Spider-Man: The Parker Years #1
The Parker Years
On the roof of the brownstone that he owns with his wife, Mary Jane, Peter Parker has started a burn barrel.[1] He then begins tossing in equipment and various mementos that cover his entire career as Spider-Man.[2] That's when Mary Jane comes up to ask for Peter's help packing the kitchen.[3] Seeing him burning his Spider-Man momentos, she asks him what he is doing.[4] He tells his wife that he is burning these possessions so he can put the charade of being Spider-Man behind him once and for all. Mary Jane can't believe that Peter is still sulking over the revelation that he is a clone.[5] Among the photos that he is about to burn, Mary Jane sees one of Spider-Man standing over what appears to be the dead body of Peter Parker. He tells her that this photo is the one that started everything. At the time he thought he was the real Peter Parker and that his clone was dead. The photo was taken moments before he disposed of the body.[6] Believing that he was the clone all along, Peter figures he was confused because he was busy staying alive fighting the Sandman, Vulture, and the Kingpin all at the same time.[7] He also recalls how his love of Mary Jane helped him during a battle against Spencer Smythe around this time. That helped convince him that the Jackal couldn't have implanted those feelings and that he was the real Spider-Man.[8]
Knowing that contrary now, Peter goes through his old rolls of film and wonders if the real Spider-Man couldn't have done things differently. He points to the night that he failed to stop a crook who later found one of Norman Osborn's old weapons caches.[9] He recalls how this equipment later fell into the hands of Ned Leeds, who later became the Hobgoblin.[10] He recalls how much misery the Hobgoblin caused their lives, like when he terrorized Mary Jane and Liz Osborn and later framed Flash Thompson.[11] Ned had an untimely end as well, after being assassinated by the Foreigner.[12] He remembers how Ned's death had a negative impact on his widow, Betty Brant. Hearing this, Mary Jane thinks it is ridiculous that Peter would take responsibility for all of this because he failed to stop one crook, pointing out that he is only human.
This doesn't dissuade Peter, who still believes that he has caused more harm than good. He points out how if it wasn't for his inaction, Morris Bench wouldn't have become the villain known as Hydro-Man.[13] Worse, he reminds her that while he was off on the Secret Wars, he brought an alien symbiote back to Earth, thinking that it was a high tech costume.[14] When he discovered that it was alive he got rid of it, but when it came back he tried to kill the alien creature.[15] However, his attempts to kill the symbiote failed and it later bonded with Eddie Brock, to become Venom.[16] Not only did Venom terrorize Mary Jane and his Aunt May, but it also went on to spawn more symbiotes.[17] The most deadly of those was Carnage, bonded to serial killer Cletus Kasady, this symbiote was so deadly that Spider-Man had to team up with Venom to stop him, and it wasn't always pretty.[18] All of this happened because of yet another stupid mistake.
He then points out another time, during his manhunt for the Sin-Eater. When the serial killer tried to shoot him, Spider-Man leaped out of the way causing innocent people to get struck by the bullets. When Spider-Man finally caught up with the Sin-Eater, he would have beaten him to death had Daredevil not stopped him.[19] Stan Carter, the man who was the Sin-Eater, ended up being crippled as a result of the beating that he got from Spider-Man. Carter later committed suicide by cop when he held a child hostage with an unloaded shotgun.[20] He feels that as a carbon-copy of the real Spider-Man, he couldn't properly assess the situations the way the real Spider-Man would, such as when his doubts prevented the Puma from following his destiny to destroy the Beyonder.[21] Or when the Black Cat's bad luck powers started affecting him negatively him.[22] He went to Doctor Strange to use a spell to reverse it without thinking of the repercussions. The spell nullified the Black Cat's powers, resulting in a savage beating from the Foreigner's assassins.[23]
It doesn't stop there either, Peter continues, reminding his wife about Kraven the Hunter being obsessed with defeating Spider-Man. Mary Jane remembers Spider-Man's last encounter with Kraven, which resulted in Kraven burying Spider-Man alive, stealing his identity, then committing suicide when Spider-Man returned and defeated him.[24] However, Peter points out that things didn't end there, that Kraven's family came back for revenge in the form of the Chameleon. The villain vowed revenge and created constructs of Peter Parker's parents in order to get revenge against him.[25] He didn't learn the truth until the Vulture killed these constructs, pushing Peter over the edge for a time.[26] He finds it ironic that these "parents" were impostors when he wasn't even the real Peter Parker, to begin with.
