History ComicBook / TheAmazingSpiderManJMichaelStraczynski

* CurbStompBattle: In the ''Back In Black'' storyline, when Aunt May is shot and nearly killed, Peter [[BerserkButton loses it big time]] and tracks down the responsible party. When it turns out to be the Kingpin, Peter effortlessly and quite savagely ''beats the living shit'' out of him, then informs the battered, broken Kingpin that if May dies, so will he.

ComicBook/SpiderMan, created in UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}} by Creator/StanLee has been written by various writers over the years. One of them was Creator/JMichaelStraczynski, who wrote over seventy issues of our favorite wall-crawler's adventures. His run was one of the most acclaimed by critics, controversial among fans and... screwed by ExecutiveMeddling in the history of Creator/MarvelComics publishing, despite the fact that Creator/JoeQuesada promised JMS very large creative freedom at the beginning.

* ''ComicBook/{{Civil War|2006}}''

* AgeGapRomance: The forty-something Norman Osborn with the fresh out of high school Gwen Stacy in ''Sins Past''.

* AwfulTruth: In ''Sins Past'', Gwen Stacy had an affair with Peter Parker's nemesis Norman Osborn (''the Green Goblin'') and gave birth to twins prior to her death. It's this revelation that hurts Peter.

* BettyAndVeronica: Peter was this to Norman Osborn's Veronica over Gwen Stacy's Archie during the ''Sins Past'' storyline.

* ChastityCouple: In ''Sins Past'', Peter is attacked by two people claiming to be his and Gwen Stacy's children. One of the reasons this doesn't make sense is, as Peter points out, that he and Gwen never had sex.

* DaddyDNATest: In ''Sins Past'', Peter ''knows'' he's not the father of twins Gabriel and Sarah Stacy but tests his blood sample with the twin's blood sample to find out for sure. Justified, since he and Gwen haven't even slept together prior to the twin's conception and this leads to him discovering that Gwen cheated on him and Mary Jane confirming his worst.
* ADeadlyAffair: In ''Sins Past'', Gwen Stacy had an affair with Norman Osborn, Peter's worst nemesis. She regretted it, gave birth to twins, and planned on raising the twins with Peter. It was this that caused the Green Goblin to snap and kill her.

* FanDisservice: The love scene flashback with Gwen Stacy and Norman Osborn in ''Sins Past''. Especially when he morphs into the Green Goblin right in the middle of the act.

* HappilyAdopted: In ''Sins Past'', Gwen Stacy was hoping to raise her twins with Peter, knowing that he'll be a good adoptive father to them and better than Norman. This motivation gets her killed by Norman Osborn.

* HeinousnessRetcon: [[ComicBook/TheNightGwenStacyDied Norman Osborn killing Gwen Stacy]] just to hurt Spider-Man was bad enough but ''Sins Past'' retcons the reason behind this action to being even more heinous. It is revealed that Norman had an affair with Gwen Stacy while both were in emotional turmoil - Gwen due to her father's death and Norman because of Harry nearly dying from a drug overdose. This affair resulted in Gwen giving birth to twins which aged faster than normal due to a mutation in the DNA they'd inherited from Norman. After killing Gwen, Norman found the twins, raised them as assassins, and poisoned their minds against Spider-Man making them believe he'd killed their mother.

* LoveFatherLoveSon: In the ''Sins Past'' story arc, Gwen Stacy narrates how she used to date her old boyfriend Harry Osborn. Then, she had an affair with his father Norman Osborn, with whom she secretly had a pair of twins.
** Peter was in love with the late Gwen Stacy, then starts to develop feelings for her look-alike daughter Sarah in ''Sins Past'' and ''Sins Remembered''.
* LoveTriangle: Peter/Gwen/Norman in ''Sins Past''.
** Mary Jane/Peter/Sarah in ''Sins Remembered''.

* MySecretPregnancy: The infamous ''[[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManJMichaelStraczynski Sins Past]]'' storyline that {{retcon}}ned in Gwen Stacy becoming pregnant with and giving birth to twins (albeit in appreciably less than nine months) without Peter or anyone else noticing into the continuity of early 1970s ''The Amazing Spider-Man''.

* StacysMom: The ''Sins Past'' storyline reveals that ComicBook/NormanOsborn was this to Gwen Stacy. Fits with LoveFatherLoveSon, as she also dated Harry Osborn for a time. '' Sins Past'' was ultimately revealed to be an elaborate ruse by a Harry Osborn A.I. in ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderMan2018'', using hocus pocus from Mysterio and clones to deceive Spider-Man into thinking Norman and Gwen had a relationship.

* SurprisePregnancy: In ''Sins Past'', Gwen Stacy discovers she's pregnant from her affair with Norman Osborn and gives birth to twins 4 months early.

* TroubledButCute: In ''Sins Past'', Gwen Stacy narrates how she fell for Norman Osborn and had an affair with him because she felt there was another side to him that was broken and troubled and she felt sorry for him.

This run, along with ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'', helped remake Spider-Man into one of the flagship characters of Marvel Comics in the early 2000s after the confusing and turbulent storylines of the mid-to-late '90s. Until confusing and turbulent storylines overtook the title again... Roughly about half of the complete run was a retool of the traditional ''Spider-Man'' mythos and character dynamics, the other half being ever more outlandish crossover events between other titles, and gigantic wrestling matches between "new and edgy" plot developments and the status quo of earlier.

