Scarlet Spider (comic book)

Scarlet Spider
Scarlet Spider vol. 1 #1 Art by John Romita, Jr.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
Schedule	Monthly
Format	Volume 1: Limited series Volume 2: Ongoing series
Publication date(s)	Volume 1: Nov. 1995 - Dec. 1995 Volume 2: Jan. 2012 - Dec. 2013
No. of issues	Volume 1: 2 Volume 2: 26
Main character(s)	Volume 1: Ben Reilly Volume 2: Kaine
Creative team
Written by	Volume 1: Howard Mackie Volume 2: Chris Yost
Penciller(s)	Volume 1: Gil Kane, John Romita, Jr. Volume 2: Ryan Stegman, Khoi Pham

Scarlet Spider is the title of two comic book series published by Marvel Comics about two clones of Spider-Man while they functioned as the current version of the Scarlet Spider. The first volume lasted two issues and was published in 1995. The second volume started publishing in January 2012 and ended in December 2013 with issue 25 after a total of 26 issues, because there was a special Marvel Point One issue published between issues 12 and 13.

The first volume starred Ben Reilly as the Scarlet Spider. It was published for two issues in November and December 1995. The book was a direct continuation, in terms of creative teams and story lines, of the Spider-Man series which the title temporarily replaced for two months between issues 63 and 64.

It was one of four briefly published books which featured the character. The others were The Amazing Scarlet Spider, The Spectacular Scarlet Spider, and Web of Scarlet Spider.

The series began when Peter Parker gave up being Spider-Man to retire with his pregnant wife Mary Jane, and the Scarlet Spider took on his duties. The title returned to its old name and numbering when Ben Reilly took on the Spider-Man name.

The writer of the two issues was Howard Mackie and the pencillers were Gil Kane and John Romita, Jr.

On July 22, 2011, during the San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel released an image to the audience depicting a burnt sweater of the original Scarlet Spider. This led many readers to assume that Ben Reilly would be returning and taking on the mantle of Scarlet Spider once again. However, through introduction of the Marvel Now event, Marvel Point One showed readers that Kaine Parker would be the main character in the new Scarlet Spider series.