Spider-Man is one of the most iconic superheroes of all, and today we’re looking at five moments so massive and influential that Spidey’s comics were fundamentally different after. These are a mix of images that have become synonymous with these types of stories in the public zeitgeist, and story beats that have altered everything in Spider-Man’s life forever. Something like “One More Day” seems like it would make this list, but that is always under the possibility of being undone, while these moments are all things fans would never ask to change. With all that said, let’s swing right into Spider-Man’s spectacular moments.
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5) Spider-Man Throws Away His Costume
Issue: The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #50
Let’s start things off with one of the most iconic images Spider-Man has given to the world. Spider-Man has always been a character who has struggled with balance, always letting his civilian life suffer to save the day. This issue saw him reach his limit and finally throw the costume away, deciding that he couldn’t handle the stress of being a superhero anymore. The story itself was a classic that deserves to be praised, but the biggest contribution of this storyline was definitely the iconic image. This scene of Peter leaving his costume half-hanging out of the trash can has become synonymous with the idea of a hero leaving that life behind.
Every time a hero decides to quit or take a break, there’s a ninety-percent chance that the artist will reference this page on some level. There are dozens upon dozens of new versions of this image with tons of other iconic heroes. This is the rare type of image that has defined a sub-genre of stories, becoming a visual indicator that practically everyone can understand, like the Akira slide meets narrative significance. This image didn’t change Spider-Man’s life, but it has become one of the easiest to recognize pieces of media about him, and has spread his influence well beyond just himself.
4) The Death of Gwen Stacy
Issue: The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #121
Every Spider-Man fan knows this story. The Green Goblin decided to take his rivalry with Spider-Man to the next level by killing the woman he loved, her neck snapping when Peter tried to save her. This was one of the biggest Spider-Man deaths of all time, fundamentally shifting his comics and leaving a scar that never healed. Gwen was Peter’s first real love, and Marvel has never let anyone forget it. Gwen is Peter’s greatest failure, and Marvel constantly forces him to relive it as he grapples with the grief and hole in his heart that never healed. Gwen has become the ultimate sword Marvel uses to stab Spider-Man, to the point where it feels like her grave can never truly settle.
On a broader note, Gwen’s death was also a landmark moment in the seriousness of Spider-Man’s stories. This issue marks the end of the Silver Age of comics, leaving behind the camp and silliness for much more grounded, mature stories. Marvel was still very nervous to make that leap, still shaking off the hold of the Comics Code Authority. The fact that such a massive, dark twist worked for their biggest character gave Marvel the confidence to take this leap with the rest of their comics, guiding the entire company into a new era. Gwen’s death was the hammer that shattered the wall holding these stories back, letting the next era of comics truly begin.
3) MJ Stays With Peter
Issue: The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #122
Gwen’s death also paved the way for another iconic moment, this time being when Mary Jane chose to stay with Peter in his grief. It may not seem like much, but MJ’s decision to close that door and comfort the crying Peter opened the door to their future. Up to this point, MJ hadn’t let herself connect with anyone, always keeping them at arm’s length and doing what she thought was fun. She was a party girl through and through, but this moment was when she decided to become something more. Peter spent the entire time berating her, lost in his own grief and rage, but she kept her head. This single act of kindness started her character arc, which to this day is one of Marvel’s best. She’s grown into a wise hero in her own right, overcoming even her own flaws to stand up for what’s right.
Of course, this moment also kickstarted the incredible romance between MJ and Peter. They grew close in their grief, becoming important figures in each other’s lives, which eventually blossomed into love. They’re one of the most iconic and beloved couples in comics, with fans still screaming for their reunion nearly twenty years after they were split apart. This was the spark that became the fire of Marvel’s incredible love story, all spinning out of a single act of kindness between people at their lowest.
2) Spider-Man Finds Uncle Ben’s Murderer
Spider-Man’s origin is simple but infinitely powerful, resonating with countless millions of fans over the decades, and this is the moment that did it. After Uncle Ben’s death, the realization that the same thief Peter let escape was the culprit changed everything Spider-Man stood for, and how we look at him. Before Uncle Ben’s death, Peter was a punching bag who got a taste of power and ran away with it, becoming the same thing he once hated. This revelation forced him to look himself in the face and become something more, pushing him down the path of heroism and his stance on responsibility.
Origins are an essential moment for all superheroes, but this one hits especially hard because it sparked what would become one of the most important quotes in comic book history. This moment made Peter realize the burden of having power, and that guilt and responsibility have guided him ever since. Every Spider-Man story draws from the original in some capacity, and Spider-Man truly wouldn’t be the same without the lessons that this confrontation imparted to him.
1) Spider-Man Lifting the Heavy Weights
Issue: The Amazing Spider-Man(1963) #33
There’s potentially no image more synonymous with who Spider-Man is than this one of him throwing off the rubble of Doctor Octopus’s crumbling lab. This is Peter at his lowest and greatest, finding the strength to accept his life as Spider-Man and pull himself out of the depths to do what he was born to do: save someone. This scene has inspired generations of fans, artists, and writers, with countless pointing to this as the Spider-Man in their mind. Every other Spider-Man story draws from the template perfected in this story, pushing Peter to the absolute brink and letting him rise above it all. It’s lightning in a bottle that combines one of the best scripts and art that Spider-Man will ever have.
This moment is referenced or adapted in plenty of ways, but it’s the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s use of it in Spider-Man: Homecoming that always sticks with me as losing the impact. In the movie, Peter follows a similar physical lift after being trapped under a building, but while the emotional weight is there, it misses a decent chunk of the heart. In the movie, it’s just about Peter grappling with the idea that he’s more than a kid, that he can be a hero even when nobody else thinks so.
Yes, it’s about embracing his destiny, but it loses the aspect of him embracing the despair that is inherent to the costume. The threats Peter faces tie less directly into the thesis of his character, so it falls just a bit flat. Also, the moment of Spider-Man changing positions, leaving the rubble hanging, does take me out of it. Regardless, it’s still a great scene, but it falls short for me because it was adapting a perfect one. Be the judge for yourself by checking out this rework of the most iconic Spidey moment of all right here.
Which Spider-Man moments would you consider to be your go-to for fundamentally changing everything that came after, either in the story or the art? Comment your answer below!
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