He's A Spider-Man!?

[The Fatman]

A beaker full of death wrote:

---

nah, 35. Peak of physical ability and fully formed. 30-year-olds aren't fully cooked yet.
Superman, of course, has been 29 for about 40 years (I think he was a little older before that).

As for Marvel, I still maintain that Reed and Ben served in WWII, and Iron Man was born in Viet Nam. But I'm ornery that way.
Speaking of which, though, as written in the 60s through the 80s, Reed and Ben certainly did serve in WWII, so that makes them 40ish right out of the gate.

I really don't mean to hijack the thread, but men hit their physical peak by age 25. With exercise and a healthy lifestyle, one can maintain that peak for 10 years... but if one is taking constant abuse, like say football players, professional wrestlers, or costumed heroes....the body would already have nagging injuries and noticeable decreases in performance by age 30.

Back on topic... I think of course there are goods stories to tell about a 30 year old Spider-Man. I just don't think there are as many interesting stories to tell. Spidey IS a teen aged superhero... that's his thing. If by age 30, Pete hasn't gotten his personal life in order it stops being compelling and becomes kind of sad.

[Hermiod]

Jetfire wrote:

---

I am not familiar with the comics, just tv and movies about Spider-Man...all have him as a teenager or slightly older...are there good stories to tell about Spider-Man at lets say...30ish??? We all know Superman is much older for the most part when he takes on his role as The Man Of Steel...is there anything interesting for Spider-Man as a 30 something fully intune with his abilities???

Would love to hear some insight on this.

Thank you.

I don't know what age they gave him, but during JMS' run on the book he grew up a lot.

He got a proper job teaching science at his old school instead of living photo sale to photo sale. Aunt May found out about Spider-Man and they had a proper conversation about it (after which May showed her pride in a small way by writing to Jameson to tell him what she thought about the way he portrays Spidey in his newspaper).

He became a fully fledged Avenger too. Unfortunately, Brand New Day has reduced him to being a loser again.

[Nerys Myk]

Hermiod wrote:

---

I don't know what age they gave him, but during JMS' run on the book he grew up a lot.

He got a proper job teaching science at his old school instead of living photo sale to photo sale. Aunt May found out about Spider-Man and they had a proper conversation about it (after which May showed her pride in a small way by writing to Jameson to tell him what she thought about the way he portrays Spidey in his newspaper).

He became a fully fledged Avenger too. Unfortunately, Brand New Day has reduced him to being a loser again.

The question is, should Peter Parker "grow up". Why is that needed or necessary? Spider-man's personna is the wise cracking, hard luck hero who some people don't trust. Peter is a guy who's life never quite comes together because he's Spider-man. It costs him jobs, friends and relationships. A Spider-man with a steady job, a steady girl and membership in the most prestigous Super-Team isn't really Spider-Man. It goes against the core of the character. He can have these things briefly, but in the end it has to fall apart.

[A beaker full of death]

Foley0402 wrote:

---

men hit their physical peak by age 25.

I'm guessing you're... 24?
Me, in my 40s I can bench and deadlift twice as much as I could when I was 25.

Spidey IS a teen aged superhero... that's his thing.

That was his thing in the 60s. Ever since the 70s, he's been at least in his late 20s, movies notwithstanding.

[Nerys Myk]

Maybe you just didn't try hard enough when you were 25?

Cant say I recall anything in the 70s that shout "Peter Parker is in his late 20s". He pretty much stopped aging in real time by that point, no?

[TemporalFlux]

Nerys Myk wrote:

---

Cant say I recall anything in the 70s that shout "Peter Parker is in his late 20s". He pretty much stopped aging in real time by that point, no?

I can't cite point for point evidence, but my "feel" of it has always been a pretty natural progression in the mainstream Marvel universe.

