7 Marvel Characters Who Know Peter Parker is Spider-Man

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Spider-Man has always worked hard to keep his identity a secret, but it hasn’t always been easy. Lately, people around him have noticed that both Spider-Man and Peter Parker are acting differently. This is concerning for anyone who knows them, but especially worrying for those who realize they’re the same person. While heroes like Captain America, Iron Man, and the Fantastic Four are aware of his secret, some other people who know his identity might surprise readers unfamiliar with Marvel Comics.

Here’s a look at seven Marvel characters from both Peter Parker’s past and present who know his secret identity as Spider-Man.

7) J. Jonah Jameson

J. Jonah Jameson held a long-standing and intense dislike for Spider-Man. From the very beginning of Spider-Man’s career, Jameson used his newspaper to portray him as a dangerous villain, hoping to turn public opinion against him. He even funded the creation of enemies like the Scorpion and the Spider-Slayers in an attempt to defeat Spider-Man himself. Ironically, during this time, Jameson also developed a close relationship with Peter Parker, hiring him to work at the newspaper and eventually growing to see him as a son.

J. Jonah Jameson now knows Peter Parker is Spider-Man, a revelation that occurred in *Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man* #6. During a podcast interview, Jameson unexpectedly revealed the pain and loss that fueled his hatred. Spider-Man then unmasked, showing Jameson he’d always understood him. Since then, Jameson has become an ally, even acting as Spider-Man’s strategist for a while. He’s also one of the few people aware that the current Spider-Man in Marvel Comics isn’t actually Peter Parker.

6) Norman Osborn

Norman Osborn has long been one of Spider-Man’s biggest threats. As the Green Goblin, he committed a terrible act by killing Gwen Stacy, intending to devastate Spider-Man. Later, he lost his memory and didn’t remember what he’d done. But in *Amazing Spider-Man* #797, Norman regained his memories when J. Jonah Jameson accidentally let slip that Norman had been the one who killed “his girl” on the bridge. This caused Norman to realize Gwen Stacy was connected to Spider-Man, and he remembered his secret identity.

A lot has changed since then. Norman Osborn was reformed by Sin-Eater and stopped being a villain. He then dedicated himself to helping Spider-Man, even upgrading his costume and doing everything he could to support Peter Parker. Now that Spider-Man is missing, Norman has taken on the mantle of Spider-Man to ensure the heroic legacy continues.

5) Black Cat

As a huge Spider-Man fan, I’ve been following this storyline closely! It’s wild – Peter finally let a few girlfriends, including MJ, in on his secret. But here’s where it gets really complicated: someone impersonated Peter, and even Norman Osborn was running around as the Green Goblin, fooling everyone, including MJ! She genuinely believed they were the real deal. But Black Cat? She was the only one who knew both of them were fakes – neither the Spider-Man she knew, nor the real Peter Parker. It’s such a clever twist!

Black Cat confronted Ben Reilly, revealing she knew he wasn’t the real Peter Parker and that someone was pretending to be Spider-Man. The moment was uncomfortable – she didn’t want to know the truth when he unmasked and was visibly upset. Despite this initial reaction, Black Cat has since become one of Spider-Man’s most dedicated allies, always willing to help him however she can.

4) Venom

Venom knowing Peter Parker is Spider-Man creates major problems for Spider-Man. After Peter rejected Venom, the symbiote wanted revenge, and that’s how it teamed up with Eddie Brock, who already disliked Peter – making Venom a powerful enemy. Things got even more dangerous when Venom bonded with Scorpion, as Norman Osborn had already revealed Spider-Man’s identity to him. However, not all of Venom’s hosts discovered Spider-Man’s secret, often because they didn’t communicate effectively with the symbiote.

It’s strange that Venom ended up bonding with Mary Jane Watson. Despite both of them knowing Peter Parker’s secret identity, neither realized “Peter” wasn’t the real Spider-Man – it was actually Ben Reilly in disguise when they spoke to him. This highlights how Black Cat always understood Spider-Man better, and suggests Venom has lost touch with who Spider-Man really is.

3) Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange has become a key figure in Spider-Man’s world in Marvel Comics. Because of his magical abilities, he’s aware that Peter Parker is Spider-Man, and probably knows the secret identities of all other heroes as well. This knowledge proved helpful when Spider-Man faced challenges related to the spider totem, and Strange possesses information that’s unique within the entire Marvel Universe.

Doctor Strange understands the reason behind Mephisto’s animosity towards Spider-Man. It stems from the controversial ‘One More Day’ storyline, where Spider-Man made a deal with Mephisto to save Aunt May’s life by erasing his marriage to Mary Jane Watson. Strange discovered that Mephisto foresaw a future where Mayday Parker (Spider-Man and Mary Jane’s daughter) would defeat him, and he acted to prevent her birth.

2) Rocket Raccoon

You might be surprised to learn that the real Spider-Man isn’t on Earth right now! While imposters are operating as Spider-Man back home, Peter Parker himself is lost in space. He was marooned on an alien world and facing certain death until Xanto Starblood, a villainous alien scientist, rescued him. However, it turns out Xanto has been capturing beings from different planets for cruel experiments.

Spider-Man rescued a group of prisoners, and surprisingly, one of them was Rocket Raccoon. After the rescue, Rocket stepped forward and sarcastically remarked that he was being saved by ‘another Earth idiot named Peter,’ revealing he knew Peter Parker and Spider-Man were the same person. Despite this knowledge, Rocket probably doesn’t know much about Peter Parker’s life on Earth, and likely isn’t interested either.

1) Miles Morales

Miles Morales first appeared as Spider-Man on Earth-1610, stepping into the role after Peter Parker fought the Ultimate Goblin. He excelled at being a hero, honoring Peter’s legacy, and was shocked to discover Peter was actually still alive, though Peter kept it a secret. Eventually, Miles encountered the Peter Parker from Earth-616 when Spider-Man traveled across different universes.

Following the Secret Wars, the Molocule Man thanked Miles Morales for his compassion by bringing his family back to life on Earth-616. This allowed Miles to live alongside Spider-Man, who took on the role of his mentor. Knowing Peter Parker is Spider-Man is crucial for Miles, giving him someone to rely on for guidance and support.

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2025-10-09 00:41