Spider-Ham
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Spider-Ham (Peter Porker) is a fictional character, an anthropomorphic funny animal parody of Marvel Comics' popular Spider-Man character, created by Tom DeFalco and Mark Armstrong.
He first appeared in the one-shot humor comic book Marvel Tails Starring Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #1, which was then followed by an ongoing bi-monthly series, Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham. The series lasted 17 issues, all of which were published under Marvel's Star Comics imprint.
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[edit] Fictonal character biography
Peter Porker was born a spider (simply named Peter). Residing in the basement lab of May Porker, a slightly goofy animal scientist who had created "the world's first atomic powered hairdryer," hoping that "the introduction of nuclear fission into America's beauty salons" would "revolutionize the hair care industry". After dousing her head with water and activating the dryer, May Porker accidentally irradiated herself, and in a fit of delusion, bit Peter, who then found himself transformed into an anthropomorphic swine much like May Porker herself. Running from the Porker homestead disoriented, Peter soon came to realize that he still retained a spider's abilities:
"This is astounding! Am I a spider with the limitations of a pig? Or a pig with the proportionate strength and agility of a spider? I've become something greater than either spider or pig... I've become a Spider-Ham!"- Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #15 (May 1987)
After this startling series of events, Peter (who adopted the surname "Porker", that of his benefactor May Porker, who after the accident reverted mentally to a state in which she believed she was Peter's loving aunt) dedicated himself and his new-found abilities to fighting injustice and the occasional animal parody of established Marvel Comics villains.
[edit] Misadventures
Porker, in his spider-themed alter-ego's first adventure teamed him with Capt. Americat, as they attempted to foil the nefarious plot of "The Marauder", in a series of events that led to the creation of the Hulk-Bunny (Marvel Tails #1, "If He Should Punch Me").
Several months later, Spider-Ham encountered one of his only re-occurring menaces in the form of Ducktor Doom (Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #1, "The Mysterious Island of Ducktor Doom"). Spider-Ham would meet again with Doom when Porker would foil the would-be world conqueror's plot to create an army of living super vegetables (Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #6, "Salad Daze").
Other notable menaces Porker would face along the way include The Bull-Frog (a parody of the Marvel villain Man-Bull), the Buzzard (an opossum take on the Spider-Man adversary The Vulture), Hogzilla (a swine counterpart to the more popular Gojira, or as he's known in the United States, Godzilla), and The King-Pig (seemingly the swine equivalent of Marvel's mob-boss The Kingpin).
The series also included back up strips featuring such characters as Deerdevil (Daredevil), Goose Rider (Ghost Rider) and the Fantastic Fur (the Fantastic Four). Some of these back-ups were contradictory, presenting different anthropomorphic versions of characters in different stories, such as two Namor counterparts: the Sub-Merchandiser (a dog) and the Sub-Marsupial (possibly a wombat). (Note: the Asinine Torch (a donkey) that appeared in a story with the Sub-Marsupial and the Fantastic Fur's Simian Torch are not two variants of the Fantastic Four's Human Torch; since he was depicted as elderly in the 1980s, and referred to as an "old sparring partner" of the Sub-Marsupial's, he was obviously a counterpart to the golden age Human Torch.)
After the cancellation of his solo series, Marvel Tales, a monthly reprint series which specialized in reprints of Spider-Man's past adventures began carrying Porker as a back-up feature in 1987, beginning with issue #201 (cover dated July 1987).
These adventures appeared sporadically, in issues 201-212, 214-219, 223-230,233,236,237 239, 240, and 247
Amongst other characters, the Marvel Tales stories introduced the heavily-weaponed vigilante shark Punfisher (a parody of the Punisher).
[edit] Post-cancellation
Another notable appearance of the character was in the Marvel humor anthology title, What The--?!. In issue #3 of that title (cover dated October 1988), Porker met with Raven the Hunter (a parody of Spider-Man's nemesis Kraven the Hunter) in a story that satirized the popular "Kraven's Last Hunt" storyline which had been featured a year earlier in Marvel's Spider-Man titles. Spider-Ham also makes appearances in issues #18, 20, 22, and 24 of What The--?!
Even Marvel's once-popular 2099 line of titles wasn't safe, as seen in the 26th issue of What The--?! (cover dated Fall 1993), which featured "Spider-Ham 15.88", a humorous take-off on Peter Parker's future counterpart, Miguel O'Hara a.k.a. Spider-Man 2099.
Spider-Ham has also appeared on the cover Wha…Huh? #1 and was referred to, as a fictional character in the Earth-616 Marvel Universe, in Generation X #52.
Spider-Man Family #1 featured a sixteen-page Spider-Girl story, in which May Parker (Peter Parker's daughter) watches a DVD showing a small portion of a fictional Spider-Ham animated series, discovering that it was created by one of Spider-Man's enemies, Jack O'Lantern. Also in the issue, there is a partial reprint of Marvel Tails #1.
Spider-Ham was selected by fans and retailers to be the focus of the final variant cover by Mike Wieringo to the Spider-Man: The Other crossover, Amazing Spider-Man #528. [1]
In January 2007, J. Michael Straczynski authored the Ultimate Civil War Spider-Ham one-shot, featuring Spider-Ham's attempt to find his missing "thought balloons" against a Civil War parody.
The Wizard Spider-Man Special featured a Twisted Toyfare Theater comic "Four Webbings and a Funeral". In it, Spider-Ham is one of the entrees being served at Spider-Man's funeral.
