Ever wondered why Marvel modelled Spider-Man on an insect that is insignificant at first look, non-threatening on second and comes out as weak and feeble if you look at it closely. They could have gone for other insects such as a lizard that also climbs wall, and has a strong tail, a cockroach since it can fly or even a housefly which is small yet disturbing.

The reason why Stan Lee and Steve Ditko went for a spider is because the insect is one of the most interesting characters in our universe, hence making Spider-Man our friendly neighbourhood saviour. DK Readers’ Spider-Man’s Amazing Powers takes you into the world of a Spider and explains why it was the best choice for the character that we all have grown to love.

This book discusses spiders in two ways – the first one talks about spider the insect and the second one is about how the insect inspired the superhero. You may know about Spider-Man’s web, his Spider-Sense, his Super Strength but the science behind these powers can only be explained if you know about the spider.

James Buckley Jr. has done a fantastic job in explaining spiders to readers and, be it young or old, everyone would love the way he narrates a spider’s features. If you didn’t know how a spider protects its eggs and why its own legs don’t stick into its web, you must read this book in order to get the clarity, especially ahead of the Avengers: Endgame releasing in a month.

You will be surprised to find out that everything that Spider-Man does is based on the spider’s movements — from hanging upside down to walking on the walls — Spider-Man can be counted as another kind of spider. The illustrations (of comics) and pictures in this book help you understand the ‘spider is a spider’ theory, while the glossary helps increase your vocabulary and general knowledge with its selected words and their descriptions.

It doesn’t just end there, you are introduced to all characters into Peter Parker’s universe, be it his aunt, girlfriend, boss or foes such as Dr Octopus, Green Goblin or even Venom. Take a trip down Spider-Man’s world through this book and use the information gathered on your friends to show that you are superior to them, just as Spider-Man is superior to other superheroes!

Published in Dawn, Young World, March 30th, 2019