Originally Posted by
Den
I have never thought of Peter Parker as the "Everyman"... instead, he was the "Every nerd" in a time when Nerds weren't celebrated or shown positively. He was not an 'average joe', he was a kid genius who was alienated by both that genius and his lack of social status among his peers. He was awkward, interested in things that bored others his age, and an easy target because he had nothing his social circle respected. He also was a decent young man with strong values instilled in him by his Aunt and Uncle, and yes, those values also got him no respect among his bullies, or his peers. He was lame, he was a square.
Peter Parker was no everyman, but I think every person can sympathize a little bit with his plight: Under appreciated, just trying to be a good person, and incredibly frustrated to find himself a living example of Nice guys finishing last. Then came the powers, then came one more moral lesson, and bam... superhero.
Under the mask, Peter bore incredible responsibility, but he also had anonymity and with it liberation. Suddenly he could smart mouth all he wanted. He could crack wise and if no one laughed, their loss. And yet, he came to learn, the more freedom he had, the more he needed to use that freedom as well as that power responsibly. That maybe another we can all relate to as it is a very big part of growing up. Peter got to be himself, and then decided what kind of man himself wanted to be and tried to stick to it. Again, I think he's an every nerd, not an everyman, but I think that's one that every man (and woman) of conscience eventually goes through.
We relate to Peter, but not because we are all in the same boat (Though comics do have a higher percentage of nerds among the fanbase to use a stereotype) but because we've all been similarly adrift in our own boats.
I am not going to say what Peter/Spidey must be, but I think attempts to make him the average joe will fail just because he's not average. He's exceptional, flawed, but exceptional. The fact he couples that with humility maybe one of the more endearing things about him.
Kamala is growing up in a world where nerds are celebrated or at least tolerated far more than they were in Peter's teen years. She's got a bigger and better cast of friends and more support. None of teenage Peter's friends rushed to his aid quite like Bruno did for Kamala. Kamala is in a much better place in that regard. Her persecutions will be ones of age, against her ethnic background, and against her religion. Her story, like any teen's story, is one of self discovery. How much will she allow herself to be defined by her background and belief system? And how much does she not only want to hold onto, but embrace? She's a dreamer, far more optimistic than a young Peter Parker in some ways (IMO, of course), but she's finding her resolve and learning what matters to her as she grows as a person and a superhero.
She and teen Peter have a lot in common, an exuberance at being able to make their own choices and set their own standards for themselves, and also a deep dread of the consequences ( not just on them, but their loved ones) if they mess up. I think its that mix of joy behind their masks, idealism, and weighty responsibility that they have in common. One isn't a copy of the other, but while it was a different trail, Peter has walked ahead on a similar journey.
I'm good with Peter being the grown up. If written well, he could very easily be a living example for those who've felt lost, frustrated, bullied and helpless but still wanted to do the right thing that, to borrow a tagline "it gets better"
Whether Marvel will use him that way or not, I don't know.
All my rambling opinion.
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