Peter Parker: Angry Misanthrope!

[starwolf_oakley]

As discussed on the BATMAN: GHOSTS post, Peter Parker was a friendless outcast in high school and became an angry misanthrope in college. It really wasn't until Steve Ditko left and John Romita Sr took over the SPIDER-MAN art that Peter mellowed out



Some of Peter Parker as a bitter misanthrope makes sense. He stresses out over Aunt May, ignores people who try to get his attention, and they think he is "high hatting" them.

Sometimes it seems like Peter Parker hates himself and the world and everyone in it because... reasons? It isn't even Uncle Ben's death.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #38.







This issue had Spider-Man yelling at protesters. Stan Lee changed it to Spider-Man supporting the protesters.

Comments

[yvonmukluk]

I kind of wish that Grant Morrison had gotten around to doing that planned story he'd had where 616 Peter (this was pre-OMD, so still married to MJ) went to another dimension and met that world's Spidey who'd never married and lived alone since Aunt May died. So he was basically a well-meaning loner who got most of his joy in life being Spidey.

So basically the logical evolution of Romita Spidey meets the logical evolution of Ditko Spidey.

Kind of surprised nobody revisited that in Spider-Verse, actually.

[starwolf_oakley]

I never heard about this. Interesting. I've said that at some point Peter is going to realize 'I can't be with Carlie or Mary Jane or anyone because someone is always going to need Spider-Man to save them."

Grant Morrison must have realized that as well. Of course, every superhero has to be lonely these days because... reasons.

[yvonmukluk]

I don't know, Peter & MJ seemed to have made it work before OMD ruined everything. 'Doomed Affairs' pretty much is the perfect explanation for why Peter needs somebody, and that somebody is Mary Jane.