6+What+Makes+a+Spider-man?

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In AF Peter’s first disguise is some kind of net mask over his head. He quickly designs a much more professional looking costume. In AF and AS we see Spider-man’s costume with webs under the arms, perhaps to assist him in gliding as he leaps from building to building. USPR shows Peter’s first disguise as a pair of blue sweatpants, a red sweatshirt and a ski mask. It is the wrestling show producer who gives Peter his official Spider-man outfit. The film version shows an evolution of Peter’s outfit from a sweatsuit with a hand drawn spider through a variety of drawings and designs to the final skin-tight professional looking blue and red costume that has become trademark.====== (Figure 22. Basic disguise, n.d.) (Figure 23. Spider-man crawling, n.d.)

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In all of the print and cartoon versions, Peter creates his own web-making substance and devices. The film version presents this as a naturally occurring process which, I felt, might have been more likely. If Peter’s DNA has been altered by the spider and he has developed spider abilities, then it makes sense that he also developed an internal spider silk production, making his transformation more complete. In later print and cartoon versions, the cartridges and devices cause problems for Peter when he runs out of web supply.======

In the print versions of Peter's 'spider sense' we see jagged lines around his head, indicating that something is going on. In the film, close-up shots on Peter's face show him freezing motion as he assesses the tingling before he looks for the source of the problem. A buzzing sound accompanies later instances of spider sense in the film, but the focus is always on Peter's eyes as he seems to look inward for the information.
 * Spider sense and abilities**

When Peter in AF leaps out of the way of an oncoming car, he ends up on the side of a building. Fascinated by this, he continues to climb to the roof where he discovers an increase in strength by crushing a pipe, as well as the ability to effortlessly climb along a wire. The transformation takes only a matter of minutes and although Peter is surprised, he readily accepts the changes. The transformation in SC is also relatively quick, but the realisation of the new powers takes a dreadfully long few minutes for Peter to comprehend, over-extending the economy of the comic. Peter's transformation in USPR takes a couple of days before he realises the full extent of his abilities to climb walls, leap from building to building, exert powerful muscles and 'sense' things. Peter is surprised and confused about the changes he is experiencing, but comes to accept them. In the film, Peter's body changes over several days as well. We are able to see more surprise and confusion through facial expression as Peter tests out his new powers. We also see hesitation and doubt, something that I would expect a person to really demonstrate in such a strange situation.

Introduction Story Summaries Adaptation to Film Characters Critical Story Components Additional Spider-man Information Bibliography

Source codes: AF (Amazing Fantasy #15, 1962 debut); AS (Amazing Spider-man, vol. 1 1963); USPR (Ultimate Spider-man, vol. 1 2009, Power and Responsibility); SM (Spider-man movie, 2002); SC (Spider-man cartoon, episode 21, 1967)