Spider-Man is arguably the most well-known and popular Marvel hero. Thanks to successful movies and video games, fans worldwide know Peter Parker’s life, and Spider-Man’s origin story is nothing short of iconic. Anyone conscious for the last 70 years knows of the fateful radioactive spider bite that allowed Peter to stick to walls and gain superhuman abilities.
While many people knew about Peter’s spider-senses, there are also abilities that even the most die-hard Spider-Man fan never knew of (or took time to consider). Both Peter and Miles Morales possess even stranger abilities that they rarely use. Comic fans should forgive themselves for forgetting about some of these powers, as situations rarely call for them.
8/8 Peter Has Been Able To Communicate With Spiders
Spider-Man’s ability to communicate with other spiders has flown under the radar for many fans. Among Spidey enthusiasts, much has been discussed regarding “The Other” story arc, where Spider-Man figured out he could communicate with spiders and used that communication to defuse a bomb. However, in Doctor Strange #390, by Donny Cates, Frazer Irving, and Chip Zdarsky, Strange granted Peter’s wish to speak to a pet spider by placing them in an alternate realm where they could chat. While Peter is thrilled at the chance, the conversation between the two leaves both Peter and the spider unimpressed with the experience.
The spider doesn’t understand why Peter doesn’t eat the criminals he catches and Peter’s dismayed to find out that his life span may be shortened due to his infusion of spider DNA. While the conversation was disappointing, Peter was able to use some insight to give a pep talk to Doctor Strange. Peter’s ability to communicate with spiders not only allowed him to strategize with spiders, but also allowed him to gain a broader wisdom on life.
7/8 Spider-Man Used Night Vision To Save People From A Collapsing Building
One of the powers Spider-Man gained in Amazing Spider-Man #528, by J. Michael Straczynski, Ron Garney, Bill Reinhold, and Matt Milla, was the ability to see at night. After Peter recovered from his attack on Morlun, Peter went to his tailor to fix his costume when the power goes out. When one of the buildings in the area is on the verge of collapse, Peter was able to save the tenants of the building with his newly found night vision.
Peter remembered that the Spider God had told him he would develop new abilities he’d be afraid to use to avoid a transformation into a spider. While his new powers led to a heroic deed, Peter confided in MJ that he’s afraid he’ll have a similar experience to Jeff Goldblum in The Fly. While his night vision may have scared him, it’s a handy skill that’s not associated with the zeitgeist of the Web-Crawler.
Much has been debated and investigated on Spider-Man’s speed. While he may not be as fast as DC’s The Flash or Superman, his radioactive spider powers make him a fierce competitor in any race. While he’s shown his quickness through web-swinging or combative agility, a deep spider dive from fans on the internet found that Peter can move about two miles per second.
Spidey enthusiasts across the board seem to agree that Spider-Man can move and run between 200-250 MPH. While that’s not faster than a speeding bullet (which can be over 1,800 MPH), it’s still an absurdly fast and overlooked quality of Spidey’s.
5/8 Spider-Man Is Immune To Radiation After The Spider Bite
Spider-Man’s origin story about radioactivity is well known, so, interestingly, his immunity toward radioactive substances is rarely mentioned. In Amazing Spider-Man Vol 2 #30 by J. Michael Straczynski, John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna, Dan Kemp, and Avalon Studios, the vampire Morlun attempted to sustain himself by feeding off of Peter. During their battles, Peter learned the Morlun was defenseless against radiation. Spider-Man injected himself with radiation to poison Morlun when he tried to feed off of him.
Fans of this issue are introduced to another character, Ezekiel Sims, who gained similar spider powers through a supernatural ritual. Sims told Spider-Man that the spider that bit him may have already had supernatural powers. Sims surmised that the spider chose Peter as a vessel to transfer them before it died from radiation. Fans were able to mull over this chicken and egg dilemma regarding this new power that they previously did not know of.
4/8 Miles Morales Has An Incredible Camouflage Ability
Many know Peter Parker to have a showboat style and a biting sense of humor that he’s always willing to display. Miles Morales on the other hand has a unique stealth power. Miles can disguise his body and clothing in any background in his immediate environment.
This is a unique power that is reminiscent of Susan Storm of The Fantastic Four. Susan Storm however does not have the same spider abilities that Morales has, which gives him a unique advantage over his enemies. While Miles can move in silence, Peter, known for his witty sense of humor, has a hard time shutting up.
3/8 Spider-Man Developed A Spider Signal In Early Comics
Even casual superhero fans know that DC’s Batman has a Bat-Signal that the Gotham Police Force uses to contact the Caped Crusader. What even die-hard fans may not know is that the third issue ever of Amazing Spider-Man debuted Spidey’s own Spider-Signal.
As opposed to the Dark Knight, Peter’s Spider-Signal isn’t used to alarm him of an occurring emergency. Peter used the Spider-Signal as a makeshift flash weapon to disorient criminals. While the Spider-Signal didn’t come from the famous spider bite, the tool is a testament to the power of Peter’s ingenuity that he had all along.
2/8 Spider-Man’s Micro Tendrils Can Tear Off Flesh If He’s Not Careful
One of the coolest and most brutal of Spider-Man’s attributes that he rarely uses was discovered through his clone, Kaine. Kaine realized that Spider-Man’s ability to use the adhesive from his tendrils that enabled him to stick to walls can also rip off someone’s flesh.
This can be employed to do something as heinous as peel an opponent’s face off their body. Much like when Spider-Man discovered his potential for night vision, this revelation of a new power terrified him because, as the well-known Spider-Man saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility.
1/8 Spider-Man Can Heal At An Extremely Fast Rate
Spider-Man’s healing power may go unnoticed when compared to obvious self-regenerators such as Wolverine. That’s because Spider-man’s healing powers aren’t as drastic when compared to his Weapon X friends. Fans know this after Morlun ripped out his eye in a battle during Amazing Spider-Man #526 by Reginald Hudlin, Mike Deodato Jr., Joe Pimentel, and Matt Milla (which he gained back after forming a rebirth cocoon). But Spider-Man’s superhuman abilities, such as his fast metabolism, allow him to recover faster from injuries sustained in combat.
One could argue that since Spider-Man is always fighting villains, he’s always using his healing abilities naturally. But in instances such as Amazing Spider-Man #700.4, by Joe Casey, Timothy Green, Walden Wong, and Brad Simpson, Spider-Man is burned from a fire beyond recognition but recuperated quickly. Spidey’s ability to heal is astonishingly overlooked yet nothing short of remarkable.
