Richard and Mary Parker
Encyclopedia
Richard and Mary Parker are fictional characters of Marvel Comics
. They were the parents of Peter Parker, the boy who one day would become Spider-Man
. They will appear in the 2012 reboot of the Spider-Man film franchise
. Richard Parker was also briefly mentioned by Uncle Ben in the 2002 Spider-Man film
.
For many more years, the characters appeared only in flashbacks and photographs. However, in Amazing Spider-Man #365 (August 1992), Spider-Man's 30th anniversary, they reappeared. Two years later, in #388 (April 1994) they were revealed to be robots created by the Chameleon
and were destroyed.
In July 1997, Untold Tales of Spider-Man #-1, part of Marvel Comics' "Flashback Month" event, written by Roger Stern
and drawn by John Romita, Sr.
, expanded the characters' origins. Since then, they have rarely been mentioned except in passing.
, was recruited by Nick Fury
to the C.I.A.
. His much older brother, Ben Parker, was married to May Reilly Parker
.
Mary Fitzpatrick was the daughter of O.S.S.
agent "Wild Will" Fitzpatrick. She attended the best schools and eventually followed in her father's footsteps, becoming a C.I.A. translator and data analyst.
Richard and Mary met on the job, fell in love, and married. Originally they eloped, then later had a more elaborate service, fooling many. Mary became a field agent like Richard, giving them both an easy cover as a married couple. They were assigned to investigate Baroness Adelicia Von Krupp, who had captured an agent of a "friendly power" (who turned out to be Logan
, aka Wolverine, then a Canadian
operative called Agent Ten). They rescued Logan from the Baroness and Baron Wolfgang von Strucker. After that mission, they discovered that Mary was pregnant; Logan was actually the first person to congratulate the Parkers, commenting later that he never saw an agent as tough as Richard Parker go that white that fast.
Their son Peter Benjamin Parker
was born some months later. However, Richard and Mary were frequently away from him on missions. While they were away, he was left in the care of Richard's older brother Ben and his wife May.
While on a mission to investigate Albert Malik, the third Red Skull
, they posed as traitors
and double agents to infiltrate his criminal organization in Algeria
. Unfortunately they were discovered. Malik framed them and brought in an assassin called the Finisher to kill the two. Finisher sabotaged their airplane
and caused it to crash. They were subsequently declared missing in action
/presumed dead, as two burnt bodies were found in the remains.
Spider-Man
. Although he has only vague memories of his parents and no memory of their militaristic history, his aunt and uncle share photographs and happy memories with him, but not their belief that they had been traitors to their country. When Peter discovers this, he travels to Algeria
. He finds Malik, who sends the Finisher to kill Spider-Man. Spider-Man turns the Finisher's missile against him, and the Finisher dies, but not before revealing that Richard and Mary were in fact innocent. Spider-Man returns to America with evidence and clears his parents' names.
, working for Harry Osborn
, created Life Model Decoy
s of Richard and Mary. These LMDs were near-perfect robotic replicas of Peter's dead parents, and managed to convince him that they had in fact been held captive overseas for most of his life. Aunt May retains some suspicions, as there are some things they did not know, such as Richard and Mary's elopement. When Peter discovers that they were fake, he suffers a nervous breakdown. When the Decoys were ordered to attack Parker, Mary's feelings for Peter causes her to save him. Neither LMD survives the incident. After battling the Chameleon, Spider-Man discovers that Harry Osborn was behind the whole thing, as an effort to avenge his (supposedly) dead father, Norman Osborn. Spider-Man then becomes mentally unhinged over time, until he has a near-death experience.
May Parker eventually learns the truth about the Life Model Decoys, via learning the truth about Spider-Man. May draws strength by talking to the graves of Mary, Richard and Ben about Peter's life.
