8 Mysteries Even Spider-Man Couldn't Solve

8. The Truth About His 'Parents' - Lifetheft

The '90s was a slightly bonkers time for comics, with ludicrous stories, some garish characters redesigns, and a general feeling of needing to think completely outside of the box. One prime example of all of this, is 1994's Lifetheft.

Looking at ways to bring something different to the Spider-table, Marvel Comics opted to have Peter Parker's long-dead parents Richard and Mary return from the grave. Previously said to have died in a place accident years ago, the Parkers turned up at Aunt May's door in 1992.

For almost two years, Richard and Mary would connect with their son, explaining how they'd actually been kept as prisoners by Russia during the time that they were presumed dead. It took only a matter of weeks for Peter to let his ma and pa know that their boy was Spider-Man, which resulted in Richard doing his best to instil a harder, tougher edge to his son's superhero antics.

Unfortunately, Spidey was so caught up in all of this, he failed to see the truth about his 'parents'.

Once the Lifetheft arc rolled around in 1994, it was explained how the real Richard and Mary were indeed dead. Instead, these 'returned' versions of the Parkers were actually Life-Model Decoys created as part of a scheme involving the Chameleon, Vulture and the Harry Osborn iteration of the Green Goblin.