MCU Spider-Man vs The Comics: 5 Major Changes The Movies Made to Spidey

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As a huge Marvel fan, I think the *Spider-Man* films are easily among the best things the MCU has done, especially since they’re a collaboration with Sony. It’s amazing to think this is Sony’s third try at getting Spider-Man right on the big screen – we all remember Tobey Maguire, and then Andrew Garfield. But honestly, the Tom Holland movies have really hit the sweet spot, and I think a lot of that is down to bringing Spider-Man into the wider MCU. What’s really interesting, though, is that they’ve also taken some liberties with the character, making changes to his story that even differ from the original comics – and it works! He feels fresh, even after decades of being one of Marvel’s most beloved heroes.

Here are the five most significant ways the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) adapted Spider-Man from his original comic book portrayal, covering everything from his personal life to his skills outside of being a superhero.

5) Peter Parker Wasn’t A High School Outcast In The MCU

I’ll never forget first seeing Spider-Man in Amazing Fantasy #15. It immediately struck me how they introduced Peter Parker – as this quiet, overlooked kid, a real wallflower who everyone at school seemed to pick on. He was incredibly smart, but honestly, he didn’t have much going for him personally, always feeling isolated. Flash Thompson was a constant tormentor, and even the girls he liked didn’t really give him the time of day. It’s a shame the Marvel Cinematic Universe decided to leave all of that important backstory behind; it really shaped who he was.

Peter Parker wasn’t the typical bullied science geek. He wasn’t shy or withdrawn either. Unlike the comics, the movie versions of Peter showed him with good friends like Ned Leeds and MJ. Even Flash Thompson, usually a bully, just playfully teased him instead of being truly mean.

4) Spider-Man’s Love Life Was Different In The MCU

Spider-Man’s love life in the comics included crushes on Liz Allen, but his main high school girlfriends were Gwen Stacy and later, Mary Jane Watson. The movies explored these relationships differently: Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man was with Mary Jane, while Andrew Garfield’s was with Gwen. More recently, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films have moved away from both of these characters, introducing a new MJ, played by Zendaya, as Spider-Man’s main love interest.

In *Spider-Man: Homecoming*, Peter Parker finally got a date with the girl he liked, but her father’s identity as The Vulture quickly put an end to that. Later, in *Spider-Man: No Way Home*, he connected with MJ, though their relationship ended similarly to how Peter and Mary Jane’s romance concluded in the comics. Throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man hasn’t truly been able to maintain a lasting relationship, and this is a significant departure from the comics. Many fans hope the introduction of Black Cat could change that for him in future movies.

3) Spider-Man Was Not A Genius In The MCU

Spider-Man got his amazing abilities – like wall-crawling, super strength, and spider-sense – after being bitten by a radioactive spider. These powers have been showcased in both the movies and comic books. But in the comics, Peter Parker, the man behind the mask, is also a brilliant super genius – one of the smartest people in the entire Marvel Universe.

The Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is still a bright high school student, but he’s not nearly as brilliant as his comic book counterpart. While he’s resourceful and uses his science skills to solve problems – like in *Spider-Man: No Way Home* – he doesn’t demonstrate the same level of genius as the comic book Peter Parker. The movie version isn’t as smart as characters like Reed Richards, and is noticeably less intelligent than his comic book self.

2) Peter Parker Didn’t Have A Job In The MCU

In the Marvel comics, Peter Parker earned money as a high schooler by taking photos of Spider-Man and selling them to the Daily Bugle’s J. Jonah Jameson. But in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Peter never works as a photographer, and he doesn’t even meet Jameson until after the journalist starts publicly criticizing him.

As a big Spider-Man fan, I’ve always loved that in the comics, Peter Parker’s job at the newspaper was a huge part of who he was, right up there with being Spider-Man and going to high school. But in the Marvel movies, while his friendships with Ned and MJ are great, they really haven’t given Peter much of a personal life outside of that. It meant he never really *needed* a job, which always felt a little off. Now that Aunt May is gone, though, he definitely needs to figure out how to support himself, and I’m hoping the next movie finally shows him getting a job. I don’t think we’ll see him working at a newspaper, though – that part of his story seems to be staying in the comics!

1) Spider-Man Had No Mentor In Comics

The way Aunt May’s death impacted Spider-Man’s story was quite different in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) compared to the comics. In the original comics, Uncle Ben’s death and his famous words inspired Peter Parker to become a hero, and Aunt May provided him with support and stability. However, the MCU skipped Uncle Ben altogether, only referencing him as part of Peter’s history. Instead, Aunt May was portrayed as younger and had a much different relationship with Peter, particularly after discovering his secret identity as Spider-Man.

One major difference between the Spider-Man comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is the presence of mentors. In the comics, Spider-Man was guided only by the memory of his Uncle Ben. However, in the MCU, Iron Man served as a mentor to Peter Parker, even creating his advanced suits. Tony Stark played a key role in helping Spider-Man succeed, arguably more so than Peter’s own abilities. This continued after Iron Man’s death, with Happy Hogan stepping in as a mentor – a significant departure from the comics.

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2025-10-08 02:11