The cynical mindset of Harry Osborn and the Chameleon was present in the LMDs, particularly during Maximum Carnage
: When Aunt May advises Peter to "listen to your heart," (the pseudo) "Richard" tells a very different lesson: Later, when Shriek
uses her psychic powers to turn the whole town against Spider-Man and the other super-heroes, "Richard" remarks that the "moral," "orderly" world he remembered while in prison "was just an illusion! The evil was here—all along—festering beneath the surface!"—inviting a sharp rebuke from Peter's wife, Mary Jane
. (After his "parents" are exposed as frauds, some of this cynicism rubs off for a while on the "son"—with Spider-Man becoming unusually brutal against his enemies and developing a "Spider" alternate personality.)
documentation. For one thing, the very fact that Harry Osborn and the Chameleon were able to fool the State Department, Peter, and (for a time) Aunt May into thinking Richard and Mary had "returned" after 20 years implies that the government was never able to solidly confirm the bodies found in the original plane crash to be theirs. This uncertainty was exploited by Harry Osborn and the Chameleon: When explaining how he and Mary "survived", the false Richard Parker asserts that the bodies found were of Russian spies who stayed on the plane while they themselves were forced to jump out. According to Spider-Man: Unmasked, "young Peter was orphaned at an early age when his parents were declared missing in action"—once again implying that they were not "officially" considered dead by the authorities—although they were presumed so, at least until the Life Model Decoys appeared on the scene.
It is also ambiguous how old Peter was when his parents were lost: Some accounts have it happening in his infancy; others say he was as old as six years—particularly, The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Spider-Man, 2004. The latter view is supported by Spider-Man's musing, during The Child Within, that he remembers his parents, yet "they were practically strangers to me," as he prepares to fight Harry Osborn
/The Green Goblin and Vermin
:—during the fight, Harry drugs Peter and subsequently discovers that Peter blames himself for his parents' death; Harry conceives the LMD scam to "avenge" his own father shortly after. Another, more comprehensive book on the Marvel Universe (also released in 2004) asserts that Peter's only clear memory of his (real) parents was of the moment they were boarding the fateful plane and he promised them he'd be a "good boy" for Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Most Spider-Man stories in the main continuity are vague about Peter's exact age when he was effectively orphaned.
, Peter Parker's parents are briefly mentioned as having worked with Sir Nicholas Fury, Queen Elizabeth's chief of security.
during the House of M
storyline, Peter and Gwen Stacy
name their son Richard. Generally, Peter's sons in alternate realities are named after his Uncle Ben, but in House of M, Ben had lived, and so Peter did not pay tribute to him.
continuity nor has he been mentioned, Mary had made her appearance instead. In this version, Mary is Aunt May's sister instead of Uncle Ben being Richard's brother, and is both the leader of the Spider Clan and is a Spider demon, who is known as the Spider Queen. She's been plotting to make her son, Peter Parker, the new leader of the Clan and sends the Elementals to kill her sister, May Parker, so that it would lead Peter to her. When the two are confronted, Mary revealed she wanted Peter to become the new leader of the Spider Clan, but Peter figured out and was shocked and disgusted that she would send the Elementals to kill her own sister which causes him to reject the offer and begin to attack her. However Mary teleported him back to New York were she had sent the Elementals to fight him. Disappointed by his rejection, Mary instead passes leadership of the Spider Clan to her pupil, Venom. Because of this, Peter has decided to quit his identity as Spider-Man.
, with his second name being in honor of his father.
limited series
Trouble
was marketed as the "true origin" of Spider-Man. In that story, characters named Richard and Mary met while on summer vacation, and Mary's friend May rather than Mary herself was Peter's mother. None of the characters' last names were revealed. The story was later ignored due to negative fan reception.
continuity, Richard "Ray" Parker was a biologist instead of a spy. He and Mary supposedly died in an airplane accident when Peter was six, and Peter still has vague memories of his parents. Before the crash, Richard was working on a cure for cancer
, in the form of a biological suit that could repair its host body. He recorded a series of tapes addressed to Peter, in which he revealed that he was worried that the suit would be used as a weapon instead of a cure. A tape recorded just before the crash revealed that his project had been taken away from him. His project became the basis of Venom. His name and work were known by scientists (including Wasp and Giant Man of the Ultimates
) involved in re-creating the super-soldier formula that created Captain America
.
In Ultimate Spider-Man
#100, an aged clone of Peter Parker with false memories appeared. The clone recounted that Bolivar Trask, the man responsible for shutting down the cancer cure project, brought the research staff back together. Richard had second thoughts about working on the project, now knowing the suit he developed would be used as a weapon, and chose not to get on the plane. Mary, however, felt that Richard was a fool for turning down this opportunity, and appeared willing to leave her husband for this reason. (This contradicts her earlier sentiments, that Richard was getting in way over his head). After the crash, Richard was approached by government agent Henry Gyrich, for the purposes of launching his own research project in case Nick Fury
was ever to go rogue. Gyrich showed Richard a surveillance video proving his son, Peter, was the amazing Spider-Man. Afterwards, he revealed himself to May Parker. May, shocked by the possibility that Richard was alive all this time, told him to go away. Richard then preceded to go to Peter's high school, but Gyrich prevented him from doing so. After Peter found a revived Gwen Stacy, however, Richard finally went to May's house to try to explain everything. However, after telling of what happened to him, Nick Fury's men and Spider-Slayers surrounded the house. Gwen becomes nervous and immediately transforms into what appears to be the ultimate version of Carnage
.