Notable concepts brought about during the JMS run include: Spider-Man's (and many of his rogues') animal motif having potential supernatural origins, Spider-Man as a permanent and visible member of the Avengers (really a case of Creator/BrianMichaelBendis' ''New Avengers'' title bleeding over), organic web-shooters (to link up with [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy the Sam Raimi films]]), "Iron Spider", and [[TheUnmasking the public reveal of Spider-Man being Peter Parker.]]

* DeadpanSnarker: JMS had a good handle on Spider-Man's well-known sense of humor.

* AgeGapRomance: The forty-something Norman Osborn with the fresh out of high school Gwen Stacy in ''Sins Past''.
* AlmightyMom: Aunt May does this to Tony Stark and Reed Richards during ''The Other'' story arc, when they want Peter to take more tests instead of going out with Mary Jane. The two most brilliant men in the Franchise/MarvelUniverse are no match for Aunt May's stern reprimand.
* AndIMustScream: Charlie Weiderman's fate in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #518, when Spider-Man is forced to harden the liquid Vibranium skinsuit he's wearing, immobilizing him forever, although doctors are able to penetrate the suit enough to take care of Charlie's bodily needs, keeping him alive. ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #582 mentions that he was eventually freed.

* AwfulTruth: In ''Sins Past'', Gwen Stacy had an affair with Peter Parker's nemesis Norman Osborn (''the Green Goblin'') and gave birth to twins prior to her death. It's this revelation that hurts Peter.
* BadFuture: During time travel Peter saw one when his future self had been prosecuted by police (strongly hinting that he killed somebody) and shot to death while fighting policemen.
* BettyAndVeronica: Peter was this to Norman Osborn's Veronica over Gwen Stacy's Archie during the ''Sins Past'' storyline.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: In JMS' opinion, the entire reason Peter received his powers.
-->'''Spider Totem:''' Who could be a better hunter than one who had been prey? Someone who would be driven to fight back against the dark forces sent by the world, who would never stop, even though they were bigger and more and perhaps even stronger than he was. Because once having been prey, he would never allow himself to become such again. Would never surrender. Would take death before submission.
* TheButlerDidIt: In ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #522, Spider-Man pauses while searching the closet of a HYDRA agent to deliver this line to an empty room, on the grounds that he's [[IAlwaysWantedToSayThat waited his whole life to say it]].
--->''"You see, Inspector? I was right! The butler did it!"''\\
''[[InnerMonologue I am so nine years old.]]''\\
''[[InnerMonologue Nine and a half come July.]]''\\
''[[RunningGag Stop that.]]''
* CannotSpitItOut: This is talked about when May finds out that Peter is Spider-Man and talks to him about it in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (Vol. 2) #38. She specifically points out that she's a big girl and won't just keel over, and that she ''will'' be worried, but he has her blessing.
-->'''May Parker:''' What did you think would happen if I found out, Peter? Did you think I would just keel over and die?
* CanonDiscontinuity: The 9/11 issue, as it happens in the middle of a different story and is never mentioned again. Justified in that Marvel wanted to address the disaster, and for obvious reasons could not have planned the issue to fit into the current storyline.
* CardCarryingVillain: Morwen, goddess of chaos. She actually wanted to ally herself with Peter, rather than Loki, because the former has a chaotic character, while the latter wants to control others.

* ChastityCouple: In ''Sins Past'', Peter is attacked by two people claiming to be his and Gwen Stacy's children. One of the reasons this doesn't make sense is, as Peter points out, that he and Gwen never had sex.

* CombatCueStick: During the ''Other'' story arc, Mary-Jane uses a pool cue to fight off a LoonyFan who had been [[StalkerWithACrush stalking her]].

-->'''Spider-Man:''' [[PreAsskickingOneLiner Spider.]]

* CrazyPrepared: It's a bit of something superheroes don't talk about amongst each other, but apparently every time they meet up, most of them look for weaknesses the other has in case they would ever turn evil or something like that and have to be stopped.
* CrystalBallScheduling: One issue has Peter visiting the set of an upcoming ''Amazing Lobster-Man'' movie. Parts of the movie reflect his life even in aspects that the filmmakers presumably couldn't have known about, such as the movie's hero getting his powers after being bitten by a radioactive lobster -- and even more so when it's changed to him getting his powers from being TheChosenOne of a Lobster-God, reflecting the change JMS had just made to Spidey's own origin.

* DaddyDNATest: In ''Sins Past'', Peter ''knows'' he's not the father of twins Gabriel and Sarah Stacy but tests his blood sample with the twin's blood sample to find out for sure. Justified, since he and Gwen haven't even slept together prior to the twin's conception and this leads to him discovering that Gwen cheated on him and Mary Jane confirming his worst.
* ADeadlyAffair: In ''Sins Past'', Gwen Stacy had an affair with Norman Osborn, Peter's worst nemesis. She regretted it, gave birth to twins, and planned on raising the twins with Peter. It was this that caused the Green Goblin to snap and kill her.
* DeadpanSnarker: JMS had a good handle on Spider-Man's well-known sense of humor.
* DidTheEarthMoveForYouToo: Peter and MJ reconcile and whilst they're holding each other Doctor Doom (who was being attacked at the airport they were in) moves from underneath the rubble, prompting MJ to ask "Did the ground just move?" and Peter to respond "It always does".

