Does Peter Parker Work When He Finds Success?

Marvel Comics' October solicitations appear to signal yet another change of direction for Peter Parker as part of the publisher's Legacy initiative. After a run of stories that launched Peter Parker onto the global stage as the CEO of Parker Industries, the solicitation for the renumbered The Amazing Spider-Man #789 suggests a return to the Daily Bugle and a re-emphasis on a Peter Parker that's down on his luck. It's possible, of course, that this is a patented solicitation fake-out and that Peter might return to the Daily Bugle in a new capacity - perhaps as its new owner. But if we take the solicitation at face value it raises an interesting question - does Peter Parker work best when he's down on his luck?

Bad luck and Peter Parker certainly go together. No one ever said that being a hero was easy, and for Peter Parker that's truer than most. The description of Spider-Man as a "hard-luck hero" was a central tenant of Tom Brevoort's 2006 manifesto for the Spidey titles, though it's been evident throughout the character's history, going all the way back to his famous first appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15. In his origin story, Peter's joy at receiving powers and finally being in a position to take control of his own life was quickly cut short by the tragic murder of his Uncle Ben. This set the tone for Peter's subsequent adventures: Whenever life gave him lemonade, it inevitably turned into lemons.

What helped this approach succeed was the relationship between Peter's life in and out of costume. In the Stan Lee/Steve Ditko/John Romita Sr era, the contrast between these two aspects of Peter's life drove forward the narrative, with events in one area inevitably complicating the other. This isn't to say that Peter had no successes at all, only that nothing came easy to him. Over time the infamous "Parker Luck" became a running joke, including broken or empty web shooters, camera problems, missed appointments, work drama and a whole heap of girl trouble. To paraphrase the old saying, if it wasn't for bad luck, Peter Parker would have no luck at all.

This approach is a large part of what made Peter Parker such a relatable character. He wasn't some square-jawed paragon of virtue; he was simply someone that tried his best and gave his all, simply because it was the right thing to do. The delicious irony of his double life - that he could only make money by selling photos that demonized his costumed identity - was a perfect example of the challenges he faced daily. Peter Parker may have had super powers, but his personal life and day-to-day troubles made him a hero that many could relate to, with the "Parker Luck" being a major part of that.

However, one thing that has become increasingly noticeable about "Parker Luck" over the years is the way it can be used to complicate Peter's life to ridiculous extremes, or worse, as a method of justifying why he is never allowed to achieve any real, lasting success in his life.

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How That Radioactive Spider Actually Cursed Peter Parker

If a certain radioactive spider hadn't intervened in his life, it's a safe bet that Peter Parker, Midtown High School's finest export, would have gone on to bigger and better things, perhaps becoming one of the biggest brains in the Marvel Universe. Instead, after graduating from High School in Amazing Spider-Man #28, Peter didn't graduate from College until Amazing Spider-Man #185. The following decades saw Peter flip-flopping between photography and further education, rarely having the opportunity to convert his intelligence into a wage.

When Peter was given the chance to advance in this direction, creators often stepped back from the idea, or line-wide changes altered plans. In the Howard Mackie/John Byrne Spider-Man relaunch in 1998, Peter Parker was hired by the Tri-corp research foundation in Amazing Spider-Man #1 (vol.2). Unfortunately, unlike Dan Slott's use of Horizon Labs in recent years, the job had a limited impact on Peter's life, with his frequent absences as Spider-Man leading to him being fired in Amazing Spider-Man #16.

Peter's tenure as a science teacher, introduced by J. Michael Straczynski, had greater staying power, but the reveal of Peter's secret ID in the Civil War event ended to that plot line, despite some good work exploring its potential by Peter David on Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. It wasn't until Dan Slott brought Peter into Horizon Labs that readers finally began to see what Peter could do when his personal and superhero lives were better aligned; experience in one field frequently leading to innovations in the other. After years of trading on past glories, Peter finally had an opportunity to prove his science smarts to his (non-superpowered) peers.

The formation of Parker Industries by Doctor Octopus during his time controlling Peter's body took things to the next level. When he returned to his body, Peter was amazed to find himself the CEO of his own company. As the company expanded, with branches in the USA, China and London, Peter Parker became famous worldwide, linked to a range of innovations that transformed the lives of the Marvel Universe's citizens, from security to technological innovations and medical advances.

In many ways, this was the perfect extension of Peter's journey. It allowed him to use his scientific smarts for the greater good, taking his "power and responsibility" mantra to the next level. As a CEO of a multi-billion dollar conglomerate, he was responsible for thousands of people. Not only the workers who depended on his company for their livelihood, but also the countless civilians who benefited from Parker Industries' innovations.

It's been fascinating to see how this storyline has been received by Spider-Man fans. While many have applauded it for taking Peter into new territories, others have decried it for exactly these reasons. A Peter Parker that is CEO of his own company has been characterized by some fans as a "poor man's Tony Stark," as if this somehow makes him less authentic than the traditional hard-luck Peter. In truth, the "Parker Luck" has still been in evidence, with Peter having to deal with setbacks, saboteurs and enemies within and without. What's also remained constant is the core of Peter Parker - someone that believes in using power responsibly to help others.

At this point in his history, Peter Parker has been a costumed hero for approximately 13 years. With many of his contemporaries now being succeeded by younger legacy heroes, he's now one of the veterans of the Marvel Universe. He's moved from a solo act to a team player, from the new kid to the voice of wisdom. With all that he's been through it makes no sense to keep using the "Parker Luck" to reset Peter's life or minimize his opportunities. It should always complicate his life, of course - that's half the fun of reading about Spider-Man - but it should do so in a way that takes account of his changing circumstances.

Dan Slott has stated that Peter's move back to the Daily Bugle will mark the return of the "scrappy underdog status that's the Peter Parker we all know and love," but in a new capacity not seen in Amazing Spider-Man yet. Photocopier repair man? IT guru? Window cleaner? Publisher? In October, we should find out the exact circumstances of Peter's new role, and the level of success that he is allowed to enjoy.