Comic Book Questions Answered - where I answer whatever questions you folks might have about comic books (feel free to e-mail questions to me at brianc@cbr.com).
This week, "The Clone Conspiracy" #1 came out, written by Dan Slott and drawn by Jimmy Cheung, John Dell and Justin Ponsor. It deals with dead people from Spider-Man's life coming back to life courtesy of a mysterious villain and some sort of cloning.
Anyhow, early in the issue, while Peter Parker is attending the funeral of Aunt May's second husband, Jay Jameson (J. Jonah Jameson's father), when he thinks about all the people in his life that he has lost over the years (excluding non-Spider-Man characters, of course)...
Reader Will B. did not recognize all of them and he thought it'd be nice to have a guide to the characters, so here you go, Will (and everyone else)!
Here is the panel, with the characters now labeled from #1-12...
1. Ben Parker
Beloved uncle of Peter Parker and first husband of May Parker. He was killed in "Amazing Fantasy" #15 by a burglar who Spider-Man had earlier let get away.
2. George Stacy
New York Police Captain and father of Gwen Stacy. He died saving a child from a piece of a building knocked over in a fight between Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus in "Amazing Spider-Man" #90.
3. Ashley Kafka
Dr. Kafka was a psychiatrist who worked at and then later ran the Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane. She was killed by the villainous Massacre in "Superior Spider-Man" #5.
4. Ned Leeds
Daily Bugle reporter who married Betty Brant and was then brainwashed into believing that he was the Hobgoblin, so that the real Hobgoblin would have a fall guy. Leeds was then killed by mysterious agents in Europe "Spider-Man vs. Wolverine" #1 (in "Amazing Spider-Man" #289, it was revealed that he was dressed as Hobgoblin at the time of his murder).
5. Nathan Lubensky
Nathan Lubensky was a boarder at Aunt May's boarding house. He eventually began to date May. They even got engaged. He died in "Amazing Spider-Man" #336 when the Vulture tried to take May hostage after Spider-Man had foiled the Vulture's attempt to assassinate a businessman (bizarrely enough, Nathan had actually bet all the money he had in the world on the businessman being assassinated - weird, right?), but Nathan saved May by throwing himself on the Vulture as he flew away. He was flown into the sky and fell and died.
6-7. Richard and Mary Parker
Peter Parker's parents who worked for the CIA and were killed by agents of the Red Skull in "Amazing Spider-Man Annual" #5.
8. Marla Madison Jameson
An elector biologist at Empire State University who helped build a new form of Spider-Slayer for J. Jonah Jameson. Marla and Jonah fell in love and married. She was killed in "Amazing Spider-Man #654" by Alistair Smythe, the son of Spencer Smythe, the original creator of the Spider-Slayers, after she got in the way of an attack meant for Jameson.
9. Silver Sable
Accomplished mercenary who occasionally hired Spider-Man for missions. She was killed by the Rhino in "The Amazing Spider-Man" #690.
10. Jean DeWolff
A captain at the New York police department, Jean DeWolff's shtick was that she was into 1930s fashion and style. She was also the rare cop who trusted Spider-Man. She was killed in "Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man" #107 (where Spider-Man sadly learned that she was actually in love with him).
11. Ezekiel Sims
A rich businessman who had gained powers similar to Spider-Man's when he was a young man. He wanted to become a superhero but instead became too caught up in running the business he founded with the intent of funding his hero career. He came into Spider-Man's life to tell him about their shared powers while also warning him against the evil Morlun. Later, Ezekiel sacrificed himself in "Amazing Spider-Man" #508 to save Spider-Man, as Spidey was the hero he always wished he could have become.
12. Gwen Stacy
Peter Parker's girlfriend who was killed by the Green Goblin in "Amazing Spider-Man" #122.
There ya go, Will!
If anyone else has a question, drop me a line at brianc@cbr.com!