* ElaborateUndergroundBase: During the ComicBook/{{HYDRA}} arc, in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #522, after finding the secret Hydra base, Peter wonders how Hydra can build one of these in New York while it's taken the city three extra months to finish a subway extension.
* EmbarrassingCoverUp: In ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (Vol. 2) #38, this is revealed to have happened ''accidentally'' to Spider-Man, which had kept Aunt May from guessing Peter's ''real'' secret. She'd had the feeling that he was hiding ''something'', and noticed that he seemed to be a bit awkward around girls, so she [[MistakenForGay thought that he might be gay]].
** May also used this to help Peter get past the TSA agents at the airport in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (Vol. 2) #43, by implying that his web shooters were gynecological equipment. She started explaining how they worked and the agents couldn't pack them back up fast enough.

-->'''Spider-Man:''' Wait, you are helping me?\\
'''Doctor Octopus:''' No. Hurting him.

* EvilCounterpart: Ezekiel is essentially this. Whereas Spider-Man used his powers to help others and fight evil, he rejected his task and used his powers for selfish purposes. Ultimately he realizes this and sacrifices himself to save Spider-Man.

* EyeScream: "The Other" has Morlun pluck out one of Spidey's eyes and [[ImAHumanitarian eat it]] as he beats [[CurbStompBattle Spider-Man to close to death]]. Of course, [[DeathIsCheap Spider-Man got better]].
* FanDisservice: The love scene flashback with Gwen Stacy and Norman Osborn in ''Sins Past''. Especially when he morphs into the Green Goblin right in the middle of the act.

* GuileHero: Spidey is not averse to defeating his opponents with traps and science stuff. When he needs to throw down though, [[LetsGetDangerous he can.]]

* HappilyAdopted: In ''Sins Past'', Gwen Stacy was hoping to raise her twins with Peter, knowing that he'll be a good adoptive father to them and better than Norman. This motivation gets her killed by Norman Osborn.
* HeinousnessRetcon: [[ComicBook/TheNightGwenStacyDied Norman Osborn killing Gwen Stacy]] just to hurt Spider-Man was bad enough but ''Sins Past'' retcons the reason behind this action to being even more heinous. It is revealed that Norman had an affair with Gwen Stacy while both were in emotional turmoil - Gwen due to her father's death and Norman because of Harry nearly dying from a drug overdose. This affair resulted in Gwen giving birth to twins which aged faster than normal due to a mutation in the DNA they'd inherited from Norman. After killing Gwen, Norman found the twins, raised them as assassins, and poisoned their minds against Spider-Man making them believe he'd killed their mother.

* ImAHumanitarian: As noted in EyeScream, Morlun ate one of Spider-Man's eyes during their second battle. Possessed by the Other, Spidey then repays this and the beating by eating Morlun's face.
* LastStand: Peter witnesses an alternate self make a last stand against the police in a BadFuture.

-->'''Spider-Man:''' I hit him with everything I've got. He keeps coming. [[ImprovisedWeapon I hit him with everything I can find]]. He keeps coming.

-->'''Melissa Coolridge:''' Sheesh! Forget it. I wouldn't expect an old nerd like you to understand.\\
'''Peter Parker:''' Old?!\\
'''Melissa Coolridge:''' I see you didn't argue with the nerd part.\\
'''Peter Parker:''' ''Old?!''

* LoveFatherLoveSon: In the ''Sins Past'' story arc, Gwen Stacy narrates how she used to date her old boyfriend Harry Osborn. Then, she had an affair with his father Norman Osborn, with whom she secretly had a pair of twins.
** Peter was in love with the late Gwen Stacy, then starts to develop feelings for her look-alike daughter Sarah in ''Sins Past'' and ''Sins Remembered''.
* LoveTriangle: Peter/Gwen/Norman in ''Sins Past''.
** Mary Jane/Peter/Sarah in ''Sins Remembered''.

-->Tomorrow the sun will come up. You can tell me all the reasons of science that it ''does'' come up, the orbital mechanics, all the laws of thermodynamics. And I can say it ''will'' come up because it is ''meant'' to come up. I see no contradiction. Do you?

* MoreThanJustATeacher: Early on in the run, JMS decided that Peter Parker should be more grounded and be more involved in his local community so he starts work as a science teacher at a New York public school. Amongst the issues he must deal with as Spider-Man are thwarting a school shooting, tracking down kidnapped kids, and discovering that one of his students is a dangerous and murderous mutant (who instantly realises that Mr. Parker and Spider-Man are the same person [[NiceJobBreakingItHero because they have the same voice]]) [[note]] Other material states that Peter normally tries to make himself sound different when he's Spider-Man, combined with his mask also changing his voice a bit [[/note]]. Another awkward episode for him is when the kids learn that he is famous for taking pictures of Spider-Man and they are more interested in ''that'' than listening to his lesson.

* MySecretPregnancy: The infamous ''[[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManJMichaelStraczynski Sins Past]]'' storyline that {{retcon}}ned in Gwen Stacy becoming pregnant with and giving birth to twins (albeit in appreciably less than nine months) without Peter or anyone else noticing into the continuity of early 1970s ''The Amazing Spider-Man''.
* MythArc: [[invoked]] The search for answers about Spider-Man's powers, the "Spider-Totem", and the battle against Morlun. Sadly ExecutiveMeddling resulted in the whole idea [[TheChrisCarterEffect being]] [[AbortedArc screwed]]. At least until Arana/Spider-Girl's comic series tied into it, with the titular character working for a company founded by Ezekiel Sims and joining a cult worshipping the Spider-Totems, and ''ComicBook/SpiderIsland'' brought back the Queen and Web of Life. It comes back with a vengeance in ''ComicBook/SpiderVerse'', where Morlun's family and the Spider-Totems are central parts of the story.

