Spider-Man's Strength

[GodzillaIsMyMonster]

So... why isn't this played up more?

In comics he's shown tossing tanks and ripping buildings in half. He's broken Admantium and vibranium.

But I feel like in most movies and even video games, his strength is down played.


I mean, he's beaten the Avengers and has stopped a rampaging Hulk.

[Hit Girl]

Super strength makes him less interesting and undermines drama.

[GodzillaIsMyMonster]

Aug 19, 2022 2:20:29 GMT -5 Hit Girl said:

Super strength makes him less interesting and undermines drama.

I don't think so. Superman and the Hulk are strong as God's. They still have interesting stories .

[Mozenrath]

They excused this in the comics by having Dr. Octopus when using Peter's body realizing how strong he actually is, and realizing that Peter had been handling him and the other villains with kid gloves for years to try to not seriously hurt them.

Additionally, stuff like the iconic scene with him lifting the rubble, yes, he can be very strong, but that's also much more taxing on him than someone like Hulk or Thor or other much more physically powerful characters. The agility comes easier to him, and I also think it's leaned into more in shows, games, etc, because it's more unique to him versus other heroes, zipping around on web and being quick.

[schma]

The breaking adamantly or vibranium sounds like bad writing. If I recall correctly he can lift about 5 tons which is a lot but most of the traditional super strength characters are in the 100 ton range.

A school bus was traditionally a struggle for him to lift. Still really impressive. I think part of it is how they show the strength. Look at Spider-man 2 where he stops a train with webbing and his feet. That took a lot of strength and durability.

Part of it also comes down to who he's fighting. A lot of his enemies in the movies have had human level strength or durability. It makes sense he wouldn't go full smash there.

[Dr. T is an alien]

Aug 19, 2022 3:00:14 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

They excused this in the comics by having Dr. Octopus when using Peter's body realizing how strong he actually is, and realizing that Peter had been handling him and the other villains with kid gloves for years to try to not seriously hurt them.

Additionally, stuff like the iconic scene with him lifting the rubble, yes, he can be very strong, but that's also much more taxing on him than someone like Hulk or Thor or other much more physically powerful characters. The agility comes easier to him, and I also think it's leaned into more in shows, games, etc, because it's more unique to him versus other heroes, zipping around on web and being quick.

A favorite of mine is when fighting Firelord, a being on the scale of the Silver Surfer, Spidey in his desperation simply ripped a man-sized chunk out of the side of the building he was on and chucked it at the Herald of Galacticus. He even used his speed, endurance, and power to later beat him unconscious. The only thing I’m uncertain of is where had the symbiote at the time.

[Hobby Drifter]

Spider-Man is way more powerful than even he knows. The upward limits of his strength (even without augmentations like the Power Cosmic or the symbiote) are only occasionally hinted at, but it is way more than he regularly makes use of.

I’ve always assumed that Peter is genuinely terrified of hurting anybody, including his own rogues gallery, and so he kind of subconsciously suppresses it. And as others have said, he tends to make use more of his agility than brute force.

Back in ASM 365, he finds himself crushed under an even heavier but of rubble than the famous incident in The Final Chapter. It’s said that neither Thor nor the Hulk could lift it, but Peter manages to do it. So it’s possible that his full strength is on par with early-90s Hulk.

[Feyrhausen]

Simple reason they dont concentrate as much on Spideys strength. It is not his defining characteristic. His strength is impressive but not compared to Hulk, Thor, Thing, etc. While his agility and speed are second to none. So his most impressive trait when compared to others.

[Push R Truth]

So here's another question: can Spiderman dodge the Flash?

[WoodStoner1]

Aug 19, 2022 9:52:00 GMT -5 Push R Truth said:

So here's another question: can Spiderman dodge the Flash?

If it's THAT Flash, I sure hope so!

[Deleted]

Aug 19, 2022 6:55:06 GMT -5 schma said:

The breaking adamantly or vibranium sounds like bad writing. If I recall correctly he can lift about 5 tons which is a lot but most of the traditional super strength characters are in the 100 ton range.

IIRC, it was established that he can lift 10 tons as like an unofficial limit but has lifted more under extreme distress, like the time he was trapped under debris including train cars. But I imagine stuff like this can change.

The adamantium and vibranium breaking does sound like bad writing. At the very least, if he broke adamantium, he should have also tore the hell out of his muscles to the point he couldn't wall crawl for a while or he broke bones doing it or something that stresses the consequences of doing so.

[WoodStoner1]

Nobody listened, bud, that he had radioactive blood.

[Savage Gambino]

Aug 19, 2022 6:55:06 GMT -5 schma said:

The breaking adamantly or vibranium sounds like bad writing. If I recall correctly he can lift about 5 tons which is a lot but most of the traditional super strength characters are in the 100 ton range.

A school bus was traditionally a struggle for him to lift. Still really impressive. I think part of it is how they show the strength. Look at Spider-man 2 where he stops a train with webbing and his feet. That took a lot of strength and durability.

Part of it also comes down to who he's fighting. A lot of his enemies in the movies have had human level strength or durability. It makes sense he wouldn't go full smash there.

I think that's the biggest part. Too much of his rogues gallery is more or less regular humans. If he hit Doc Ock or Mysterio with full strength, they would die. Him being a street level hero means he doesn't really have a lot of opportunities to show off that super strength of his, though the opportunities that are presented are nothing to shrug at: besides the iconic train sequence in Spider-Man 2, he effortlessly catches a police car in Amazing Spider-Man 2, and turns an airplane around in mid-air in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Also, his strength just isn't his signature like that, his speed, agility, and flexibility are. Same with Superman and his speed: he's fast enough that people still do the Superman/Flash race thing long since Flash's speed became beyond ridiculous, but we rarely see his speed shown off the same way we see his strength shown off. Why have Superman catch a bullet in mid-air, which he could clearly do easily, when the bullet bouncing off of him just makes for a better visual?

