I think my fav thing about Tom Holland’s peter is that he really comes across as the guy who would do “hi yes im spider parker – i mean peter man, i mean fuck”
GEE IT’S ALMOST LIKE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND AGING IS BENEFICIAL.
[First picture: Peter Parker, in the Spider-man costume with the mask off, is sitting on a couch looking up at Captain America, who is leaning behind it.] Captain America: The kid is sixteen.
Peter: So? I was a kid when I started, and I turned out okay. Arguably. Right…?
**
[Second picture: Spider-man, Wiccan, and Hulkling are swinging high in the air between buildings. Wiccan is being carried by Hulkling.] Spider-man: So, what’s the plan? To outsmart and outfight the Avengers and Magneto at the tender age of, what, fifteen? Wiccan: Sixteen. Spider-man: Kid, I was a teenage superhero, so take it from me… that is a terrible plan.
**
[Third picture: First panel: Spider-man is talking to Kamala Khan (Ms Marvel) in what looks like the hallway of a school. His suit is torn in several places, and his hair is sticking out a hole in the top.]
Spider-man: It’s a school day. And I’m guessing you’ve missed at least two classes already.
Ms. Marvel: Oh. Yeah. Heh. Um, I actually never ditch –
Spider-man: Relax, kiddo. you’ll be fine.
[Second panel: Side view of the conversation. More rips are visible in Spider-man’s costume. Ms. Marvel’s costume is not torn.]
Ms. Marvel: As a super hero? Or the whole inhuman thing?
Spider-man: As a teenager. You remind me of a web-headed whippersnapper who always wondered how he was doing. And he thinks you’re doing great.
**
[Fourth picture: First panel: Spider-girl and Spider-man are on top of a building. Spider-man is holding Spider-girl by the upper arms, as if to emphasize a point.] Spider-man: Listen… you probably just saved me from having “KILLED BY TENTACLES IN A KIDDIE POOL” carved onto my tombstone. Let me give you some advice.
[Second panel: Spider-man is facing Spider-girl, who has her back to the reader. Spider-man is moving his hand in emphasis.]
Spider-man: There is an astonishing amount of powerful people in this world, and a lot of them areflat-out crazy. So… trust me… you will always be in over your head. Always.
**
[Fifth picture: Spider-man is sitting in a Japanese restaurant with Victor Mancha and Gertrude Yorkes. They are sharing a plate of sushi.] Spider-man: Listen, I got into this game when I was your age, so I’d feel like a hypocrite telling you to stay out of trouble. But really, if you want to help, the best thing you can do is lay low while I try to clear Cloak’s name. Victor: But… I have powers!
**
[Sixth picture: Peter Parker is talking to Miles Morales. Both are in costume as Spider-man. It’s unclear where they are, but lots of sparks are flying around. First panel: Peter is looking backward over his shoulder at Miles.] Peter: Don’t let anyone clone you. Seriously. And only date one girl at a time. [Second panel: Image of Miles, listening with his head tilted to the side and a hand at his throat.] Peter: And – if you find out a guy named Doctor Octopus is going to marry my Aunt May – stop it. And don’t lend anyone named Wolverine or Mockingbird moeny. You’ll never see it again. [Third panel: Peter is ticking points off on his fingers.]
Peter: And once you beat up the bad guy leave the crime scene as soon as possible because they’ll try to make you clean it up. And wash your costume, like, daily, because it will get funky and people will make fun of you.
I keep thinking how much more powerful the Spiderman origin story would be if Peter Parker was an African American kid, whose Uncle Ben was shot by police while being arrested for a minor parking infraction. There is no formal investigation, and Peter decides to put himself on the line to prevent it happening again. He tackles the white crimes that go unpunished, punishes POC criminals fairly. He is the leveler, always fighting to be without bias, to be just. To protect people like his uncle.
This not only mirrors so much of what’s happening in America, but feeds right into the complex relationship between Spiderman, the authorities and the media.
Peter Parker is a brilliant student, awkward, a nerd, but is branded a thug, a gang member, a criminal, because of his appearance. The media latch on to that and misrepresent him totally.
The police, humilitated by the fact that he refuses to work with them and often punishes cops themselves for brutalizing innocent people, or guilty people who still deserve better treatment than they get, attempt to hunt him down.
……ooh.
I had to.
Ties across between this and ‘Whiterman’, who gains both cis/white/straight/male passing privilege, and the uncanny ability to discern the immediate/local impact of said privilege. The ‘With great privilege comes great responsibility’ line kinda’ writes itself.
Kimchi and Justice 