main image OLD MAN SPIDER
(Earth-4)

Real Name: Ezekiel Sims

Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Earth-4) human mutate

Occupation: Adventurer

Group Membership: Spider-Army (Captain Spider/Flash Thompson of Earth-78127, Captain Universe/Peter Parker of Earth-13, Kwaku Anansi of Earth-7082, Prince of Arachne/Peter Parker of Earth-71004, Scarlet Spider/Kaine of Earth-616, Silk/Cindy Moon of Earth-616, SP//dr/Peni Parker, Spider-Girl/Betty Brant of Earth-78227, Spider-Girl/Anya Corazon of Earth-616, Spider-Girl/May Parker of Earth-982, Spider-Ham/Peter Porker of Earth-25, Spider-Man/Bruce Banner of Earth-70105, Spider-Man/Max Borne of Earth-9500, Spider-Man/Peter Parker of Earth-616, Spider-Man/Ben Reilly of Earth-94, Spider-Man 2099/Miguel O'Hara of Earth-928, Spider-UK/Billy Braddock of Earth-833, Spider-Woman/Gwen Stacy of Earth-65)

Affiliations: Spider-Man (Peter Parker, deceased), Benjamin Parker of Earth-982, Superior Spider Army (Assassin Spider-Man/Peter Parker of Earth-8351, Black Widow/Jessica Drew of Earth-1610, Cyborg Spider-Man of Earth-2818, Lady Spider/May Reilly of Earth-803, Six-Armed Spider-Man/Peter Parker of Earth-92100, Spider-Girl/Ashley Barton of Earth-807128, Spider-Man/Hobie Brown of Earth-138, Spider-Man/Miles Morales of Earth-1610, Spider-Man/Pavitr Prabhakar of Earth-50101, Spider-Man Noir/Peter Parker of Earth-90124, Spider-Monkey/Peter Parker of Earth 8101, Superior Spider-Man/Otto Octavius of Earth-616)

Enemies: Inheritors of Earth-001 (Bora, Brix, Daemos, Morlun, Verna), Venom of Earth-2301, Verna's Hounds (five different Vultures)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Spider-Man, "Old Timer" (nickname from Ben Reilly-94)

Base of Operations: Safe Zone, Earth-13;
formerly (possibly) New York City, New York, USA, Earth-4

First Appearance: Edge of Spider-Verse I#5 (December, 2014)

Powers/Abilities: Ezekiel possessed superhuman abilities almost identical to Spider-Man's, although there's been no indication of a Spider-Sense. Ezekiel possessed superhuman class 10 strength, enabling him to life/press 10 tons, probably decreased due to his age.

Height: 6'0"
Weight: 180 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Grey

History: (Amazing Spider-Man III#10 (fb) - BTS) - After Morlun killed the Spider-Man of Earth-4, Ezekiel decided to take up the mantle. He had a suit made which was reminiscent of Spider-Man's and resumed his war on crime.

(Edge of Spider-Verse I#5 - BTS) - Old Man Spider was one of many alternative Spider-Men contacted by Billy Braddock, the Spider-UK of Earth-833. Braddock explained that beings called the Inheritors were massacring and feeding on Spider-Totems throughout the multiverse. To counter this, he was gathering an army to defeat the Inheritors. Old Man Spider decided to join UK at the Safe Zone on Earth-13 (protected by a Spider-Man with the power of Captain Universe).

(Edge of Spider-Verse#5) - Old Man Spider and Spider-Ham (Peter Porker of Earth-25) were sent off-world to recruit Peni Parker, a young girl who piloted the SP//dr suit. They met her in the subway and explained the situation. She agreed to join them and, after traveling to the girl's house to pick up the robot suit, the three of them returned to Earth-13.

(Amazing Spider-Man III#8/2) - Joining Spider-UK, Old Man Spider traveled to Earth-982 to recruit its Spider-Totems. They arrived just in time to see the Inheritor Daemos kill that world's Peter Parker. They did manage to save his daughter May Parker, who was that Earth's Spider-Girl, and his son Benjamin Parker. Before the four of them returned to Earth-13, May Parker vowed that she would kill the Inheritor for destroying her family.

(Spider-Verse Team-Up#1/1) - Old Man Spider and Spider-Ham traveled to Earth-94 to recruit that reality's Spider-Man (Ben Reilly). The optimistic Reilly was in the middle of fighting five of Verna's Vultures. Joining the battle, Old Man Spider explained the situation to Reilly before one of the Vultures hit all three Spiders with one of his knives which were laced with a paralytic toxin. The cannibalistic Vultures readied themselves to devour the Spiders. However, Reilly's surprising optimism allowed him to break free and rescue Old Man Spider and Spider-Ham. After the Spiders webbed up their enemies, they made their way to the Safe Zone on Earth-13. Discussing their latest recruit, Old Man Spider Man mentioned that Reilly actually might be a good addition since he didn't consider losing a possibility.

