Steel Spider

Steel Spider
The Steel Spider. Art by Mike Deodato.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	As Ollie: The Spectacular Spider-Man #72 (Nov 1982) As Steel Spider:Spider-Man Unlimited (comic book) #5
Created by	Bill Mantlo Ed Hannigan
In-story information
Alter ego	Oliver "Ollie" Osnick
Team affiliations	Misfits
Notable aliases	Spider-Kid, Steel Spider
Abilities	Ollie possesses no powers, however his intelligence allowed him to construct Mechanical spider-legs modified with, grapnel hook launcher, pepper spray blasters, etc..

The Steel Spider (Oliver "Ollie" Osnick) is a fictional character who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics, primarily in the various Spider-Man titles.

Fictional character biography

Origin

Ollie makes his debut as 'Spider-Kid' in Amazing Spider-Man #263. Art by Ron Frenz.

Ollie Osnick was a gifted (albeit overweight) young teenager who idolized Doctor Octopus. Ollie used his genius to design his own mechanical tentacles. He even got a group of kids to dress up as super-villains but they soon ran out on him. Ollie eventually ran away from home and broke into a toy store.

There he knocked out an elderly guard causing him to believe he killed him. When Spider-Man swung onto the scene he believed that it was actually Dr. Octopus at work and the hero gave chase. Fortunately Spider-Man realized in time that it was not Ock he was facing because when they both fell into a water tank he easily ripped apart a tentacle- something that he was never able to do with Ock. So he dragged "Doc Ock" back to the surface where he learned it was actually Ollie he was chasing. By then the guard had woken up and Spider-Man got Ollie back home safely.

Ollie was so impressed by Spider-Man, that he modified his tentacles into spider-legs, and then donned a Spider-Man Halloween costume, and became the Spider-Kid. Ollie's heroic activities often resulted in him having to be saved by Spider-Man. He was involved (along with Frog-Man and the Toad) in a short-lived super-hero team called "the Misfits." Ollie was eventually talked into hanging up his costume and became a normal child.

However, in his college years, Ollie had radically changed. He had devoted himself to exercise, and became very athletic. Ollie still fantasized about being a hero, and continued inventing new weapons, and modifying his spider-legs. When his girlfriend was attacked by muggers, Ollie sought revenge and created the identity of Steel Spider, donning a dark blue costume, and equipping himself with all of these new weapons (including gauntlets containing a grappling hook launcher and pepper spray blasters). Steel Spider found and brutally beat his girlfriend's attackers. He then gave up his costume, realizing that he never wanted to be a vigilante, but rather to build a life with the girl he loved.

When Onslaught attacked New York City, he is mentioned to be one of the heroes helping against the invading Sentinels, working with Darkhawk and the New Warriors to retake the Brooklyn Bridge.

Post Civil War

Equipped with a new set of arms, Ollie now displays a more rebellious attitude towards the Superhero Registration Act. As an unregistered superhero, Ollie becomes a target for the government's Thunderbolts team. Mention of his name also causes Thunderbolts director Norman Osborn to collapse into fits of laughter, as it reminds him of Spider-Man.^[1] After having beaten several drunken misfits Ollie becomes afraid of the government sponsored Thunderbolts.

Ollie fights the Thunderbolts^[2] and is joined in his battle by American Eagle and Sepulchre. After successfully defeating Venom, Radioactive Man, and the new Swordsman, he made use of the gadgetry in his metal limbs to square up against Radioactive Man, Songbird, Mac Gargan and Penance, commenting that having allies "almost makes this a fair fight. I bet they weren't expecting that." As the fight continues, Ollie seems to be holding his own until Gargan unexpectedly bites off Ollie's arm and eats it.^[3]

Ollie is later shown being incarcerated in the Negative Zone prison.^[4]. He's still incarcerated according to the pages of Heroic Age: Super Heroes, but Captain America says he'd still be useful for heroism. It has been confirmed that Ollie along with other super-heroes and reformed super-villains, will join the Thunderbolts. Upon his return, Ollie will have a enhanced cybernetic arm and wanting revenge from Venom (Mac Gargan) for having had bitten his arm.

Other versions

MC2

The Steel Spider in the MC2 timeline.

In the MC2 continuity, Ollie never quits being Steel Spider, and is even a member of the Avengers. He modifies his costume into a powerful exoskeleton, and becomes a highly respected superhero. However when his personal life fails and his wife leaves him, Steel Spider goes looking for criminals to take his frustrations out on. However, the crooks he finds are so afraid of him they surrender without a fight. Steel Spider has a tantrum, until he sees that he is being watched by Spider-Girl and American Dream. They tell him how much of an inspiration he had been to them, and he helps them defeat a terrorist cell called "the Sons of the Serpent". After this, he sets about rebuilding his shattered personal life.

In other media

Steel Spider also had a brief appearance in the series finale of the 1994 Spider-Man animated series, "I Really, Really Hate Clones." In this version he was not Ollie, but the Peter Parker of an alternate universe who had defeated Doctor Octopus once and for all and had taken his tentacles, which he now controlled via a device he wore on his head. An action figure of this version of Spider-Man was also made.

References

1. ^ Thunderbolts #112
2. ^ Thunderbolts #114
3. ^ Thunderbolts #115
4. ^ Thunderbolts #116