Will Peter Parker ever be as respected as Steve Rogers In the Marvel Universe?

[Heasensy32]

There's many reasons to respect a person. I doubt Spidey would get props for leadership, but I'd bet he'd get more props for being friendlier.

But by the world, at large, probably not... unless he saves the world several times over, on camera or something.

well he did save the world a couple times.

[vitruvian]

well he did save the world a couple times.

He's teamed up with everybody, gone everywhere (every part of the MU, every alternate universe including ones the other Marvel heroes never heard of from the Ultimate U to Invincible's world, the Microverse, mystic dimensions, many historical times), and probably saved the world and the city of New York in more different ways from more different villains than any other hero. That's what happens when you have multiple titles of your own plus the longest-running Team-Up title for decades. Unfortunately, most of this is not acknowledged even in Spidey's own titles, let alone when he appears in other titles as the Avengers' junior partner.

Of course, if they did acknowledge every single one of his adventures, from stopping Thanos by throwing himself into that doomsday device the one time, to team-ups with Howard the Duck and Dr. Strange, to combatting Kulan Gath (and having his girlfriend possessed by Red Sonja), it would start to become difficult to explain how he managed all that in the 12-13 years he's been Spider-Man at all, since he'd have to be having a significant enough adventure to publish every single day, possibly twice on Wednesdays.

[MyriVerse]

How many of those "save the worlds" were public though?

[Heasensy32]

How many of those "save the worlds" were public though?

Does it matter it's not like the Avengers get coverage every adventure their on from the daily bugle.

[The4orTy67]

He'll be the greatest hero in the MU when the reboot happens next year.

[Darth Phoenix]

Back when the Puma was running a positive P.R. campain out of some honor debt everyone respected and loved Spidey, but the Puma.

[davew128]

IIRC I thought the original New Warriors and especially Rich Rider all looked up to him as a younger super hero role model.

[Captain Haddock]

The exact words spoke about his legacy being as the greatest... so presumably only once he's dead will he get any respect. Which is sad, but totally typical Parker luck.

[CSTowle]

No, because Spiderman is not meant to be like Captain America. Cap is a trained soldier who follows orders but also knows how to show that he has authority, Spiderman is a lovable goofball who is good at what he does but doesn't take it very seriously. It's only when he does get serious in stories such as Ends of the Earth that he could be compared to Cap.

Basically clicked on the thread to say this.

[MyriVerse]

Does it matter it's not like the Avengers get coverage every adventure their on from the daily bugle.

It matters a great deal. Many of the Avengers missions are extremely public things that would have to get in every news media. You better believe everyone from CNN to Al Jazeera was filming nearly everything that went down during The Siege. Etc.

[XPac]

Realistically Peter SHOULD be respected more than he is now. The guy has literally done everything with everyone against everyone else.

But at the same time, if you're marvel you sort of don't want him to be as respected as he in theory should be. That bit of a loser stigma that Peter carries around is just a part of his charm. You don't want him to be Steve Rogers. You want him to be the guy that the rest of the hero community occasionally will face palm when watching him on the news or whatever, because it's just a fun part of the character.

Plus, I do think deep down I think the people that have worked with Spidey respect him a lot more than they sometimes let on. Guys like Wolverine or smarter versions of the Hulk act like they are annoyed by Spidey whenever he's around... but I do think they DO respect him when push comes to shove.

[exile001]

A part of the reason is that he's rarely written with a decisive part in Avengers arcs or cross-over stories.

He's a bit player, the comic relief, the guy who goes down half-way through, the reliable asset in battle. He doesn't get the final punch, he doesn't come up with the final plan. AVX was the perfect example fo this.

It always comes down to Cap, or Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, someone like that.

Bendis made the decision to add him to the Avengers, and for all he was used Spidey may as well not have been there.

Until Spider-man is written consistantly as one of the big players it will be hard to sell the idea that he could ever be as respected as Cap.

[Darthkostis]

One thing I never got about Cap is why everybody respects him. Hell, even Doom, who doesn't like anyone respects Cap. Why? Can anyone give me an honest answer to this question?

[Captain Haddock]

One thing I never got about Cap is why everybody respects him. Hell, even Doom, who doesn't like anyone respects Cap. Why? Can anyone give me an honest answer to this question?

Because Steve Rogers written correctly is the most principled and honorable guy there is, he will fight anyone and everyone in the name of doing the right thing, regardless of personal cost - "I'm loyal to nothing, General - except the Dream" is to me THE definitive Captain America quote. Unfortunately there are quite a few writers who take this as 'anything Steve believes = correct' and he ends up looking hypocritical and vapid - the perspective he is now holding onto no matter what is contradictory to something else he equally fervently believed earlier. At the very worst you end up with Avengers Vs X-Men type Cap, who regardless of the rights and wrongs of dealing with the Phoenix Force mishandled the whole situation from the beginning and directly and personally made the whole thing worse... but because he's Captain America, he got a free pass and Cyclops got even more derailed just to make sure there was no question who was 'right.'

[Vic Vega]

A part of the reason is that he's rarely written with a decisive part in Avengers arcs or cross-over stories.

He's a bit player, the comic relief, the guy who goes down half-way through, the reliable asset in battle. He doesn't get the final punch, he doesn't come up with the final plan. AVX was the perfect example fo this.

It always comes down to Cap, or Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, someone like that.

Bendis made the decision to add him to the Avengers, and for all he was used Spidey may as well not have been there.

Until Spider-man is written consistantly as one of the big players it will be hard to sell the idea that he could ever be as respected as Cap.

He did get to singlehandedly stop Phoenix Colossus and Phoenix Magik(orwas it White Queen?). But as usual, nobody actually saw this moment of badassery.

Just the same way nobody saw him singlehandedly speed blitz the Clairmont Era Xmen into submission.

And the same way nobody saw him singlehandedly beat down an army of Thanos goons in order to free Warlock from the soul gem.

Spider Man's greatest moments of heroism in the comics tend to come when nobody else is around.

Now the Spider Man of the Rami movies is running around saving folks from burning buildings and is often saving massive numbers of commuters from Tram sabotage and Elevated Train Sabotage.

Everybody loves THAT guy. The people have seen him in action.