Steve Ditko in the context of "Strange Tales"

Spider-Man is a superhero in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962) in the Silver Age of Comic Books. Considered one of the most popular and commercially successful superheroes, he has been featured in comic books, television shows, films, video games, novels, and plays.

Spider-Man is the secret identity of Peter Benjamin Parker, who was raised by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben in Queens, New York City, after the death of his parents. Lee, Ditko, and later writers had the character deal with the struggles of adolescence and young adulthood. Readers identified with his self-doubt and loneliness. Unlike previous teen heroes, Spider-Man was not a sidekick nor did he have a mentor. He would be given many supporting characters, such as his Daily Bugle boss J. Jonah Jameson; friends like Harry Osborn and Flash Thompson; romantic interests like Gwen Stacy, Mary Jane Watson, and the Black Cat; and enemies such as Doctor Octopus, the Green Goblin, and Venom. In his origin story, Peter gets his superhuman spider-powers and abilities after he was bitten by a radioactive spider. These powers include superhuman strength, speed, agility, reflexes and durability; clinging to surfaces and ceilings; and detecting danger with his precognitive "spider-sense". He sews a spider-web patterned spandex costume that fully covers his body and builds wrist-mounted "web-shooter" devices that shoot artificial spider-webs of his own design, which he uses for both fighting and "web swinging" across the city. Peter initially used his powers for personal gain, but after his Uncle Ben was killed by a burglar that he could have stopped but did not, he learned that "with great power comes great responsibility", and began to use his powers to fight crime as Spider-Man.

Dr. Stephen Vincent Strange is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in Strange Tales #110 (cover-dated July 1963). Doctor Strange serves as the Sorcerer Supreme, the primary protector of the Earth dimension against magical and mystical threats. Doctor Strange was introduced during the Silver Age of Comic Books in an attempt to bring a different kind of character and themes of mysticism to Marvel Comics.

The character starts as an intelligent and arrogant neurosurgeon who is injured in a car accident. Because his hands had suffered severe nerve damage from the accident, he was told that current medical therapy and rehabilitation would not be enough to enable him to practice again as a surgeon. Unable to accept this prognosis, he travels the world searching for alternative ways of healing, which leads him to the Ancient One, the Sorcerer Supreme. Strange becomes his student and learns to be a master of both the mystical and the martial arts. He acquires an assortment of mystical objects, including the powerful Eye of Agamotto and Cloak of Levitation, and takes up residence in a mansion referred to as the Sanctum Sanctorum, located at 177A Bleecker Street, Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City. Strange assumes the title of Sorcerer Supreme and, with his friend and valet Wong, defends the world from mystical threats.

Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin Goodman as Timely Comics, and by 1951 had generally become known as Atlas Comics. The Marvel era began in August 1961 with the launch of The Fantastic Four and other superhero titles created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and numerous others. The Marvel brand, which had been used over the years and decades, was solidified as the company's primary brand.

Marvel counts among its characters such well-known superheroes as Spider-Man, Wolverine, Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Doctor Strange, Daredevil, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel, as well as popular superhero teams such as the Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Guardians of the Galaxy. Its stable of well-known supervillains includes Doctor Doom, Magneto, Green Goblin, Venom, Red Skull, Loki, Ultron, Thanos, Apocalypse, and Galactus. Most of Marvel's fictional characters operate in a single reality known as the Marvel Universe, with most locations mirroring real-life places; many major characters are based in New York City. Additionally, Marvel has published several licensed properties from other companies. This includes Star Wars comics, twice from 1977 to 1987, and again since 2015.

Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber /ˈliːbər/; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book writer, editor, publisher and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Comics which later became Marvel Comics. He was Marvel's primary creative leader for two decades, expanding it from a small publishing house division to a multimedia corporation that dominated the comics and film industries.

In collaboration with others at Marvel – particularly co-plotters and artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko – he co-created iconic characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, Ant-Man, the Wasp, the Fantastic Four, Black Panther, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, the Scarlet Witch, and Black Widow. These and other characters' introductions in the 1960s pioneered a more naturalistic approach in superhero comics. In the 1970s, Lee challenged the restrictions of the Comics Code Authority, indirectly leading to changes in its policies. In the 1980s, he pursued the development of Marvel properties in other media, with mixed results.

