Comics Would Spidey function as well outside of New York?

[X Knight]

Hey all,

this is probably an odd Spidey question. But, would Spidey be as effective with his powers if he lived in a city other than New York?

The "concrete jungle" landscape of NY obviously suits Spidey's abilities well, especially web swinging.

But, what would happen if Spidey lived in another location......perhaps another big city like Boston or Chicago? Or, perhaps a small town like Topeka, Kansas?

Based on Spider-man's character, would he simply adapt his use of his abilities to his location? For example, if Spidey lived in a small town without a lot of tall buildings to swing from, would he find an "alternate means" of transport?

I guess what I'm curious about is.......do you think Spider-man is a "one-city" hero that is limited to New York?

 

[ScottishFogg]

i don't think he's limited to New York, but a city like that makes him the most effective. you could probably move him to Chicago, Seattle, LA or any big city and he wouldn't change that much -- but move him somewhere small, to some little podunk town, and he would change a little.

it could actually be a fun arc to explore. he wouldn't have the mobility he has in NYC, as he couldn't just swing over somewhere. but he'd be the same hero, so you would get to see him adapt to the new surroundings. he would probably run over and along buildings more and do less swinging, or jump and "pull" himself across buildings to get places faster. but if it's a really small town, everything might happen in one square mile and he'd just be able to web the perp from wherever he's at, without having to give chase.

i think Pete's a "big city guy," but it'd be fun to transplant him, just for an arc -- we recently got to see how even Paris, a big city, was really different for Peter, so why not a little dustbowl?

 

[Genixx]

they'd probably give him the gliding ability like he had with the IronSpidy suit.

 

[Miguel]

Or, perhaps a small town like Topeka, Kansas?

Based on Spider-man's character, would he simply adapt his use of his abilities to his location? For example, if Spidey lived in a small town without a lot of tall buildings to swing from, would he find an "alternate means" of transport?

Pick-up truck.

 

[3dman27]

harley -davidson

 

[Cyclops]

Technically? Yes. Thematically? No. New York City is just as important to Spider-Man as any of his powers.

 

[Venomfan]

in Stan Lees comic strips, he is in LA and he complains that its hard to websling because the buildings are too low

 

[MaxCarnage]

Hey all,

this is probably an odd Spidey question. But, would Spidey be as effective with his powers if he lived in a city other than New York?

The "concrete jungle" landscape of NY obviously suits Spidey's abilities well, especially web swinging.

But, what would happen if Spidey lived in another location......perhaps another big city like Boston or Chicago? Or, perhaps a small town like Topeka, Kansas?

Based on Spider-man's character, would he simply adapt his use of his abilities to his location? For example, if Spidey lived in a small town without a lot of tall buildings to swing from, would he find an "alternate means" of transport?

I guess what I'm curious about is.......do you think Spider-man is a "one-city" hero that is limited to New York?

Far from being an odd question, we actually had one almost exactly like it several months ago. Not that there's anything wrong with asking, I just thought someone had resurrected that thread.

Spider-Man, in his current carnation, is best-suited to an environment with a lot of tall buildings to swing around on. There was a scene in Tangled Web where Spidey goes to visit the Frog-Man after he gets out of jail, and he ends up having to call a cab to get back into the city. It was actually a really funny scene, because he basically bashes Frog-Man and then has to ask to use his phone.

Anywho, Pete is of course smart enough to adapt to his environment, but New York City is where he belongs, feasibly and historically.

EDIT: Sorry, Frog-Man was the son of Leap-Frog, who was the one released from prison. They're both stupid characters anyway.

 

[storyteller]

Before the change spiderman was really a superhero with a theme that could easily be traded(he could be captain america for instance). None of his skills were truely spider based(sticking to buildings was like static and the mechanical webshooters). Now his powers are truely spider in origin.

 

[Cyclops]

What? What does that inaccurate statement have to do with New York?

 

[X Knight]

wait....umm......how are spiderman's powers different than they were before? how is his clinging ability different than before? and how does that make him limited to New York?

 

[ScarletSpider]

I'd like to see Spidey swinging around somewhere like Tokyo, just for one issue or something, for the visuals alone.

Never the less Spidey is part of New York, and New York is part of Spidey.

 

[WOLVERINE25TH]

They did Spidey in the suburbs. ASM #267.

 

[Dangerous]

Basically no.
The only place in the world where he can websling for miles in any direction is NYC.

 

[Venom07]

Ahhhh... but Spidey out of NY would probably mean the return of the...
SPIDER-MOBILE!!!!

 

[November Rain]

his methods of webswinging would differ incredibly depending on where he was.

I'm also not sure whether other cities would warm to him as much...

I could see him functioning in metropolis in his blues and in gotham in his symbiote gear

as for other real life cities, i don't know how the populations would warm to him...there is something about new yorkers and spidey (at least the way he was originally written) that gel.

 

[bulok]

didn't Peter move to Pittsburgh or Boston way back in the 90s clone saga? I thought he did alright. and let's not forget the Beyonder's world. That's as far from NY city as you can get.

He would work differently if he's on a different location but Spiderman can adapt.

 

[November Rain]

boston sounds correct...

and he only had one stint in his costume before he lost his powers. he didn't even have web shooters so it is hard to gauge...

 

[Shin-Natsume]

i allways imagine spidey in my city. we have no skyscrapers. in fact, most of the city looks like queens...

 

[walternewell]

In my opinion, if you want a clearer answer to this question, my best advice is to read Charles Vess's "The Amazing Spider-Man: Spirits of the Earth." This story pulls Spidey out of his typical urban environs and places him in Scotland's countryside, where are no tall buildings to swing from.

 

[Dmain_Event]

Spidey had a fight with Alestair smythe in Pittsburgh, and He moved to portland during the clone saga. I don't know what portland is like though?!?!?!??!??!?
But I am sure he did alright.

 

[Dangerous]

In my opinion, if you want a clearer answer to this question, my best advice is to read Charles Vess's "The Amazing Spider-Man: Spirits of the Earth." This story pulls Spidey out of his typical urban environs and places him in Scotland's countryside, where are no tall buildings to swing from.

I have wanted to read this for years but so far never been able to locate a copy to buy.