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spider bite

 Background
  Peter Parker receives his super powers after being bitten by a genetically engineered spider in Spider-Man (2002). This is "unlike the radio active spider of comic-book lore" since there were “nuclear fallout fears hanging over the Cold War years in which Spider-Man was created” (Vaz 49).

The radio active spider fits the context of the 1960s Cold War era just as the genetically engineered spider shown in the movie relates to present day, in which there is increasing attention and controversy over genetic engineering.

The spider that bites Peter Parker in the movie is real, not plastic or computer generated. The spider is a brownish Steatoda, which is a relative of the black widow, but is not deadly. The Steatoda was painstakingly painted with the red and blue pattern after arachnologist Steven Kutcher had put the spider to sleep (52).

  spider from Spider-Man
Spider that bites Peter Parker

Steatoda
Steatoda


 
 Appears in the Following Films
  Spider-Man (2002)
     
 References
  Vaz, Mark Cotta. Behind the Mask of Spider-Man. New York: Del Rey, 2002.



     
       

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