Ben Reilly, Peter Parker's clone, aka the amazing Spider-Man, has a long and complex history. Having debuted in 1975, he would return in a huge way in 1994 and shake the foundations of Parker's world. In the years since, he has become a massive fan-favorite character and features in numerous exciting comic events.
From the controversial Clone Saga to his time as Spider-Man and From Beyond the Grave, there's a wealth of comics to dive into to get your Reilly fix whenever you need. There are several issues to consider when working through Ben's past and up to the modern-day.
10 His First Appearance Was Meant To Be His Last (The Amazing Spider-Man #149)
The clone who would eventually go by the name of Ben Reilly first appeared in 1975s The Amazing Spider-Man #149, by writer Gerry Conway and artist Ross Andru, and he wasn't expected to go any further than that. Created by genius The Jackal, the original Spider-Man was forced to battle his imposter to the death.
When the battle was over, it did indeed appear that the clone had died in an explosion. What set this conflict apart from most is that the clone wasn't a villain, but genuinely believed himself to be the true Spider-Man and so was fighting the good fight just as much as the real deal.
9 The Lost Years Revealed A Dark Side-Story
The clone's story didn't end with the final battle, and Ben went on the run with the knowledge that he was in fact, a copy of the real Peter Parker. He lived on the road for 5 years under the name of Ben Reilly and shunned his natural heroic instincts and responsibility as much as possible.
1995's Spider-Man: The Lost Years #1, written by J.M. DeMatteis and penciled by John Romita Jr, began this dark, film-noir-inspired tale that feels more like a Daredevil comic than a Spider-Man one. It features the mob, betrayal, murder, love, and a deeply personal conflict between Ben and none other than the very first, failed clone of Peter, Kaine.
8 Enter: The Scarlet Spider!
19 years after his debut, the clone returned to Spider-Man's world with his new name in 1994's Spider-Man #51. Set after the events of The Lost Years, Ben came back to NYC when Aunt May fell ill. However, it was in Web of Spider-Man #118, by writer Terry Kavanagh and artist Steven Butler, in November of that year where Ben would kick off his new heroic career as the Scarlet Spider.
Upon hearing that Spider-Man's old rival, Venom, was on the move, Ben felt compelled to do something about it in Parker's absence. He donned a makeshift suit and improvised web-shooters and gave in to the nagging voice inside his head always drawing him to step up and help those in need.
7 A Huge Bombshell Derailed Everything (Spectacular Spider-Man #226)
This issue saw one of the worst moments in Peter Parker's life up to that point. Spectacular Spider-Man #226, written by Tom DeFalco and penciled by Sal Buscema, revealed the question that fans, along with Peter and Ben themselves, had been asking for quite some time. Who was really the original hero, and who was the clone?
Unfortunately for Peter, the answer wasn't the one he was hoping for. Several experiments revealed that he had been the clone all along and that Ben was in fact the real Peter Parker. This revelation sent Peter into a spiral that saw him align himself with none other than the Jackal, who resurfaced to meddle with the heroes once more.
6 The Legend Began Anew (Sensational Spider-Man #0)
Sensational Spider-Man #0, from writer and artist Dan Jurgens, was a huge reinvention of the web-heads world and the key to that was Ben's decision to inherit the Spider-Man mantle from Peter. As Peter and Mary Jane revealed that they were expecting a child, the time was right for Ben to become the new web-slinger and protect NYC from nefarious threats, new and old.
This issue kicked off the unique saga and saw many unique conflicts impact Ben's life due to his complicated origins and inexperience as Spider-Man. The new suit became an instant fan favorite and more than a few villains showed off some new duds of their own, too.
5 His Love Life Was More Than A Little Complex (Sensational Spider-Man #4)
Sensational Spider-Man #4, once again from writer/artist Dan Jurgens, threw Ben into a very difficult situation. Soon after becoming the new Spider-Man, he met and began dating Jessica Carradine. Things were going well until Ben discovered the truth about her past, as her father was none other than the man who shot and killed Uncle Ben.
That wasn't even the worst of it, as she also believed that Spider-Man was responsible for her father's death and hated the web-slinger. Just to make the whole situation far worse, Jessica followed Spider-Man into an alley with her camera and managed to snap a photo of him unmasking, only to realize that the man she hated was also her boyfriend.
4 Ben Proved He Was A True Hero, Regardless Of Origin (Spider-Man #75)
Ben's time as Spider-Man wouldn't last, and everything came to its ultimate end when Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, returned after his apparent death many years before. Peter Parker had lost his powers for a time but they were finally returning, and both he and Ben were captured by Osborn for a violent showdown in 1996's Spider-Man #75, as written by Howard Mackie and with art by John Romita Jr.
On a New York rooftop, an injured Ben could only watch as Peter and his arch-nemesis battled to the death and once again, the slimy villain would use underhanded tactics to try and cheat a victory. He would command his glider to try and impale Peter from behind, but Ben lept into its path and was killed. Moments later, his body turned to dust, finally confirming that he really had been the clone all this time.
3 Ben Reilly's Return Was Less Than Heroic (The Clone Conspiracy #3)
The Clone Conspiracy #3 in 2016, from writer Dan Slott and artist Jim Cheung, revealed the truth behind the latest clone shenanigans and what a doozy it was. The Jackal, previously mad scientist Miles Warren, was now the identity of Ben, who had returned to life after multiple deaths and rebirths had broken his mind.
This revelation split fans down the middle but is a huge moment in Ben's life regardless. He felt that his new mission, to use cloning technology to, in his mind, bring people back from the dead was a noble one. Peter disagreed, and the two came to a dramatic confrontation that has forever changed their dynamic.
2 The Scarlet Spider Once More (Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #1)
After the Clone Conspiracy was done and dusted, Ben took off to reflect on his actions and found himself in none other than Las Vegas. Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #1, from the duo of Peter David and Mark Bagley on writing and art respectively, revamped the former hero, and even former villain, as a self-centered anti-hero with occasional moments of selflessness and kindness. Very occasional.
He even had a try at a whole new suit, stolen from a cosplayer, in fact, but ultimately found his way back into the classic blue hoodie and red rights. This arc forced Ben to deal with his inner demons and also contend with Kaine, now a hero in his own right who also adopted the mantle of the Scarlet Spider.
1 The Story Continues Beyond Today (The Amazing Spider-Man #75 )
The best trends keep coming back again and again, and just as Ben dabbled in the Scarlet Spider life once more, he too has gone back to old habits as the latest Spider-Man. After Peter is hospitalized, Ben aligns himself with the Beyond Corporation to take his crime-fighting to a whole new level.
2021's The Amazing Spider-Man #75, written by Zeb Wells and with art from Patrick Gleason, kicks off this new era of Ben's life, complete with yet another new suit and unique tech gifted by Beyond. What will come of this new direction remains to be seen, but it's to say that whatever the outcome, fans will be talking about it for years. It wouldn't really be a Ben Reilly story if they didn't.