[Dr. T is an alien]

Aug 19, 2022 11:07:08 GMT -5 Savage Gambino said:

Aug 19, 2022 6:55:06 GMT -5 schma said:

The breaking adamantly or vibranium sounds like bad writing. If I recall correctly he can lift about 5 tons which is a lot but most of the traditional super strength characters are in the 100 ton range.

A school bus was traditionally a struggle for him to lift. Still really impressive. I think part of it is how they show the strength. Look at Spider-man 2 where he stops a train with webbing and his feet. That took a lot of strength and durability.

Part of it also comes down to who he's fighting. A lot of his enemies in the movies have had human level strength or durability. It makes sense he wouldn't go full smash there.

I think that's the biggest part. Too much of his rogues gallery is more or less regular humans. If he hit Doc Ock or Mysterio with full strength, they would die. Him being a street level hero means he doesn't really have a lot of opportunities to show off that super strength of his, though the opportunities that are presented are nothing to shrug at: besides the iconic train sequence in Spider-Man 2, he effortlessly catches a police car in Amazing Spider-Man 2, and turns an airplane around in mid-air in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Also, his strength just isn't his signature like that, his speed, agility, and flexibility are. Same with Superman and his speed: he's fast enough that people still do the Superman/Flash race thing long since Flash's speed became beyond ridiculous, but we rarely see his speed shown off the same way we see his strength shown off. Why have Superman catch a bullet in mid-air, which he could clearly do easily, when the bullet bouncing off of him just makes for a better visual?

The better question is why Wonder Woman bothers to block bullets with her bracelets when she is similarly bulletproof.

[Savage Gambino]

Aug 19, 2022 12:06:15 GMT -5 Dr. T is an alien said:

Aug 19, 2022 11:07:08 GMT -5 Savage Gambino said:

I think that's the biggest part. Too much of his rogues gallery is more or less regular humans. If he hit Doc Ock or Mysterio with full strength, they would die. Him being a street level hero means he doesn't really have a lot of opportunities to show off that super strength of his, though the opportunities that are presented are nothing to shrug at: besides the iconic train sequence in Spider-Man 2, he effortlessly catches a police car in Amazing Spider-Man 2, and turns an airplane around in mid-air in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Also, his strength just isn't his signature like that, his speed, agility, and flexibility are. Same with Superman and his speed: he's fast enough that people still do the Superman/Flash race thing long since Flash's speed became beyond ridiculous, but we rarely see his speed shown off the same way we see his strength shown off. Why have Superman catch a bullet in mid-air, which he could clearly do easily, when the bullet bouncing off of him just makes for a better visual?

The better question is why Wonder Woman bothers to block bullets with her bracelets when she is similarly bulletproof.

[GodzillaIsMyMonster]

Yeah there's some good arguments here. The Spider Sense is probably his most interesting power.

I just find it interesting that he can out power or at least match the Hulk in rampage mode, but it's never really focused on.

Someone mentioned him sub consciously suppressing it and it reminded me of a scene during the Clone Saga, where Ben Reily/Scarlet Spider has to calm down an enraged Peter by reminding him that they can't slip up at their power level.

Definitely gives credence to that argument.

[Zombie Mod]

Aug 19, 2022 12:06:15 GMT -5 Dr. T is an alien said:

Aug 19, 2022 11:07:08 GMT -5 Savage Gambino said:

I think that's the biggest part. Too much of his rogues gallery is more or less regular humans. If he hit Doc Ock or Mysterio with full strength, they would die. Him being a street level hero means he doesn't really have a lot of opportunities to show off that super strength of his, though the opportunities that are presented are nothing to shrug at: besides the iconic train sequence in Spider-Man 2, he effortlessly catches a police car in Amazing Spider-Man 2, and turns an airplane around in mid-air in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Also, his strength just isn't his signature like that, his speed, agility, and flexibility are. Same with Superman and his speed: he's fast enough that people still do the Superman/Flash race thing long since Flash's speed became beyond ridiculous, but we rarely see his speed shown off the same way we see his strength shown off. Why have Superman catch a bullet in mid-air, which he could clearly do easily, when the bullet bouncing off of him just makes for a better visual?

The better question is why Wonder Woman bothers to block bullets with her bracelets when she is similarly bulletproof.

she gets annoyed by the bullets bouncing off her. or the meme is true.

[Dr. T is an alien]

Aug 19, 2022 12:12:24 GMT -5 Savage Gambino said:

Aug 19, 2022 12:06:15 GMT -5 Dr. T is an alien said:

The better question is why Wonder Woman bothers to block bullets with her bracelets when she is similarly bulletproof.

I knew someone would provide that strip if I asked. I just didn’t have it myself to upload.

[Hit Girl]

Aug 19, 2022 2:21:34 GMT -5 GodzillaIsMyMonster said:

Aug 19, 2022 2:20:29 GMT -5 Hit Girl said:

Super strength makes him less interesting and undermines drama.

I don't think so. Superman and the Hulk are strong as God's. They still have interesting stories .

Their best stories aren't about their strength. With Superman it's about standing for justice, and with Hulk it's about controlling that power. Not letting the monster take over the man.

Same applies to Spider-Man. He's a kid from a working class neighbourhood with issues like relationships, school and work to worry about. That's more interesting than whether or not he can lift an oil tanker.

["Trickster Dogg" James Jesse]

From that strip, why don't the shooters also aim for Superman's penis as much as they aim at Wonder Woman's breasts?