What Type of Spider Bit Peter Parker and Gave Him Superpowers?
As an avid gamer and content creator focused on the gaming industry, I love exploring the origin stories of iconic superheroes. One of the most pivotal comic scenes that lead to a hero gaining powers occurred when Peter Parker was bitten by a genetically engineered "super spider."
But what specific type of spider was it that fatefully bit Peter Parker and gave him his iconic Spider-Man abilities?
Let‘s analyze the spider‘s origins and why Parker may have been chosen as the subject for its "radioactive spider bite."
The Spider‘s First Film Appearance
In Sam Raimi‘s 2002 Spider-Man film that helped launch Tobey Maguire‘s acting career into stardom, the production team chose to use a Steatoda spider for the scene depicting Peter being bitten.
Steatoda is a genus of spiders belonging to the cobweb spider family Theridiidae. Several species of Steatoda are known as "false widows" because of their resemblance to the deadly black widow spider.
The filmmakers specifically chose a brown-colored Steatoda spider for the scene and colored it with red and blue non-toxic paint to match Spider-Man‘s iconic costume colors.
Fun Spider Movie Fact: Over 800 spiders were reportedly used during the 4-week shoot of Tobey Maguire‘s spider bite scene! Most were held in small cages near the camera equipment, but the one "actor spider" was given a high-protein diet to ensure good health and proper weight as it repeatedly crawled across Maguire‘s hand for multiple takes.
Spider Movie Trivia Quiz!
Q: How many spiders were used in Tobey Maguire‘s spider bite scene?
A: Over 800 spidersSo while a fairly harmless Steatoda spider was the first filmed appearance of the arachnid that fatedly bit Peter, the movie did not explore the intricate backstory of its origins.
The Spider‘s Backstory in Marvel Comics
The comics provide much more context around the genetic enhancement experiments that resulted in Peter Parker crossing paths with the "super spider."
In Marvel comics continuities and animated series, the spider is frequently depicted as being the product of secret genetic engineering experiments funded by the evil founder of Oscorp, Norman Osborn.
Osborn and Oscorp had a secret program with the goal of creating a breed of highly intelligent spiders exhibiting new traits like enhanced strength, speed and venom potency.
So the eventual "super spider" was intentionally exposed to radiation, genetically manipulated DNA from selected spider species, and a variety of experimental mutagens to artificially evolve its abilities.
Super Spider Creation Experiments Data Set
Experiment Goal: Enhance spider genetics for higher intelligence and physical abilities
Spider DNA Sources:
- Jumping spiders
- Wolf spiders
- Orb-weaver spiders
Enhancement Techniques Used:
- Radiation exposure
- CRISPR DNA editing
- Exposure to experimental Oscorp mutagens
- Recombinant DNA processes
Experiment Dates:
May 1997 - January 1998
Lead Scientist:
Dr. Martha Connors
Further adding to the mystery, some Marvel writers have toyed with the notion that the spider‘s unique traits made it attracted to and choose Peter, sensing genetic potential. This may help explain why Peter Parker was the "lucky" recipient of its bite when they crossed paths that day during Parker‘s science museum trip.
Why a Spider? Understanding the Choice by Comic Creators
Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee has said the idea for Spider-Man‘s origin story stemmed from watching a fly crawl on a wall and wondering what kind of abilities a human would gain from a spider bite that allowed wall-crawling. He paired up with artist Steve Ditko and the iconic web slinger was born!
But beyond just a cool concept, there may have also been deeper thought in choosing a spider as the source of Peter‘s newfound strength and abilities:
Similar Size and Strength Ratio: Spiders exhibit incredible feats of strength when scaled relative to body mass and weight. Spider-Man‘s proportionate spider strength mirrors this scaled ratio.
Existing Adaptations for Stickiness and Webs: Many spiders already have sticky foot pads and the ability to shoot webs organically. These become Parker‘s signature wall crawling and web shooting abilities.
Unique Sensory Awareness: An early Spider-Man ability involved a subtle "spider sense" that alerts Parker to impending danger. Actual spiders have impressive situational, vibration and threat detection in their sensory biology.
Decentralized Nervous System: Some scientists argue that spiders‘ diffuse nerve net gives them faster response times compared to organisms with central nervous systems like humans. Spider-Man is certainly known for reacting quickly!
So in many ways, spiders make the perfect template for modeling enhanced human abilities. And comic creators have had over 50 years to perfect Spider-Man‘s iconic skillset launched from that fateful bite.
The Spider Bite in Spider-Man Video Games
Unlike the Tobey Maguire movie origin storyline, most Spider-Man games choose not to show Parker actually getting bitten by the spider.
For example, Marvel‘s popular Spider-Man for PS4 featuring Peter Parker (voiced by Yuri Lowenthal) does not depict how Peter attained his abilities. The game starts with Parker having already operated as Spider-Man for 8 years.
However, Peter does reflect on gaining his powers from the spider bite that occurred during a science field trip while talking with other characters like Mary Jane. He references feeling dizzy and passing out shortly after the bite happened while the radioactive venom quickly altered his DNA.
Similarly, the new hit game Marvel‘s Spider-Man: Miles Morales for PS5 skips the initial spider bite scene. However, we know Miles gets bitten by a genetically enhanced Oscorp Spider #42 that grants him powers. And Miles does struggle with vertigo immediately after he gets bit as his body changes.
So while popular Spider-Man games tend to skip actually showing the moment Peter Parker or Miles Morales get bit and attain powers, they do acknowledge the iconic comic origins.
It will be exciting to see if future games ever depict an interactive prequel origin story showing the full progression of how Spider-Man‘s abilities manifested following the bite!
Why Might Future Spider Bite Depictions Choose Different Spiders?
Modern genetic editing technologies like CRISPR are rapidly advancing. So we may see comic creators, movie studios and game developers play around with new spider types as the source behind Spider-Man‘s powers simply to put a fresh spin on the decades old origin story.
For example, spider species with more potent venom like Funnel Web Spiders or Brown Recluse Spiders may get modeled as origin candidates to make the bite‘s impact on Peter‘s DNA evolution more believable.
And evolving science around spider sensory systems, adaptations for transmitting vibrations across webs, or specialized hairs that detect air currents could inspire new takes on Spidey‘s famous early warning "spider sense."
Personally, as a life long Spider-Man fan, I‘m intrigued to see what future comic arcs, cinematic stories or gaming narratives emerge around reimagining the spider genetics behind Peter Parker‘s fateful bite.
Conclusion: Many Spider Candidates, But Genetic Enhancement Is Key
The exact species of spider that bit Peter Parker transforming him into Spider-Man has varied over the years from comics to movies to video games.
While a harmless Steatoda was the first spider filmed biting Peter Parker, granting him super powers on the big screen back in 2002, Marvel comics have depicted the pre-bite spider as genetically engineered. Enhanced traits like intelligence, speed, venom potency and sensory abilities underscore why that specific spider may have been attracted to Parker.
Modern science and genetic editing breakthroughs will likely prompt new and creative takes on the spider‘s origins and abilities. But the core premise of genetic manipulation resulting in a highly evolved "super spider" remains crucial to catalyzing Parker‘s metamorphosis into Spider-Man across comic, movie and gaming stories.
So while we may never have definitive proof identifying the exact species called out in Marvel canon as biting Peter, we do know the overarching origins of the fateful arachnid that started it all!
