Childhood
At the age of six, Peter Parker was orphaned when his parents were tragically killed in an airplane crash that happened overseas. Shortly after this happened, he moved to Forest Hills, New York, where he lived with his uncle and aunt.
Becoming Spider-Man
When Parker attended a public exhibition that was demonstrating safe handling of nuclear waste, he was bitten by a spider that was irradiated by the chemicals used during the demonstration. As he made his way home after the exhibition, Peter discovered that he felt stronger and had the ability to cling to walls, similar to a spider.
To test his powers, Peter attended a local wrestling match to see how powerful he really was. Wearing a mask to protect his identity and save himself from embarrassment, Peter was able to easily defeat his opponent, capturing the attention of a local television producer, who wanted him to appear on a local show.
Following his first television appearance, Peter failed to stop a thief in action as he was making his way home. Even though he didn't feel it was his responsibility to stop crime, Peter came home one night to find his uncle Ben murdered by a burglar who locked himself up in a local warehouse. When Peter learned about his location, he was able to show up and easily capture the burglar; however, what he soon realized was that this burglar was the same guy he could have stopped earlier. Feeling filled with remorse, Peter Parker ultimately decided it was time to become a notorious superhero -- Spider-Man.
Starting His Career
Shortly after this uncle's death, Peter had it found increasingly difficult to make money. Since his aunt was too weak to work, Peter had finally decided that it was time to venture out and find a new job.
As Peter searched the wanted ads, Peter knew that he wouldn't be able to use his super-powers since this would give away his identity. Since this idea infuriated him, his job opportunities were slim.
However, one night, a Russian criminal was able to steal defense missile plans using Spider-Man's identity. After managing to avoid police, the real Spider-Man was able to catch the criminal in a helicopter and hand him over to the authorities. Because he was able to capture photos during his stunts, this incident eventually led to a job with the Daily Bugle, where he would become a professional photographer.
College
Eventually, Peter was able to graduate from high school and enroll at Empire State University on a science scholarship. During his college days, he began fighting new foes like the Rhino, Cat Burglar and Dr. Strange.
The Tablet of Life and Time, an artifact that was found in the college, was stolen by Kingpin, one of the most powerful crime lords. While Spider-Man tried to retrieve it, the artifact eventually landed in the hands of the Maggia boss, Silvermane. When it landed in his hand, he was able to drink it, restoring his youth.
Soon after this incident, Spider-Man attempted to thwart an attack that was made by his nemesis, Doctor Octopus, who was planning an attack on the city's power plant. Although he was able to escape, his ally, Stacy, knew of his identity and asked him to take care of Gwen. Stacy shortly died while attempting to free a child from the falling debris.
The Clone Saga
Shortly after returning from France, Peter found himself living up to his promise helping out Gwen Stacy. When helping her out, he found out that she was actually a clone who was created by the Jackal. This clone ultimately led to Spider-Man's kidnapping.
After many months of adventuring, Spider-Man soon became the talk of the town. With increased pressure to capture him, Peter had to continue his crime-fighting career while managing four other identities that he created.
In the course of the comic series, Spider-Man deals with many opponents who all have various super powers. The Green Goblin, Venom and Doctor Octopus are just a few that come up from time to time. On the other hand, Spider-Man became friends with notorious superheroes like Iron Man and Captain America.
Comics
Spider-Man was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. He was first spotted in the number 15 edition of the Amazing Fantasy comic book series in 1962. Over the years, Spider-Man has grown into one of the most important and popular characters in the Marvel universe.