Later, in issue 103, Doctor Otto Octavius (who created multiple clones of Spider-Man) reveals that "Richard Parker" was a clone. This is confirmed when Susan Storm of the Fantastic Four
runs a test on a sample of Richard's DNA and finds it identical to Peter Parker's. Apparently, the cloning process severely aged Richard. Though his memories were false, Richard still deeply loves Peter like a son. Before he dies, Richard asks Sue Storm and the rest of the Four to look after Peter.
In the final FMV of the Ultimate Spider-Man
video game, it is implied that Eddie Brock Sr. and the Venom suit are responsible for the plane crash that killed Peter's parents.
However, in issue #4 of Ultimate Origins
, which takes place 15 years before the current Ultimate timeline, Richard is shown to have been hired by the U.S. government and Ultimate Nick Fury
as part of a project to recreate the Super Soldier Serum. At a covert lab in Dover, New Jersey
, Richard worked alongside fellow scientists, Hank Pym, Franklin Storm, father of Sue and Johnny Storm, and Bruce Banner.
One day, while Pym and Banner are inside the lab testing a possible match to the serum that was discovered by Banner, Richard is just outside the lab being visited by his wife and recently born son, Peter. Unfortunately, Banner, having just tested his serum on himself, transforms into the Hulk for the first time and goes on a rampage, destroying the complex. Richard and Mary and both caught in an explosion of debris, and are killed.
The sight of the infant Peter lying next to his mother's body is enough to shock Banner back to his human form, in time for Fury and his men to arrive and subdue him. As his men haul Banner into custody, Fury picks the infant off the ground and carries him away from the site, stating that Peter is at least lucky enough to be too young to remember any of what has happened later on.
Artist Mark Bagley
based the likeness of the Ultimate version of Richard Parker on that of Peter Parker as drawn by John Romita, Sr.
and Gil Kane
in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He felt he had not adequately captured Peter's appearance during his earlier run on The Amazing Spider-Man
in the 1990s.
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. They were the parents of Peter Parker, the boy who one day would become Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
. They will appear in the 2012 reboot of the Spider-Man film franchise
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012 film)
The Amazing Spider-Man is an upcoming American superhero film based on the comic book of the same name that is currently in post-production. It is the fourth Columbia Pictures film based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man and the first film in a rebooted Spider-Man film franchise. The film...
. Richard Parker was also briefly mentioned by Uncle Ben in the 2002 Spider-Man film
Spider-Man (film)
Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film, the first in the Spider-Man film series based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Koepp...
.
Publication history
Prior to Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5 (published in 1968), there had been no explanation of why Peter Parker was an orphan and was raised by his aunt and uncle. That issue finally answered the question. Richard and Mary Parker only appeared in brief flashbacks in the story.For many more years, the characters appeared only in flashbacks and photographs. However, in Amazing Spider-Man #365 (August 1992), Spider-Man's 30th anniversary, they reappeared. Two years later, in #388 (April 1994) they were revealed to be robots created by the Chameleon
Chameleon (comics)
The Chameleon is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in The Amazing Spider-Man #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko; the Chameleon is the first member of Spider-Man's rogues' gallery, based on issue...
and were destroyed.
In July 1997, Untold Tales of Spider-Man #-1, part of Marvel Comics' "Flashback Month" event, written by Roger Stern
Roger Stern
Roger Stern is an American comic book author and novelist.-Early career:In the early 1970s, Stern and Bob Layton published the fanzine CPL , one of the first platforms for the work of John Byrne...
and drawn by John Romita, Sr.
John Romita, Sr.
John V. Romita, Sr. is an Italian-American comic-book artist best known for his work on Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man...
, expanded the characters' origins. Since then, they have rarely been mentioned except in passing.