[edit] Toys
There were two Kubrick toys made of Spider-Ham. One was the hero himself, and the other was Pork Rind.
[edit] Other characters
The Spider-Ham comic parodied a variety of other Marvel characters.
| Character | Real Marvel Character | Animal | First Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spider-Ham / Peter Porker | Spider-Man | Spider/Pig | Marvel Tails Starring Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #1 |
| Spider-Ham 15.88 | Spider-Man 2099 | Spider/Pig | What The--?! #26 |
| May Porker | Aunt May | Pig | Marvel Tails Starring Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #1 |
| Mary Jane Waterbuffalo | Mary Jane Watson | Water buffalo | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #15 |
| J. Jonah Jackal/Black Jackle | J. Jonah Jameson | Jackal | Marvel Tails Starring Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #1 |
| Deerdevil / Batt Burdock | Daredevil | Deer | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #7 |
| Kay-Mar the Sub-Merchandiser | Namor The Sub-Mariner | Dog | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #10 |
| Sub-Marsupial | Namor The Sub-Mariner (Golden Age) | Marsupial (possibly a wombat) | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #9 |
| Asinine Torch | Human Torch (Golden Age) | Donkey | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #9 |
| Goose Rider | Ghost Rider | Goose | Marvel Tails Starring Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #1 |
| Ducktor Doom | Doctor Doom | Duck | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #1 |
| Doctor Octopussy Cat | Doctor Octopus | Cat | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #16 |
| Hulk-Bunny / Dr. Bruce Bunny | Hulk | Rabbit | Marvel Tails Starring Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #1 |
| Captain Americat / Steve Mouser | Captain America | Cat | Marvel Tails Starring Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #1 |
| The King-Pig | The Kingpin | Pig | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #12 |
| Hogzilla | Godzilla | Pig/Lizard | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #8 |
| Hobgobbler | Hobgoblin | Turkey | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #15 |
| Raven the Hunter | Kraven the Hunter | Raven | What The--?! #3 |
| Doc Clamson | Doc Samson | Clam | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #16 |
| Croctor Strange | Doctor Strange | Crocodile | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #4 |
| Magsquito | Magneto | Mosquito | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #2 |
| X-Bugs | X-Men | Various (insects) | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #2 |
| Iron-Mouse | Iron Man | Mouse | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #3 |
| Thrrrr Dog of Thunder | Thor | Dog | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #5 |
| Silver Squirrel | Silver Surfer | Squirrel | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #8 |
| Croak | Cloak | Frog | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #16 |
| Badger | Dagger | Badger | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #16 |
| Ant Ant | Ant-Man | Ant | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #11 |
| Sandmanatee | Sandman | Manatee | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #11 |
| Galactypus | Galactus | Platypus | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #12 |
| Nick Furry Agent Of S.H.E.E.P | Nick Fury | Bear | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #13 |
| Kang Aroo | Kang the Conqueror | Kangaroo | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #15 |
| Ultrog | Ultron | Gorilla | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #15 |
| Quackula | Dracula | Duck | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #13 |
| The Fantastic Fur | The Fantastic Four | Various | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #1 |
| Mooster Fantastic of the Fantastic Fur | Mister Fantastic | Moose | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #1 |
| Invisible Gorrila of the Fantastic Fur | Invisible Girl | Gorilla | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #1 |
| Simian Torch of the Fantastic Fur | Human Torch | Gorilla | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #1 |
| Thang of the Fantastic Fur | Thing | Bear | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #1 |
| The Scavengers | The Avengers | Various | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #15 |
| Scarlet Pooch of the Scavengers | Scarlet Witch | Dog | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #15 |
| Quack-Silver of the Scavengers | Quicksilver | Duck | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #15 |
| Squawkeye of the Scavengers | Hawkeye | Seagull | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #15 |
| Black Panda of the Scavengers | Black Panther | Panda | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #15 |
| Pigeon of the Scavengers | Vision | Pigeon | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #15 |
| Baron Zebro | Baron Zemo | Zebra | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #16 |
| Paste Pot Peep | Paste Pot Pete | Sheep | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #16 |
| Mad Stinker | Mad Thinker | Skunk | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #16 |
| Mandaringtail | Mandarin | Ringtail | Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #16 |
| Punfisher / Frank Carple | Punisher | Shark | Marvel Tales #212 |
| Pork Grind | Venom | Pig/Symbiote | What The--?! #20 |
| Shock-Cur | Shocker | Mongoose | Marvel Tales #201 |
| Captain Zooniverse | Captain Universe | Cosmic force/Pig (Spider-Ham host body) | Marvel Tales # 236 |
| Anya the Ant-Girl | Araña | Ant | Spider-Man Family |
| Hamneto | Magneto | Pig | Ultimate Civil War Spider-Ham |
| Ultimate Captain Hamerica | Captain America | Pig | Ultimate Civil War Spider-Ham |
| Green Ham *(and eggs) | Hulk | Pig | Ultimate Civil War Spider-Ham |
| Deviled Ham | Daredevil | Pig | Ultimate Civil War Spider-Ham |
| Hambit | Gambit | Pig | Ultimate Civil War Spider-Ham |
| Iron Ham | Iron Man | Pig | Ultimate Civil War Spider-Ham |
| Wolverham | Wolverine | Pig | Ultimate Civil War Spider-Ham |
