
Even before Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies, the character’s look was first defined in Marvel Comics. Spider-Man is one of the most frequently adapted superheroes in film, starting with the Tobey Maguire trilogy directed by Raimi, then continuing with two films starring Andrew Garfield directed by Marc Webb. Now, with Tom Holland as the latest Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the movies still draw inspiration from the original comic book art created by artists like Steve Ditko, John Romita Sr., and Gil Kane.
When you compare the Spider-Man movies to the original comic books, there are five scenes that are remarkably similar.
5) Spider-Man & Venom in the Bell Tower (Spider-Man 3, 2007)

While Spider-Man 3, directed by Sam Raimi, wasn’t well-received by critics and marked his departure from the series, it did have some highlights. The villain Sandman was particularly impressive, though Venom received a lot of criticism. In fact, Raimi has said he originally didn’t plan to include Venom, but producer Avi Arad insisted on it. As a longtime comic book enthusiast, Raimi also managed to bring a memorable scene directly from the source material to the big screen.
Both the comic book and film versions of the story feature the symbiote initially bonding with Peter Parker, attempting to be a hero before Peter understood he needed to separate from it. The only way to do this was by going to a church bell tower and using the loud sound to force it off. This first happened in the 1985 comic Web of Spider-Man #1, created by Louise Simonson and Greg LaRocque. After escaping from the Baxter Building, the symbiote reattached to Peter, leading him to repeat the process of using sonic waves in the bell tower to remove it. The movie’s depiction of this scene closely mirrored the original comic panel.
4) The Death of Gwen Stacy (The Amazing Spider-Man 2, 2014)

One of the most famous comic book storylines, “The Death of Gwen Stacy,” involved the Green Goblin throwing Gwen Stacy off a bridge. Despite Spider-Man trying to save her with his webs, she fell to her death. A similar scene almost played out in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies, where the Green Goblin threw Mary Jane Watson off a bridge, also endangering a group of children. Luckily, Spider-Man was successful in this instance, rescuing both Mary Jane and the children.
Gwen Stacy’s fate in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 mirrored her comic book death. Instead of Norman Osborn, it was his son, Harry, as the Green Goblin who caused her fall – this time from a clock tower. Spider-Man tried to save her with his webbing, but failed, and she died on impact. While the location changed from a bridge to a clock tower and the villain from Norman to Harry, the scene closely followed the iconic panels from Amazing Spider-Man #121 (1973), created by Gerry Conway and Gil Kane.
3) Green Goblin Impales Himself (Spider-Man, 2002)

The original Spider-Man film directed by Sam Raimi featured Norman Osborn as the Green Goblin, a great choice because of Peter Parker’s relationships with his best friend, Harry, and girlfriend, Mary Jane. Raimi successfully brought several iconic moments from the comic books to life, like the memorable Thanksgiving dinner and the dramatic scene of the Goblin throwing MJ off a bridge – a moment that originally involved Gwen Stacy in the comics.
The movie includes a scene taken directly from the comics showing the Green Goblin’s death. In the 1973 comic Amazing Spider-Man #122, titled “The Goblin’s Last Stand!” by Gerry Conway and Gil Kane, the Green Goblin had already killed Gwen Stacy and was battling Spider-Man. He attempted to attack Spider-Man with his glider using a remote control, but Peter’s spider-sense allowed him to dodge, causing the glider to strike Norman Osborn himself. The movie recreated this scene almost exactly, visually mirroring Norman’s death as it appeared in the comic.
2) Spider-Man No More (Spider-Man 2, 2004)

In Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker briefly stopped being Spider-Man, feeling the personal sacrifices were too great. He dramatically discarded his suit in a trash can. Director Sam Raimi filmed this moment with the suit prominently in the foreground and Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man walking away into the darkness, suggesting he was giving up being a hero.
This scene directly references a legendary moment from Spider-Man comics. In Amazing Spider-Man #50, written by Stan Lee and illustrated by John Romita Sr., Spider-Man decided being a hero put his family and friends at risk, so he dramatically tossed his costume into a trash can and quit. The comic’s cover famously announced “Spider-Man No More,” and director Sam Raimi paid tribute to that iconic image by recreating it within the movie.
1) Spider-Man Rises From the Rubble (Spider-Man: Homecoming, 2017)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) frequently adapts iconic moments from its source material, the comic books. A particularly memorable example is in Spider-Man: Homecoming, which recreated a famous scene where Spider-Man emerges from debris, demonstrating a new level of strength. This scene originated in Amazing Spider-Man #33 (1966), written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Steve Ditko.
The comic “If This Be My Destiny…!” features a scene where Spider-Man is trapped beneath rubble in the sewers. Desperate to save Aunt May, he finds the strength to push beyond his limits. This moment was paid homage to in Spider-Man: Homecoming, when Spider-Man was pinned under heavy machinery in Vulture’s hideout and managed to break free, mirroring the classic comic book scene.
Read More
- FRONT MISSION 3: Remake coming to PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, and PC on January 30, 2026
- Best Controller Settings for ARC Raiders
- Taylor Sheridan’s Gritty 5-Part Crime Show Reveals New Final Season Villain
- The Boys Season 5, Episode 5 Ending Explained: Why Homelander Does THAT
- Mark Zuckerberg & Wife Priscilla Chan Make Surprise Debut at Met Gala
- The Boys Season 5 Officially Ends An Era For Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy
- ‘The Bride!’ Review: Jessie Buckley Breathes Life into a Monstrous Mess
- Invincible Season 4 Episode 4 Post-Credits Unveils a Demonic Return & More
- Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun season 4 release schedule: When are new episodes on Crunchyroll?
- From season 4 release schedule: When is episode 2 out on MGM+?
2026-05-14 18:41