Fictional character biographies
Captain Richard Parker, a decorated soldier of the United States Army Special ForcesUnited States Army Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force tasked with six primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and...
, was recruited by Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
to the C.I.A.
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
. His much older brother, Ben Parker, was married to May Reilly Parker
Aunt May
May Reilly Parker-Jameson, commonly known as Aunt May, is a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared as May Parker in Amazing Fantasy #15...
.
Mary Fitzpatrick was the daughter of O.S.S.
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
agent "Wild Will" Fitzpatrick. She attended the best schools and eventually followed in her father's footsteps, becoming a C.I.A. translator and data analyst.
Richard and Mary met on the job, fell in love, and married. Originally they eloped, then later had a more elaborate service, fooling many. Mary became a field agent like Richard, giving them both an easy cover as a married couple. They were assigned to investigate Baroness Adelicia Von Krupp, who had captured an agent of a "friendly power" (who turned out to be Logan
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, aka Wolverine, then a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
operative called Agent Ten). They rescued Logan from the Baroness and Baron Wolfgang von Strucker. After that mission, they discovered that Mary was pregnant; Logan was actually the first person to congratulate the Parkers, commenting later that he never saw an agent as tough as Richard Parker go that white that fast.
Their son Peter Benjamin Parker
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
was born some months later. However, Richard and Mary were frequently away from him on missions. While they were away, he was left in the care of Richard's older brother Ben and his wife May.
While on a mission to investigate Albert Malik, the third Red Skull
Red Skull
The Red Skull is a name shared by several fictional characters, all supervillains from the Marvel Comics universe. All incarnations of the character are enemies of Captain America, other superheroes, and the United States in general....
, they posed as traitors
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
and double agents to infiltrate his criminal organization in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. Unfortunately they were discovered. Malik framed them and brought in an assassin called the Finisher to kill the two. Finisher sabotaged their airplane
Fixed-wing aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...
and caused it to crash. They were subsequently declared missing in action
Missing in action
Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
/presumed dead, as two burnt bodies were found in the remains.
After death
Richard and Mary's son Peter grew up to become the superheroSuperhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
. Although he has only vague memories of his parents and no memory of their militaristic history, his aunt and uncle share photographs and happy memories with him, but not their belief that they had been traitors to their country. When Peter discovers this, he travels to Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. He finds Malik, who sends the Finisher to kill Spider-Man. Spider-Man turns the Finisher's missile against him, and the Finisher dies, but not before revealing that Richard and Mary were in fact innocent. Spider-Man returns to America with evidence and clears his parents' names.
Life Model Decoys
Years later, the ChameleonChameleon (comics)
The Chameleon is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in The Amazing Spider-Man #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko; the Chameleon is the first member of Spider-Man's rogues' gallery, based on issue...
, working for Harry Osborn
Harry Osborn
Harry Osborn is a fictional character, a supporting character of Spider-Man in the . In addition to being Peter Parker's best friend, Harry was the second Green Goblin and is the son of Norman Osborn...
, created Life Model Decoy
Life Model Decoy
A Life Model Decoy is fictional android appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is designed to function as an exact body double for VIPs...
s of Richard and Mary. These LMDs were near-perfect robotic replicas of Peter's dead parents, and managed to convince him that they had in fact been held captive overseas for most of his life. Aunt May retains some suspicions, as there are some things they did not know, such as Richard and Mary's elopement. When Peter discovers that they were fake, he suffers a nervous breakdown. When the Decoys were ordered to attack Parker, Mary's feelings for Peter causes her to save him. Neither LMD survives the incident. After battling the Chameleon, Spider-Man discovers that Harry Osborn was behind the whole thing, as an effort to avenge his (supposedly) dead father, Norman Osborn. Spider-Man then becomes mentally unhinged over time, until he has a near-death experience.
May Parker eventually learns the truth about the Life Model Decoys, via learning the truth about Spider-Man. May draws strength by talking to the graves of Mary, Richard and Ben about Peter's life.
The cynical mindset of Harry Osborn and the Chameleon was present in the LMDs, particularly during Maximum Carnage
Maximum Carnage
"Maximum Carnage" is a fourteen-part comic book crossover published in Marvel Comics's Spider-Man family of titles in 1993. It featured Spider-Man and Venom teaming up to face Venom's murderous offspring Carnage.-Plot:...
