Spring Break
The history of ... Spider-Man
Rob Peterson
Issue date: 4/26/07 Section: Showcase
He doesn't leap tall buildings in a single bound. He doesn't have loads of high-tech gadgets. He can't set himself on fire or shoot laser beams from his eyes or fly. No, Peter Benjamin Parker isn't even a full-grown adult -- he's a normal, shy, compassionate teenager.
Well, except for the fact that he's a superhero.
Stan Lee, godfather of the comic book world, created Spider-Man in 1962 with the idea that he wasn't going to make another "typical" superhero. A "Year in Review" article from 2002's Encyclopedia Britannica stated that Lee thought that a younger, more emotionally problematic teenager would be more impressionable on a generally young audience.
"It's the story of a typical teenager like me ... except, you know, he's radioactive," UW-Eau Claire senior Mathew Blaeser said. "The plot deals with real issues and pretty powerful themes."
And Blaeser's reaction was just what Lee capitalized on today - Spider-Man has appeared in countless Marvel comics, TV shows, merchandise and more.
While there have been other commercially successful creations, such as The Fantastic Four and The X-Men, no individual superhero has received more popularity than Spider-Man over the last 45 years in terms of commercial success.
In 2002, the blockbuster film "Spider-Man" was released and its box-office results proved to be the catalyst for countless superhero movies to follow.
After its theatrical release, "Spider-Man" shattered countless records, including the most earnings in a single day at nearly $42 million and worldwide earnings at more than $800 million. The International Movie Database says that some of these records have since been eclipsed, but "Spider-Man" still ranks as the seventh-highest grossing movie of all time.
On May 4, "Spider-Man 3" will be released in the United States, and countless movie-goers are eagerly anticipating its release. One of these eager fans is Blaeser, who actually put in for a vacation day at his job two months ahead of time so he could watch it on opening night.
Well, except for the fact that he's a superhero.
Stan Lee, godfather of the comic book world, created Spider-Man in 1962 with the idea that he wasn't going to make another "typical" superhero. A "Year in Review" article from 2002's Encyclopedia Britannica stated that Lee thought that a younger, more emotionally problematic teenager would be more impressionable on a generally young audience.
"It's the story of a typical teenager like me ... except, you know, he's radioactive," UW-Eau Claire senior Mathew Blaeser said. "The plot deals with real issues and pretty powerful themes."
And Blaeser's reaction was just what Lee capitalized on today - Spider-Man has appeared in countless Marvel comics, TV shows, merchandise and more.
While there have been other commercially successful creations, such as The Fantastic Four and The X-Men, no individual superhero has received more popularity than Spider-Man over the last 45 years in terms of commercial success.
In 2002, the blockbuster film "Spider-Man" was released and its box-office results proved to be the catalyst for countless superhero movies to follow.
After its theatrical release, "Spider-Man" shattered countless records, including the most earnings in a single day at nearly $42 million and worldwide earnings at more than $800 million. The International Movie Database says that some of these records have since been eclipsed, but "Spider-Man" still ranks as the seventh-highest grossing movie of all time.
On May 4, "Spider-Man 3" will be released in the United States, and countless movie-goers are eagerly anticipating its release. One of these eager fans is Blaeser, who actually put in for a vacation day at his job two months ahead of time so he could watch it on opening night.
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