His name was Peter Parker.
Most of his young life, Peter had been picked on by his classmates, especially Flash Thompson, some stereotype football star all schools apparently had to have. Peter wondered if it was because they were jealous of his good grades, or maybe because he alienated them with his intellect. Despite the lack of friends of his own age, Peter had never felt lonely in his entire life, and he never would as long as he had his beloved uncle and aunt; Ben and May. Peter had never known his mother and father since they died when he was just a baby, but he couldn't think of better "parents" than May and Ben. They loved him, and he loved them back. They were his favorite people in the world, his best friends, even. Peter would do anything in order to make them happy and proud.
And now, he had the chance to gain the means to support them financially.
After he had been bitten by a radioactive spider at a science exhibit, he had gained the abilities of a spider. The agility, the strength and the ability to climb walls and ceilings. Through his knack for science, he had developed a gadget that allowed him fire adhesive webbing of his own design through small, wrist-mounted barrels.
At first, Peter had considered becoming a superhero, but decided that his heroic career had to wait as he learned that his aunt and uncle had trouble paying their bills. So instead, Peter became the masked wrestler known as Spider-Man, and quite a popular one too. He kept his identity a secret, mostly because he knew his aunt wouldn't like the idea.
Then one day, as Peter had just left the locker room and was on his way home, he saw a thief on the run. The cop who chased him yelled that Spider-Man had to stop thief.
And that was exactly what he did.
He grabbed the thief by his collar and lifted him to prove his strength, making the criminal so scared that he dropped his gun. The officer thanked him and took the thief away. As Peter watched them, he realized how close he had been at ignoring the event, minding his own business. But his uncle and aunt had raised him better than that.
As he walked home, Peter thought of something his uncle had often said to him; with great power comes great responsibility. Stopping that robber that easily was something he could do because he had been fortunate to have great power. And what had he use that power for so far? Entertainment?! That didn't seem right. Peter could do so many things now others couldn't, and it was his responsibility to use them in a way that would benefit others than him. Peter had kept his powers a secret, but maybe it was about time he told his uncle and aunt about it? Maybe they could help him figure out what was the responsible thing to do.
But Peter never got the chance to do that.
As he arrived to his house, he was met by a grim surprise. Police cars was parked around his home, and the neighbors was talking to the police. One of the police officers, an albino named Lincoln, had to break the bad news for the young man. He had to tell the partly crying and angry teenager that his uncle and aunt had been gunned down as they surprised a burglar who was about to empty their kitchen for what little silverware they had.
All happiness disappeared in the world. Peter's world had been shattered. Peter almost forgot to keep his strength a secret as he tearfully and angry grabbed the police officer in the shirt, almost demanding to be told that it was a sick prank. Police officer Lincoln told him, though it was a meek comfort, that the police had located the culprit and got him trapped in the old Acme Warehouse at the waterfront. But Peter wanted to get the bastard himself. He ran toward the old warehouse, changed into his Spider-Man costume, and used his spider-like abilities to enter the warehouse unnoticed. Before the murderer of Ben and May Parker knew what had hit him, he was ambushed by the Spider-Man. He could do little to nothing to defend himself against the angry young man who now at that moment couldn't care less about responsibility as he pummeled the man to death.
This was the first murder of Spider-Man.
The first of many.
Peter was now sure of his goal in life. He was going to make this world a better place by ridding it of scum. Scum like the man who killed his uncle and aunt. THAT was his responsibility.
And so he did.
Unfortunately, not everyone understood. Some said that he was a vigilante, claiming that he was as bad as the criminals he killed, possibly worse. Some even called him a monster, claiming that he probably was like a spider underneath his mask. And then there was all the cops who tried to arrest him.
All the cops he had to kill.
Peter didn't like it. But he had to. If he didn't, then they would arrest him. And how was he then suppose to make the world a better place?
The goal justified the means.
That's what Peter told himself as he robbed a supermarket. He had to get food somehow, and since he became Spider-Man, he had to give up being Peter Parker. He was now constantly on the run, and had to survive any way possible.
And then there was this newspaper guy, Jonah Jameson. He was the owner of the Daily Bugle that normally wrote about superheroes and abouthow great they are. But the Bugle didn't praise Spider-Man. Instead, they wrote how he was a sorry excuse for a hero, that he was a hypocrite, and that he should be locked inside a box and that someone should throw the key away. Peter had enough on his plate as it was, and decided to shut Jameson up, once and for all.
And so he did. Not thinking about the responsibility that followed with power. Not thinking about the greater good.
He just did it because Jameson annoyed him.
As Peter watched the lifeless body of JJ Jameson, he realized how little it meant to him that he had killed this man. How it would have terrified his uncle to see the man Peter had become.
But Spider-Man didn't really care about any of that. Not anymore.
He just wanted to kill criminals, to survive, and to be left alone. Was that so much to ask for?
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