(Amazing Spider-Man III#10 (fb) - BTS) - The Spiders in the Safe Zone on Earth-13 detected another group who were gathering Spiders (which turned out to be the Superior Spider-Army).

(Spider-Verse#1/2) - Old Man Spider and a number of other Spiders went on a mission to recruit more Spiders for their cause. Traveling to Earth-2301 (Mangaverse), they helped defeat that universe's Venom, who was fighting "his" Spider-Man.

(Amazing Spider-Man III#9/1) - Because of the multitude of Spider-Totems that existed on Earth-616, two teams were sent to recruit them. Old Man Spider led one of these groups, which was comprised of Spider-Man (Bruce Banner of Earth-70105), Spider-Man (Ben Reilly of Earth-94) and Spider-Woman (Gwen Stacy of Earth-65). They arrived on Mount Wundagore to see that Daemos had just defeated teenage super-hero team the New Warriors and was about to feast on the Scarlet Spider's life force. As the team of Spiders attacked the Inheritor, they managed to rescue the Scarlet Spider but at the cost of Bruce Banner, who was killed in the battle. When Old Man Spider and his team returned to the Safe Zone on Earth-13, they met the Spiders that the other group had recruited on Earth-616 and witnessed how the other Spiders asked Peter Parker of Earth-616 to lead them against the Inheritors.

(Amazing Spider-Man III#10) - Old Man Spider and the Spiders finally got a reading on the second team of Spiders they had been tracking. Thinking they would all be better off on Earth-13, Old Man Spider was ordered to send three teams to retrieve them. Choosing to take Reilly and Gwen Stacy with him, Peter Parker of Earth-616 voiced his concerns and wanted Gwen to stay behind (a decision guided by the fact his reality's Gwen had been killed). When Peter Parker choose to take Silk with him, Old Man Spider decided against that. He knew of her status as the Bride and would undoubtedly attract unwanted attention from the Inheritors.When all teams were ready, they traveled to the other group's extradimensional headquarters, where they met the so-called Superior Spider-Army. Everyone was unaware that the Superior Spider-Man (Earth-616's time tossed Otto Octavius in Peter Parker's body) had already come up with a way to mask a Spider from the Inheritors. He had devised personal cloaking devices that kept the wearer safe. The two groups of Spiders were astonished to meet each other. However, the Superior Spider-Man grew furious when he realized that Kaine and Silk emanated so much energy as the Bride and the Other that his cloaking devices had become useless. As if on cue, the massive Inheritor Daemos arrived to feast on the Spiders. As the Spiders joined forces to fight Daemos, it was Kaine and the Superior Spider-Man who killed their opponent. Within moments, Daemos reappeared (though in a new, cloned body), accompanied by his sibling Inheritors Bora and Brax. Before Old Man Spider could act, Daemos snapped his neck. Realizing they were fighting a losing battle, all of the Spiders planned to retreat. Before the Spiders left, the dying Old Man Spider revealed his true identity to Peter Parker of Earth-616. He used his final words to convince Peter that the Scion, the Other and the Bride were all that mattered.

Comments: Created by Gerard Way and Jake Wyatt.

The divergence point for Earth-4 happened in 2001's Amazing Spider-Man II#34. Spider-Man would have been killed by Morlun, leaving Ezekiel to become Spider-Man. It's unclear when Ezekiel learned of the Scion, Other and Bride and their importance to the Inheritors, it might as well have been during the same battle that killed Spider-Man.

Profile by MarvellousLuke

CLARIFICATIONS:
Old Man Spider has some connections to


images: (without ads)
Amazing Spider-Man III#10, p8, pan1 (main image)
Amazing Spider-Man III#10, p18, pan3 (closeup)
Edge of Spider-Verse#5, p18, pan1,2 (recruiting SP/dr)
Amazing Spider-Man III#10, p15, pan1,2,3 (death)


Appearances:
Edge of Spider-Verse#5 (December, 2014) - Gerard Way (writer), Jake Wyatt (pencils, inks), Nick Lowe (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man III#8/2 (December, 2014) - Dan Slott (writer), Humberto Ramos (pencils), Victor Olazaba (inks), Nick Lowe (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man III#9/1 (January, 2015) - Dan Slott (writer), Olivier Coipel (pencils, inks), Nick Lowe (editor)
Spider-Verse Team-Up#1/1 (January, 2015) - Christos Gage (writer), Dave Williams (pencils), Dexter Vines (inks), Nick Lowe (editor)
Spider-Verse#1/2 (January, 2015) - Skottie Young (writer), Jake Parker (pencils, inks), Nick Lowe, Ellie Pyle (editors)
Amazing Spider-Man III#10 (January, 2015) - Dan Slott (writer), Olivier Coipel (pencils), Wade von Grawbadger (inks), Nick Lowe (editor)


Last updated: 04/08/15

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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