When Marvel Comics released Amazing Fantasy #15 and the world met Spider-Man for the first time, he was like no other superhero in comics. Most heroes at the time in Marvel and DC were gods, brilliant scientists, or other adults thrown into a life of fighting crime. Peter Parker was an awkward high school student, meaning he was, and still is, instantly relatable to any kids who read the comics.
Because Spider-Man was one of the first superheroes kids could relate to, as he learned his life lessons, it helped teach an entire generation the same hard truths as well. Marvel never pulled punches. Peter didn't always make the right decisions, but even in failure, Spider-Man and the readers learned a valuable lesson from his experiences.
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
The life lesson that everyone knows from Spider-Man comics is the first one that Peter Parker learned. Peter's Uncle Ben taught him that with great power there must also come great responsibility. Peter ignored this advice at first and tried to become a celebrity with his powers.
As a result, his Uncle Ben died when Spider-Man wouldn't stop a thief. With his beloved uncle dead, Peter realized that he needed to always do the right thing and be responsible with his newfound powers. Readers learned that, while they might not have Spider-Man's power, they needed to be responsible in life as well.
Family Comes First
After Spider-Man lost his beloved Uncle Ben, he knew that he needed to do everything he could to protect the loved ones who remained. Peter almost quit as Spider-Man in order to help protect his Aunt May. He did everything he could to protect May, even when she knew he was the one who needed to be looked after.
Peter even did the worst thing possible by selling his marriage to Mephisto to save May's life. Of course, this is also a lesson for readers that it is always important to protect those you love, even if it is sometimes not easy.
Humor Can Overcome Stress
While Spider-Man has changed a lot over the years, one thing that has remained the same is his sense of humor and wisecracks when battling villains. He has even gone so far that other heroes consider him one of the most annoying people they have ever worked with. However, there is a reason for this. As a typical teenager under the suit, Spider-Man is often scared and uses humor to overcome his stress.
People always find themselves in tough situations, and when the stress gets high, it can seem impossible to achieve success. Spider-Man uses humor to get through hard times, and this is a lesson that anyone can put to use.
Always Do The Right Thing
Spider-Man has not always done the right thing. But the best thing about Spider-Man comics is that when he does bad things, bad things then happen to him - highlighting an important lesson for fans. When Peter Parker didn't stop a thief, his Uncle Ben died. When Spider-Man saw that J. Jonah Jameson needed him, he unmasked and ended a long feud.
However, when Spider-Man sold his marriage to Mephisto to save Aunt May's life, it was a bad decision for a good reason and it hurt a lot of people for a long time. If any hero emphasizes what can happen when you make bad choices, it's Spider-Man.
Stay In School
Peter Parker was a wallflower and a nerd in school, with few friends and an awkward demeanor. However, there is a reason he was so smart. His Uncle Ben and Aunt May made sure he took his studies seriously. When the radioactive spider bit him and he gained superpowers, he was only partially a superhero.
It was Peter Parker's brains and education that helped him become a fully-rounded hero. He stayed in school and learned what he needed to know about how to create the web shooters as well as solve problems scientifically when needed. Without his brains, Spider-Man might not have made it this far which emphasizes another important lesson for young fans: stay in school.
It's Okay To Ask For Help
Spider-Man was a loner for a long time. There are often times where he still tries to take it all on his own shoulders and things don't always work out. With that said, there are times that you can't do things by yourself and the recent war with Kindred featured in the comics proved that.
While Spider-Man realized that he was likely going to die in this battle, everyone from Miles Morales and Spider-Woman to Mary Jane Watson and Doctor Strange showed up to help him. It is a great lesson that no one has to fight battles alone and there are people out there who care about you enough to come to your aid when you truly need it.
Learn From Your Losses
There might not be anyone in comics who lost more than Spider-Man. His entire story started with the death of his Uncle Ben, but almost all heroes started out by losing someone. However, the tragic losses never stopped for Peter Parker.
His girlfriend Gwen Stacy died. His best friend Harry Osborn turned evil and eventually died. He believed his Aunt May died more than once. He even gave up his marriage to Mary Jane Watson. However, Peter Parker learned from these losses and became stronger each time, and the comics implore readers to do the same.
Help Everyone ... Even Your Enemies
Spider-Man doesn't kill. His reasoning isn't just that he doesn't believe in killing, though. He is someone who believes it is his responsibility to help everyone, even though that has been harder in recent years. In one of the most devastating betrays in the Spider-Man comics, Harry Osborn almost killed him and he was still there with him when he died.
He has saved Sandman's life. In his battle with Kindred, he actually fought to save Norman Osborn's life, even though Osborn hurt Spider-Man worse than anyone in his entire life. Spider-Man saves everyone and even spares his biggest enemies. It's a noble trait that all fans can learn from.
Never Take The Easy Way Out
When it comes to teaching life lessons in comics, it is often easier to see when the hero does the wrong thing and then pays for it in the end. A perfect example came during the Civil War storyline. Spider-Man took Iron Man's side and unmasked to the public, which resulted in his Aunt May getting shot.
If that wasn't a bad enough decision, Peter Parker and his love interest Mary Jane made a deal with Mephisto to give up their marriage to save May. It was the easy way out and it created a damaged soul in Peter Parker, which Doctor Strange discovered in the Kindred storyline.
Never Give Up
The one most important lesson that anyone could learn by following Spider-Man over the years is to never give up. There have been many times where Spider-Man would have saved himself a lot of pain by just giving up. He once quit but learned that the world needed Spider-Man.
Kraven the Hunter beat him, but Spider-Man literally rose from the grave to fight back. In Civil War, Spider-Man realized he was on the wrong side and fought the entire government to do what was right. Nothing pushed him harder than his war with Kindred, but he fought to the end, never gave up, and saved the world time and time again.