Message-ID: <305@water.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 19-Feb-85 11:42:43 EST
Article-I.D.: water.305
Posted: Tue Feb 19 11:42:43 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 21-Feb-85 07:34:16 EST
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Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
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I know that Peter Parker was raised by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben, but can
anyone out there tell me what happened to his natural parents?  Has it ever
been made clear in any of the Spider-Man titles?

						Jim Tubman
						University of Waterloo

Message-ID: <6738@rochester.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 22-Feb-85 17:29:47 EST
Article-I.D.: rocheste.6738
Posted: Fri Feb 22 17:29:47 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 27-Feb-85 04:54:42 EST
References: <305@water.UUCP>
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[color=blue]>  I know that Peter Parker was raised by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben, but can[/color]
[color=blue]>  anyone out there tell me what happened to his natural parents?  Has it ever[/color]
[color=blue]>  been made clear in any of the Spider-Man titles?[/color]
[color=blue]>  [/color]
[color=blue]>  						Jim Tubman[/color]
[color=blue]>  						University of Waterloo[/color]

You know, I asked this same question a couple of years
ago (at Ithacon), and Roger Stern spoke disparagingly of the
story where this question was answered.
It was in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5, 1968 (I hope).

It seems that the Parkers have been dead for many years.
At the beginning of the story Peter is looking through some
of Aunt May's old papers in the attic, and comes across newspaper
clippings about his parents.  According to them, Mr. and Mrs. Parker
had betrayed their country and died in
disgrace.  Spidey looks into this and finds out that they were actually
US government agents who infiltrated some group that was trying
to take over the world
(or something like that).  Anyway, they had died while doing so, and
everyone thought they were traitors.  Aunt May and Uncle Ben had
shielded Peter from "the shameful truth" while he was growing up.

So, Spidey spends the rest of the issue tracking down conclusive evidence
that they were actually OK.  He finally finds their ID cards from the
subversive organization, with their US agent ID cards sealed 
behind them.  At the end of the story he is swinging off elated,
sure he can clear his parents' names.
I think in the course of the story he also foils some
nasty plot or other by the remnants of the group.

I don't recall ever hearing about this again.

I will admit that having to track down an old ID is not the
best way to clear someone's name--why not ask Nick Fury, director
of SHIELD* to help?  Still, it might make an interesting springboard for
a followup story.

Incidentally, story was by Stan Lee, art by Romita, maybe? 
(this is all from memory, you understnad...).

Mike Ciaraldi
seismo!rochester!ciaraldi

*Supreme Headquarters International Espionage Law-Enforcement Division