31 Days of Spider-Man #29: Three Random Allies
Spider-Man knows how to get by with a little help from his friends. Being one of Marvel’s flagship characters, it’s to be expected that he’ll share the spotlight with other characters. From their appearances in Spidey’s regular stories, to features with him in the “Marvel Team-up” line to the recently created “Avenging Spider-Man” title that was created just for stories of Webhead’s adventures with friends, there’s no shortage for examples of superheroes joining forces with Spider-Man. Here are three that I found interesting in my experience
Human Torch
Ever notice that some of the best sets of friends are the ones who are constantly making fun of each other? That’s Peter Parker and Johnny Storm in a nutshell. Rarely missing an opportunity to give the other a good ribbing, but also making a point to be there when the other needs them. Being close in age was the starting point for something special because it gave each character someone they could relate to, someone to talk about life, both as a superhero, and as a young adult.
I recently perused a copy of the Spider-Man “Big Time” trade which includes Spider-Man coming to the Reed Richards not long after Human Torch’s death. In a recording, Johnny tells Peter that he views him like family and tells him how much he cared about him. While the scene is meant to set off Spider-Man’s joining of the FF, it still packs a nice emotional punch.
Black Cat
It can be argued that Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat, is Marvel’s version of DC’s Catwoman. It’s not hard to see the common elements, the sultry cat themed burglar who grays the area between right and wrong, and tempts the hero into being a little “naughty”....wait, where was I going with this?
Knockoff or not, Black Cat is a character that revolves more around temptation than responsibility. Even if she’s joining Spider-Man on an “evening out” fighting crime, it’s usually more about having fun with him than any sense of duty.
Of course Black Cat is more infatuated with the heroic Spider-Man than mopey Peter Parker, so the relationships they’ve shared never had much of a solid foundation to stand on, but as any cat owner will tell you; when a favorite toy is right there, it’s hard to resist playing with it.
Wolverine
Another one of Marvel’s more popular characters, Wolverine is often the opposite of Spider-Man. He’ll make a smartass comments with malice behind them, rarely think twice about taking a life of a two-bit thug, heck he’s not even very sure about his own origin.
While the two can be at odds, there is a sense of respect between the two, a small piece of understanding that the other can do things they can’t and that at the end of the day, they are both working toward a greater good.
