Peter Parker's loving Uncle Ben taught his nephew how to be a man and rise above adversity. Slain in his home by a burglar, he will never know that his last words -- "with great power, there must come great responsibility" -- helped forge the hero known as Spider-Man!

Real name: Ben Parker
Occupation: Unknown
Identity: Public
Legal status: Citizen of the United States with no criminal record
Place of birth: Brooklyn, New York
Group affiliation: None
Base of operations: General New York area
First appearance: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1
Last appearance: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #5

Height: 5'9"
Weight: 150 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Gray

Known superhuman powers: None

History: Ben Parker was young Peter's loving uncle and husband to May. Ben's brother died when Peter was very young, and May and Ben raised the boy as if he were their own son. Ben was like a father to Peter in every way. When Peter began to rebel after an accident involving a genetically altered test spider, Ben remained diligent in his attempts to teach the teenager how to better overcome life's challenges. Through Peter's trials with bullies and peer pressure -- and unknowingly during his transformation into Spider-Man -- Ben tried to guide his nephew down the right path.

His ego inflated by the heady feeling of pro-wrestling superstardom, Peter chose not to become involved when he encountered a criminal fleeing the scene of a robbery -- though he could have captured the thief easily with his newfound spider-powers. Shortly thereafter, Ben and Peter had an argument, which ended when the youngster ran away from his uncle. That same night, a burglar invaded the Parker home and demanded the family's money. When Ben quipped that the thief probably had more cash than they did, the man shot him at point-blank range.

After overhearing a police bulletin stating that Ben's murderer had been cornered in a nearby warehouse, Peter donned his wresting costume and dashed off to avenge his uncle's death. Upon seeing the hoodlum's face, he recognized him as the crook he had allowed to run past him days earlier. The moment Peter realized he could have saved his uncle, he understood the words Ben had spoken to him that night: "With great power, there must come great responsibility." And so was born the sensational Spider-Man!

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