- —Spider-Boy[src]
History
Origin[]
An attempt by Project Cadmus to create a clone of Super-Soldier with the ability to control gravity was sabotaged, and a young clone of researcher Peter Parker (who was killed during the "accidental" lab explosion) emerged from the wreckage. The young boy immediately ran up a wall in confusion.[1]
The head of the project, Thunderbolt Ross, feeling sorry for the clone and responsible for the boy's welfare, legally adopted him (giving the boy the last name of Ross) and named him Pete (after his genetic father).[1]
Spider-Boy[]
Pete and his "Uncle Gen" were a happy family until General Ross was killed by a mugger. Pete swore that he will face danger and made himself the center of attention so others wouldn't have to be, feeling he had been dismissed as just a boy during the incident. Inspired by his spider-like ability to walk on walls, he fashioned a costume and called himself Spider-Boy, becoming a TV celebrity. Spider-Boy later returned to Project Cadmus, where he was given a special pistol called a "web-shooter", which fire strands of synthetic webbing.[1]
As a Cadmus agent, Spider-Boy was assigned to battle genetic monstrosities, but as Pete Ross, he was a photographer for the sleazy tabloid, the Daily Bugle (to get incriminating photos of himself with attractive superheroines, having become a major pop cultural phenomenon after his debut). Spider-Boy faced many perils, such as giant reptilian killers and symbiotic clones, but his biggest challenge was getting set up on a blind date with Mary Jane Watson (the Insect Queen). Surprisingly the two hit it off, and are now engaged. Now Spider-Boy faces his biggest adventure: marriage.[2]
Spider-Verse[]
Peter later joined the Spider-Army to oppose the Inheritors on Earth-001.[3] Returning home, Spider-Boy was eventually confronted by Morlun, the last Inheritor. He ripped Pete's left arm off to acquire his Dimensional Travel Watch.[4]Attributes
Powers
Gravity Manipulation: Originally designed to be able to control gravity, Spider-Boy's powers were altered during the sabotage (since the cloning process wasn't complete).[citation needed]
- Gravity Increase: He can increase his own personal gravity so that he is pulled towards large objects, and can therefore walk up walls and buildings.[citation needed]
- Superhuman Strength and Speed: He can focus gravity inwards to increase the energy of his muscles, and boost his strength and speed to superhuman levels.[citation needed]
- Gravity Decrease: He can lower gravity around himself to jump much higher than a normal human can.[citation needed]
Additional Attributes
Paraphernalia
Equipment
Transportation
Notes
- Superboy and Spider-Man (Ben Reilly) were combined in a Marvel versus DC crossover.
- The character not only combines attributes of Spider-Man and Superboy (Pre and Post-Crisis), but his secret identity of Pete Ross is a reference to Superboy's best friend in Smallville. The name also reflects Spider-Man clone Ben Reilly's fashion of naming himself, being a composite name inspired by the two most significant influences in his life (Reilly being Aunt May's maiden name). Both clones also alter their hair color to blond in their secret identities.
- Spider-Boy is a Nexus of All Realities.[2]
- In Earth-616, Thaddeus Ross' grandfather was also named Peter Ross.[5]
Trivia
- Pete has stated that when he'll grow up, he'll take up the alias Spider-Man.[1]
- Spider-Boy was one of a handful of variants of Spider-Man that Dan Slott and his collaborators weren't allowed to use in Spider-Verse due to legal issues related to DC Comics' co-ownership of the character.[6] The story "It's the Little Things" from Spider-Verse #2 was used as a way to sneak references or small glimpses of these forbidden Spider-Men,[7] and Spider-Boy's head and chest can be partially seen in the final panel of that story.
- Spider-Boy was originally going to appear in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, but couldn't be included for legal reasons.[8]
See Also
- 10 appearance(s) of Peter Ross (Earth-9602)
- 1 minor appearance(s) of Peter Ross (Earth-9602)
- 1 mention(s) of Peter Ross (Earth-9602)
- 38 image(s) of Peter Ross (Earth-9602)
- 8 quotation(s) by or about Peter Ross (Earth-9602)
- 2 item(s) used/owned by Peter Ross (Earth-9602)
Links and References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Spider-Boy #1
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Spider-Boy Team-Up #1
- ↑ Spider-Verse #2
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Spider-Man (Vol. 4) #2
- ↑ Captain America Comics #4
- ↑ Slott, Dan (28 November 2021) Dan Slott on Twitter: "Excellent question. Honest answer: There wer.... Retrieved on 28 November 2021.
- ↑ Slott, Dan (28 November 2021) [https://twitter.com/DanSlott/status/1464816429321142277 Dan Slott on Twitter: "For everyone asking... We did have 1 short story i]. Retrieved on 28 November 2021.
- ↑ cite web