When the Deadpool movie was in theaters, people were surprised at how un-child friendly it was. The movie itself touched on how violent it was compared to other super hero films. Spidey has the reputation of being much more kid appropriate, with numerous cartoons and video games aimed at younger fans. On the other hand, the comic books have been much more of a mixed bag regarding content. Several years ago, a mother in Nebraska was offended by Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #39. Her son got it from his school library and it featured Mary Jane in a bikini and in a skimpy night gown. The mother thought it was inappropriate and wanted the title banned from the school. In no particular order, here are some of the most "mature subject" moments in Spider-Man comics history.
Robbie and Randy argue over racism
As I said in a rant from several years ago, one of my favorite parts of reading old comics is how they reflect the events during which they were written. In a storyline from 1969, the students at Empire State are protesting for low rent dorms. Randy and Peter show up and the other black students are less than happy to see Randy. One of them recognizes him as the son of Robbie Robertson and says "Who wants the son of an Uncle Tom marching here with us?" They nearly fight until one of the other black students stops them. Later, the Kingpin broke into the university to steal The Tablet of Time and the robbery was blamed on the students. After getting bailed out of jail, Randy and his father argue over what happened. Randy tells Robbie that he had to be tougher and more militant because his father was part of the white man's establishment. Robbie frustratedly tells his son that they all want equality but also says he doesnt know what is right anymore. (Amazing Spider-Man #68 and Amazing Spider-Man #69)
Sam Bullit runs for District Attorney
On the other side of the coin from the previous story, this one featured a bigoted DA candidate. After the death of George Stacy, Bullit used a grieving Gwen to endorse him for the elected position. He made it very clear that he had no time for coddling criminals, or for liberals, bleeding hearts or "long haired do-gooders." His mission was law and order. Eventually Jonah and Robbie confronted Bullit, telling him they learned about his connection to hate groups and his plans for minorities. Bullit told Robbie he talked to much for a black man and later called him a racial slur. After he left, Bullit's men kidnapped Robbie and nearly killed him until Spider-Man and Ice Man show up. (Amazing Spider-Man #91 and Amazing Spider-Man #92)
Venom and Spidey confront Carnage
Maximum Carnage may be remembered as the greatest story to show Cletus Kasady's disregard for life, but his origin set the tone for the character perfectly. Carnage returned to the scene of one of his undiscovered murders and made himself at home, watching TV and raiding the fridge. After Venom and Spider-Man attacked Carnage, he smashed through the apartment floor and grabbed a newborn from its mother. Taunting them, he threw the baby out a window of the high-rise and escaped after they chased the child. (Amazing Spider-Man #362)
Spider-Man hunts the Kravinoff family
All of "Grim Hunt" was a unusually morbid story for a Spidey book, but when Peter finally took his revenge on Kraven the Hunter's family, he was bloodthirsty. Spider-Man's rage was certainly understandable, as he never had closure from the torture he endured from Sergei Kravinoff after the Hunter's suicide. Peter dealt with post traumatic stress after being buried alive for two weeks by Kraven, and his enemy's resurrection gave him the opportunity for payback. Kraven had been returned to life by his family after conducting a black magic ritual that involved sacrificing Peter's clone, Kaine. When one of Peter's allies asked what he was going to do, he replied, "I'm going to kill Sasha Kravinoff." After he caught up to Kraven's wife, he uses his wall gripping ability to tear part of her face off. Her teenage daughter, Ana, came to her mother's aid saying Sasha would die over her dead body. Spidey growled, "Your call." The violence only ended when Peter realized that Kraven wanted to die. (Amazing Spider-Man #637)
Superior Spider-Man violates Peter's memories of Mary Jane
When Otto Octavius put his mind in Peter Parker's body, he was all too eager to see what his new life could give him. He immediately set his sights on Peter's ex- girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson. Otto tried different ways of wooing MJ, all of which got him nowhere. He treated the potential relationship like an equation to get his desired results, not like something that takes time and nurturing. In the end, he realized that he had all of Peter's memories of when he and Mary Jane where together. He used those intimate memories to satisfy his craving for her. (Superior Spider-Man #2)
A school shooter attacks Midtown High
