Arachnid Analysis: Reflections of a Jackal

Spider-Man has one the best rogue’s galleries in all superhero fiction. As is often the case with many superheroes and their villains, there are links, contrasts and reflections between them.

Batman employs fear as a weapon in his war on crime. The Scarecrow is also defined by the theme of fear but for immoral purposes.

Superman is a being with Godlike physical power who makes it his mission to help others selflessly. His nemesis Lex Luthor is an entirely human person whose greatest attribute is his brilliant intellect which he puts to use selfishly, often causing harm to innocent people.

Spider-Man and his villains aren’t strangers to these sorts of thematic parallels. One of the more noteworthy examples is how Doctor Octopus can be said to be what the bullied yet brilliant Peter Parker might have grown up to be had fate not intervened.

Similarly Miles Warren/the Jackal (one of the key architects of the ‘Clone Saga’) is also a reflection and contrast to Spider-Man. At least when you take his original 1970s appearances (which culminated in Amazing Spider-Man #149) in isolation.

To begin with, there are certain obvious parallels between Peter and Warren. Both are scientists with Empire State University affiliations who employ costumed secret identities.

But their biggest similarity is the fact that both men had a deep affection for Gwen Stacy. It was because of their feelings for her both were devastated by her iconic death in Amazing Spider-Man #121.

What renders Warren a ‘dark reflection’ of Peter is how he processed his grief over Gwen compared to Peter.

Whilst Peter was able to grieve Gwen and ultimately move on with his life (even falling in love with other people) Warren couldn’t move on.

Perhaps because he was alone in his bereavement (unlike Peter who had people like Mary Jane to support him) Warren wallowed in his despair and couldn’t let go of Gwen’s memory. He was so obsessed and grief stricken that ihe was compelled to ‘resurrect’ her through his cloning experiments.

His  inability to properly grieve Gwen ultimately transformed him into the murderous monster that was the Jackal.

The Jackal thus shows us what Peter could have become had he never accepted Gwen’s death and moved on with his life.

In a more general sense both characters symbolise the difference between those who do and don’t move on from bereavement and how the latter is a potentially dangerous path to walk down.