HUGH DEL

Real Name: Hugh Del

Identity/Class: Human

Occupation: Science teacher at Midtown High (see comments)

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Blake Coffey, Peter Parker

Enemies: None

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, New York (see comments)

First Appearance: Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man#7 (July, 1999)

Powers/Abilities: A patient and compassionate teacher, Hugh Del was a skilled computer user.

History:
(Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man#7) - While observing his student Peter Parker conduct an experiment, Midtown High Schoolteacher Hugh Del tried to get the tightly wound Parker to relax and consider attending the upcoming senior prom, sympathizing with Parker's need for financial aid for his post-secondary education in the fall, but telling him he'd regret missing his prom (and that it'd only be one night). When Parker's classmate and rival for the Gifted Student Program grant Blake Coffey made light of Parker's turmulteous life, Del came to his defense, reminding Coffey that despite Parker's lack of a social life he was further along with his scholarship project. As Coffey left the classroom, Del told Parker to ignore him and continue his work.

   The following day Del took part in a demonstration of Coffey's project, a virtual reality apparatus. While skeptical that Coffey constructed the project himself (per the scholarship's rules), he was assured Coffey built the unit himself.

(Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man#8) - Del grew frustrated with Parker's application project progress after his student adopted a more laid-back attitude. When asked by Parker if he ever looked back at his life and wondered if he should've worked harder or had more fun, Del, flummoxed by the question stumbled for a moment before asking if Parker's changed attitude had anything to do with his earlier comments about the senior prom.

   Del later tried to reach Parker to let him know his classroom had been broken into overnight and his experiment destroyed.

(Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man#9) - Sitting on his front porch, Del spotted Parker walking home and called him over to compliment his progress and tell him he still had time to finish his project. Asked why he should bother when Del was so impressed with Coffey's project, Del told Parker he was coddling the entitled Coffey so he'd finish his project, but that Parker was the rare student that made teaching worthwhile. Apologizing for anything he took out of context, Del lauded Parker for being driven by his talent and responsibility to use his skills to their fullest.

SECRET WARS III HAPPENED

(Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity#24 (fb)) - Peter Parker literally bumped into Hugh Del, his old science teacher, after leaving the Baxter Building but didn't recognize him because he had lost his spider powers, including his 20/20 vision in a fight with the Mistress Splitstress. Del introduced himself and told Peter that he had actually thought about contacting him to invite Parker to Midtown High's career day as one of Midtown High's esteemed alumni to give a speech to the students about their opportunities after graduation. Peter was hesitant to agree, but Del thought already had and Peter was too cowardly to withdraw.

(Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity#24) - Peter got heckled and bullied by the students during his speech. Del helped him clean up afterward and explained to Peter, who didn't know why Del even wanted him to do this speech, that he still remembered what an astounding student Peter was back in the day. He and rest of the faculty believed that Peter would go on to to great things and even though he knew that Peter had not reached his full potential since then. He hoped that coming back to the school where it all started and giving this speech would actually help Peter back on the right track.

Comments: Created by Joe Kelly, Bart Sears, and Andy Smith

Hugh Del's first name was revealed in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol. 11's Spider-Man's Friends & Associates profile (which describes him as a "computer genius").

Del is listed here as currently teaching at Midtown High, but it's very likely he no longer teaches there since he wasn't seen reencountering his former student Parker, who later became a Midtown science teacher himself.

It's assumed Del lives in Forest Hills since Peter Parker passes by his house on foot. However, since Del's home appears to be a miscolored version of the Parker household, it's possible that it's still considered Parker's house by Marvel editorial.

Profile by G Morrow.

CLARIFICATIONS: Name has no known connections to

images: (without ads)
Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man#8, p8, pan3 (main image)
Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man#7, p7, pan2 (close-up)

Appearances:
Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man#7 (July, 1999) - Joe Kelly (writer), Bart Sears & Andy Smith (pencils), Mark Pennington (inks), Ralph Macchio (truant)
Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man#8 (August, 1999) - Joe Kelly (writer), Andy Smith (pencils), Mark Pennington (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man#9 (September, 1999) - Joe Kelly (writer), Andy Smith (pencils), Mark Pennington (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Astonishing Spider-Man Infinity#24 (April 15th, 2025) - Scott Aukerman (writer), Julian Shaw (artist), Jordan D. White (editor)

First Posted: 05/21/2010
Last updated: 07/03/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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