: When Aunt May advises Peter to "listen to your heart," (the pseudo) "Richard" tells a very different lesson: Later, when Shriek
Shriek (comics)
Shriek is a fictional character, a supervillainess in the Marvel Comics universe. She is an enemy of Spider-Man. She was created by Tom DeFalco, Mike W...
uses her psychic powers to turn the whole town against Spider-Man and the other super-heroes, "Richard" remarks that the "moral," "orderly" world he remembered while in prison "was just an illusion! The evil was here—all along—festering beneath the surface!"—inviting a sharp rebuke from Peter's wife, Mary Jane
Mary Jane Watson
Mary Jane Watson, often shortened to MJ, is a fictional supporting character appearing, originally, in Marvel comic books and, later, in multiple spin-offs and dramatizations of the Spider-Man titles as the best friend, love interest, and one-time wife of Peter Parker, the alter ego of Spider-Man...
. (After his "parents" are exposed as frauds, some of this cynicism rubs off for a while on the "son"—with Spider-Man becoming unusually brutal against his enemies and developing a "Spider" alternate personality.)
Ambiguities in Marvel documentation
The nature and timing of Richard and Mary Parker's fate are somewhat ambiguous in Spider-ManSpider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
documentation. For one thing, the very fact that Harry Osborn and the Chameleon were able to fool the State Department, Peter, and (for a time) Aunt May into thinking Richard and Mary had "returned" after 20 years implies that the government was never able to solidly confirm the bodies found in the original plane crash to be theirs. This uncertainty was exploited by Harry Osborn and the Chameleon: When explaining how he and Mary "survived", the false Richard Parker asserts that the bodies found were of Russian spies who stayed on the plane while they themselves were forced to jump out. According to Spider-Man: Unmasked, "young Peter was orphaned at an early age when his parents were declared missing in action"—once again implying that they were not "officially" considered dead by the authorities—although they were presumed so, at least until the Life Model Decoys appeared on the scene.
It is also ambiguous how old Peter was when his parents were lost: Some accounts have it happening in his infancy; others say he was as old as six years—particularly, The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Spider-Man, 2004. The latter view is supported by Spider-Man's musing, during The Child Within, that he remembers his parents, yet "they were practically strangers to me," as he prepares to fight Harry Osborn
Harry Osborn
Harry Osborn is a fictional character, a supporting character of Spider-Man in the . In addition to being Peter Parker's best friend, Harry was the second Green Goblin and is the son of Norman Osborn...
/The Green Goblin and Vermin
Vermin (comics)
Vermin is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. The character's first appearance was in Captain America #272 .-Fictional character biography:...
:—during the fight, Harry drugs Peter and subsequently discovers that Peter blames himself for his parents' death; Harry conceives the LMD scam to "avenge" his own father shortly after. Another, more comprehensive book on the Marvel Universe (also released in 2004) asserts that Peter's only clear memory of his (real) parents was of the moment they were boarding the fateful plane and he promised them he'd be a "good boy" for Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Most Spider-Man stories in the main continuity are vague about Peter's exact age when he was effectively orphaned.
1602
In Marvel 1602Marvel 1602
Marvel 1602 is an eight-issue comic book limited series published in 2003 by Marvel Comics. The limited series was written by Neil Gaiman, penciled by Andy Kubert, and digitally painted by Richard Isanove; Scott McKowen illustrated the distinctive scratchboard covers...
, Peter Parker's parents are briefly mentioned as having worked with Sir Nicholas Fury, Queen Elizabeth's chief of security.
Bullet Points
In the alternate timeline of Bullet Points, Ben is killed a few months into his relationship with May Parker. Richard and Mary promise to "always be there for her," a vow which was later broken.House of M
In the alternate reality created by the Scarlet WitchScarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
during the House of M
House of M
House of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled...
storyline, Peter and Gwen Stacy
Gwen Stacy
Gwendolyn "Gwen" Stacy appears as a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #31 ....
name their son Richard. Generally, Peter's sons in alternate realities are named after his Uncle Ben, but in House of M, Ben had lived, and so Peter did not pay tribute to him.
