A superhero is only as good as their costume. Take Daredevil, for example. Early in his Netflix series, he puts on a black blindfold and a compression shirt during his outings in Hell’s Kitchen. Receiving a fair share of beatings leads him to reconsider his wardrobe, so he has Melvin Potter build a suit of armor that will protect him from tougher opponents. Daredevil doesn’t keep the black color scheme, though, opting to switch it out for a red one as an homage to his father, who wore red to his last boxing match before his death. Another notable Marvel hero, Spider-Man, also uses red in his costume, but the reason why isn’t as obvious.
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Initially, comic book Spider-Man had a red and blue outfit for practical reasons, as the brain trust at Marvel wanted the character to stand out. That logic worked for Sam Raimi when he brought the character to the big screen, so he followed suit. However, a new theory posits that Peter Parker has a clear motive for picking the colors he does in the 2002 movie.
Peter Parker May Have Let His Feelings Influence His Costume in Spider-Man
Peter is like any other nerdy kid at the start of Spider-Man, pining after a girl who barely looks his way and struggling to make friends. But getting bitten by a radioactive spider changes his outlook on life, as he discovers that he has incredible abilities. Peter tries his powers out around New York City, and while he fails a couple of times, he realizes that the world is now his oyster. Of course, being a teenage boy, the first thing Peter wants to do after finding his footing is impress Mary Jane Watson, his crush. He decides buying a car will be the best way to do that, so he enters a wrestling competition.
Before the event, Peter realizes that he needs a costume. He starts drawing rough sketches and brainstorming ideas that could benefit him in the long run, including a utility belt. Eventually, he settles on the red and blue design that he wears later in the movie to fight the Green Goblin, which isn’t a surprise since that’s what the character dons in the comics. However, Mitchted on X points out that, during the montage where Peter designs his outfit, he can’t stop thinking about Mary Jane. Her iconic red hair is visible throughout the sequence, and Mitchted also draws attention to her blue eyes.
Despite the scene being over 20 years old, it’s hard to see it any other way now. Peter’s feelings for MJ influence his every move at the start of the movie, so why should his costume choice be any different? However, while it’s possible to apply this theory to the comics as well, it doesn’t work for either of the other live-action versions of the hero.
The Other Live-Action Spider-Men Choose Red and Blue for the Fun of It
Mary Jane doesn’t appear in either of the other live-action Spider-Man franchises, with Andrew Garfield’s version falling for Gwen Stacy and Tom Holland’s growing close to Michelle Jones. Without a redhead in their lives, the other Peters seemingly pick red and blue for their costumes because they look cool together. The Amazing Spider-Man at least shows the origins of its Peter’s costume, as he needs to put something on to hide his identity while searching for his uncle’s killer. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, on the other hand, leaves Uncle Ben out of the story entirely. By the time Peter shows up in Captain America: Civil War, he already has a red and blue costume that he uses to help people around New York City.
The animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, which takes place in an alternate reality but still follows the events of the MCU up to a certain point, mentions that Peter adds red and blue to his outfit after becoming obsessed with Captain America. The Sacred Timeline Spider-Man could be in the same boat, as he grows up at a time when the Avengers are the end-all be-all.
Regardless of how his variants end up with their costumes, Raimi’s Spider-Man makes his decision based on love. His motivations change as his sense of justice begins to take shape, but he gets to be with Mary Jane and continue his heroic crusade at the end of the trilogy. And a part of her will always be out there with him as he keeps the streets of New York City safe.
Spider-Man is streaming on Disney+.
Did you notice the influence that Mary Jane had on Spider-Man’s costume in the 2002 movie? Why do you think the other live-action Spider-Man picked their colors? Let us know in the comments below!
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Image courtesy of Netflix.