1960's - Pete in high school / early college
1970's - Pete's college age years
1980's - Pete in mid 20's
1990's - Pete in mid to late 20's
2000's - Pete around age 30

Of course, the recent "Brand New Day" kind of throws a curve ball in things; I can't really get a handle on where things are. I suppose he's supposed to be exactly where he was when Stracynski's book left off; but for me, "Brand New Day" feels like a regression in age back to mid 20's.

[TemporalFlux]

Nerys Myk wrote:

---

Cant say I recall anything in the 70s that shout "Peter Parker is in his late 20s". He pretty much stopped aging in real time by that point, no?

I can't cite point for point evidence, but my "feel" of it has always been a pretty natural progression in the mainstream Marvel universe.

1960's - Pete in high school / early college
1970's - Pete's college age years
1980's - Pete in mid 20's
1990's - Pete in mid to late 20's
2000's - Pete around age 30

Of course, the recent "Brand New Day" kind of throws a curve ball in things; I can't really get a handle on where things are. I suppose he's supposed to be exactly where he was when Stracynski's book left off; but for me, "Brand New Day" feels like a regression in age back to mid 20's.

[Snaploud]

I think he works best as a thirty-something teacher.

[Nerys Myk]

So, no super heroics from 8am-3pm?

[Nerys Myk]

TemporalFlux wrote:

---

I can't cite point for point evidence, but my "feel" of it has always been a pretty natural progression in the mainstream Marvel universe.

1960's - Pete in high school / early college
1970's - Pete's college age years
1980's - Pete in mid 20's
1990's - Pete in mid to late 20's
2000's - Pete around age 30

Of course, the recent "Brand New Day" kind of throws a curve ball in things; I can't really get a handle on where things are. I suppose he's supposed to be exactly where he was when Stracynski's book left off; but for me, "Brand New Day" feels like a regression in age back to mid 20's.

Yeesh, he'll be 40 in a decade or two! ( if comics last that long!)

[Snaploud]

Of course, the Spider-girl comics have Peter Parker as an older man (Spider-girl's father).

[Nerys Myk]

Which is the right way to do it, always in the "future" or an alternate reality.

[Hermiod]

Nerys Myk wrote:

---

The question is, should Peter Parker "grow up". Why is that needed or necessary? Spider-man's personna is the wise cracking, hard luck hero who some people don't trust. Peter is a guy who's life never quite comes together because he's Spider-man. It costs him jobs, friends and relationships. A Spider-man with a steady job, a steady girl and membership in the most prestigous Super-Team isn't really Spider-Man. It goes against the core of the character. He can have these things briefly, but in the end it has to fall apart.

I believe he should grow up. We've spent decades telling the Peter Parker Loser storyline. It's done. The moment Captain America shook his hand and told him how much he admired and respected him is the same moment that storyline ends.

He still had to juggle teaching his classes and being a superhero and people still don't entirely trust him (see the reaction when the New Avengers were announced with Spidey, Wolverine, Luke Cage and Spider-Woman a members).

[Nerys Myk]

Should Bruce Wayne stop being a Millionare playboy? Should Clark Kent stop being a mild-mannered reporter? Why should Peter Parker "grow up"? Because you are tired of the "stoyline? What about new fans who've yet to encounter Peter Parker? Ones without decades to grow tired? Should Bart Simpson grow up too? Archie Andrews? Shaggy and Scooby? Charlie Brown?

[Hermiod]

Nerys Myk wrote:

---

Should Bruce Wayne stop being a Millionare playboy? Should Clark Kent stop being a mild-mannered reporter? Why should Peter Parker "grow up"? Because you are tired of the "stoyline? What about new fans who've yet to encounter Peter Parker? Ones without decades to grow tired? Should Bart Simpson grow up too? Archie Andrews? Shaggy and Scooby? Charlie Brown?

It's called character growth. He's still the same person, just with a different job and a different set of responsibilities. They don't exactly pay young science teachers a fortune, after all.

Judging by the reaction to One More Day/Brand New Day storyline, it would seem that a lot of people agree too.