| Uncle Ben | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | As Uncle Ben: Strange Tales #97 (January 1962) As Ben Parker: Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962) |
| Created by | Stan Lee (writer) Steve Ditko (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | Benjamin Franklin "Ben" Parker |
| Species | Human |
| Place of origin | Brooklyn, New York |
| Supporting character of | Spider-Man |
Benjamin Franklin "Ben" Parker, usually referred to as Uncle Ben, was a supporting character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually in association with the superhero Spider-Man (Peter Parker). He was the husband of May Parker and the paternal uncle and father figure of Peter Parker. After appearing in Strange Tales #97 (January 1962), Uncle Ben made his first full appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962), and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko. He was modeled and named after American founding father Benjamin Franklin.
The character has been an essential part of Spider-Man's history. His death at the hands of a petty criminal, whom Spider-Man previously had the chance to apprehend, but chose not to, has been depicted in most versions of the hero's origin story, as the main factor that inspired Peter to become Spider-Man. Uncle Ben's quote, "With great power there must also come great responsibility" (often paraphrased as "With great power comes great responsibility"), has become Spider-Man's "moral guide" and iconic life motto.
The character has been substantially adapted from the comics into various forms of media, including films, animated series, and video games. He was portrayed by Cliff Robertson in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007) and by Martin Sheen in the film The Amazing Spider-Man (2012). In December 2021, Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers confirmed that Uncle Ben's comic book role as Peter's "moral guide" in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)—who tells him his life motto before being killed as a result of his actions—had instead been adapted to his aunt May Parker, portrayed by Marisa Tomei in five films from 2016 to 2021.[1] Adam Scott portrays a younger Ben Parker in the Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) film Madame Web (2024).