How Old Is Peter Parker / Spider-Man?

According to Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 3) #1, published in April 2014, Peter was bitten by the spider 13 years ago, and it was previously established he was around 15 at the time.  He is likely now nearing his thirties.

A page from Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 3) #1 in which it indicates he was bitten 13 years ago from 2014.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man is a different case.  but first…

SPOILER WARNING! (For Avengers INFINITY WAR and ENDGAME).

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Spider-Man was still in high school when the “snapture” occured, making him around 16 years old.  He returned as he was five years later, making him biologically 16 years old, approximately, though it would be 21 years from his birth (established as August 10, 2001).   As of writing this, the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki has this definition for Peter Parker’s age.

***OLD ARCHIVE POST***

Peter Parker is 28 years old in the 616 Marvel Universe.

This answer is subject to change, as writers may adapt the age through their stories.  Peter’s age is somewhat fluid, aging in real time at some points, while almost not aging at all for some periods.

For those looking for the previous response, we’ve maintained it below:

How Old Is Peter Parker?

How Old Is Peter Parker
Peter Parker celebrates a birthday in Amazing Spider-Man #500

The short answer: 28

Spider-Man/Peter Parker has been around for ages. Spider-Man was first launched in 1962 under an aura of uniqueness, being one of the only superheroes to be a teenager, a role until then only occupied by sidekicks. But exactly how old is Peter Parker?

How Old Is Peter Parker in the Core Titles?

In the core Spider-Man universe still currently published around the title Amazing Spider-Man, Peter Parker was 17 when first introduced in 1962. Using 2011 as a benchmark, simply adding the years in between would make him 66! Don’t panic, though, because Marvel has a rule of thumb concerning the passage of time in their comics. First, Marvel loosely employs a three-to-one ratio of passage of time, meaning roughly one year passes in the comics every three publication years. Second, they employ what is a called a “sliding Timescale”, or “Floating Timeline”, which generally means that as the years pass, events referenced in the real world are relative to the time of publication. For example, Spider-Man may reference pop culture of the 90’s (90210 anyone?), or you might hear MJ say “This is the 90’s!”, yet, in 2011, these events only occurred 5 years ago. Other important things, like real life wars referenced in one era of comics being retconned to a more recent conflict to maintain the passage of time, which is more important that it occurred more recently that the particular events of that conflict. So how old is Peter Parker considering these facts?

Calculating How Old Is Peter

Well, if Peter Parker was 17 in 1962, and using 2011 as a benchmark, that would mean 49 publications years have passed. Using the three-to-one rule, that would mean roughly 16 years have passed, making him currently 33 years old.

To verify, we’ll benchmark against stated ages in published issues. In an issue of Spectacular Spider-Man in 1997, Flash Thompson, considered to be the same age as Peter Parker, states that he is 25. In 1997, 35 publication years would have passed, meaning roughly 12 years had passed, making him actually 27. To adjust, we can consider that since there is such a large gap (9 months-ish) between Spider-Man’s introduction and the launch of the Amazing Spider-Man in 1963. Using 1963 as a base year, that means he would be more likely 11 years would have passed, and, if Flash’s birthday is later in the year, then he would effectively be 25.

So, how old is Peter Parker, really?  This change in year would mean Peter Parker is more likely around 32 years old in 2011.

Discover the answer to “How Old Is Peter Parker?” yourself by viewing our Spider-Man Chronology

6 thoughts on “How Old Is Peter Parker / Spider-Man?

  1. That’s not right at all. First off Peter Parker was 15 at the start of Amazing Fantasy 15 in 1962. Time actually flowed in real time till he graduated college in 1965 at the age of 17-18. Time stalled for Peter and it could be said that issues 29-121 all take place within a year or two making him 19-20 when Gwen dies. Events conspire in real time during Gerry Conway’s reign so by the end of the Clone Saga he’s 22. Time then was brought to a standstill for the rest of the 70’s as he graduates college in 1978. Now you could probably use the 3 years to a year rule but that’s just silly here too cause that would still put him well into his mid to late thirties at this point, when everything Marvel has said has put him at least in his late twenties.

    1. I have to review this, as it is an older post. This week’s Amazing Spider-Man states that it has been 13 years since Amazing Fantasy #15, making Peter 28.

  2. That’s not right. According to Civil War, Peter was 15 when he was bitten by the spider, and in the last TAS number it’s said that happened 13 years ago. so, he’s 28.

    1. Well yes, but some stories tell us that Peter was 16 or 17 (never less than 15 or more than 17 though) when he got the powers. So It’s ate least 28 and max 30. I know 15 is the usual number but just throwning it here. :p

  3. Cannonly, When Spider – Man first gets bitten he was 15. He later (for the majority of the comics and tv shows) turns 16 and STAYED 16!!!!!

    As for the MCU, Homecoming Takes place in 2016, a couple months after Civil War. In Homecoming he says he’s 15, and his passport in far from home it says his Bithday is Aug 10.

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