It’s something of a tradition that Spider-Man is one of the most perpetually destitute characters in Marvel Comics. Peter Parker’s meager lifestyle is a big facet of his relatable appeal, but there is a solution to his money problems that he seems to be overlooking, despite it being pretty much right in his wheelhouse.
After interrupting a hijacking attempt in Spider-Man #1 by Dan Slott and Mark Bagley, the webhead calls his ally Detective Sebbens to let him know where the perpetrators are being held for the authorities. The officer tells Spidey that he doesn’t need to share the location because someone on the scene has already been live-streaming the entire affair. “And monetizing it!” the civilian chimes in. Peter remarks that he can’t get upset because he used to do something similar; monetizing Spider-Man’s image by selling exclusive photos to J. Jonah Jameson and The Daily Bugle. But it’s been a long time since photos were the only way to do that, and Peter could be depriving himself of an instant rags-to-riches situation here.
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Although Marvel’s sliding timescale may keep the actual year and date of events obscure, it is obvious that most of the comic stories are meant to take place “here and now,” several decades deep into the internet age. Peter Parker is an understated genius with a penchant for quick innovation. This issue suggests that he’s aware of how intimately connected to him many of New York’s inhabitants feel. So on one hand, it boggles the mind that he hasn’t taken the step to create a live-stream of his own. If the success of video games like Marvel’s Spider-Man for the PS4 prove anything it’s that a lot of people want to feel like they’re the web-slinger. It could be as simple as strapping on a body cam for an evening patrol, or having his fancy new drone film for him. It would be nearly impossible to fake or recreate unless you were another Spider-person, and that authenticity would make Peter’s “webstream” an immediate sensation.
Why Spider-Man Won’t Take The Easy Money
Of course, Peter saying that he “used to do that too” makes past tense the operative aspect in this situation. A lot has changed since he worked for the Bugle, and it can’t all be accounted for in this article alone. What has never changed is Peter’s strong belief in the credo given to him by his uncle: “With great power comes great responsibility.” There are any number of ways a man of Peter’s intelligence could get rich quick without even having to utilize his powers; in fact, the increasingly controversial Superior Spider-Man series sought to depict the potential of Peter Parker’s mind uninhibited by morals. But when the chips fall, time and again Peter will choose his personal ethics over personal gain.
So while it’s fun to imagine the wall-crawling antics that could ensue from a Spider-Twitch channel, it is highly unlikely he’ll resort to that any time soon. No matter how cordial he is with the citizens of New York, Spider-Man‘s primary goal is to protect them, and he takes that task seriously—even if he’ll smack himself on the head for not having the idea sooner.
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