Spider-Man is one of the most important superheroes to ever exist. He was an instant success when he debuted and revolutionized the genre with his focus on relatable characters and problems. More than that, his mantra of responsibility has had a genuine positive impact on people for generations, teaching them how to stand up and do the right thing, even when they don’t want to. Spider-Man’s impact is felt not just by his fans in the real world but the characters he interacts with. Spider-Man is one of the most inspiring heroes in Marvel, and that was just proven by his best friends and worst enemies.
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Peter Parker has been lost in space for months now. To cover his disappearance, Ben Reilly has been posing as Peter, and Norman Osborn has taken the mantle of Spider-Man. They’re both trying to protect the life Peter built for himself and his legacy, feeling that they owe him that much after everything he’s done for them. However, Peter’s influence is not exclusive to these two. Spider-Man can’t be replaced that easily, and everyone in his life showed it in The Amazing Spider-Man (2025) #16.
A Hero That Inspires Others
The entirety of issue #16 focuses on Peter’s supporting cast as they deal with his disappearance. J. Jonah Jameson got in contact with Aunt May and asked her to help him reach out to “Peter.” He thinks that something happened to Spider-Man that made the boy cut everyone off, and he wanted May and her new boyfriend to help him set up an intervention. May, in contrast, said that this is what Peter did when he was hurting. She knew him well enough to say that the only thing to do was wait for him to reach out.
Meanwhile, Norman revelled in being Spider-Man even as it impacted his life. Being Spider-Man let him be a symbol of hope and feel what it’s like to be a good person. However, Tombstone worried about Spider-Man’s volatile new attitude. He staged a villain attack to draw him out, and openly expressed concern, saying that Spidey’s new attitude was bad for the neighborhood they both fought to protect. Norman responded that mercy was reserved for those who deserved it, and Tombstone finally realized that this wasn’t Peter, because Spider-Man would never say something like that.
Tombstone’s genuine concern for Spider-Man only set Norman off more, and Tombstone unleashed his newest henchman, Plague RX. His powers let him absorb pain and dish it back out to others, and Norman was hit with all the agony he inflicted on Shocker and his men. Norman and Tombstone duked it out, with Norman eventually running away, ashamed of his violence. Across the city, Ben wondered if living Peter’s life was for the best, and considered changing the name on his and Brian’s breakthrough project to his own, while Norman asked himself what Peter would do.
The Importance of a Good Life
The care that everyone showed for Peter, even his enemies like Tombstone, demonstrates just how important Spider-Man is. Peter may be at odds with his loved ones and on the outs with luck more often than not, but he never stops trying to do the right thing. His unyielding heroism has inspired everyone he meets. Spider-Man has never been an incredible hero because of what he can do, but because of what he chooses to do. Just like Norman said himself, he could have become his own hero, but he chose to be Spider-Man because the Spider-symbol gives people hope, and he needs that as much as anyone else.
Spider-Man is an inspiration that makes other people want to be better. If Spider-Man really had gone off the deep end, it would have been a terrible decision for Tombstone to meet him one-on-one, but he went anyway. Part of it was certainly to protect his assets and end this increased antagonism, but another part was because he needed to check up on Spider-Man’s well-being, which is important for everyone in the neighborhood. Even Spider-Man’s enemies care about him, showing just how great an impact he’s had on everyone.
There are very few heroes out there like Spider-Man, and those that are should always be celebrated. Spider-Man makes everyone want to be a better person, even when they disagree with him or want to pound him into the dirt. Spider-Man is a hero who helps everyone, and that is how he’ll be remembered.
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