In 1975, a clone of Peter Parker, AKA the Amazing Spider-Man, was introduced as a threat and seemingly killed in the very same issue. Almost 20 years later, the clone returned under the name Ben Reilly and became a hero in his own right, known today as the Scarlet Spider.

RELATED: Spider-Man Beyond: 10 Reasons We're Excited About Ben Reilly's Return To The Webs

The tragic story of Ben Reilly is a long and complex one, from dark origins to heroic heights, to the grave and back again, he has proven himself as far more than a simple copy of Spider-Man. As his new series, "Ben Reilly: Spider-Man," gets ready to take off, here are some must-read stories to get up to speed about the fan-favorite web-slinger.

10 His First Appearance Is A Classic

Two Spider-Man facing each other, Peter Parker and Ben Reilly, first appearance of Reilly

1975s The Amazing Spider-Man#149 introduced the clone of Spider-Man, who was only intended to serve this particular issue rather than become a recurring character. He was created by Miles Warren, AKA The Jackal, who had an obsession with Gwen Stacy and sought to clone her after her death.

As a result of bringing Gwen back, Warren would learn of Peter Parker's alter-ego and blame him for what happened, resulting in him cloning Parker also and forcing the two Spider-Men into conflict. Each believed the other to be the clone, and an explosion seemingly ended the battle and the debate.

9 Spider-Man: The Lost Years Is A Gritty Stand-Alone Tale

Ben Reilly AKA Scarlet Spider cover from The Lost Years, saving children from explosion

1995's Spider-Man: The Lost Years told the story of a particular incident in Ben's life during the 5 years in which he lived a nomad's life after discovering his true origin. This dark tale included run-ins with the mob, corrupt cops, morally complex supporting characters, and Ben's deadly 'brother', Kaine.

Kaine was the first Parker clone but suffered from a degenerative condition brought on by the imperfect cloning techniques, and as a result, he hated Ben for being a perfect version and deemed worthy in their creator's eyes. This storyline feels more like a Daredevil tale and is helped in the visual department by artist John Romita Jr.

8 Enter: The Scarlet Spider!

Ben Reilly swinging through the city as the Scarlet Spider

Web of Spider-Man#118 saw the first appearance of the now-iconic Scarlet Spider costume, a fan-favorite to this day that continues to pop up in video game adaptations. At this point in Ben's life, he did his best to avoid accepting his heroic responsibility, but all that changed when Venom reared his ugly head again.

Despite Venom's attempts to operate as an anti-hero, he still found himself in conflict with police and the commotion caused by his actions caught Ben's attention. He spotted a blue hoodie with a spider emblem and also managed to grab a red bodysuit and mask. With that combination and some newly-designed web-shooters, the Scarlet Spider was born.

7 The Clone Saga Is 90s Excess To The Extreme

the jackal, ben reilly

From 1994-1996, a now-infamous storyline ran and defined the Spider-Man character for several years. Love it or hate it, The Clone Saga is a major part of Ben's history and still defines the character to this day. If you're a fan of insane 90s comics, this one should be in your collection.

Peter Parker, Ben Reilly, Kaine, Spidercide, and roughly a thousand other clones would do battle thanks to the Jackal's continued scheming. The arc is best remembered for the groan-inducing twist that revealed that Ben was seemingly the original Peter all along.

6 Ben Becomes The New Spider-Man!

Ben Reilly Spider-Man feature

Sensational Spider-Man#0 hit the shelves in 1996 and was the start of a bold new status quo for the Spider-Man comics. Peter Parker retired the mantle of the hero as he and Mary Jane were expecting a baby, so it was down to Ben to craft a new suit and forge a new destiny.

RELATED: Spider-Man: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Scarlet Spider's Costume

This first issue set the stage for a whole new take on the old familiar tropes, with a new supporting cast, new villains, new dramas, a new haircut, and of course that cool new suit. Ben would operate as the new web-slinger from January-December of that year and leave a lasting impact on fans and Peter himself.

5 The Clone Saga Had An Unofficial Do-Over

Spider-Man Scarlet Spider Clone Saga

In 2009, the unique decision was made to revisit the highly controversial Clone Saga from the 90s and retell it in the way that it had originally been intended. Due to several behind-the-scenes issues, the original story became drawn out into the official and questionable event that it remains today.

This 6-issue retelling of the Saga streamlined most of the storyline and cut away a lot of the fat that was deemed unnecessary. Ironically, the series was met with its own criticisms and was generally received unfavorably, however it can provide an essential "What If...?" for fans of Ben and even those who don't admit publicly to enjoying the original Clone Saga.

4 Ben Returned From The Dead With A Mean Streak

Miles Warren and Ben Reilly as the Spider-Man villain The Jackal in Marvel Comics

Ben's tenure as the Sensational Spider-Man ended with tragedy as he sacrificed his life to save Peter in a battle with the original Green Goblin, Norman Osborn. His death would also confirm his status as the clone all along as his body disintegrated moments later. Years later, however, Ben was brought back by none other than The Jackal in The Clone Conspiracy.

This new experiment came with a cost, with the maniac killing and re-cloning Ben 26 times, which ultimately resulted in his mind breaking and his turn as a new version of the Jackal. Ben's actions following his return would create a huge rift between himself and Peter and the two would battle.

3 The Scarlet Spider Once More

Ben Reilly climbing out of the grave as Scarlet Spider

Following the events of The Clone Conspiracy, Ben would flee to Las Vegas and attempt to leave his time as the Jackal behind him. Despite once again not wanting to live the hero's life, he would be called to action more than once and again don the familiar Scarlet Spider outfit.

This time, however, Ben was noticeably more violent and selfish, often only helping others when he knew they could assist him further down the line. He would once again do battle with Kaine, who himself had taken on the mantle of the Scarlet Spider on his own path to redemption. Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider offers a new look at a man trying to make amends as best he can.

2 Spider-Geddon Saw Old Sins Come Back To Haunt Ben

Spider-Geddon

2018's Spider-Geddon was the fun and wacky follow-up to Spider-Verse from a few years prior, and once again saw different Spider-Men from across the multiverse come together to battle the Inheritors. This time around, Ben joined the fight and realized that his own past actions were making the struggle far worse.

RELATED: Spider-Man: 10 Things Fans Should Know About Scarlet Spider

The deadly Inheritors had got their hands on the cloning technology that Ben had perfected during his time as the Jackal, and with it, they could cheat death over and over and continue hounding the webbed warriors. Ben faced up to his personal demons and proved that he was still a hero at heart with this adventure.

1 Ben Takes The Mantle Of Spider-Man Once Again

Spider-Man Ben Reilly

Spider-Man Beyond sees the return of Ben to the role of Spider-Man, with a new suit that features new abilities to help him up his game as a hero. With the help of the Beyond Corporation, Ben's new venture brings him into conflict with the villain Bushwacker.

This latest series is looking to set up some exciting new challenges for Ben and has many fans talking, eager to see what the former Scarlet Spider will be up to. Whatever the case, nothing will be simple when a clone of Peter Parker is involved, so expect some twists and turns along the way!

NEXT: Spider-Man: 10 New Characters Introduced During The Clone Saga