Steve Ditko

There is one dream where in my dream, I'm Spider-Man. But I'm losing my powers. I'm climbing a wall but I keep falling.

In my dream… Actually, it's not even my dream, it's a friend of mine's dream.

That's the problem, he doesn't know what to think.

I have a choice.

I went someplace else, someplace where I thought I could win some money, to buy a car, because I wanted to impress Mary Jane. It happened so fast... I won the money, the guy wouldn't pay me, then he got robbed... the thief was running towards me... I could have stopped him, but I wanted to take revenge... I let him go, I let him get away. He wanted a car, he tried to take Uncle Ben's. Uncle Ben said no... and then he shot him. Uncle Ben was killed that night for being the only one who did the right thing. I held his hand when he died... I've tried to tell you so many times...

Am I not supposed to have what I want? What I need? What am I supposed to do?

She looks at me everyday. Mary Jane Watson. Oh boy! If she only knew how I felt about her. But she can never know. I made a choice once to live a life of responsibility. A life she can never be a part of. Who am I? I'm Spider-Man, given a job to do. And I'm Peter Parker, and I too have a job.

Then you know why we can't be together. Spider-Man will always have enemies. I can't let you take that risk. I will always be Spider-Man. You and I can never be…

I wanna tell you the truth... here it is: I'm Spider-Man. Weird, huh? Now you know why I can't be with you. If my enemies found out about you... if you got hurt, I could never forgive myself. I wish I could tell you how I feel about you...

He knows a hero when he sees one. Too few characters out there, flying around like that, saving old girls like me. And Lord knows, kids like Henry need a hero. Courageous, self-sacrificing people. Setting examples for all of us. Everybody loves a hero. People line up for them, cheer them, scream their names. And years later, they'll tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to get a glimpse of the one who taught them how to hold on a second longer. I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride, even though sometimes we have to be steady, and give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams.

We need a hero, couragous sacrificing people, setting examples for all of us. Everybody loves a hero, people line up for 'em, cheer for them, scream their names, and years later tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to get a glimpse of the one who told them to HOLD ON a second longer. I believe theres a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble. And finally gets us to die with pride. Even though sometimes we have to be steady and give up the thing we want most, even our dreams.

Pish-posh. We needn't talk about it. Water over the dam, or under the bridge, or wherever you like it, but…

You made a brave move in telling me the truth, and I'm proud of you, and I thank you, and I… I love you, Peter. So very, very much…

Pish-posh. We needn't talk about it. Water over the dam, or under the bridge, or wherever you like it.

Oh, I know I shouldn't. It's just that you wanted to take the subway, and he wanted to drive you. If only I had stopped him, we'd all three of us be having tea together.

Whatever life holds in store for me, I will never forget these words: "With great power comes great responsibility." This is my gift, my curse. Who am I? I'm Spider-man.

I said… uh… Spider-Man, I said uh… The great thing about MJ is… when you look in her eyes and she's looking back in yours… everything… feels… not quite normal. Because you feel stronger and weaker at the same time. You feel excited and at the same time, terrified. The truth is… you don't know what you feel except you know what kind of man you want to be. It's as if you've reached the unreachable and you weren't ready for it."

Not everyone is meant to make a difference. But for me, the choice to lead an ordinary life is no longer an option.

Who am I? You sure you want to know? The story of my life is not for the faint of heart. If somebody said it was a happy little tale… if somebody told you I was just your average ordinary guy, not a care in the world… somebody lied. But let me assure you: This, like any story worth telling, is all about a girl. That girl. The girl next door. Mary Jane Watson. The woman I've loved since before I even liked girls.

I'd like to say that's me sitting next to her.

Aw, heck, I'd even take him.

That's me.

Spider-Man wasn't trying to attack the city, he was trying to save it. That's slander.

I can't help thinking about... the last thing I said to him. He tried to tell me something important, and I threw it in his face.

I want you to know, that I will always be there for you; I will always be there to take care of you. I promise you that. I will always be your friend.

Sorry I'm late, it's a jungle out there; I had to beat an old lady with a stick to get these cranberries.

Who am I? Are you sure you want to know? If someone told you I was just your average ordinary guy without a care in the world, somebody lied. Truth is it wasn't always like this. There was a time when life was a lot less complicated.