Spider-Man proves a major fan theory about his life completely wrong

In a world where supervillains are always dangerous, it doesn't make sense for a hero like Spider-Man to try to focus only on real-world problems

Like many superheroes with purely physical abilities, fans have long assumed that Spider-Man's genius should be his primary way of helping the world, but one comic proved that wasn't such a good idea. In a world full of colorful supervillains, sometimes the great responsibility that comes with your great power has to include punching the Goblin in the face.

Of course, there's some logic to this argument: Peter Parker's intelligence was almost always less valued than Spider-Man's true superpowers, and he created his own web-fluid formula and saved the day countless times thanks to his quick thinking. Peter may not be technically on par with super-geniuses like Reed Richards, Hank Pym, or Tony Stark, but he's still incredibly smart and has a knack for technological innovation. So it stands to reason that, like the aforementioned genius, Peter's devotion to improving the world through his genius could make the MCU a better place. But a recent story directly disproves this notion, and in the future thesis comes true.

Chip Zdarsky and Adam Kubert in Spectacular Spider-Man Vol 1 #304-305 show that if With Peter Parker giving up being a superhero to make the world a better place through technological innovation, Spider-Man's most famous villain will run amok, leading to a dystopia. This counters the idea that heroes would improve the world if they simply devoted their time and resources to improving society's ills. Fans who argue this point often refuse to understand that the comics aren't an accurate depiction of real life. Marvel may claim to be "the world outside the window," but there's no Green Goblin or Carnage in the real world. Realistic depictions of the world do exist in comics, but it often feels a little unfair to expect them to appear in mainstream superhero comics featuring supervillains.

Peter Parker Failed To Save New York With His Brain

That's not to say that superheroes can't use their technology and scientific genius to solve the world's problems, but that would run into another real-life difficulty: the status quo. Comics in the "classic" universes of Marvel and DC have to be close enough to real life to be "relevant" and "recognizable", solving real life problems with the super science of Peter Parker, Reed Richard or Tony Stark The question is simply ill-advised writing. Parallel universe stories of Marvel and DC appear frequently However, to get this out of the way, Chip Zdarsky and Mark Bagley's Spider-Man: A Life Story is a relevant example. The conceit of the comics taking place in real time over the decades shows how a world where Marvel scientists improve things would work.

However, some modern continuity stories suggest that Peter does have the ability to strike a balance between improving the world through technology and his superheroism. Beginning with Slott and Humberto Ramos' The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 #648, Dan Slott's Spider-Man run "big time" saw Peter use his wisdom. This theme runs through Slott's entire tenure on the Spider-Books, notably Doctor Octopus taking control of Peter's body, in Slott and Giuseppe Camoncoli's Super Spider-Man Volume 1 Issue 20 After founding Parker Industries.

Peter continued to run Parker Industries after his recovery, showing that superheroism and improving public life are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Spider-Man may not always overtly change the world in the way some fans want, but he's done more to do it than many think.