Peter Parker

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The first volume of Peter Parker: Spider-Man was created by editor Jim Salicrup so that Todd McFarlane could pencil, ink, and write a Spider-Man title of his own. McFarlane was hugely popular at the time, and the series sold over 2.5 million copies. He left after issue #16 (November 1991), which was printed in a landscape format. He was succeeded by Erik Larsen, who wrote and drew the six-issue story arc "Revenge of the Sinister Six" (#18–23). Later, writer Don McGregor and artist Marshall Rogers crafted a two-part story in issues #27–28 dealing with gun violence. The series played a key role in the "Clone Saga," shifting focus to the Ben Reilly Scarlet Spider character with issue #51 (November 1994). The run was interrupted by that saga in issues #63 and 64 (Nov.–Dec. 1995), when the series was replaced by a separate new series titled Scarlet Spider, which started with its own #1. The numbering of Peter Parker: Spider-Man resumed with #65 (Jan. 1996), with Ben Reilly replacing Peter Parker as Spider-Man. Intended as a permanent change, Reilly's status was cut short when Bob Harras was named new Editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics in February 1996, ordering the reinstatement of Peter Parker. In #75 (December 1996), by Mackie and John Romita Jr., Ben Reilly was killed by the resurrected original Green Goblin – who had seemingly died in The Amazing Spider-Man #122 (July 1973) – and Peter Parker returned. That same issue, the title was changed to Peter Parker: Spider-Man. The series was cancelled with #98 (Nov. 1998) and relaunched as (vol. 2) almost immediately afterward.

In Their Own Story

The second volume (1999–2003) was a continuation of (vol. 1), with the creative team of Howard Mackie and John Romita Jr. migrating to the new series. It ran for 57 issues. In June 2001, Marvel began a dual numbering system; the first issue to be dual-numbered was listed as both #30 and #128 on the cover – the second figure achieved by adding the total of issues of the new volume (30) to the first volume's 98. Mackie and Romita Jr. remained through issue #20 (August 2000) when writer Paul Jenkins and artist Mark Buckingham became the new creative team. Jenkins would write the character over different titles for the next five years. Buckingham and Jenkins left after issue #50 (Jan. 2003) and were briefly succeeded by writer Zeb Wells and an assortment of artists on what was meant to be a two-issue story before cancellation, but due to delays on the replacement book, became seven issues before the title was finally retired with issue #57 (Aug. 2003). This series was replaced with a new Spider-Man title, Spectacular Spider-Man (vol. 2).

Reader's Guide

In September 2018, J. J. Abrams, his son Henry Abrams, and artist Sara Pichelli teamed up for volume 3, simply called Spider-Man, a limited series, later collected as Spider-Man: Bloodlines. In July 2022, it was announced that Dan Slott would return to the Spider-Man franchise in October of that year, teaming with veteran Spider-Man artist Mark Bagley for the first time. Their title, simply called Spider-Man, is a monthly ongoing which connects to the status quo of the Amazing Spider-Man run from Zeb Wells and John Romita Jr. The first storyline for the issue is "End of the Spider-Verse", the climactic chapter of the Spider-Verse trilogy begun in 2014 and furthered with Spider-Geddon in 2018.

Did You Know?

• The first volume was originally titled simply Spider-Man and was retitled to Peter Parker: Spider-Man only on the covers starting with issue #75; the legal indicia still listed it as Spider-Man until the (vol. 2) relaunc
• Todd McFarlane's run on the series ended with issue #16 (November 1991), which was printed in a landscape format.
• The series was interrupted by the Clone Saga in issues #63 and 64 (Nov.–Dec. 1995), when a separate new series titled Scarlet Spider replaced Peter Parker: Spider-Man for those two months; the numbering of Peter Parker:
• In issue #75 (December 1996), Ben Reilly was killed by the resurrected original Green Goblin, who had seemingly died in The Amazing Spider-Man #122 (July 1973).
• Volume 2 introduced dual numbering with issue #30, which was also listed as #128 on the cover, adding the new volume's 30 issues to the first volume's 98.

Todd McFarlane's Defining Run

The inaugural volume of this series was originally conceived as a personal showcase for the then-rising artist Todd McFarlane. Editor Jim Salicrup created the title specifically to allow McFarlane full creative control, enabling him to pencil, ink, and write his own Spider-Man stories starting with the 'Torment' storyline. This unique arrangement propelled the series into immediate massive commercial success, with over 2.5 million copies printed during its initial surge. McFarlane's tenure lasted until issue #16 in November 1991, which notably featured a story printed in an experimental landscape format. His departure coincided with his creation of Spawn and the founding of Image Comics in 1992. He was succeeded by Erik Larsen, who also later joined Image, and together they oversaw significant arcs like 'Revenge of the Sinister Six.' The series eventually evolved into a rotating creative team featuring legends like Don McGregor, Marshall Rogers, Tom DeFalco, and Jae Lee before finding long-term stability with Howard Mackie and Tom Lyle.

The Clone Saga Identity Crisis

This title played a pivotal role in Marvel's controversial 'Clone Saga,' serving as one of two primary books that shifted focus to the new Ben Reilly character. Beginning with issue #51, the narrative moved away from Peter Parker, eventually leading to a temporary renumbering and renaming of the series to 'Scarlet Spider' during issues #63 and #64. In this interim period, Ben Reilly officially replaced Peter as the primary Spider-Man in an intended permanent change. However, editorial leadership changes under new Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras in early 1996 reversed this decision, ordering the reinstatement of Peter Parker's identity. The series depicted the resolution of this conflict in issue #75, where writer Howard Mackie and artist John Romita Jr. scripted Ben Reilly's death at the hands of a resurrected Green Goblin. This event marked the return of Peter Parker to the role and prompted an official title change to 'Peter Parker: Spider-Man' to concretely establish that the original hero was once again the focus.

Creative Transitions and Relaunches

Following the resolution of the Clone Saga, the series continued under Howard Mackie and John Romita Jr. until a major relaunch in late 1998, which transitioned the title into Volume 2. This new iteration maintained continuity with its predecessor while adopting a dual numbering system starting in June 2001 to honor the legacy of the first volume's 98 issues. The creative helm eventually shifted from Mackie and Romita Jr. to writer Paul Jenkins and artist Mark Buckingham, who defined the title for several years until issue #50 in early 2003. Their departure led to a brief final stretch under writer Zeb Wells before the series was retired with issue #57. The cancellation paved the way for 'Spectacular Spider-Man' Volume 2, which featured Jenkins and Humberto Ramos. Decades later, the title saw further revivals, including a limited 2019 series by J.J. Abrams and Henry Abrams, and a 2022 ongoing run by Dan Slott and Mark Bagley that connected to the 'End of the Spider-Verse' storyline.

Publication History and Format Evolution

The publication history of this franchise is marked by significant structural changes and format experiments over three decades. The original Volume 1 ran for 98 issues between 1990 and 1998, initially titled simply 'Spider-Man' before being retitled on covers in issue #75 to distinguish it from other titles. A unique interlude occurred in July 1997 during Marvel's 'Flashback' event, where a special issue numbered -1 was published between regular issues #81 and #82, setting the story prior to the Fantastic Four's debut. Volume 2 continued this legacy with 57 issues from 1999 to 2003, utilizing complex numbering schemes to track continuity across volumes. The series has also been collected into various trade paperbacks and hardcovers, such as 'Torment,' 'Masques,' and 'Perceptions,' preserving key storylines for modern readers. These collections ensure that the distinct eras defined by artists like McFarlane, Romita Jr., and Bagley remain accessible to fans exploring the character's extensive history.

Gallery