That's where things continued to spiral out of control because not long after that experience, Ben Reilly returned. The two worked together to battle Judas Traveller.[27] Ben later became the Scarlet Spider, a hero in his own right, even taking on Venom all by himself.[28] From their things continued to become more chaotic with their battles with the Grim Hunter, the return of the Jackal, their battles with Kaine, Scrier, Judas Traveller, and the questions the Jackal had raised regarding who was the real Peter Parker.[29] This causes Peter to think back to when he was recently died and was saved by Doctor Octopus. He wonders if his old foe, Otto Octavius, learned the truth. He will never know though since Otto was later murdered by Kaine.[30] He feels the worst about the recent death of Aunt May since Ben had to watch her passing from outside the window, and he could feel Ben Reilly's resentment.[31]
Eventually, Mary Jane grows tired of hearing Peter whining about everything that has gone wrong over the past five years. She tells him that despite all the bad things he chooses to focus on, he has also saved the world countless times. To prove her point, she digs up pictures of Spider-Man's battle with the Abomination and how he and the Thing saved New York from destruction at the hands of Basilisk.[32] She also brings up the time that he helped Adam Warlock stop Thanos from snuffing out all the stars in the universe.[33] Another example she makes is the time that Spider-Man saved the Man-Thing from captivity and returned it to the Florida Everglades.[34] The list goes on: The time that Spider-Man and Daredevil saved the city from the Masked Marauder; or when Spider-Man protected J. Jonah Jameson from his own son when he was the Man-Wolf; and when he teamed up with Doctor Strange to stop Doctor Doom from unleashing Dormammu with the Bend Sinister.[35] When Peter tries to point out another instance when he failed to stop Doctor Octopus from poisoning the Punisher. Mary Jane retorts that not only did he cure the Punisher, but also stopped Octavius from poisoning the Daily Bugle's ink and killing thousands of New Yorkers.[36] She also reminds him of when he single-handedly defeated Firelord and held his own against the Hulk.[37] When Peter tries to brush off the Hulk victory by reminding her that he had the power of Captain Universe at the time, she insists that is not the point.[38]
She points out all of the villains that Peter fought over the years and defeated. She reminds him that his actions saved an innumerable amount of people. Not only that, she reminds him of all the times that he used his spider-powers to save his friends and family. She then reminds him that he went to university and graduated with honors, a skilled scientist in his own rights. These are all the things that helped convince her to marry him.[39] She also points out that she is carrying his child, the final proof that he has done a lot of good in his life.[40]
Returning to her packing, she tells Peter that he lived a good life and that even if he burns all of his possessions it won't change a thing. Peter sits and thinks about her words for a long moment. He then picks up all of the photos and equipment and puts them back in a box. He holds the box over the flames for a moment, contemplating dropping everything into the barrel. Instead, he puts the box back on the ground. Taking out one of his web-shooters, Peter smothers the fire with his webbing and then goes downstairs to help Mary Jane pack.
Recurring Characters
Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson
Continuity Notes
Peter and Mary Jane are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage is erased from existence by Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such they should be considered a common-law couple here.
Peter decided to retire as Spider-Man in The Spectacular Spider-Man #229.
Peter and Mary Jane are moving to Portland, as revealed in Spider-Man: The Final Adventure #1.
Among the items being burned are copies of Peter's book "Webs", a collection of his Spider-Man photos that was first published in Amazing Spider-Man #304.
Peter was told he was actually a clone in The Spectacular Spider-Man #226. However, this is a lie perpetuated by the Green Goblin in a complex revenge scheme, as revealed in Spider-Man: The Osborn Journal #1.
Spider-Man first battled his clone in Amazing Spider-Man #149, leading him to believe the clone had died. He disposed of the body by dumping it down a smokestack in Amazing Spider-Man #151. This photo of Spider-Man standing over the clone's body was taken by Bart Hamilton as revealed in Amazing Spider-Man #180. The clone survived, as detailed in Spider-Man: The Osborn Journal #1. It later left New York and lived on the road for the next five years as detailed in The Parker Legacy arc.The Parker LegacyAmazing Spider-Man #400Spider-Man #57The Spectacular Spider-Man #223
The incidents with the Kingpin and Sandman mentioned were chronicled Amazing Spider-Man #153-154, and 160. His battle with the Vulture was in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #4-5.
