Spider-Man: 6 reasons why Peter Parker is the greatest teen superhero

There have been a lot of teenage superheroes, but none of them are as great as Peter Parker aka Spider-Man. Here are five reasons why this remains true.

“My name is Peter Parker, and I’ve been Spider-Man since I was fifteen years old.” These are the words that Peter said to the world during Marvel Comics Civil War. Sometimes we forget that Peter has been doing this for so long. He was just a genius kid who got bullied and was awkward around everyone. One spider bite changed all of that.

Whether you believe that it was the radioactive spider or the totem, that incident changed the lives of billions of people. He may call himself Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, but he’s gone on to help save the universe. So, let’s not forget it all started doing this as a teenager from Queens. Those earlier moments show why he’s the greatest teen superhero of all time. Here are five examples that prove this theory.

Did Peter Parker have a mentor?

Most superheroes have a mentor to guide them while they’re becoming heroes. For example, Cyclops had Professor X and Dick Grayson had Bruce Wayne. On top of the mentorship, they were given a place to stay and tools to harness their skills. Peter Parker didn’t have either of those things. Spider-Man had a phrase from a dead father figure and the determination to succeed.

Peter wasn’t lucky enough to get any help. The few times he did ask for assistance, he was turned away. J. Jonah Jameson and the Daily Bugle certainly didn’t help that. They helped create an image of him that wasn’t true. Nevertheless, he kept on going on his own. He didn’t need the Avengers budget or the Fantastic Fours’ gadgets. Peter always found a way to do more with less.

Peter put his job before his personal life

There have been countless amounts of times where Peter had the opportunity to be a teenager. The more he was Spider-Man, the more confident he became. He could have used his powers and become the most popular kid in school and get all the love and admiration anyone could have wanted. As tempted as he was, he didn’t do it. Peter knew the lives of others were more important.

Imagine having Spider-Man’s powers when you were fifteen. The urge to use them to become the most talked-about person in your town or school could be overwhelming. Instead of succumbing to those desires, Peter chose to be heroic. There were multiple occasions where he had to choose between his personal life and being Spider-Man. Peter Parker chose to be a hero more times than anyone else. We can’t overlook that.

Didn’t let abuse bring him down

One of the toughest parts of growing up is taking abuse. It’s difficult as an adult. Doubly so as a teenager. Peter had to save people who hate him. There were times where people would hit him as he was saving them. Which seems like the epitome of being ungrateful.

Now, add all of that to the slander that the Daily Bugle was slinging his way and anyone would break down and quit. Not Peter. He kept on doing what he thought was right. An admirable move for anyone. Especially someone as young as him.

Is Peter Parker a genius?

Spider-Man’s super-strength and speed, Spider-Sense, and agility are more than enough to make him a challenge for anyone. We’ve seen a plethora of heroes and villains make a living with less. Spider-Man isn’t just another hero. He’s one of the greats. Part of what sets him above the rest is his genius intellect.

The Spider-Man rogue’s gallery could be the most random. He fights living sand and water, goblins, guys with electrical powers, and others with mechanical weaponry. You can’t always punch your way out of those situations. Most of the time, Spidey has to outsmart them. Use their own powers against them or create something that negates their abilities. The best example is when he defeated six of his villains in a gauntlet-like situation.

Spider-Man earns respect

Most of the heroes used to look at Spider-Man as just an annoying teenage hero (granted, he was annoying). They liked that he was fighting the good fight, but they didn’t want to work with him. They weren’t sure if he was someone they could be affiliated with.

As time went on, that changed. Captain America, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and even his villains learned to respect Spider-Man. They may not have liked him, but they knew what he was capable of. It may have taken a while, but it happened.

Did Spider-Man defeat the Sinister 6 as a teenager?

We can talk about all of the amazing things he sacrificed, but let’s talk about what he did in the costume. Doctor Octopus was tired of being beaten by Spider-Man. So what does he do? He gathers five more villains to help him. It was a good plan that failed. Fatigued and mentally drained, Peter found a way to be victorious and make fun of his enemies for losing.

Each of the Sinister Six (Doc Ock, Electro, Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio, the Sandman, and Vulture) pose a separate threat. It’s what makes their defeat more impressive. Sure, fighting six supervillains physically is magnificent. Doing it differently and adapting to distinct power sets is even better. Again, it’s the genius of Peter Parker as a teenager.

Is Peter Parker the best teen hero?

Looking back at all he went through, it’s shocking that Peter Parker hasn’t lost his mind. He had to watch people around him die, he beat himself up for failing, and he’s called a murderer, monster, and thief every day.

This is piled on with the hormones and emotions that come with being a teenager. No big-name hero or team to fall back on. The stress of lying to keep his secret identity from his loved ones. Yet Peter still managed to stand up and fight every day since he was fifteen years old. That is why he’s the greatest teen superhero of all time.

What do you think? Are there other things that make Spider-Man the greatest teen superhero? Do you have another hero that should be here instead of him? Let us know in the comments below.