* NeverSpeakIllOfTheDead: During the infamous "Sin Past" arc, Peter states that a sure way to piss him off is to insult ComicBook/GwenStacy. Ironically, the story is reviled precisely because it tried to change this, retconning that Gwen cheated on Peter and slept with [[ComicBook/NormanOsborn her future killer]].

-->'''Off-screen voice:''' Leave that woman alone!\\
'''Mary Jane:''' Thank God... Pe--\\

'''Mary Jane:''' --ter?\\
'''Aunt May:''' [[VillainOverForDinner Otto?]]\\
'''Doctor Octopus:''' May?\\
'''Aunt May:''' Otto...? Otto Octavius?\\
'''Luke Carlyle:''' [[LampshadeHanging "Brad! Janet! Doctor Scott!"]]
* SeductionProofMarriage: When Spider-Man was being flown to Las Vegas via the private jet of a crime boss, Mr. Forelli, a scantily clad stewardess started making veiled offers to Spider-Man. Spider-Man reacts by just sealing his seat away from the rest of the passenger compartment with curtains made out of his webbing, muttering, "Just slide the food through the webs and no one gets hurt."

* SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong: The way Dormammu was stopped.

-->'''[[Characters/SpiderManPeterParker Spider-Man]]:''' (from inside a large amount of webbing he's put up to keep the scantily-dressed "attendant" at bay} Just slip the food through the webs and no one gets hurt.
* StacysMom: The ''Sins Past'' storyline reveals that ComicBook/NormanOsborn was this to Gwen Stacy. Fits with LoveFatherLoveSon, as she also dated Harry Osborn for a time. '' Sins Past'' was ultimately revealed to be an elaborate ruse by a Harry Osborn A.I. in ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderMan2018'', using hocus pocus from Mysterio and clones to deceive Spider-Man into thinking Norman and Gwen had a relationship.

* SurprisePregnancy: In ''Sins Past'', Gwen Stacy discovers she's pregnant from her affair with Norman Osborn and gives birth to twins 4 months early.

* TearOffYourFace: Peter once ripped part of ComicBook/NormanOsborn's face off when he stuck to it with his [[WallCrawl stickum' powers]] during ''American Son''. Not how Creator/StanLee imagined it being used, but awesome regardless.

* TheTrickster: JMS pointed out in one story that both Spider-Man and Loki are different examples of tricksters and explored the differences between them. Particularly since the Totem story arc set Peter up as a kind of successor to Anansi, the spider trickster from Myth/AfricanMythology. Hence the parallel to Loki, the Norse trickster.
* TroubledButCute: In ''Sins Past'', Gwen Stacy narrates how she fell for Norman Osborn and had an affair with him because she felt there was another side to him that was broken and troubled and she felt sorry for him.
* VerySpecialEpisode: Creator/JMichaelStraczynski's run had quite a few of those, though a lot of time the serious issues like bullying or school shootings were organic parts of the plot. Some of the straighter examples would be an issue in which Peter tries to help one of his students who has a junkie brother and turns out they're both homeless (and in a subversion to the way the trope is usually played this issue opens with a longer story arc and the girl is one of the central characters of it). The straightest example however would be an issue about 9/11 and it's still considered one of the better-written comics about that tragedy.

-->'''Morlun:''' [[DoesThisMakeMeLookFat Does this make my butt look fat?]]

* WolverineClaws: During the events of ''The Other'', Spider-Man developed poisonous ''hand stingers'' that he even calls [[LampshadeHanging a case of Logan Envy]]. When Peter protested that spiders don't have stingers, The Other responded that they ''will''... in the ''future''. Even before the CosmicRetcon of ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'' removed the stingers, they weren't used all that often (with [[DependingOnTheWriter some writers]] claiming that they only came out around "fellow totemic beings" as a defense mechanism). Peter's clone Kaine, the second [[Characters/MarvelComicsScarletSpider Scarlet Spider]], got his own stingers after dying and coming back to life in ''ComicBook/SpiderIsland''.
* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: Two. New Digger has a little bit of it, being shocked by how much the world changed when he was dead. Charlie Weiderman is second.

Followed by ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'' and ''ComicBook/BrandNewDay''. Elements of this run also featured throughout ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManNickSpencer''. Also in 2002, JMS and the team won an Eisner Award for Best Serialised Story in honour of #30-35, “Coming Home”.

* StacysMom: The ''Sins Past'' storyline reveals that ComicBook/NormanOsborn was this to Gwen Stacy. Fits with LoveFatherLoveSon, as she also dated Harry Osborn for a time. '' Sins Past'' was ultimately revealed to be an elaborate ruse by a Harry Osborn A.I. in ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManNickSpencer'', using hocus pocus from Mysterio and clones to deceive Spider-Man into thinking Norman and Gwen had a relationship.

* DoingInTheScientist: Ezekiel tries to do this by suggesting it wasn't the radiation that gave Peter his powers, but a totemic spider-god called the Great Weaver.

** May also used this to help Peter get past the TSA agents at the airport by implying that his web shooters were gynecological equipment. She started explaining how they worked and the agents couldn't pack them back up fast enough.

