Warning: Spoilers Ahead for Amazing Spider-Man #2!

Marvel’s most iconic superheroes, and it’s easy to see why, thanks to his signature look and spider-like abilities. Now, however, one of his most underrated powers is finally making a return to the spotlight: his incredible intelligence. The Marvel Universe is filled with brilliant minds like Reed Richards and Lunella Lafayette, but Spider-Man is too often overlooked when it comes to Marvel’s most intelligent heroes.

...both villains and heroes underestimate Spider-Man’s brilliance.

In Amazing Spider-Man #2, written by Joe Kelly and with art by Peppe Larraz, Peter Parker is once again starting from square one and looking for a job, when it’s revealed from Peter Parker’s resume that the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has an eidetic memory.

Peter Parker’s unlucky nature makes it easy to dismiss the fact that he is one of the Marvel Universe’s most intelligent superheroes, even when put up against major intellectual powerhouses like Bruce Banner and Tony Stark. The reveal that Spider-Man has a near-perfect memory is a power that further drives home how overlooked his intelligence truly is.

Peter Parker’s Intelligence Is a Core Part of His Identity

Amazing Spider-Man #2; Written By Joe Kelly; Art By Peppe Larraz; Color By Marte Garcia; Letters By Joe Caramagna

Behind Spider-Man’s radioactive super-powers and his witty quips, Peter Parker has a graduate degree in biophysics, a PhD in biochemistry, and holds an IQ of roughly 250. A staggering amount of Spider-Man’s origin and lore is based on science, from the radioactive spider that bit him in a science exhibit to the compounds of his web-slinging fluid that he created himself. When considering Peter Parker’s journey to becoming Spider-Man, he isn't simply a man of above-average intelligence; he is a super genius who can stand among other well-renowned heroes, such as Bruce Banner and Tony Stark.

In Immortal Hulk: Great Power #1 by Tom Taylor and Jorge Molina, when Spider-Man is temporarily transformed into the Hulk, Bruce Banner asks Sue Storm whether Peter should be involved in the brainstorming process. However, Peter quickly proves his worth by discovering that gamma energy is being drawn to his unique spider radiation. Bruce Banner was astonished by how intelligent Spider-Man is, revealing just how much both villains and heroes underestimate Spider-Man’s brilliance. Peter Parker also made the groundbreaking discovery of Parker Particles, or Alpha Energy, a phenomenon previously uncovered only by Reed Richards, who chose to conceal his findings out of fear that it was too dangerous.

Sorry, Tony Stark, But Peter Parker Is Marvel's True Intellectual MVP

Peter Parker Outclasses Bruce Banner and Tony Stark in Intellect

Peter Parker’s genius is an inseparable part of his character; however, his intelligence is often overshadowed by the Marvel Universe’s more celebrated intellects, such as Reed Richards and Tony Stark. This overshadowing is evident in Spider-Man’s MCU adaptation, where Tony Stark is positioned as the mastermind behind most of Peter Parker’s superhero tech, providing him with a nano-tech Spider-Man suit and mentoring him throughout his early journey. In reality, Spider-Man is more than capable of standing on his own, having accomplished intellectual feats that arguably rival those of Tony Stark.

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The constant turmoil in Peter Parker’s personal life often takes priority over his more intellectual side, so it’s not hard to see how Spider-Man’s cleverness could be overlooked compared to other brilliant superheroes. However, with the disclosure of Peter Parker’s eidetic memory, Marvel is putting his genius at the forefront of Spider-Man’s new beginning, potentially setting up his strong memory to come into play later. Peter Parker’s eidetic memory aligns perfectly with Spider-Man’s history of being a super genius, and Marvel is showing it’s finally done ignoring Spider-Man’s most underrated and compelling power of superintelligence.

Amazing Spider-Man #2 is available now from Marvel Comics!