The release of Amazing Spider-Man #800 in May 2018 will see one of the biggest creative shakeups to the Spider-Man titles in some time. After ten years chronicling the wall-crawler's adventures -- and as sole writer for eight of them -- Dan Slott will be leaving Peter Parker behind and moving on to chronicle the adventures of Tony Stark, aka Marvel's Invincible Iron ManWith Slott having faced criticism from segments of fandom for turning Peter Parker into a Tony Stark-esque character during the latter part of his run, it seems a fitting move to trade one hero's webs for another's armor.

Slott's run on Amazing Spider-Man broken= new ground and saw many landmark events in Peter's life. The death of Marla Jameson, the establishment and fall of Parker Industries, and Peter's 'death' and replacement by Otto Octavius are only some of the key events to have occurred on Slott's watch. But for all the acclaim that Slott's stories have often generated, his portrayal of Peter Parker has often proved controversial, sparking debate among fans about whether Peter has been portrayed in a manner consistent with his rich history.

RELATED: Amazing Spider-Man - The Most Controversial Moments of Dan Slott’s Run

Peter has certainly been portrayed in a number of different ways throughout Slott's run, running the gamut from inventor to 'memory ghost' to CEO to sofa surfer. Yet despite the myriad of changes that he's been through, there's a strong argument that throughout his run Slott merely built on what has come before, taking the essence of Peter Parker and utilizing it in new and exciting ways.

RELATED: Superior Spider-Man Was the Right Comic At the Wrong Time

This was evident from the start of Slott's solo run, when Peter began working at Horizon Labs. For someone that designed his own web fluid at the age of 15, it had always seemed a waste of Peter's talent that he never got to fully embrace his scientific side. A similar plot during Howard Mackie and John Byrne's late-'90s revamp of the Spider books was never fully developed, but Slott took the opportunity to show how Peter putting his smarts to good use could not only help him in his costumed identity, but could also benefit society as a whole.

This theme was taken to the next level when Peter found himself the CEO of Parker industries - a global conglomerate. This may have given him previously undreamed of wealth and access to a whole host of shiny gadgets, but underneath he was still the same Peter Parker. He used the resources of the company not for personal gain, but to try and make the world a better place. And, as with Horizon Labs, the memory of Uncle Ben and the importance of family was a primary theme dictating his actions.

Page 2: [valnet-url-page page=2 paginated=0 text='Peter%20Parker%3A%20Science%20Genius%20%26%20Billionaire%20Entrepreneur']



Some fans were underwhelmed by this era of Peter's life, believing that the exotic locations, fancy gadgets and the conceit of Spider-Man acting as Peter Parker's bodyguard made him a poor man's Tony Stark. The similarities were there, it's true, but the role of CEO never sat comfortably with Peter. Even the times when he did appear to have crossed the line into hardheaded businessman - such as when he made the Baxter Building the New York base for Parker industries - were ultimately revealed to have been for the best of reasons. In a lovely touch, Peter was revealed to have purchased the building so that it would be in good hands until its "true" owners, the Fantastic Four, could return to reclaim it.

RELATED: Red Goblin Looms Large on Alex Ross’ Amazing Spider-Man #800 Cover

This saw Peter live up to his reputation as once of the most decent individuals in the Marvel universe. He's not perfect by any means, and is prone to anger, jealousy and occasional selfishness like all of us, but at heart he is someone that will always put others before himself. Whether pushing himself to the limit to live up to his mantra that 'no-one dies', or destroying Parker Industries rather than have it fall into the hands of the Superior Octopus, Slott's portrayal of Peter consistently showed himself to be a hero.

Spider-Man-Parker-Industries-Collapse

It's notable that in the mainstream Marvel Universe, Peter Parker is one of the legacy heroes most difficult to replace. Even when he was, by Ben Reilly during the '90s' ill-received Clone Saga, he was effectively replaced by himself. Peter is Spider-Man and Spider-Man is Peter. One of the reasons why The Superior Spider-Man was so successful is that it ultimately showed that for all his sometimes faults, it's only Peter that can wear the mask.

Slott's use of Peter during this storyline aroused some controversy, not least in the moment when his memory ghost attempted to stop Spider-Ock operating on a sick girl. Peter later claimed that this was because he didn't trust Doc Ock to carry out the operation, but he eventually admitted that his actions were motivated by the fear that Ock would use the mind scanner to find his presence.

At first glance, this seems like a perversion of everything that Peter has stood for throughout his life. Placing an innocent in danger, putting his needs above theirs, just seems plain wrong, but again there are ample examples of Peter doing the same over the years. Think of the time when Flash Thomson was captured by Doctor Doom and, for a moment, Peter considered how much easier his life would be if he left his High School nemesis to his grisly fate. Think of all the occasions when Peter has fought villains and, when every instinct tells him that they will come back to endanger him and his loved ones, ultimately saved their lives. As Peter explained to Ock, "It was only a moment, I'd never..."

RELATED: Amazing Spider-Man’s Red Goblin is Officially Born, With A Major Twist

What Slott understands is that Peter is a compelling character because he makes mistakes - often significant ones - but ultimately he can always be relied upon to do the right thing in the end. This ability to put others first - to never lose sight of the individual good in the face of the bigger picture - was ultimately a key reason why Ock could not successfully follow in Peter's footsteps.

Page 3: [valnet-url-page page=3 paginated=0 text='Dan%20Slott%27s%20Peter%20Parker%20is%20the%20Greatest%20Part%20of%20His%20Spider-Man%20Legacy']



While Slott's version of Peter demonstrated growth in his costumed and professional capacities, there's one other area that inspired debate among fans: that of his relationship status. As part of the 'Brand New Day' Spider-Man brain trust, Slott took over a character that was newly single, with his marriage and relationship with Mary Jane dissolved. This meant that Peter was thrust back into the romantic mishaps that had once been such a pivotal part of his character - a change that proved too jarring for some. The first page of Slott's debut issue, which saw Peter locking lips with a mystery woman, was proof that this was indeed a brand new(ish) day.

RELATED: Do Marvel’s Spider-Man Comics Still Need Norman Osborn?

Peter's romantic entanglements over this time, most notably with Carlie Cooper and Mockingbird may not have been ultimately successful, but it would be unfair to say that they were out of character for Peter. A case could certainly be made for whether these relationships, or any other Peter may go on to have, work as well as marriage to Mary Jane, but judged on their own merits each offer an insight into Peter's relationship history. With Carlie he again showed how he endangers any new relationship by only letting women into part of his life. And with Mockingbird we saw echoes of past flirtations with the Black Cat, where romance arose among the excitement and allure of facing danger.

Under Slott's direction, Peter reached dizzying heights and scaled new lows. He showed moments of confidence and leadership interspersed with moments of pure awkwardness. He proved himself someone who may be a hero, but is ultimately as human as the people he is determined to protect. Slott may have won plaudits for his introduction of the Superior Spider-Man, but his development of Peter is equally important and deserves to be remembered as a key part of his legacy.

KEEP READING: Spider-Man Finally Got That Favor Loki Owed Him