(Issue 15) The Origin of Spider-Man

Amazing Fantasy #15 was the final issue in the series. It is best known for being the first appearance of Spider-Man. It was published in 1962.

Part 1
A shy, unassuming high-school student, Peter Parker prefers the company of his teachers to that of his classmates, who call him "Midtown High's only professional wallflower." His only living relatives, Uncle Ben and Aunt May, think the world of him.

One evening, while attending a demonstration on radioactivity at General Techtronics Laboratories East, Parker fails to notice a spider drop through a "radioactive ray" and recieves a massive dose of radiation. It bites him and dies. Light-headed, Parker leaves the demonstration, only to be nearly run over by a car. He leaps to safety, but is surprised to find he has jumped much furthur than intended - he lands on the side of a buildingand is clinging to the bricks by his fingertips. He quickly climbs to the foor and, once there, accidentally crumples a steel pipe in his hand. He believes that he has inherited the spider's speed, strength, and climbing ability. He begins to ponder the possibilities.

Shortly thereafter, Peter sees a wrestling ring and a sign: "$100 to the man who can stay in the ring three minutes with Crusher Hogan." He goes home, changes, puts on a hood, and returns to the ring. Hogan laughingly calls Parker the "Masked Marvel," but then Parker lifts Hogan over his head and carries him up a post. Afterward, a man in the crowd introduces himself to Parker as a television producer, and encourages him to go into show businness, and gives him his card.

At home, Parker makes himself a spider-themed costume, a supply of sticky web fluid, and two jets for his wrist that can shoot the fluid. "Herecomes the Spider-Man!" he says.

Part 2
The Spier-Man appears on television and becomes a celebrity. One evening, he goes backstage and finds a guard chasing a thief. Spider-Man lets the thief escape and, when the guard complains, Spider-Man tells him, "Thats your job! I'm thru being pushed around. . . by anyone!"

Some days later, Parker gets home and learns from a policeman that a burglar has killed his Uncle Ben. The police have cornered the man in the deserted Acme warehouse. Parker dons his costume and swings to the sceen. Once inside, he frightens the man by crawling down the wall toward him. Parker then covers his gum hand with web fluid and KOs him. When he sees the man's face, he recognizes the thief who got away at the studio. He wraps the burglar in webbing and leaves him for the police to find. Shocked, Peter realizes that if he had cought the burglar, his Uncle Ben would still be alive. He eventually learns that with great power comes great responsibility.

Characters

 * Spider-Man / Peter Parker
 * Aunt May
 * Uncle Ben
 * Flash Thompson
 * Liz Allan
 * Raymond Warren
 * Bernard O'Brien
 * the Burglar
 * Crusher Hogan
 * Seymour O'Reily
 * Maxwell Shiffman
 * Sally Avril
 * Baxter Bigelow