* RockyRollCall: In ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (Vol. 2) #43, there's a storyline where Luke Carlyle steals Doctor Octopus's technology and builds himself a new, improved Octopus suit. Luke then takes a group of people, including Aunt May and Mary Jane, hostage:

* MythologyGag: In ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #515, Peter heads to the theater where Mary Jane is rehearsing a play to warn her that she could be under attack, only to be kept out by an usher while the rehearsal is still going on, similar to a scene where Peter wasn't allowed into a play after it had started in ''Film/SpiderMan2''. As a bonus, the usher is drawn to look like Creator/BruceCampbell.

* ClothingDamage: In ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' Vol. 2 #31, Morlun mops the floor with Peter during their first battle, and his costume is ripped up more and more during each altercation, to the point that it's almost completely in tatters near the end revealing nasty shots of Peter's broken, bloodied, burned, and bruised body, making it look like this time around he's finally met his match. After he finally figures out a way to defeat Morlun, Peter changes to a new, undamaged costume for their rematch.

* ElaborateUndergroundBase: During the ComicBook/{{HYDRA}} arc, in issue #522, after finding the secret Hydra base, Peter wonders how Hydra can build one of these in New York while it's taken the city three extra months to finish a subway extension.
* EmbarrassingCoverUp: In ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' Vol. 2 #38, this is revealed to have happened ''accidentally'' to Spider-Man, which had kept Aunt May from guessing Peter's ''real'' secret. She'd had the feeling that he was hiding ''something'', and noticed that he seemed to be a bit awkward around girls, so she [[MistakenForGay thought that he might be gay]].

* MinimalisticCoverArt: The cover for ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #36 is completely black, with white lettering and no artwork. [[UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror It was about the September 11th attacks.]]

* MomentKiller: In #50, Peter and MJ ''finally'' attempt to reconcile despite complications like ''attempting to fly to each others' homes at the same time without calling first.'' Luckily, they bump into each other after a storm forces both their flights to make an emergency stop in Denver. It's all very dramatic and emotional, and just as they sit down to talk, Peter finds himself utterly speechless with a DeerInTheHeadlights expression on his face despite MJ questioning the life of a superhero's significant other... because '''''GOD-DAMNED DOCTOR DOOM JUST WALKED INTO THE LOUNGE.''''' Which of course precedes an attempt on the dictator's life.

* MythologyGag: During the story "Skin Deep," Peter heads to the theater where Mary Jane is rehearsing a play to warn her that she could be under attack, only to be kept out by an usher while the rehearsal is still going on, similar to a scene where Peter wasn't allowed into a play after it had started in ''Film/SpiderMan2''. As a bonus, the usher is drawn to look like Creator/BruceCampbell.

* RockyRollCall: In ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #43, there's a storyline where Luke Carlyle steals Doctor Octopus's technology and builds himself a new, improved Octopus suit. Luke then takes a group of people, including Aunt May and Mary Jane, hostage:

* SexySilhouette: This happens in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #57, when Mary Jane [[DressHitsFloor drops her robe]] to join Peter in bed.
* SexyStewardess: In ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #51, while doing a favor for an aging crime boss, a stewardess tries to seduce Spider-Man. Since this happened during the period he and Mary-Jane were back together, the results were quite humorous.

* StayOnThePath: In ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' Vol. 2 #46, ComicBook/DoctorStrange sends Peter to the Astral Plane to fight a villain, with a warning not to leave the designated path. He strays off after seeing some random giant spider-shaped thingie and accidentally unleashes a spider-eating Wasp spirit named Shathra who makes his life miserable for a while afterward.

* ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne: In ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManJMichaelStraczynski'' #55, Peter had a job as a high school science teacher. This exchange followed after he met a particularly troublesome student:

* AuthorTract: Mostly well-handled as JMS made Peter a teacher, which allowed him to introduce many social problems he wanted to talk about. Not so good during the ComicBook/CivilWar, through. Well, the Civil War in general was full of confused Aesops, but ComicBook/CaptainAmerica quoting Creator/MarkTwain's "river of truth" speech to Spidey is undeniably awesome.

** When he [[ComicBook/CivilWar reveals his secret identity]], it becomes even harder for him to be an effective teacher, as students are naturally more interested in his adventures while parents and fellow teachers are terrified of the attention he'll bring from supervillains and criminals seeking payback.

* KickTheSonOfABitch: The first act of Charlie Weiderman as a supervillain is to kill the JerkJock and AlphaBitch who tormented him back at school. While they certainly didn't deserve to be murdered, [[AssholeVictim it's hard to feel sorry for them]].

!!''JMS' Spider-Man'' provides examples of following tropes:

* AgeGapRomance: [[spoiler: The forty-something Norman Osborn with the fresh out of high school Gwen Stacy]] in ''Sins Past''.

* AndIMustScream: [[spoiler:Charlie]]'s fate, although another writer eventually freed him.

* AwfulTruth: In ''Sins Past'', [[spoiler: Gwen Stacy had an affair with Peter Parker's nemesis Norman Osborn (''the Green Goblin'') and gave birth to twins prior to her death. It's this revelation that hurts Peter]].
* BadFuture: During time travel Peter saw one when his future self has been prosecuted by police (strongly hinting that he killed somebody) and shot to the death, while fighting policemen.
* BettyAndVeronica: Peter was this to [[spoiler: Norman Osborn's Veronica over Gwen Stacy's Archie during the ''Sins Past'' storyline]].

