Alt World Where Peter's Parents are Alive

[Hypestyle]

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Has there been a world portrayed yet where Peter's parents are still currently alive and it's not a trick and they are not robots, evil or otherwise bad actors?

It would be at least an interesting mini-series for an alternate world. Superman's continuity went through phases of his parents being not-alive, then retro alive (Superboy comics), then being alive again (post-Crisis), leading to today's status..

I'm more comfortable with the scientist angle for Peter's parents vs the SHIELD spy angle. Of course there's room for further reinterpretation with authors.

[Frontier]

It would be kind of interesting to see what a Peter raised by Richard and Mary Parker would be different from how May and Ben raised him.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

It would be kind of interesting to see what a Peter raised by Richard and Mary Parker would be different from how May and Ben raised him.

The problem is that we don't know enough about Richard and Mary as characters to make any assumption about that scenario. Any AU would functionally have to invent or reinvent them to ventriloquize that scenario.

It would not be very interesting.

Richard and Mary are dead-ends as characters.

[PCN24454]

The problem is that we don't know enough about Richard and Mary as characters to make any assumption about that scenario. Any AU would functionally have to invent or reinvent them to ventriloquize that scenario.

It would not be very interesting.

Richard and Mary are dead-ends as characters.

Yes, being CIA agents makes them completely dead-end characters./s

[Frontier]

The problem is that we don't know enough about Richard and Mary as characters to make any assumption about that scenario. Any AU would functionally have to invent or reinvent them to ventriloquize that scenario.

It would not be very interesting.

Richard and Mary are dead-ends as characters.

Well, an AU sounds like a decent enough opportunity to develop them.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

Well, an AU sounds like a decent enough opportunity to develop them.

That's the thing, an AU or Alternate Universe is fundamentally about plots and established dynamics not character-building outlines. It operates on a baseline set of assumptions that exist in the canon.

"What-If Gwen lived" works because we have some idea of who Gwen was, or what Gwen represented so AUs like "House of M: Spider-Man" and so on and so forth make sense.

"What if Uncle Ben lived" which has been done many times works because we have some idea of what Ben represents to Peter and so on.

Whereas nothing definite has been established of Peter's parents.

The entire story would have to devote way too much time to establish them as characters and sell what they can add to Peter's life.

[Frontier]

That's the thing, an AU or Alternate Universe is fundamentally about plots and established dynamics not character-building outlines. It operates on a baseline set of assumptions that exist in the canon.

"What-If Gwen lived" works because we have some idea of who Gwen was, or what Gwen represented so AUs like "House of M: Spider-Man" and so on and so forth make sense.

"What if Uncle Ben lived" which has been done many times works because we have some idea of what Ben represents to Peter and so on.

Whereas nothing definite has been established of Peter's parents.

The entire story would have to devote way too much time to establish them as characters and sell what they can add to Peter's life.

I don't think that's a hard and fast rule about What Ifs. I think they can be a good way of developing newer characters and concepts if they fit the story. It's all about the potential of what could have been.

[PCN24454]

That's the thing, an AU or Alternate Universe is fundamentally about plots and established dynamics not character-building outlines. It operates on a baseline set of assumptions that exist in the canon.

"What-If Gwen lived" works because we have some idea of who Gwen was, or what Gwen represented so AUs like "House of M: Spider-Man" and so on and so forth make sense.

"What if Uncle Ben lived" which has been done many times works because we have some idea of what Ben represents to Peter and so on.

Whereas nothing definite has been established of Peter's parents.

The entire story would have to devote way too much time to establish them as characters and sell what they can add to Peter's life.

People have character because writers write them. If nobody writes about them, then of course they're not going to have notable traits. Personally, I think that they showed enough character in how people talked about them post-Mortem.

[Snoop Dogg]

Richard and Mary showing Peter how to destabilize foreign nations, send death threats to MLK, and build a surveillance state for their rich masters.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

Richard and Mary showing Peter how to destabilize foreign nations, send death threats to MLK, and build a surveillance state for their rich masters.

They are SHIELD not CIA and FBI combined.

I suppose if Peter was raised by Richard and Mary he'd be a military-brat and similar to Teresa his "sister".

It would essentially make him a totally different character.

[Frontier]

They are SHIELD not CIA and FBI combined.

I suppose if Peter was raised by Richard and Mary he'd be a military-brat and similar to Teresa his "sister".

It would essentially make him a totally different character.

Well, yeah, that's kind of the idea .

[Revolutionary_Jack]

Well, yeah, that's kind of the idea .

I guess Teresa is a good snapshot of who Peter could be if was raised by his parents...even if Teresa wasn't raised by Peter's parents (and it's still an open question if she is indeed his sister) but she essentially lives the life of the child of SHIELD agents with no powers.

Peter is so defined by Ben and May that it's hard or impossible to concieve him in that milieu. I am sorry for beating a dead horse but I am making a larger point that any good AU still needs to be structured on some familiar ground for it to work.

[Frontier]

Peter is so defined by Ben and May that it's hard or impossible to concieve him in that milieu. I am sorry for beating a dead horse but I am making a larger point that any good AU still needs to be structured on some familiar ground for it to work.

I agree insomuch that it parallels or contrasts with said familiar ground.

[Mutant God]

Uncle Ben would still end up dead lol

[PCN24454]

Uncle Ben would still end up dead lol

Not always. There are a lot of universes where he's still alive.