Marvel Mangaverse
Although Richard has not appeared in the Marvel MangaverseMarvel Mangaverse
The Marvel Mangaverse is a series of comic books published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2002, with a sequel "New Mangaverse" released in late 2005 and early 2006....
continuity nor has he been mentioned, Mary had made her appearance instead. In this version, Mary is Aunt May's sister instead of Uncle Ben being Richard's brother, and is both the leader of the Spider Clan and is a Spider demon, who is known as the Spider Queen. She's been plotting to make her son, Peter Parker, the new leader of the Clan and sends the Elementals to kill her sister, May Parker, so that it would lead Peter to her. When the two are confronted, Mary revealed she wanted Peter to become the new leader of the Spider Clan, but Peter figured out and was shocked and disgusted that she would send the Elementals to kill her own sister which causes him to reject the offer and begin to attack her. However Mary teleported him back to New York were she had sent the Elementals to fight him. Disappointed by his rejection, Mary instead passes leadership of the Spider Clan to her pupil, Venom. Because of this, Peter has decided to quit his identity as Spider-Man.
MC2
In the alternate reality of MC2, Peter names his son Benjamin Richard ParkerBenjamin Richard Parker
Benjamin Richard Parker is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics alternate future MC2 universe. He is the younger brother of May Parker/Spider-Girl, and the son of Mary Jane and Peter Parker/Spider-Man....
, with his second name being in honor of his father.
Trouble
The 2003 Epic ComicsEpic Comics
Epic Comics was a creator-owned imprint of Marvel Comics started in 1982, lasting through the mid-1990s, and being briefly revived on a small scale in the mid-2000s.- Origins :...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
Trouble
Trouble (comic book)
Trouble is a five-issue romance comic book limited series published in 2003 by Marvel Comics as a part of its Epic Comics imprint. Written by Mark Millar and illustrated by Terry and Rachel Dodson the series deals with teen pregnancy...
was marketed as the "true origin" of Spider-Man. In that story, characters named Richard and Mary met while on summer vacation, and Mary's friend May rather than Mary herself was Peter's mother. None of the characters' last names were revealed. The story was later ignored due to negative fan reception.
Ultimate Richard Parker
In the Ultimate MarvelUltimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel is an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and updated versions of the company's superhero characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. The imprint was launched in 2000 with the publication of the series...
continuity, Richard "Ray" Parker was a biologist instead of a spy. He and Mary supposedly died in an airplane accident when Peter was six, and Peter still has vague memories of his parents. Before the crash, Richard was working on a cure for cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, in the form of a biological suit that could repair its host body. He recorded a series of tapes addressed to Peter, in which he revealed that he was worried that the suit would be used as a weapon instead of a cure. A tape recorded just before the crash revealed that his project had been taken away from him. His project became the basis of Venom. His name and work were known by scientists (including Wasp and Giant Man of the Ultimates
Ultimates
The Ultimates is a fictional group of superheroes that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team was created by writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch, and first appeared in The Ultimates #1 , as part of the company's Ultimate Marvel imprint...
) involved in re-creating the super-soldier formula that created Captain America
Ultimate Captain America
Ultimate Captain America is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. He is an alternative version of the mainstream Marvel continuity Captain America that appears in Marvel's Ultimate line of books...
.
In Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man was a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
#100, an aged clone of Peter Parker with false memories appeared. The clone recounted that Bolivar Trask, the man responsible for shutting down the cancer cure project, brought the research staff back together. Richard had second thoughts about working on the project, now knowing the suit he developed would be used as a weapon, and chose not to get on the plane. Mary, however, felt that Richard was a fool for turning down this opportunity, and appeared willing to leave her husband for this reason. (This contradicts her earlier sentiments, that Richard was getting in way over his head). After the crash, Richard was approached by government agent Henry Gyrich, for the purposes of launching his own research project in case Nick Fury
Ultimate Nick Fury
General Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional character published by Marvel Comics. A reinterpretation of the character Nick Fury, one of the most notable differences between the two is that the mainstream Nick Fury is an Italian American colonel with graying brown hair, while this Nick Fury...
was ever to go rogue. Gyrich showed Richard a surveillance video proving his son, Peter, was the amazing Spider-Man. Afterwards, he revealed himself to May Parker. May, shocked by the possibility that Richard was alive all this time, told him to go away. Richard then preceded to go to Peter's high school, but Gyrich prevented him from doing so. After Peter found a revived Gwen Stacy, however, Richard finally went to May's house to try to explain everything. However, after telling of what happened to him, Nick Fury's men and Spider-Slayers surrounded the house. Gwen becomes nervous and immediately transforms into what appears to be the ultimate version of Carnage
Carnage (comics)
Carnage is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . The character first appears in The Amazing Spider-Man #344 , and was created by writer David Michelinie and artist Mark Bagley. The character is frequently depicted as an enemy of Spider-Man...