-->'''Spider Totem:''' Who could be a better hunter then one who had been prey? Someone who would be driven to fight back against the dark forces sent by the world, who would never stop, even though they were bigger and more and perhaps even stronger than he was. Because once having been prey, he would never allow himself to become such again. Would never surrender. Would take death before submission.

* CardCarryingVillain: Morwen, goddess of chaos. She actually wanted to ally herself with Peter, rather than Loki, because the former has chaotic character, while the latter wants to control others.
* CharacterDevelopment: All Parkers got a lot of it. Peter and Mary Jane got big amount of it with getting back together, Aunt May got a lot when she found out Peter is Spider-Man... and Creator/JoeQuesada removed all of it to make ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay''.

* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Luke Carlyle seems to be a little of a deconstruction as he found out that being one is too much effort and trouble and decided that becoming a typical supervillain is much easier.
* CorruptTheCutie: Digger was trying to convince Spider-Man that gangster he was protecting is trying to do this to him. Spidey, fortunately, is in a completely different mindset.

* DaddyDNATest: In ''Sins Past'', Peter ''knows'' he's not the father of twins Gabriel and Sarah Stacy but tests his blood sample with the twins blood sample to find out for sure. Justified, since he and Gwen haven't even slept together prior to the twins conception and this leads to him to discovering that Gwen cheated on him and Mary Jane confirming his worst.
* ADeadlyAffair: In ''Sins Past'', [[spoiler: Gwen Stacy had an affair with Norman Osborn, Peter's worst nemesis. She regretted it, gave birth to twins and planned on raising the twins with Peter. It was this that caused the Green Goblin to snap and kill her.]]

* TheDogBitesBack: After Spider-Man defeated Morlun the first time, his servant, Dex, shot him to death as revenge for bad treatment.

** May also used this to help Peter get past the TSA agents at the airport by implying that his web-shooters were gynecological equipment. She started explaining how they worked and the agents couldn't pack them back up fast enough.

'''Dr. Octopus:''' No. Hurting him.

* EvenNerdsHaveStandards: In high school Charlie Weiderman was such a big nerd that even ''Peter'' once picked on him (though motivated largely by a desire to keep his bullies' attention focused on their new target and away from him for once).
* EvilCounterpart: [[spoiler: Ezekiel is essentially this. Whereas Spider-Man used his powers to help others and fight evil, he rejected his task and used his powers for selfish purposes. Ultimately he realizes this and sacrifices himself to save Spider-Man]].

* FanDisservice: [[spoiler: The love scene flashback with Gwen Stacy and Norman Osborn in ''Sins Past''. Especially when he morphs into the Green Goblin right in the middle of the act]].

* GenericDoomsdayVillain: Morlun has almost no real backstory to speak of, and his exact nature was never revealed during the run. Morlun's personality was pretty bland as well, since he really only wanted to "eat" Spidey and stated that it wasn't personal. For some unfathomable reason, this was the first time a villain had ever made Spider-Man angry, even when guys like the Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus had kidnapped, murdered or otherwise threatened his loved ones. It was not until ''ComicBook/SpiderVerse'' that his backstory, personality and motivation were established.
* GuileHero: Spidey is not averse to defeating his opponents with traps and science-y stuff. When he needs to throw down though, [[LetsGetDangerous he can.]]
* HeelRealization: [[spoiler: Ezekiel when he tries to sacrifice Spider-Man to save himself.]]

* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Ezekiel]].

* LoveTriangle: [[spoiler: Peter/Gwen/Norman]] in ''Sins Past''.

* [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane Maybe Magic, Maybe]] RadiationInducedSuperpowers: The totemic motif is written in a way that allows fans to choose their favorite from multiple interpretations of how Peter got his powers. Was it all a RedHerring and his powers are caused by radioactivity? Is Peter a ChosenOne of Anansi? And if he is, do his powers come from magic or is he the first one that got them from science? Did the spider bite him because it was scared, or because it wanted to pass its power on to a human before dying from radiation? Or maybe [[spoiler: it was Ezekiel who was the ChosenOne and because he refused the call, all his duties and status passed on Peter?]] And if so, did Anansi give him the power or are they two completely unrelated incidents [[spoiler: and Peter could become the ChosenOne because of already having the necessary personality '''and''' powers?]] You decide. The end of that story arc has Peter discussing this issue with a South American shaman, who answers that [[MathematiciansAnswer none of these possibilities are mutually exclusive]].

* MinimalisticCoverArt: The cover for ''The Amazing Spider Man'' #36 is completely black, with white lettering and no artwork. [[UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror It was about the September 11th attacks.]]

* MomentKiller: In #50, Peter and MJ ''finally'' attempt to reconcile despite complications like ''attempting to fly to each others' homes at the same time without calling first.'' Luckily, they bump into each other after a storm forces both their flights to make an emergency stop in Denver. It's all very dramatic and emotional, and just as they sit down to talk, Peter finds himself utterly speechless with a DeerInTheHeadlights expression on his face despite MJ questioning the life of a superhero's significant other... [[spoiler: because '''''GOD-DAMNED DOCTOR DOOM JUST WALKED INTO THE LOUNGE.''''' Which of course precedes an attempt on the dictator's life]].
* MoreThanJustATeacher: Early on in ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManJMichaelStraczynski'', JMS decided that Peter Parker should be more grounded and be more involved in his local community so he starts work as a science teacher at a New York public school. Amongst the issues he must deal with as Spider-Man are thwarting a school shooting, tracking down kidnapped kids, and discovering that one of his students is a dangerous and murderous mutant (who instantly realises that Mr. Parker and Spider-Man are the same person [[NiceJobBreakingItHero because they have the same voice]]) [[note]] Other material states that Peter normally tries to make himself sound different when he's Spider-Man, combined with his mask also changing his voice a bit [[/note]]. Another awkward episode for him is when the kids learn that he is famous for taking pictures of Spider-Man and they are more interested in ''that'' than listening to his lesson.

