Ben Reilly, Marvel’s new Spider-Man, has a decidedly different take on the Wall Crawler than Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker in the 2002 film.
Warning: contains preview images for Ben Reilly, Spiderman #1!
Marvel’s Newest Spider Man, Ben Reilly, perfectly reverse an iconic line from 2002 Spider Man movie starring Tobey Maguire. In preview for Ben Reily: Spiderman #1, Reilly ponders what it’s like to be Spider-Man, coming to a far different conclusion than Maguire’s Peter Parker in Sam Raimi’s film. The first issue goes on sale in print and digital on January 19.
After nearly two decades in development hell, Spider-Man made the leap to the big screen in the 2002 film of the same name, directed by acclaimed horror director Sam Raimi. Starring Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man, Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson, and Willem DaFoe as the Green Goblin, the film was not only popular with critics but was also a massive box office hit, spawning two sequels and a handful. restarts. Part of the film’s appeal was how perfectly Tobey Maguire handled the role of Peter Parker. Maguire balanced Spider-Man’s carefree demeanor with the inherent darkness of the character, such as his origin as well as the idea that his loved ones suffer the most. This theme has been explored many times in the comics, but Ben Reilly, the new Spider-Man, has different ideas about what it means to be the Wall Crawler. The issue is written by JM DeMatteis, illustrated by David Baldeon, colored by Israel Silva, and lettered by Joe Caramagna.
As the preview opens, Reilly is on patrol. As he makes his way through town, he can barely contain his happiness as he says, “It’s more like that.” As Reilly continues to reflect, he realizes that he loves being Spider-Man because he can make a positive difference, that it gives him purpose. Reilly believed being Spider-Man was a “curse“but now he clearly sees his powers as a”blessing.” Reilly then enters the battle against Carrion.
The preview ends there, leaving readers to wait to see how Reilly puts Carrion aside, but the key takeaway here is how Reilly sees himself as Spider-Man, versus how Peter sees him. Being Spider-Man has brought Peter Parker untold misfortune, as he watches his family die and his best friends turn into mortal enemies. Sam Raimi’s final scene Spider Man capture this; when Parker recites the famous mantra”With great power comes great responsibility,” he adds: “It is my blessing. It’s my curse.” The film acknowledges this unfortunate aspect of Spider-Man’s existence and expands on it through the remaining two films. Ben Reilly, on the other hand, is a clone of Peter Parker, considered an inferior copy of the original. Being Spider-Man is Reilly’s way of finding purpose and meaning, of rising above the rest of the crowd.
When Peter Parker became Spider-Man, he lost so much: his beloved Uncle Ben was just the beginning. He has also seen his loved ones suffer as well, leading him to believe that being Spider-Man is a curse. Ben Reilly doesn’t see it that way, seeing instead Spider Man like a blessing.
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