.
Later, in issue 103, Doctor Otto Octavius (who created multiple clones of Spider-Man) reveals that "Richard Parker" was a clone. This is confirmed when Susan Storm of the Fantastic Four
Ultimate Fantastic Four
Ultimate Fantastic Four is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Fantastic Four comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
runs a test on a sample of Richard's DNA and finds it identical to Peter Parker's. Apparently, the cloning process severely aged Richard. Though his memories were false, Richard still deeply loves Peter like a son. Before he dies, Richard asks Sue Storm and the rest of the Four to look after Peter.
In the final FMV of the Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man (video game)
Ultimate Spider-Man is a video game based on the comic book of the same name by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley. The game was released for most sixth generation consoles, including PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, and Microsoft Windows, as well as a mobile phone...
video game, it is implied that Eddie Brock Sr. and the Venom suit are responsible for the plane crash that killed Peter's parents.
However, in issue #4 of Ultimate Origins
Ultimate Origins
Ultimate Origins is a comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics, released in June 2008. It falls under Marvel's Ultimate Marvel imprint. It was written by Brian Bendis and illustrated by Butch Guice...
, which takes place 15 years before the current Ultimate timeline, Richard is shown to have been hired by the U.S. government and Ultimate Nick Fury
Ultimate Nick Fury
General Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional character published by Marvel Comics. A reinterpretation of the character Nick Fury, one of the most notable differences between the two is that the mainstream Nick Fury is an Italian American colonel with graying brown hair, while this Nick Fury...
as part of a project to recreate the Super Soldier Serum. At a covert lab in Dover, New Jersey
Dover, New Jersey
Dover is a town in Morris County, New Jersey on the Rockaway River. Dover is west of New York City and west of Newark, New Jersey. As of the United States Census, 2000, the town's population was 18,188.-Geography:...
, Richard worked alongside fellow scientists, Hank Pym, Franklin Storm, father of Sue and Johnny Storm, and Bruce Banner.
One day, while Pym and Banner are inside the lab testing a possible match to the serum that was discovered by Banner, Richard is just outside the lab being visited by his wife and recently born son, Peter. Unfortunately, Banner, having just tested his serum on himself, transforms into the Hulk for the first time and goes on a rampage, destroying the complex. Richard and Mary and both caught in an explosion of debris, and are killed.
The sight of the infant Peter lying next to his mother's body is enough to shock Banner back to his human form, in time for Fury and his men to arrive and subdue him. As his men haul Banner into custody, Fury picks the infant off the ground and carries him away from the site, stating that Peter is at least lucky enough to be too young to remember any of what has happened later on.
Artist Mark Bagley
Mark Bagley
Mark Bagley is an American comic book artist. He has worked for Marvel Comics and DC Comics on such titles as The Amazing Spider-Man, Thunderbolts, New Warriors, and Ultimate Spider-Man.- Early life and career :...
based the likeness of the Ultimate version of Richard Parker on that of Peter Parker as drawn by John Romita, Sr.
John Romita, Sr.
John V. Romita, Sr. is an Italian-American comic-book artist best known for his work on Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man...
and Gil Kane
Gil Kane
Eli Katz who worked under the name Gil Kane and in one instance Scott Edward, was a comic book artist whose career spanned the 1940s to 1990s and every major comics company and character.Kane co-created the modern-day versions of the superheroes Green Lantern and the Atom for DC Comics, and...
in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He felt he had not adequately captured Peter's appearance during his earlier run on The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the adventures of the fictional superhero Spider-Man. Being the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a monthly periodical and was published continuously until it was...
in the 1990s.
Television
- Richard and Mary Parker appeared in Spider-Man: The Animated SeriesSpider-Man (1994 TV series)Spider-Man, also known as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, is an American animated series starring the Marvel Comics superhero, Spider-Man. The show ran on Fox Kids from November 19, 1994, to January 31, 1998. The producer/story editor was John Semper, Jr. and production company was Marvel Films...
as an illusion created by Baron MordoBaron MordoBaron Karl Amadeus Mordo is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by Marvel Comics and appearing as an enemy of Doctor Strange...
in the third season premiere. In the fifth-season "Six Forgotten WarriorsSix Forgotten Warriors"Six Forgotten Warriors" is the longest story arc and only five-part episode from the fifth season of Spider-Man. This five-parter features the first and only appearances in the cartoon series, of Silver Sable, her Wild Pack and Electro, who was originally not allowed to be used in the...
