The "Spider-Man Beyond" storyline saw someone other than Peter Parker take over as the web-slinger when the former Scarlet Spider Ben Reilly returned to the role. He first took over two decades ago when he first officially debuted as the Sensational Spider-Man during the '90s controversial Clone Saga storyline, though the character had debuted almost 20 years before that.
Reilly's second chance at proving himself as Spider-Man also featured a reunion with a former love interest that highlighted his usually forgotten past and made fans dive into the back issues. Ben Reilly has had multiple love interests since he was first cloned, from his years of exile on the road to his return to New York City as Scarlet Spider and beyond.
10 Gwen Stacy's Clone Was Used By The Jackal As A Way To Manipulate Ben Reilly When He Was First Cloned
When Ben Reilly reappeared during the '90s Clone Saga, his origin and time away were slowly revealed in backup features and mini-series. The first backup explored the earliest days of his creation by Miles Warren/The Jackal, which included an escape attempt when his implanted memories threatened to drive him insane.
The Jackal was able to track him down, and he brought along a clone of Gwen Stacy to prey on the memories of love that existed within Reilly's fractured mind. This connection allowed Jackal to recapture Reilly and finish preparing him for his eventual confrontation with Peter Parker that kicked off the original Clone Saga.
9 Elizabeth Tyne Became Janine Godbe After She Killed Her Abusive Father And Tried To Escape Authorities
During Ben Reilly's tortured time on the road after he left New York City following the original Clone Saga, he spent some time in Salt Lake City. There he met a woman named Janine Godbe at a diner, and the two shared an attraction that eventually led to a relationship. However, Reilly's past caused issues in Salt Lake City that led him to reveal his true identity as a clone of Spider-Man.
Janine then revealed that she was really Elizabeth Tyne and took on an assumed identity after she killed her abusive father. The two decided to leave town together after Janine's identity was exposed. However, Kaine faked her death and she was later forced to turn herself in. Janine was recently reunited with Ben after he became Spider-Man for the Beyond Corporation.
8 Reilly's Memories Of Betty Brant Almost Led To A Rekindled Romance When He Debuted As Scarlet Spider
Ben Reilly still had the memories of Peter Parker when he returned to New York City, which led to a renewed interest in Daily Bugle reporter Betty Brant. There was a connection between the two that developed when Reilly attempted to give an interview to clarify his debut as the Scarlet Spider, though it only made her a target of the Grim Hunter who was tracking Reilly.
She later met Ben Reilly without the mask who was introduced as a cousin of Peter Parker's and they very briefly dated, even sharing a passionate kiss. However, the relationship fizzled when Flash Thompson returned which was followed shortly by Reilly's death in the "Revelations" event.
7 Gabrielle Greer Was A Neighbor Of Ben Reilly's Who Couldn't Handle His Constant Disappearing Act
One of Ben Reilly's first acts as the Scarlet Spider was to take down Venom, who he felt Spider-Man had failed in capturing for years which made it his responsibility. However, he was fairly rusty and Venom was able to nearly eviscerate him. Reilly managed to get back to his apartment building but he collapsed in the hallway.
His neighbor Gabrielle Greer found him and helped get him to a hospital. The two flirted a few times and went on a date together, though Reilly was forced to leave her at a party when he saw someone from Peter Parker's life, and Greer disappeared from the comics.
6 Firestar And Scarlet Spider Shared An Unspoken Attraction During His Brief Membership With The New Warriors
When the Jackal released his devastating Carrion Virus on the town of Springdale, both Scarlet Spider and the New Warriors investigated the mysterious deaths. Scarlet Spider and the New Warriors teamed up and sparks flew between Firestar and Ben Reilly.
After their mission together Firestar was the first to invite Scarlet Spider to join the team, leading to his short-lived membership with the New Warriors. The light flirtation continued despite her relationship with team leader Justice, though it ended when an evil Scarlet Spider arrived and forced Reilly to take on the Spider-Man identity.
5 Desiree Winthrop Was A College Fashion Student Who Briefly Dated Ben Reilly When He Worked At The Daily Grind
Shortly after Ben Reilly took over as Spider-Man following Peter Parker's decision to retire, he got a new job working at a local coffee shop called the Daily Grind. That's where he met Desiree Winthrop for the first time, who was a fashion student at university.
While they didn't start dating right away, Desiree frequently joked with Reilly about her attraction to him which ultimately led to the beginning of their relationship. Unfortunately, the timing wasn't great and Reilly was killed by Norman Osborn shortly after they decided to move ahead with a romantic relationship.
4 Jessica Carradine Began Dating Ben Reilly But Was Revealed As The Daughter Of The Burglar Who Killed Uncle Ben
Desiree was close friends with photographer Jessica Carradine, who used her photos of Spider-Man to get a job at the Daily Bugle. She was also a regular at the Daily Grind who felt an instant connection with new employee Ben Reilly. The two entered into a relationship and things began to get serious, though she eventually snapped a picture of Spider-Man taking his mask off.
This led to the revelation that Jessica harbored a grudge against Spider-Man as she blamed him for her father's death. The father was eventually revealed to be the burglar who shot Uncle Ben, which proved to be too much of a hurdle for their relationship and they separated when Jessica gave him the exposing pictures and disappeared after paying her respects to May and Ben Parker.
3 He Asked Lois Lane Out For A Date Before Clark Kent Intervened During The Marvel Vs. DC Crossover Event
The Marvel vs. DC crossover event saw the heroes from each respective comic universe brought together when the realities were merged by their powerful creators known as the Brothers who decided to let their worlds fight each other for survival.
Ben Reilly was operating as Spider-Man during the crossover, though he confusingly looked like Peter Parker again and took a job as a photographer at the Daily Planet in Metropolis. He asked his new co-worker Lois Lane out on a date before he embarrassingly realized that she was married to Clark Kent/Superman, putting an end to his short-lived interest in the DC reporter.
2 Black Cat And Ben Reilly Shared A Kiss During His Time As Spider-Man After He Helped Clear Her Name
Reilly crossed with Black Cat a few times during his time as Scarlet Spider, though they worked a case together after he had taken over as Spider-Man as well. He found himself frequently distracted by her as she playfully flirted with him while they worked to clear her name after she was framed for murder.
The mutual attraction continued to build as they proved to each other that they could be trusted while dealing with the real threat of Skull-Jacket. Black Cat and Ben Reilly shared a kiss that could have potentially led to something more, though Reilly's time in the webs ended soon after his death.
1 Death Developed An Interest In Ben Reilly After He Was Killed And Resurrected Dozens of Time By The Jackal
Reilly was brought back to life by The Jackal years after his death at the end of the Clone Saga using a new process that allowed Reilly to keep his memories right up until the moment of death. The Jackal experimented with this process by killing and bringing Reilly back over 20 times which briefly caused the former hero to lose their mind.
He eventually returned to his Scarlet Spider identity and tried to start a new life in Las Vegas, where he learned that Death had developed an interest in him due to his frequent cycle of death and rebirth. This put Reilly in unique company, as she had only displayed such interest in characters like Thanos and Deadpool before.
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