Man, it scholastically goes through points in Peter’s character and how class, parenting, and other factors influence him to make the decisions he makes.

CE/D

THE DUALITY OF IDENTITY IN THE SUPERHERO FILM– Abas Ali Zadfar

A Thesis submitted to the faculty of San Francisco State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Arts In Cinema Studies

“Superpowers does not make one a superhero. It is what the person does with those superpowers that makes that person a superhero.”

This piece was one of my biggest pieces of context for my point on Spider-Man 2/ Spider-Man: No More. This touches on the themes of responsibility and choice. These two factors coupled with repercussions for actions made about them is a closer examination of the heart. While Zadfar touches on two other films in his piece, the only things I took away from this were the points on Spider-Man.

D/CE/R

AMC Theatres Posts $4.58 Billion Full-Year 2020 Loss Amid Pandemic– THR

After seeing how Spider-Man made almost two billion dollars, I wanted to highlight that it was the movie that brought people back to movie theaters after the pandemic.

See next source for more context on how it fits in with my piece.

D/CE

‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Hitting $800M Domestic B.O. Milestone; Notches Record 2.1M+ Digital Sales: How The Pic Changed The Industry’s Mindset– Deadline

Like my source above, this deals with the financial impact his character had on the theater industry. Doubling the movie in second place, the latest Spider-Man film had many factors like surprise reappearances, two previous hits, and more. The industry started shifting towards blockbuster releases instead of smaller indie films. One thing that the film proved was that the theater experience is still strong and thriving.

D/CE

Stan Lee Discusses his Career, Movie Cameos & Bonding with Marvel Actors– Larry King

Two legends discuss Stan’s career creating the likes of Hulk, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men. Stan goes into detail on inspirations, stories on how he came up with the ideas, and even talks doing cameos in film adaptations of his works.

D

How grief has shaped Spider-Man’s journey (and made him so relatable)– Marie Curie

Spidey is a character built on loss and tragedy. His never ending battles with his own ideals on living the double life weigh heavy on him. When Peter and Spidey’s life start to mix bad things happen to those he cares for. The guest blogger puts some perspective on Peter’s journey with grief in the film adaptations.

He says, “The main takeaway, however, is that Peter Parker – the man – lives, loses, and grieves in the same way we all do. Many of us despair, bargain unsuccessfully and sometimes even lash out after a bereavement. But when we confront these metaphorical demons head on, we reckon with the fact that we can’t undo or change the reality of death. Spider-Man teaches us that we have to live with it, deal with it, and accept it as a part of our own lives for better and for worse. That is the great power we all have, and it’s our responsibility to use it wisely.”

CE

The Hero with a Thousand Faces By Joseph Campbell

This book is an examination of stories told over the years which all hold a common thread. The story beats and characters Campbell looks at fall into something he calls the Hero’s Journey. Character archetypes and common story threads lead characters down a path similar to those of Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, and yes even Spider-Man. The book goes into great depth breaking down each different thread and character then gives great examples that date back hundreds of years even to older mythological texts.

D/R

Dick Grayson: Relatability, Catharsis, and the Positive Development of a Superhero

Joshua R. Smith Bowling Green State University

Another college piece done looks at another “relatable” character in Dick Grayson’s Nightwing. Smith gives the backstory and inception of Grayson while analyzing characteristics that people find relatable. It also looks at his relation to Batman since they are so closely related. It talks about how complementary they are to each other and how Grayson is sort of the happier side of Batman’s brooding nature.

R/CE

Harry Potter, Ruby Slippers, and Merlin: telling the client’s story using the characters and paradigm of the archetypal hero’s journey- Ruth Anne Robbins

A look at the hero’s journey told from a legal standpoint is something very strange but also very cathartic. Assigning character types from the hero’s journey to people involved to legal cases is a way to humanize these fictional characters. The whole point of my paper is to prove how human Peter is. Having the Hero’s journey be essential in creating a compelling character. Compelling brings relatability.

See next point for compelling characters.

D

How to Develop a Fictional Character: 6 Tips for Writing Great Characters- Masterclass

Masterclass is a service supported by celebrities of many different occupations. Looking at the fictional writing department, I found the key characteristics for a compelling character. This article goes into detail on how to write compelling and also identifies what makes a character compelling. Loss, flaws, and other less admirable characteristics help create a relatable character. Creating a three dimensional character with multiple aspects to a personality to make them compelling.

D

The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #50 -Published: July 01, 1967 By Stan Lee and John Romita Sr.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

The story arcs of these two pieces are so similar I’d count it as one source. This sees Peter Parker weigh the words of his uncle about power and responsibility. Peter struggles to have any self satisfaction while being Spider-Man. Give up the girl and save lives is something that Peter jumped into before without really thinking. These two pieces touch on what happens when Peter starts to think for himself.

CE/D

Source Key: Look at bottom of summaries for which type of argument this could be used for.

R- Rebuttal Argument

CE- Cause and Effect

D- Definition

For exactly how I used these sources see my annotated bibliography.

Practice Openings can be found at each rewrite and original.

Rebuttal Rewrite

Rebuttal Original

Causal Rewrite

Causal Original

Definition Rewrite

Definition Original

How I feel After the Fact:

I had a lot of fun writing this paper. Learning with Prof. Hodges on what makes a good vs Great paper is something I’ll probably still be working on forever, but I feel much safer and happier knowing that I made leaps and bonds in terms of quality as a writer. if you’re reading this far I just wanted to say thank you.