Love it or hate it, every new <em>Spider-Man</em> comic book run that features a new creative team is likely to come with its own set of retcons aimed at being new-reader-friendly. This is ideally great for anyone who has never read Spider-Man comics before and can also serve as a refreshing change, depending on what has been altered or discarded. However, it can understandably frustrate long-time readers who have navigated Spider-Man’s extensive lore and are disheartened to see a character or development they cherished essentially erased or dismissed.
For example, fans were understandably upset to find out that Miles Morales and Tiana Toomes’ Starling broke up between runs so that Miles could start developing feelings for a brand-new character in Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2026) #1. Regarding Joe Kelly’s ongoing Amazing Spider-Man run, there appear to be significant inconsistencies that not only contradict Peter Parker’s 64-year history but also the feats he has accomplished in the last 35 issues.
64 Years Later, Marvel Can’t Decide How Strong Spider-Man Is
It is established as early as in The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (LGY #965) that slamming a box truck into Rhino represents the peak of Spider-Man’s superhuman strength. This is technically a nerf, as readers have seen Peter lift much heavier weights without nearly as much difficulty, and it serves as an interesting benchmark that the run then challenges thereafter.
Indeed, Kelly’s Amazing Spider-Man run fluctuates on how strong it portrays Peter to be, especially regarding the feats of strength he accomplishes and how challenging it is for him to lift objects. Notably, in The Amazing Spider-Man #35 (LGY #999), Peter half-jokingly requests “ice and painkillers” after visibly struggling to spot Luke Cage while he is bench-pressing two cars.
This inconsistency might not have been so peculiar within the context of this run if not for Peter appearing to handle much greater weights with far less effort earlier on. In The Amazing Spider-Man #11 (LGY #), Peter is stranded in outer space and collaborates with Dr. Xanto Starblood to become stronger before his rematch with Hellgate. Ironically, the weight he lifts appears enormous compared to the box truck he hurled or the two cars he spots.
Xanto declares, “Peter, you are over a hundred times stronger than 99.9% of your entire species.”
Now, Peter does not actually become significantly stronger by the end of this arc, nor does he take the “genetic re-coder” that would supposedly enhance his strength (and potentially come with numerous side effects). Still, it is hard to believe that any of the tests he and Xanto conducted during their weeks dedicated to research failed to present Peter with more difficulty than lifting a box truck or two cars fastened to a barbell.
Strength Is A Big Theme In Kelly’s Amazing Spider-Man Run
Peter’s belief that he needs to become physically stronger is, of course, a premise woven into the overall theme of this arc in outer space. It is the eclectic group of new companions he meets, such as Raelith the Wretched from The Amazing Spider-Man, who reminds Peter that his strength comes from his heart and his allies rather than just his muscles.
Even Xanto, who created the genetic re-coder, hesitates to satisfy his undeniable scientific curiosity and instead advises Peter against taking it due to concerns about potential adverse effects. Nevertheless, Peter’s physical strength in this current run does not match what it has been in earlier Spider-Man stories, making it difficult to assess how strong he truly is from arc to arc.
The Amazing Spider-Man #35 (LGY #999) is scheduled for release on August 26, 2026.
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