Kong

Obese, yet strong, Kenny was the best friend of Flash Thompson. He was also a good acquaintance of Liz Allan and Mary Jane Watson. Kenny attended Midtown High School where he played basketball for the school team. There, he could regularly be found cooperating with Flash bullying Peter Parker. However, without Flash in the vicinity, he often showed a more likeable side and was often friendly and open to Peter, even letting Peter stay at his house after Peter had a fight with his Uncle Ben. Peter was quick to point out this fact, when he told Kong: "You're best friends with someone who treats you like crap. He hangs around with you, I'm sorry, but he hangs around with you solely to make himself feel superior. And that the truth is, you are ten times the guy he is. But you let him treat you like this. You let him"

When Peter Parker was bitten by the genetically enhanced spider that gave him his powers, Kenny crushed the spider under his sneakers, killing it. Later, noticing changes in Peter's physical strength and abilities, and recalling the spider bite, he deduced that Peter Parker was Spider-Man. Flash and Liz refused to believe him and demanded he prove it by kicking Peter from behind. Peter's spider sense warned him that the kick was coming, and willingly took the abuse rather than reveal his abilities, which appeared to dissuade Kenny. This confrontation was observed by new-student Gwen Stacy, who stood up for Peter by pulling a knife on Kenny.

Kenny still had a fascination with Spider-Man, even to the point of hero worship. Upon hearing about the upcoming Spider-Man movie, Kenny entered a casting call for extras. His only line was "Look in the sky, it's Spider-Man!", with the film's success, he achieved some fame in his school.

Even though Flash and his friends believed Peter's ruse that he was just an ordinary teenager, Kenny remained convinced that Peter was Spider-Man. However, Kenny respected Peter, and understood his desire to keep his dual identities a secret as he never attempted to reveal his knowledge to others again and ceased bullying the young hero, or pretend to do so when Flash and his friends were around to aid Peter of guarding his secrets without his knowledge. His knowledge and Peter's heroism as Spider-Man apparently inspired him to be a better person.

Kenny later had a particularly violent confrontation with Flash after the latter began ridiculing new student Kitty Pryde for being a mutant, Kenny slammed Flash into a locker and furiously forced him to apologize, claiming he was "sick of Flash's racist crap". After Flash was released, he departed the scene angrily, and Peter and MJ introduced Kitty to Kenny, and the pair walked away in conversation.

He wished that Peter would confide him of his double life as he did with Mary Jane Watson. Kenny knew Peter, as Spider-Man, previously dated Kitty Pryde, a former X-Man and fellow classmate, and wondered if their relationship was intimate, as it evidently bothered him.

He recently revealed to Peter of his knowledge after one of their classmates, Liz Allan, manifested her mutant powers when they were on a beach, and urged him to go help her.

Six months after Ultimatum, Kenny is very protective over Kitty Pryde in their school given that mutants were made 'illegal' in the United States. When federal agents came to arrest Kitty, Kenny attacked one of the agents who was demanding her arrest with a single, surprised punch. After being briefly subdued Kenny escaped with Kitty when she phased herself and Kenny through the floor and into the sewers, and they resume their relationship.

Before Peter and Kitty enter his house for a surprise birthday party, Kitty reveals to Peter that Kong moved away to Wisconsin with his mother.

Appearance in Other Media

Television

Kong appears in the Spectacular Spider-Man, TV Series. Kenny is on the Midtown High School football team and sidekick to Flash Thompson as the school bully and he is also the boyfriend of Glory Grant. He is voiced by Andrew Kishino.

Kenny Kong will appear in the Ultimate Spider-Man TV series voiced by Kyle Herbert.