Spider-Man Holds Up a Giant Slab

About this drawing

Spider-Man lifting rubble echoes one of the most famous moments in his history. In a 1966 comic, the hero gets pinned under a massive piece of machinery in an underwater base that is flooding fast. Aunt May is gravely ill, and he is carrying the only serum that can save her.

For page after page, Peter strains and fails to break free. He is exhausted and close to giving up, but he thinks of Uncle Ben and Aunt May and finds strength he did not know he had. Finally he heaves the machine over his head and escapes.

That sequence, drawn by Steve Ditko, is often ranked among the greatest in superhero comics. It shows that Spider-Man's power comes from more than a spider bite. It comes from his willpower and his love for the people who depend on him.

The image has been recreated many times since, in later comics, cartoons and even movies, as a tribute to that moment. For many fans it stands for one simple idea: keep going, even when the weight feels impossible. That message is a big part of why the scene still matters to fans today.

• spider-man
• strength
• rubble
• marvel
• comics