" saga, it is revealed that Peter's parents were spies investigating a machine called the Doomsday Device created by the Red SkullRed SkullThe Red Skull is a name shared by several fictional characters, all supervillains from the Marvel Comics universe. All incarnations of the character are enemies of Captain America, other superheroes, and the United States in general....
in RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. After learning from Nick FuryNick FuryColonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
of S.H.I.E.L.D.S.H.I.E.L.D.S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
that his parents were traitors, Peter traveled to Russia and cleared their names. He had help from Uncle Ben's friend Keen Marlow (the Golden Age superhero the Destroyer).
- Though never appearing nor named in The Spectacular Spider-Man, Peter and Eddie Brock's fathers are mentioned as having been scientists that worked together. Both sets of parents died in a plane crash, much like their Ultimate counterparts.
Video games
- Richard Parker was featured in the Ultimate Spider-ManUltimate Spider-Man (video game)Ultimate Spider-Man is a video game based on the comic book of the same name by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley. The game was released for most sixth generation consoles, including PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, and Microsoft Windows, as well as a mobile phone...
video game voiced by Loren LesterLoren LesterLoren Lester is an American actor of stage, screen, and voice, best known for his portrayal of DC Comics superhero Robin and Nightwing in the numerous Batman animated series and features in the DC Animated Universe....
. It reveals in a flashback that Richard Parker was killed when Eddie Brock Sr. put on the Venom suit mid flight. Mary Parker was the only survivor of the plane crash, but died in the ambulance before she could mention what happened.
Novels
- In the "Sinister SixSinister SixThe Sinister Six are a group of supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe, drawn from Spider-Man's rogues gallery. The original incarnation of the group was organized by Doctor Octopus, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 ....
" novel trilogy by Adam-Troy CastroAdam-Troy CastroAdam-Troy Castro is a science fiction, fantasy, and horror writer living in Miami, FL. He has more than eighty stories to his credit and has been nominated for numerous awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Stoker. These stories include four Spider-Man novels, including the Sinister Six trilogy,...
(Gathering of the Sinister Six, Revenge of the Sinister Six, and Secret of the Sinister Six), a man known only as the Gentleman - an internationally known criminal mastermind, currently in his late nineties and possessing a strong disdain for the rest of humanity, as well as being the brother of the Red Skull's assassin the Finisher - was revealed to have been partially responsible for Richard and Mary's deaths, having revealed their true identities to the Red Skull, only asking that Peter be spared so that he would be more of a challenge later on in life. The possibility was also raised that Spider-Man had an older sister: the Gentleman's ward, a young woman called Pity, who was capable of climbing walls, possessed a strength level approximately equal to Spider-Man, and could create a "darkness" that prevented anyone around her from seeing anything. At the conclusion of this trilogy, Peter Parker meets LoganWolverine (comics)Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, who reveals that he worked regularly with the Parkers on joint missions between the American and Canadian secret services; the discovery that Logan was the first person to congratulate Richard after they learned that Mary was pregnant with Peter prompted Peter to say "Wolverine's practically my Uncle."
Film
- They are set to appear in The Amazing Spider-ManThe Amazing Spider-Man (2012 film)The Amazing Spider-Man is an upcoming American superhero film based on the comic book of the same name that is currently in post-production. It is the fourth Columbia Pictures film based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man and the first film in a rebooted Spider-Man film franchise. The film...
. Richard will be played by Campbell ScottCampbell ScottCampbell Scott is an American actor, director, producer, and voice artist.-Life and career:Scott was born in New York City, the son of George C. Scott, an actor, director, and producer, and Colleen Dewhurst, a Canadian-born actress. He graduated from Lawrence University in 1983. His brother is...
and Mary will be played by Julianne NicholsonJulianne NicholsonJulianne Nicholson is an American actress. She is known for having played Det. Megan Wheeler on Law & Order: Criminal Intent.-Early life:...
. They appear in the trailer saying goodbye to Peter as they drop him off at Uncle Ben and Aunt May's. When asked about why they were leaving, Richard answers that it was something they had to do.