After years of corporate negotiation and deliberation, the Spider-Man in 2016, played by Tom Holland. In the years since, Holland has appeared a total of six times as the character, with more films in the works to keep fans of the character satiated for a long time to come.
Now that the MCU's version of Spider-Man has been firmly established as his character within the sprawling franchise, fans are better able to assess how he compares to his comic book counterpart. While Holland's take on the hero has some major differences from the comic book Spider-Man, there are some things that it adapted to absolute perfection.
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
Many fans of Marvel Comics will recognize one of Peter Parker's most common superhero nicknames: "The Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man." While this multi-syllabic phrase also fits well into the character's signature theme song, it also signifies his modus operandi in that, while he does take on major supervillains from time to time, much of his day-to-day superhero acts involve helping the little people around his neighborhood.
The MCU made it a point to address this aspect of Spider-Man's superhero career, making it the central theme of his first solo outing in the franchise, Spider-Man: Homecoming. After spending the entire film trying to be more like Tony Stark, Peter realizes that his best quality is being a "friendly neighborhood Spider-Man" and looking after the little people, just like his comic book counterpart.
Humor
While many Marvel heroes are considered "quippy" thanks to their reinvention in the MCU, Spider-Man was the original wise-cracking superhero. Originally conceived as a way to throw his villains off their rhythm, Spider-Man's pitter-patter of quips and taunts is a signature aspect of his crime-fighting routine.
Whereas Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man made very little effort to adapt the humor of the character and Andrew Garfield's quips sometimes bordered on bullying, Tom Holland's Spider-Man nails this characteristic, perfectly balancing his humor in a way that feels as though it was ripped right from the pages of a comic book.
The Classic Suit
Spider-Man's costume is one of the most iconic superhero outfits ever to grace comic book pages. His signature red and blue have rarely changed throughout the decades, and whenever the character did undergo a wardrobe alteration, it was usually met with universal outrage from his loyal fanbase.
The MCU's Spider-Man has aired closer to the comic books in design than his previous live-action incarnations but always distinguished itself by the suits' high-tech functionalities. After lukewarm reception from fans, the StarkTech Spider-Man suits were left behind at the end of an incredibly accurate suit to the comics was introduced in the final scene.
Peter Parker Vs. Spider-Man
One of the defining features of Peter Parker's Spider-Man is the constant internal dissonance between his everyday life and his superhero alter-ego. It seems as though Peter and Spider-Man are always at war with one another, each fighting to dominate every moment of his waking life, leading Peter to make very difficult decisions along the way.
Because the MCU's Spider-Man is so much younger than previous live-action incarnations, he is forced into this inner war more often than Maguire or Garfield. Tom Holland's Spider-Man is depicted struggling with being an everyday high schooler, choosing heroism over going to parties, sacrificing his vacation for saving the world, and so on, as he strives to have two lives at once.
Relationship With Doctor Strange
Despite being two very different heroes, Spider-Man and Doctor Strange have a very interesting relationship in the comics. The two team up somewhat regularly, usually embarking on mindboggling adventures, such as the one depicted in the landmark Amazing Spider-Man #500. The Master of the Mystic Arts has a soft spot for the younger hero, despite being annoyed by some of his more childish personality traits.
Though he would be loathed to it it, Doctor Strange is one of Spider-Man's best friends in the MCU. The two have teamed up on three separate occasions throughout their history, with the elder hero constantly building up his patience with the far younger Webslinger. This relationship was put fully on display in Spider-Man: No Way Home, as their friendship was pushed to its limits throughout the film.
No One Dies
Like many superheroes to come out of the Silver Age of comic books, Spider-Man operates under a strict no-kill policy. Not only does he personally not take the lives of his villains, but he also goes to great lengths to make sure that no one dies on his watch, even if that person had attempted to kill him only seconds earlier.
The MCU's Spider-Man has a very similar tenet in his crimefighting life, making sure to preserve all lives, even those of supervillains. The entire plot of No Way Home centers around Spider-Man's attempt to save the lives of five nefarious villains from alternate dimensions, despite having nothing to do with their deaths in their original timelines.
Selflessness
Spider-Man is a paragon of heroism not because of his superpowers, but because of what kind of man he is underneath the mask. Knowing that with great power must also come great responsibility, Peter Parker constantly puts others before himself, acting selflessly at all times.
Despite having a somewhat privileged aura around him up until recently, Tom Holland's Spider-Man proved to be just as selfless as other incarnations, if not more so, by the end of No Way Home. In an ending that closely mirrors the "One More Day" storyline from the comics, Peter made the ultimate sacrifice by giving up everyone close to him to save the universe.
If This Be My Destiny...
The Amazing Spider-Man #31-33 comprise the story known as "If This Be My Destiny," which has come to be considered to be one of the best Spider-Man storylines of all time. After a battle with Doctor Octopus left Spider-Man stranded under rubble in an underwater base quickly filling with water, the hero pushes past his fear and failure, lifting the weight off of his back and living to fight another day.
Spider-Man: Homecoming perfectly recreates this moment in its final act. When Peter is trapped under the rubble of the Vulture's hideout, he is about to give up until he declares that he is Spider-Man and can still save the day. In a shot ripped straight out of the comics, Peter lifts the weight off of his back and proceeds to defeat The Vulture.
Youth
It can sometimes be easy to forget that, underneath the mask, Spider-Man is just a teenager trying to do what is right. The youthfulness of Peter Park is an essential character trait to the iconic superhero, who, despite being involved in very heavy stories and mature themes, is just a high school kid.
The Homecoming trilogy finally gave fans to explore a high school-aged Peter Parker in-depth. Previous incarnations all moved away from the high school setting rather quickly, whereas Tom Holland's Peter remained in school through his latest appearance. This gave the filmmakers time to flesh out what being a student with superpowers could be like, doing justice to that era of the character.
Sudden Adulthood
Peter Parker may just be a kid, but he had adulthood thrust upon him sooner than most. After the tragic death of his Uncle Ben, Peter was suddenly introduced to the terrifying reality of adulthood, having to become the man of the family far earlier than he ever expected. As he goes on through life, he is forced to take on responsibilities that most children do not even have to consider until long thereafter.
Spider-Man: No Way Home brought Peter to this exact moment by the end of the film. After losing his Aunt May and being forgotten by everyone in the world, Peter is forced to fend for himself, getting an apartment in New York City and working to get his GED. A high school student only days before, Peter Parker is quite suddenly a full-fledged adult looking forward to a life that is both exciting and terrifying.
