ABSTRACT
Comic book fans know that Spider-Man’s most persistent nemesis is not a villain, but rather newspaper publisher J. Jonah Jameson, who not only criticizes Spider-Man’s every action in print, but also alleges that Spider-Man wears a mask because he himself is a criminal. Jameson argues that Spider-Man is motivated not by a desire to fight crime, but by a desire for personal glory. He offers a reward for Spider-Man’s capture, and hires people to defeat Spider-Man. In issue 10 of The Amazing Spider-Man (March 1964), Jameson admits that his dislike of Spider-Man is motivated by a negative comparison: Jameson thinks of himself as a good man, but believes he looks incompetent when compared to Spider-Man. In issue 175 of The Spectacular Spider-Man (April 1991), Spider-Man’s wife suggests that the dislike stems from Spider-Man’s failure to follow the rules of law enforcement, despite the fact that he successfully captures criminals.1
