Peter Benjamin Parker is the alter ego of the fictional character Spider-Man. Notable powers Ability to stick to solid surfaces, super-strength, precognitive "spider-sense", enhanced speed, reflexes and agility, both synthesized and organic ability to produce spider-web, paralyzing poisonous stingers located in arms, ability to see in the dark, and the ability to "feel" his environment (can detect vibrations within his immediate surroundings.) When he was 15 years and 7 months old, Parker attended a science exhibition where he was bitten by a spider which had been irradiated. The spider bite gave Parker an array of spider-like powers. These powers included the ability to cling to walls and ceilings, super-human strength and agility, and an extra-sensory "Spider Sense". In addition to his physical powers, Peter Parker successfully designed and utilized mechanical "web-shooters" to spin webs in a variety of ways. In the current Spider-Man stories, he produces his webs from organic spinnerets in his wrists and no longer requires the mechanical web shooters, most likely to bring character recognition inline with fans who mainly know him from his movie incarnation. This change has proven to be very controversial among fans. His legal guardian and beloved Uncle Ben was later killed by a thug that Peter had allowed to escape. Realizing that stopping the thief when he had the chance would have prevented his uncle's murder, Spider-Man devoted himself to fighting injustice, driven by the realization that "with great power there must also come great responsibility." This phrase (usually in the modified form "with great power comes great responsibility") has subsequently achieved widespread fame. wikipedia.org

well the origional plot was that billy crystal would come to peters door and present him with a giant cheack for $1000 and the ability to use spider like powers, but viewers didnt like the sound of pete getting his powers via a phone-in competition, so it was later changed to a spider bite (i prefer the first one if you ask me).