Stan Lee Knew Why Marvel Once Hated Spider-Man — And His First Superhero Name for Peter Parker Was Even Worse
Marvel almost rejected the Spider-Man name over spider-phobia — and Stan Lee had a surprising backup alias, revealed in a 2009 interview with Kevin Smith.
Spider-Man almost wasn't Spider-Man. The name we all take for granted today? It freaked people out at Marvel at first, because, well, lots of folks hate spiders. And Stan Lee briefly workshopped something way worse. Buckle up for Mosquito-Man.
How we nearly got Mosquito-Man
In a 2009 chat with Kevin Smith, Stan Lee said he tried out a bunch of names before landing on the obvious one. At one point, he floated "Mosquito-Man." Yes, really. Sounds less like a hero and more like a guy who lives near a drainage ditch. It's the same goofy energy Peter Parker jokes about with "The Human Spider" in Sam Raimi's movie. Fun to say out loud, terrible to put on a comic cover.
Early on, the word "Spider" made people squeamish, and Marvel wasn't thrilled with it. That pushed Stan into a little naming detour before he snapped back to the one that actually sings.
"It seemed to me that 'Fly-Man' wasn't good. 'Insect-Man' didn't sound good. And 'Mosquito-Man' was awful. And then it hit me: 'Spider-Man.' And it was an epiphany."
The lightbulb moment (and the actual power set)
Back in a 1992 ET interview, Stan laid out the spark: after the Hulk and a bunch of high-flying heroes, he was looking for the next big thing when he noticed a fly calmly walking up a wall. That was it. Not lasers, not a magic hammer — just the simple, creepy-cool idea of someone who could stick to walls and hang from ceilings. From there, the rest of the toolkit fell into place.
He also kept hammering this core principle: start with a relatable person and protect that original spark. Peter Parker was a regular, slightly awkward teenager who stumbled into power — not a billionaire, not a god — which is exactly why he works.
Where Spidey sits in Stan's lineup
If you rank Stan Lee's heavy hitters, the list goes like this: Black Panther at 5, Thor at 4, the Hulk at 3, Iron Man at 2, and Spider-Man at 1. Not exactly a plot twist. Between the movies, comics, games, and shows, Spidey is still the face of Marvel. People relate to Peter's teenage messiness, the on-again-off-again love life, the constant moral tightrope, and the cosmic joke of losing people he loves while still showing up to help the little guy.
Quick Spidey stats
- Real name: Peter Parker
- First appearance: Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962)
- Creators: Stan Lee (writer) and Steve Ditko (artist)
- Origin: Bitten by a radioactive spider, gains superhuman abilities
- Core powers: Wall-crawling, spider-sense, super agility/strength, mechanical web-shooters
- Occupations: Freelance photographer, scientist, superhero, teacher
- Home base: New York City
- Major villains: Green Goblin (Norman Osborn), Doctor Octopus (Otto Octavius), Venom (Eddie Brock), Sandman (Flint Marko), Lizard (Curt Connors), Vulture (Adrian Toomes), Mysterio, Kingpin, Kraven the Hunter
- Supporting cast: Aunt May, Uncle Ben, Mary Jane Watson, Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn, J. Jonah Jameson, Flash Thompson
- Signature arcs: The Night Gwen Stacy Died, The Master Planner Saga, Spider-Man No More!, Kraven's Last Hunt, The Clone Saga
- Notable traits: Witty, self-doubting, resilient, moral, eternally youthful vibe
The stories that made the myth
Stan didn't just co-create the character; he scripted a bunch of the early, defining issues. Highlights: The Return of Doctor Octopus in The Amazing Spider-Man #3 (1963), Enter: The Green Goblin in #14 (1964), and Spider-Man No More! in #50 (1967). And right from Peter's debut in Amazing Fantasy #15, we got the line that basically became the character's operating system: "with great power comes great responsibility."
Spider-Man isn't just a mascot. He's the blueprint for how a superhero can be extraordinary and painfully human at the same time. What's your favorite Spidey thing — a story arc, a villain, a movie moment? Tell me.