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Since the first time we saw Peter Parker in Amazing Fantasy 15 we always wondered where he calls home. We watched him mature and grow as the hero Spider-Man along side his aunt May in her home. From hints here and there we know that he came from Queens NY. But where exactly does Peter Parker live? The earliest clue is from Amazing Spider-Man 7. While sneaking out of the house, a boy claims that he saw Spider-Man. His mother dismisses his statement by questioning why Spider-Man would be in Forest Hills. Although this is helpful, there is no exact address. Or is there?
In Amazing Spider-Man 316, Peter and his wife Mary Jane decide to stay at Aunt May’s home while they go apartment hunting. Mary Jane says that they were living in their old condo in the Bedford Towers. Peter just made a bunch of change-of-address notices at The Daily Bugle. This backfires later when the villain Venom tries to figure out where he is staying. He tries smashing in The Black Cat’s face to get her to talk, but she says that she doesn’t know. Venom reveals to her that Spider-Man has a wife. She is surprised by this revelation. By the time Venom does find Peter, he is dressed as Spider-Man while picking up his clothes that he stashed. While retreating, he abandons his clothes. In the pocket is his forwarding address and phone number. The phone number’s area code is 718, which is consistent with the Queens NY area. The comic panel only shows a partial piece of the paper, so it’s not clear yet where Peter Parker lives.
The question is answered in combination with Amazing Spider-Man 316 and 317. We actually see the other half of the change-of-address notice shown in the previous issue. So we now know that Peter Parker lives at 20 Ingram Street, Forest Hills, NY. Even the zip code shown in the comic panel is accurate to the area. The problem with this address though is that it is a real place. Couldn’t they have used a street number that didn’t exist? Or given the street a slightly different name? I wonder how many people have harassed the residents in real life with letters or visitors. When these comics came out in 1989 Marvel could have been sued for such negligence.
If you are interested in reading about Spider-Man vs Venom, it’s been collected (Affiliate Link) several times to save your sanity from trying to collect all the issues individually. They were drawn by Todd McFarlane, an artist so good that his drawings of Spider-Man and Venom made him a super-star. Later he left Marvel, founded Image Comics with some friends, and (arguably and allegedly) contributed to running the entire comic industry into the ground. But that’s a story for another day.
Dangers of Knowing Where Spider-Man Lives
The threats of being a hero don’t just boil down to super strong bad guys you can beat up with ease, as one of the biggest threats Peter faces is the possibility that his foes know where he lives.
New York is a metropolis in which the fictitious character Spider-Man’s human counterpart, Peter Parker, is depicted to live as per comic books and movies. This city is a very good place for any superhero because it allows him to start his action almost immediately when he sees some signs of trouble, by simply swinging in any direction, whether it’s vertical, horizontal, or both. On the other hand, Spider-Man’s enemies also know that he is always within easy reach, so the bad guys could put not only himself but also his family at risk at all times.
Knowing where Spider-Man lives might be a threat to his personal safety; one danger of it that is immediately visible. Oftentimes, superheroes have strong and persistent foes, and if those enemies know their prey’s home address, it is much simpler to set up an assault. It would be quite easy for Spider-Man’s adversaries to ambush him at his residence, where he would least expect it and maybe result in injury either to him or his loved ones.
One more threat is the possibility that his secret can be revealed. One of the most important things to remember when becoming a superhero is not only about protecting yourself but also your loved ones. Nevertheless, if villains find out where Spider-Man resides, they would also uncover Peter Parker’s identity. This situation would not affect him alone but also people who care for him, including Aunt May or Mary Jane, the girl he loves.
Knowing Spider-Man’s home address could be another way through which his personal life could be destroyed. His enemies may use his family and friends as a weak link so that he suffers emotional pain. They may also tamper with Peter’s personal effects, thereby preventing him from enjoying an ordinary existence away from being a superhero.
To sum up, the peril posed by foes having information about Spider-Man’s dwelling is not restricted to his life alone. It similarly threatens his family, identity, and also exposes all New Yorkers to the same dangers. This fear is ever-present and something Spider-Man can never let down; he has to be on guard at all times and keep everyone he cares about safe as well. As supporters of this character, we can simply pray that our friendly neighborhood superhero does not come under harm from his enemies who know where he actually stays.