Spider-Man, a superhero created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko for comic books published by Marvel Comics, has appeared in film since the 1970s. The character debuted in CBS's TV-movie pilot for the program The Amazing Spider-Man in 1977, the first of a trio of companion films with Spider-Man Strikes Back (1979) and Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge (1981). Marvel Comics pursued plans for a more ambitious feature film in the 1980s, in a tumultuous development involving multiple directors, writers, and financiers. After a period of protracted litigation over the Spider-Man copyrights, Sony Pictures and subsidiary Columbia obtained the film rights under a joint agreement with Marvel in 1999.

Beginning in the 2000s, Columbia developed a succession of Spider-Man films featuring Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as the titular hero. Marvel Studios produced additional works under a renewed licensing agreement with Sony, incorporating the character into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Three MCU films starring Tom Holland as Spider-Man were released between the 2010s and the 2020s: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), with a fourth MCU entry, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, scheduled for release in 2026. Holland has also appeared in crossover films within the MCU. The animated Spider-Verse spotlight several reimagined Spider-Men, chiefly Miles Morales, the main protagonist voiced by Shameik Moore. Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) operates with a loosely shared continuity to all existing Spider-Man film franchises but does not explicitly feature the character. Amateur films about Spider-Man explore a range of interpretations from ordinary people.

Maybelle "May" Parker-Jameson (née Reilly), commonly known as Aunt May, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Spider-Man. Making her first full appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962), the character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, playing an influential role in the Spider-Man comic books.

May is the widow of Ben Parker and the paternal aunt by marriage of Peter Parker, who leads a secret life as Spider-Man. She is a supportive mother figure to Peter, although throughout most of Spider-Man's history, she has not known of his secret life and considered Spider-Man frightening. In modern renditions, May has been known to support the hero, and in rare cases suspects or knows his true identity. Later in life, she marries J. Jonah "Jay" Jameson Sr., the estranged father of Peter's boss and Spider-Man's harshest critic J. Jonah Jameson, making him her step-son and by extension Peter's step-cousin (and self-declared step-brother), much to Jameson's discomfort.

Benjamin Franklin Parker, usually referred to as Uncle Ben, is a supporting character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually in association with the superhero Spider-Man (Peter Parker). He was the husband of May Parker and the paternal uncle and father figure of Peter Parker. After appearing in Strange Tales #97 (January 1962), Uncle Ben made his first full appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962), and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko. He was modeled and named after American founding father Benjamin Franklin.

The character has been an essential part of Spider-Man's history. His death at the hands of a petty criminal, whom Spider-Man previously had the chance to apprehend, but chose not to, has been depicted in most versions of the hero's origin story, as the main factor that inspired Peter to become Spider-Man. Uncle Ben's quote, "With great power there must also come great responsibility" (often paraphrased as "With great power comes great responsibility"), has become Spider-Man's "moral guide" and iconic life motto.

John Jonah Jameson Jr. is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero Spider-Man. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and he first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man issue #1 (March 1963).

Jameson is typically depicted as the publisher or editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, a fictional New York City newspaper. Recognizable by his moustache, flattop haircut, and ever-present cigar, he carries out a smear campaign against Spider-Man (and to a lesser extent, other superheroes such as Daredevil and the Avengers), frequently referring to him as a "threat" or "menace" and a criminal, but occasionally and reluctantly allying with him. This usually stems from his deep-seated belief in law enforcement and government agencies. Jameson thus despises superheroes for working outside the system. In the early comics as well as most media interpretations, he employs photojournalist Peter Parker to take pictures of Spider-Man in the hopes of catching him in the middle of wrongdoing, unaware that Peter is the superhero himself. Over the course of the comics, Jameson has done various other jobs, such as being the Mayor of New York City for several years before resigning. Peter has revealed his identity to Jameson twice: first during the "Civil War" event, which is undone by the events of "One More Day"; and the second time years later, which causes him to finally give up his crusade against Spider-Man and become a permanent ally and advocate of him.

Harold Theopolis Osborn is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Spider-Man. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #31 (December 1965).

Harry is the best friend of Peter Parker (Spider-Man's alter ego) and Flash Thompson, one of the ex-boyfriends of Mary Jane Watson, the son of Norman Osborn, the husband of Liz Allan and the father of Normie Osborn and Stanley Osborn. He is the second character to assume the Green Goblin alias while one of his clones was amongst the many users of the Iron Patriot armor as the superhero American Son. An artificial intelligence (A.I.) copy, known as the A.I. Harry Osborn, is also the creator of the clones Gabriel and Sarah who are both later revealed to be operating as his demonic revenant Kindred under the Harry A.I.'s command.