Spider-Man has been around since the 60s, and ever since the start of his run in the comics to now, he’s spun out into different mediums such as live action, animation and video games. There have been many spider-powered characters that have taken the mantle, but for many, Peter Parker is still the Spider-Man.
In almost every version, there are important pillars – his personal life struggles, his humor, his motivation to do good. But with each new representation and reboot comes a new take on the character, with a new actor portraying him and offering slight variations in characterization. Each Peter Parker faces different threats, and tackles them in different ways. There are some that feel more iconic than others, and better personify the idea of what Peter Parker and Spider-Man are.
Andrew Garfield - The Amazing Spider-Man
In response to fan criticisms that Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker didn’t feel quite as quippy and clever as his comic book counterpart, The Amazing Spider-Man opts to try and make him funnier. Garfield’s Parker cracks more jokes and feels more lively than Maguire’s, but it’s pushed too far in the other direction where he feels more petulant and spiteful than friendly.
Andrew Garfield has had some great moments as Peter Parker, and although the drama between Peter being Spider-Man and how that involves the Stacy family feels very Spider-Man, his relationship with Gwen feels slightly toxic at times with the way he seems to hound after her despite her distress. On top of all this, this Peter has the new plotline of his parents being pioneer scientists in the genetic field, and Peter’s blood being unique and important. This plotline distracts from the Uncle Ben motivation, and gives off "chosen one" vibes which doesn’t quite gel with the everyman aesthetic that is unique to Spider-Man as a hero.
Drake Bell - Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man on Disney XD is an animated series that is high energy, funny, and filled with cutaway gags. This cartoony, comedic bend allows the show to touch on more obscure, silly villains like the Trap Master, and include entertaining team-ups like with Nova or White Tiger. In this show Peter often breaks the fourth wall with mini talking heads where he talks to the camera about his worries and personal problems. Drake Bell’s performance delivers the jokes well enough, but it usually serves to undercut the drama and gravitas that comes with being Spider-Man.
Christopher Daniel Barnes - Spider-Man: The Animated Series
This is the classic representation of Peter Parker that most 90s kids are familiar with. It has all of the defining traits of Peter Parker, and plays out some of the most popular storylines with his most popular villains. Barnes meets the criteria in many ways but does get a bit hammy with some questionable voice acting choices, and there is some awkwardly written dialogue due to the push for it to be a kid friendly show. This show does get credit for popularizing the important character traits about Peter Parker, and it hits all of the beats well enough, but other versions since have hit either some or all of the same beats better in some way.
Robbie Daymond - Marvel’s Spider-Man
The Disney XD series, Marvel’s Spider-Man puts more of an emphasis on Peter Parker’s scientific genius. Robbie Daymond’s turn as Spider-Man has the unbridled joy of an excited highschool science nerd. The way he gleefully recites the tenets of the scientific method and gushes about any topic he fancies is most of the time endearing, but at times can feel a bit like a crutch to lean on similar to the cast of Big Bang Theory. The way he will spin off into scientific jargon about mundane things happens enough that it is somewhat alienating and takes away from the every-man quality that is so defining for a Peter Parker.
Tom Holland - Marvel Cinematic Universe
Since his arrival in Captain America: Civil War and throughout his tenure in the MCU, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker has a fun mix of the mannerisms that make Spider-Man Spider-Man, but some are missing. He’s youthful, eager to do the right thing, he’s funny, and he’s clever. Where this Peter Parker falls apart for some fans though is that he doesn’t quite have the same struggles Spider-Man is known for.
He has some school and social troubles, but he hasn’t had a job to speak of yet, and his social life until recently hasn’t suffered much due to his superhero life. Many of his trials and tribulations come by extension of his own screw-ups, to the point where it feels as though most of the time he’s cleaning up his own messes and it leaves him feeling slightly less heroic.
Yuri Lowenthal - Spider-Man PS4
In the original PS4 release of the Spider-Man game, Peter Parker looked like a mix between Tom Holland and Tobey Maguire. This combined with the voice acting of Yuri Lowenthal presents a Peter Parker that pleases movie and comic book fans alike. His popularity among the fanbase rivals even Miles Morales for best video game protagonist. Throughout the game he deals with tension between his day job as Dr. Otto Octavius’ lab assistant, and his other day-and-night job as a superhero. Lowenthal’s vocal performance delivers the youthful quippiness, the drama, and the heroism fans want out of Spider-Man.
Josh Keaton - Spectacular Spider-Man
This iteration of Peter Parker strikes a good balance between being fun, dramatic, and sentimental. His struggles with juggling his personal life and being a superhero are on full display, and they often bounce off each other the way it should with a Peter Parker. People he personally knows will somehow or another be involved with the villains that appear, or his superhero life will often interfere with his trying to maintain a normal high school life. This version is also particularly clever. In fights with various villains he will have to suss out a weakness or use the environment in order to subdue them, which makes him feel smart but not so smart that he’s no longer relatable.
Tobey Maguire - Spider-Man
Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker established the character for moviegoers of a generation. He nails all of Peter Parker’s greatest hits; he struggles in his personal social life, he’s working hard at a job where his boss undervalues and verbally abuses him, he’s trying to get through school, all while leading a secret life as a masked vigilante. This Peter may not be as funny as other versions, but he does throw out a few quips here and there. And, he's had some of the most iconic moments as Spider-Man even to this day. Even the points where he fails as Spider-Man –particularly in Spider-Man 3, even though it was badly received at the time – have mellowed out with time into meme-able material that is looked back upon fondly.
Jake Johnson - Into The Spider-Verse
Though he was more of a supporting role in Into the Spider-Verse, it doesn’t get quite as ‘Peter Parker’ as Jake Johnson’s over-the-hill, sad sack, Peter B. Parker. Dealing with a divorce, the passing of his Aunt May, and many failed business ventures, this is a Spider-Man who has been hit hard by life from all angles. And in spite of it all he picks himself up, cracks jokes with a sly smirk, and continues to try to do the right thing. Peter B. Parker is the perfect distillation of what Spider-Man has been and should be within the cultural zeitgeist, and is certainly the figure Miles needed to inspire him to be his own Spider-Man.