The battle with Spencer Smythe in Amazing Spider-Man #150.
At the time of this story, everyone believes that Norman Osborn is dead following a battle against Spider-Man in Amazing Spider-Man #122. His survival is explained in Spider-Man: The Osborn Journal #1. He will resurface again in Amazing Spider-Man #412.
The original Hobgoblin was actually Roderick Kingsley, as revealed in Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives #1-3. Which details that Kingsley later brainwashed Leeds into replacing him as the Hobgoblin in order to retire. Kingsley first became the Hobgoblin in Amazing Spider-Man #238.
The Hobgoblin kidnapped Mary Jane and Liz Osborn in Amazing Spider-Man #260-261. He later framed Flash Thompson in Amazing Spider-Man #276.
Ned's murder was detailed in Amazing Spider-Man #289. Peter discovered Ned's body in Spider-Man Versus Wolverine #1.
Morris Bench became Hydro-Man in Amazing Spider-Man #212.
Spider-Man replaced his costume with the Symbiote in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8. He then brought it back with him to Earth in Amazing Spider-Man #252.
Peter learned the costume was a symbiote and abandoned it in Amazing Spider-Man #258. When it tried to come back, he attempted to kill it in Web of Spider-Man #1.
How the symbiote survived is detailed in Fall of the Hulks: Alpha #1. How it bonded to Eddie Brock is detailed in Amazing Spider-Man #300.
The symbiotes depicted here were created in Venom Lethal Protector #4-5. They are unidentified here they are not named until Civil War Battle Damage Report #1 and Carnage, U.S.A. #2.
Spider-Man and Venom had to work together to battle Venom in Amazing Spider-Man #361-363. The flashback also depicts the Maximum Carnage massacre.
Spider-Man's manhunt for the Sin-Eater was in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #107-110.
Carter's path to suicide was chronicled in The Spectacular Spider-Man #134-136.
The Puma attempted to destroy the Beyonder in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #111.
The Black Cat got bad luck powers from the Kingpin in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #89. As revealed in issue #100 of that series, the Kingpin did so as the powers would negatively impact Spider-Man after prolonged exposure.
Doctor Strange reversed the effects of the Black Cat's bad luck in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #115.
This happened during Kraven's Last Hunt.
Peter's parents were killed in action two decades prior to this story, as seen in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5. The Chameleon vowed to get revenge against Spider-Man in Amazing Spider-Man #375. He created constructs of Peter's parents, who surfaced in Amazing Spider-Man #385.
Peter learned the truth when the Vulture killed his "parents" in Amazing Spider-Man #388. He later went on a manhunt for the Chameleon during the Pursuit story arc.
Peter Parker discovered that Ben Reilly was still alive during the Power and Responsibility story arc
Ben became the Scarlet Spider and battled Venom during the Exile Returns story arc.
This glosses over a number of different story arcs of the Clone Saga. Those mentioned are: Smoke and Mirrors, Mark of Kaine, The Trial of Peter Parker, Maximum Clonage
Peter was poisoned by the Vulture during the Back from the Edge story arc. He was saved by Doctor Octopus who was later murdered by Kaine during the Web of Death arc.
Everyone believes Aunt May died in Amazing Spider-Man #400. However, this woman was an impostor as revealed in Spider-Man #97.
Spider-Man battled the Abomination in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #23 during the Atlantis Attacks event. He and the Thing saved New York from Basilisk in Marvel Two-In-One #17 and Marvel Team-Up #47.
Spider-Man helped Adam Warlock save the universe in Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2.
Spider-Man rescued the Man-Thing in Marvel Team-Up #68.
These events occurred in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #25-28, Amazing Spider-Man #124-125 and Amazing Spider-Man Annual #14, respectively.
Doctor Octopus' poison ink plot was chronicled in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #15.
Spider-Man defeated Firelord in Amazing Spider-Man #269.
The Hulk battle and power of Captain Universe mentioned here all occurred during the Acts of Vengeance event.
Peter and Mary Jane were married in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21. In the new timeline post-Amazing Spider-Man #545, that never happened. One could assume that this conversation changed to reflect the alternate history depicted in Amazing Spider-Man #638-639. In that story, it is revealed that although Peter and Mary Jane did not get married, they decided to remain engaged. One could presume that in the new timeline, Mary Jane says something to that effect here.
Mary Jane announced that she was pregnant in The Spectacular Spider-Man #220.
