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Today, we look at how Flash Thompson discovered that Peter Parker was Spider-Man (something that somehow actually happened twice, as comic books are strange like that).
This is “Got Me a Secret,” a feature where I spotlight notable instances of comic book characters revealing their secret identities to people (or people figuring out the secret identities themselves).
While obviously the current Marvel Cinematic Universe take on Flash Thompson is a lot different than the traditional takes on the character in a lot of ways (the MCU Flash is still a bully, but he isn’t a jock like most other versions of the character, but rather another academically gifted classmate of Peter Parker), but one of the most important ways that he is similar plays on something that Steve Ditko and Stan Lee introduced in the early days of the Spider-Man comics (and it is just amazing simply HOW MANY cool ideas that Ditko and Lee introduced in those early days that were so perfect that no one bothered to change them for decades), which is that while Flash Thompson bullies Peter Parker, he is also a huge fan of Spider-Man. Spider-Man’s number one fan being the bully of Spider-Man’s secret identity is a GREAT hook.
That scene also shows one of the great aspects of the early Spider-Man stories, which is that Spidey was ready to go off on people at a moment’s notice. One of the best parts about Spider-Man’s personality that not a whole lot of writers get right is that Peter’s initial instincts on most things is to be a jerk, but his sense of responsibility is so strong that he never actually follows through on those initial reactions. However, it’s important to note that they’re always there and Peter isn’t some milquetoast guy with no edge to him. He has a huge edge, he just vows never to use it.
FLASH LEARNS SPIDE-MAN’S SECRET IDENTITY ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD
It is worth noting that Pete has revealed his secret identity a few times over the years and it was always explained away, like in Amazing Spider-Man #87 (by John Romita, Stan Lee and Jim Mooney)…
I don’t believe Flash was around for that specific reveal, but he’s seen enough and I’m sure heard about even more to know that Peter often reveals that he is Spider-Man and that it is always proven to be “false.”
In the year or so before Civil War, Spider-Man joined the New Avengers and began to both live at Avengers Tower with his wife, Mary Jane, and his aunt, May Parker. Peter then went to work for Iron Man. Peter was so close to Iron Man that when Iron Man got involved in the United States government’s attempts to regulate superhero registration, Spider-Man went along for the ride. Iron Man was able to deter the government for a while, but then the New Warriors blew up in a fight with supervillains in Stamford, CT near a school and a bunch of innocent people died, including a bunch of kids.
So the government established the Superhuman Registration Act and Iron Man decided that he was going to back it (as better that he do it and control it than let other people take control of it). Spider-Man went along for the ride once again and so, during Civil War #2 (by Mark Millar, Steve McNiven and Dexter Vines), Spider-Man decided to prove that he was all the way in on Iron Man’s plan (Peter felt a lot of pride in Tony being his mentor) by revealing his secret identity to the world….
and he really did do it, to J. Jonah Jameson’s shock…
However, in Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11 (by Peter David, Todd Nauck, Robert Campanella and Rodney Ramos), Flash Thompson doesn’t buy it, thinking it is just another one of those ruses from before…
Eventually, when the school that Flash and Peter were both working at gets attacked, Flash slowly comes to terms with the fact that Peter really IS Spider-Man…
And later, the two team-up together to help protect the kids…
A couple of issues later (art by Scot Eaton and John Dell), Flash establishes that he is still a big fan of Spider-Man even knowing that he is really Peter Parker…
So it seems like Flash would have always been cool with knowing Peter’s secret, but it is fair to want to keep them separate.
In any event, due to the events of “One Moment in Time,” Doctor Strange, Iron Man and Mister Fantastic made it so that everyone forgot Spider-Man’s secret identity.
FLASH THOMPSON REALLY LEARNS SPIDER-MAN’S SECRET IDENTITY
A few years later, Flash was briefly bonded with the Venom symbiote and became the hero known as Agent: Venom…
Now, obviously, the symbiote knows that Peter is Spider-Man, but for whatever reason, it kept that information a secret from Flash. Eventually, Eddie Brock returned and got the Venom symbiote back, but in Spider-Man and Venom: Venom Inc. Alpha #1 (by Dan Slott, Mike Costa, Ryan Stegman and Brian Reber), Flash got his own symbiote and became Agent: Anti-Venom…
In Amazing Spider-Man #800 (by Dan Slott and a TON of artists), Flash was among a group of other heroes who helped team up with Spider-Man to deal with the Red Goblin. Silk referred to Spider-Man as “Pete”…
Later, the Red Goblin (Norman Osborn bonded with Carnage) attacked Peter Parker specifically and Anti-Venom showed up to save the day…
And in the process, revealed that that whole “Pete” clue revealed to Flash that Peter is Spider-Man…
However, just like if this was an old Batman comic book in the Silver Age, Flash was then killed in battle, taking his new knowledge to his grave…
Flash was recently resurrected, but he hasn’t had a Spider-Man team-up just yet, so it is unclear if he still knows Peter’s secret identity. The odds are high that yes, he does. That should be interesting.
If anyone has a suggestion for a new Got Me a Secret, drop me a line at brianc@cbr.com.
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