Spider-Man Wouldn’t Be Marvel’s Biggest Hero Without These 5 Writers (& One Changed Everything)

Spider-Man is a cornerstone of the superhero genre. For over 60 years, the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has been the face of Marvel Comics and a beloved hero to fans worldwide. Naturally, Spider-Man’s long publishing history and many titles under his belt have resulted in plenty of writers who have added their own chapters to the Web-Head’s heroic career. Many of these writers helped make Spider-Man the household name and the symbol of heroism he is today. And their creativity and talent helped craft truly impactful storylines. These writers forever changed Spider-Man’s trajectory as a character and left permanent marks on Marvel Comics as a whole.

Spider-Man is an ever-evolving character, but these writers contributed the most to the Wall-Crawler’s growth. Spider-Man wouldn’t be the fan-favorite Web-Slinger he is now without them.

5) J.M. DeMatteis

Spider-Man comics never shy away from darker stories, but J. M. DeMatteis pushed the envelope by creating some of the Wall-Crawler’s most harrowing adventures. DeMatteis’ most iconic storyline is “Kraven’s Last Hunt.” There, the titular villain tries to take out the Wall-Crawler once and for all. This chilling tale covering many issues catapulted Kraven the Hunter from one of Spider-Man’s lamest enemies to one of his most iconic villains. DeMatteis’ ability to write dark, psychologically compelling stories continued when Spider-Man’s best friend, Harry Osborn, relapsed and once again took over his father’s legacy by becoming the new Green Goblin. Even worse, Harry’s second stint as the Green Goblin would also be his last because of his tragic death. In one blow, with Harry gone, Spider-Man loses one of his oldest friends and a major villain. Both these events penned by J.M. DeMatteis had long-lasting effects on the Spider-Man mythos, with the exit of his best friend Harry Osborn and with the rise and death of one of his greatest enemies.

4) Brian Michael Bendis

Ironically, Brian Michael Bendis’s greatest contributions to the Spider-Man mythos initially began outside of the regular Earth-616 canon. Instead, Bendis wrote the Ultimate Spider-Man series as a part of Marvel’s original Ultimate Universe imprint. Bendis took the opportunity to modernize Spider-Man’s origin story with twists and turns. Many of Bendis’s ideas would eventually inspire aspects of various Spider-Man movies and TV shows. But Bendis’ greatest contribution was when he killed Ultimate Peter Parker and introduced the all-new Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Although there was initial pushback, Miles was undoubtedly a game-changer. He was such an interesting character and alternative Spider-Man that he quickly rose through the ranks to become almost as popular as Peter Parker himself. Miles eventually became so iconic that Marvel moved him into the main Marvel Universe, where he’s still a beloved hero. What started as a simple retelling of Spider-Man’s origin gave Bendis a chance to create the next generation of Spider-Man.

3) David Michelinie

Having written over 100 issues of the Amazing Spider-Man, David Michelinie left an indelible mark on the Web-Head’s history. Among his most iconic contributions was writing Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson’s wedding. The marriage between Spider-Man and MJ led the series to delve more heavily into soap-opera and relationship drama, and it lasted for several decades. Although Venom’s exact creator is hotly debated, it’s clear that Michelinie created Eddie Brock and wrote Venom’s chilling introductory storyline. From his debut, Venom quickly proved himself one of Spider-Man’s most powerful and personal villains as he mercilessly attacked the hero and everyone he loved. However, Michelinie also oversaw Venom’s gradual redemption arc as he became San Francisco’s Lethal Protector. Michelinie would also create Venom’s psychopathic offspring, Carnage. Whether by fundamentally changing Spider-Man’s life or introducing some of the hero’s most iconic enemies, David Michelinie is celebrated for crafting one of the Wall-Crawler’s best eras.

2) Gerry Conway

After Stan Lee ended his run on Amazing Spider-Man, Gerry Conway took over and forever changed not just the Spider-Man mythos, but the entire comic book industry as well. Conway introduced the controversial yet iconic anti-hero Punisher and the mad-scientist villain Jackal. Conway also wrote Harry Osborn’s initial transformation into the Green Goblin, along with the 1976 Marvel-DC crossover Superman vs. Spider-Man. However, none of that compares to Conway’s “The Death of Gwen Stacy” story. No one had ever killed off a love interest in comics before, and Gwen’s death broke Spider-Man. Not only that, but her death ushered in the Bronze Age of comics, when the superhero genre became more willing to tell darker, more grounded stories. This event also led straight into the death of the first Green Goblin, Norman Osborn. Still, Gwen Stacy’s death forever changed the status quo of Spider-Man, who still to this day grieves for his first love.

1) Stan Lee

Stan Lee and Steve Ditko changed history with Amazing Spider-Man #15, debuting the friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Stan Lee’s impact on Spider-Man can’t be overstated; he laid the foundation for everything that makes the Wall-Crawler such an iconic hero. Rather than a paragon of virtue, Lee portrayed Peter Parker as a regular teen who, after being bitten by a radioactive spider, immediately used it for personal gain. But that selfishness ultimately costs Peter his Uncle Ben’s life, leading him to understand that with great power comes great responsibility. Lee also created many of Spider-Man’s most iconic supporting characters, including Aunt May, J. Jonah Jameson, Flash Thompson, Gwen Stacy, and Mary Jane Watson. Lee also crafted memorable Spider-Man villains like Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Lizard, Mysterio, Electro, and Sandman. No matter how many writers pick up the pen, they will always look for inspiration back to the man who created Marvel Comics’ greatest hero.

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