* MuggleInMageCustody: The supernatural creature Morlun enslaves ordinary humans, making them do his bidding and take care of mundane arrangements for him, in a similar fashion as [[TheRenfield Renfield did for Dracula]]. His latest human is a [[EnigmaticMinion mysterious man called Dex]] [[spoiler:who manages to break free thanks to Spidey]].

* MythArc: [[invoked]] The search for answers about Spider-Man's powers, the "Spider-Totem", and the battle against Morlun. Sadly ExecutiveMeddling resulted in the whole idea [[TheChrisCarterEffect being]] [[AbortedArc screwed]]. At least until Arana/Spider-Girl's comic series tied into it, with the titular character working for a company founded by Ezekiel Sims and joining a cult worshipping the Spider-Totems, and ''ComicBook/SpiderIsland'' brought back the Queen and Web of Life. It's come back with a vengeance in ''ComicBook/SpiderVerse'', where Morlun's family and the Spider-Totems are central parts of the story.
* MythologyGag: During the story "Skin Deep," Peter heads to theater that Mary Jane is rehearsing a play for to warn her that she could be under attack, only to be kept out by an usher while the rehearsal is still going on, similar to a scene where Peter wasn't allowed into a play after it had started in ''Film/SpiderMan2'' . As a bonus, the usher is drawn to look like Creator/BruceCampbell.
* NeverSpeakIllOfTheDead: During the infamous "Sin Past" arc, Peter states that a sure way to piss him off is to insult ComicBook/GwenStacy. Ironically, said story is reviled precisely because it tried to change this, retconning that Gwen cheated on Peter and slept with [[ComicBook/NormanOsborn her future killer]].

* NobodyPoops: Averted, first thing Peter does coming back home after defeating Morlun is go to the bathroom. In another story we see him coming out of the bathroom pulling his pants on.

* OddFriendship: The short-lived (2 issue) team-up of Spider-Man and ComicBook/{{Loki}} went a lot like this. Loki wants to save one of his mortal offspring from the Chaos Sorceress possessing her. Spider-Man wants to save the world from that sorceress (and get her to stop hitting on him). They work together. Awesomeness ensues. On Loki's end, complaining that Spider-Man isn't giving him enough respect as a god and wondering why mortals are all so weird. On Spider-Man's, wondering what working with a mostly-evil guy like Loki means and buying chili dogs to share with Loki.

* RefusalOfTheCall: [[spoiler:Because Ezekiel refused the call, Peter has to fight with all the supernatural villains he was originally destined to defeat]].

* SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong: The way [[spoiler: Dormammu]] was stopped.

* ThematicRoguesGallery: Lampshaded, when Ezekiel pointed out that Spider-Man has many more animal-themed villains than any other superhero. After a few encounters with mystical villains, Ezekiel was trying to use this trope as a proof that Peter's powers are magical [[spoiler:though it's implied at least some of those mystical enemies were actually after Ezekiel himself]].
* ThouShaltNotKill: Spidey was very close to breaking this rule twice, with Morlun and Shathra [[spoiler:both times he was spared from making the choice, because somebody or something else killed them]]. He actually killed Digger, but he was a zombie, so it doesn't count.

* TreacherousAdvisor: [[spoiler:Ezekiel]] definitely plays this role. In ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' tie-ins, ComicBook/IronMan tends that way too.
* TheTrickster: JMS pointed out in one story that both Spider-Man and Loki are different examples of tricksters and explored differences between them. Particularly since the Totem story arc set Peter up as a kind of successor to Anansi, the spider trickster from Myth/AfricanMythology. Hence the parallel to Loki, the Norse trickster.

* VerySpecialEpisode: Creator/JMichaelStraczynski's run had quite a few of those, though a lot of time the serious issues like bullying or school shootings were organic parts of the plot. Some of the straighter examples would be an issue in which Peter tries to help one of his students who has a junkie brother [[spoiler: and turns out they're both homeless]] (and in a subversion to the way the trope is usually played this issue opens with a longer story arc and the girl is one of the central characters of it). The straightest example however would be an issue about 9/11 and it's still considered one of the better-written comics about that tragedy.

* WeWillNotHavePocketsInTheFuture: The lack of pockets in the Spidey's costume is directly addressed. Spider-Man spends some of his time hanging upside down, so conventional pockets wouldn't work (the contents would fall out). Zippers, and flaps secured by Velcro, make too much noise to be practical for a superhero who relies on stealth. A utility belt is the obvious answer, and Spidey has one -- but the compartments are all used for web fluid refills, Spider-Tracers, and a flashlight. He still doesn't have a good way to carry a wallet and keys -- or a camera (necessary during the periods when he earned a living as a freelance photographer). He kept a small camera attached to his belt as well. Early issues often featured panel showing him webbing it into place before a fight which somehow consistently produced well-framed shots (although JJJ at least once complained about poor composition). Along with every other benefit, he considered the symbiote suit a boon because it could form hammerspace pockets in its surface.
* WhoWouldWantToWatchUs: Aunt May jokes about someone making a movie about Spider-Man. Eventually, they go to Los Angeles to visit Mary Jane, who is starring in a moving called "''The Amazing Lobster-Man''". Production is complicated by the filmmakers' debating whether the title character should be bitten by a radioactive lobster or something more important like a lobster god, and by Dr. Octopus.

