The first issue of the famed Marvel Comics title The Amazing Spider-Man debuted on store shelves in March 1963. Here are some of the legendary superhero’s most memorable moments of the past 50 years:
Aug. 1962: The iconic superhero is first created when Stan Lee realizes he can just throw any noun in front of the word “man” and a bunch of idiots will lap it up
May 1963: Spider-Man’s practice of paralyzing his enemies with a venomous bite and cocooning them in his web for later consumption is deemed too violent and is discontinued
June 1975: Spider-Man learns to swim
Jan. 1976: Cross-industry blockbuster Spider-Man vs. Richie Rich ends with hard-fought victory for the ol’ web-slinger
July 1977: Spider-Man goes to see Star Wars in a movie theater and the rest of the comic just shows the entire film
Feb. 1981: In a story ripped from the day’s headlines, Spidey tackles inflation alongside Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker
Sept. 1982: Fed up with rampant crime plaguing New York City, Spider-Man purchases a gun
Feb. 2001: In an attempt to shoot his own webbing without the help of special effects while on the set of Spider-Man, actor Tobey Maguire accidentally launches over 80 feet of his own blood vessels from his wrists
Dec. 2012: In issue #700 of the comic, it is revealed that the spider that bit Peter Parker was not radioactive at all, and that all his superpowers simply came from believing in himself