In a story that is too true to life, Peter took on an angry gunman at his old high school. While applying for a job as a science teacher, his spider sense warned him of approaching danger. He dove into a mass of students in a hallway and shoved them to safety as the shooter opened fire through a closed door. He managed to get the teens into a classroom and close the door. Thinking fast, he had one of the chemistry students mix chemicals in the air vent, which caused a smoke cloud to move through the school and into the hallway. Peter rushed into the hall and used the smoke as cover to change into Spider-Man. He found the attacker and dodged the bullets of the automatic weapon, knocking the gunman to the ground. Picking the assailant up, Spider-Man saw that he was a teenager, sobbing that he was always getting beaten up and couldn't take it anymore. As the teen is arrested, Peter and a teacher talk about what happened. The teacher had the student in one of his classes and knew him as a smart but awkward kid. He had been half hearted about defending the teen, saying "They wouldn't stop hitting him and he wouldn't stop being weird." (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #31)
Spidey and Drugs
Back when Peter, Mary Jane and Harry were in college, they came across a young man tripping and walking along the edge of a building. He fell off of the building but was caught by Spidey and handed over to the police. (Amazing Spider-Man #96)
While looking for the Hobgoblin and a kidnapped boy, Spider-Man had been led to a man that might knew where they were located. He was found alone in an alley about to snort some cocaine. Spidey webbed him to a wall and threatened to dump the drugs if he didn't talk. After he did, Spidey swung away, leaving the pile of coke on the ground. Unfortunately for the addict, the cocaine was blown away in the wind. (Spider-Man #6)
S.H.E.I.L.D. Shoots a Runaway
Alex Woolcot killed his abusive father by incinerating him. It was an accident after Alex touched his father's machine, giving him the ability to blast energy from his hands. When his father tried to hit him, Alex grabbed his hand and rendered him to ash. Scared, the boy went on the run. At one point an old man claimed that they were going to be friends and tried to get him into his car but Alex blew it up. Later, he was approached by two cops thinking he was a truant. He blew up their squad car and ran, but the incident drew the attention of both Spider-Man and S.H.E.I.L.D. Spidey caught up to the kid but barely managed to keep from being fried. S.H.E.I.L.D. agents sent Mandriods after him but they were destroyed by Spidey and Alex. Spidey got him to safety but without warning Alex was shot by the agents and crumpled to the ground. (Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #117 and Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #118)
The Lizard Kills Billy Connors
If you felt any sympathy for Ana Kravinoff as she defended her mother from Spider-Man, you wont after this. Curt Connors had once again changed into the Lizard and began hunting Curt's son, Billy. Curt's consciousness was still alive inside the Lizard's mind and was trying to influencing the monster to leave Billy alone. Martha Connors had died of cancer, leaving their son in foster care. The Lizard followed Billy's scent to his foster home but was beaten back by the timely arrival of Spider-Man. The creature eventually fled and Spidey stayed behind when he realized Billy's foster mother was injured. He stayed with her until the police arrived and resumed searching for the Lizard, who had caught up to Billy. Billy had been kidnapped by Ana Kravinoff, who held him captive until the Lizard arrived. She left, and despite Curt's memtal efforts to keep the Lizard away from his son, the creature tore the boy apart. Billy had accepted that the monster would one day kill him, but the anguish of seeing his son killed in front of him made Curt fade from the Lizard's mind. (Amazing Spider-Man #631)
Peter Hits His Pregnant Wife
A long time ago, Mary Jane and Peter were expecting a baby. This happened right as Peter's long lost clone re-entered their lives after living as a drifter for five years. The Parker's lives were turned upside down as Peter was accused of murder, an abnormality in the pregnancy and questions about who was the clone. Peter and the clone, who took the name Ben Reilly, had an uneasy relationship, made worse after being called to the lab of a friend of Ben's. MJ's oby/gyn had detected the anomaly in the fetus and Dr. Trainer confirmed it. Doctor Trainer suggested that the "genetic drift" would be possible if one of the parents were a clone. Peter and Ben ran their own tests and came to the same conclusion: Peter was the clone, Ben was the original. Enraged, Peter attacked Ben and MJ was afraid Peter would kill him. She ran to stop him and he unthinkingly hit her across the room. Ashamed of himself, he ran away as MJ told him not to leave, blood running down her nose. (Spectacular Spider-Man #226)
Mary Jane Considers an Abortion
If that mom in Nebraska wanted Amazing Spider-Man to be removed from her son's school library for MJ being in a bikini, imagine how she would have reacted to this. After Mary Jane got the news from her doctor that there was an abnormality in her fetus, she needed badly to talk to someone. Peter was obsessing over the clone problem and May Parker had recently died. Not knowing what else to do, she turned to Ben Reilly for advice. She didnt know if it was fair to bring such a child into the world. Ben told her, "Look, I'm not the most politically correct person on this earth, as a clone who should have been destroyed years ago, I'm about as pro-life as you can get." He told her to get the facts, take her time with the decision and to know she isn't alone. She decided to continue with the pregnancy. (Spectacular Spider-Man #225)