* EmbarrassingCoverUp: A purely accidental one had kept Aunt May from guessing Peter's ''real'' secret -- she'd had the feeling that he was hiding ''something'', and noticed that he seemed to be a bit awkward around girls, so she [[MistakenForGay thought that he might be gay]].

* GuileHero: Spidey is not averse to defeating his opponents with traps and science-y stuff. When he needs to throw down though, [[LetsGetDangerous he can.]]
* HeinousnessRetcon: [[ComicBook/TheNightGwenStacyDied Norman Osborn killing Gwen Stacy]] just to hurt Spider-Man was bad enough but ''Sins Past'' retcons the reason behind this action to being even more heinous. It is revealed that Norman had an affair with Gwen Stacy while both were in emotional turmoil - Gwen due to her father's death and Norman because of Harry nearly dying from a drug overdose. This affair resulted in Gwen giving birth to twins which aged faster than normal due to a mutation in the DNA they'd inherited from Norman. After killing Gwen, Norman found the twins, raised them as assassins, and poisoned their minds against Spider-Man making them believe he'd killed their mother.

* LoveFatherLoveSon: In ''Sins Past'', Gwen Stacy narrates how she used to date her old boyfriend Harry Osborn. Then, she had an affair with his father Norman Osborn.
** [[spoiler: Peter was in love with the late Gwen Stacy, then starts to develop feelings for her look-alike daughter Sarah in ''Sins Past'' and ''Sins Remembered'']].

* MinimalisticCoverArt: The cover for Amazing Spider Man #36 is completely black, with white lettering and no artwork. [[UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror It was about the September 11th attacks.]]
* MobBossSuitFitting: Used for humor. Morlun is introduced with grim foreshadowing in the captions -- while he's getting fitted for a suit and wondering if it makes his butt look big.

* PartingWordsRegret: May reveals that the night Ben was killed, the two of them had been fighting - something small and inconsequential, just one of the disagreements that happen over the course of a long marriage and nothing they weren't going to easily make up over. But Ben had stepped outside to clear his head...and the reconciliation would never happen. Peter, she explains, isn't the only one who's been carrying guilt since that fateful night.

* NoDialogueEpisode: Back in February 2002, Marvel did "'Nuff Said Month". ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' (Vol. 2) #39 sees Peter, Mary Jane, and Aunt May trying to live their normal lives, but still struggling with the recent changes to them. ''Peter Parker: Spider-Man'' (Vol. 2) #38, meanwhile, saw a gang of criminal mimes going after Spider-Man.

* MythArc: [[invoked]] The search for answers about Spider-Man's powers, the "Spider-Totem", and the battle against Morlun. Sadly ExecutiveMeddling resulted in the whole idea [[TheChrisCarterEffect being]] [[AbortedArc screwed]]. At least until Arana/Spider-Girl's comic series tied into it, with the titular character working for a company founded by Ezekiel Sims and joining a cult worshipping the Spider-Totems, and ''ComicBook/SpiderIsland'' brought back the Queen and Web of Life. It's come back with a vengeance in Spider-Verse, where Morlun's family and the Spider-Totems are central parts of the story.

* [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane Maybe Magic, Maybe]] ILoveNuclearPower: The totemic motif is written in a way that allows fans to choose their favorite from multiple interpretations of how Peter got his powers. Was it all a RedHerring and his powers are caused by radioactivity? Is Peter a ChosenOne of Anansi? And if he is, do his powers come from magic or is he the first one that got them from science? Did the spider bite him because it was scared, or because it wanted to pass its power on to a human before dying from radiation? Or maybe [[spoiler: it was Ezekiel who was the ChosenOne and because he refused the call, all his duties and status passed on Peter?]] And if so, did Anansi give him the power or are they two completely unrelated incidents [[spoiler: and Peter could become the ChosenOne because of already having the necessary personality '''and''' powers?]] You decide. The end of that story arc has Peter discussing this issue with a South American shaman, who answers that [[MathematiciansAnswer none of these possibilities are mutually exclusive]].

Followed by ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'' and ''ComicBook/BrandNewDay''. Elements of this run also featured throughout ''ComicBook/NickSpencersSpiderMan''. Also in 2002, JMS and the team won an Eisner Award for Best Serialised Story in honour of #30-35, “Coming Home”.

* ShoutOut: Upon meeting the Gatekeeper, Spider-Man references ''Film/{{Ghostbusters 1984}}''. JMS, of course, worked on ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters''.

Notable concepts brought about during the JMS run include: Spider-Man's (and many of his rogues') animal motif having potential supernatural origins, Spider-Man as a permanent and visible member of the Avengers (really a case of Creator/BrianMichaelBendis' ''New Avengers'' title bleeding over), organic web-shooters (to link up with [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy the Sam Raimi films]]), "[[FanNickname Iron Spider]]", and [[TheUnmasking the public reveal of Spider-Man being Peter Parker.]]