Is there no end to Spiderman's popularity? The answer is a resounding "no". Spiderman is one of those timeless classic superheroes which appeal to young and old alike, with Spiderman costumes continuing to be top sellers for fancy dress retailers. Spiderman costumes are available in both adult and child sizes and range from the classic red Spiderman, to the new black Spiderman "Venom" costume. Accessories include red or black gloves and boot covers with the classic webbing pattern printed on them. A plethora of Spiderman toys, games, wallpaper, bed linen, lamps, lunch boxes and memorabilia is also widely available.
A fourth installment of the big-screen version of the comic book is due to be released in 2011, with the film's producers promising many more Spiderman films to follow. It has been established that Spider-Man 1 and Spider-Man 2 are among the top twenty biggest grossing films of all time in the world, so why stop at number four? It obviously makes sense to stick with a winning formula.
Even a lavish musical based on the superhero is being planned, entitled "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark" which will be reportedly the most expensive production in Broadway history. Featuring songs from U2, the musical is sure to be a great hit.Now it even seems that Spiderman can also take the credit for a real-life rescue. A Bangkok fireman dressed in a Spiderman costume rescued an eight-year-old autistic boy who had climbed out of a third-floor classroom window. Efforts by the teachers to coax the child back inside had failed and a chance remark by the boy's mother regarding his passion for Spiderman prompted one fire fighter - a fellow Spiderman fan - to rush back to the fire station where he just happened to keep his Spiderman costume in his locker! It was reported that when the child saw the fireman in his Spiderman costume, the boy smiled and promptly threw himself in his superhero's arms.
Apparently, the fireman keeps his Spiderman costume in his locker to liven up fire drills in schools. Well, that's his excuse anyway!Spiderman also hit the Israeli news headlines this year, when it was reported that Highway police were called to apprehend a man in a Spiderman costume, who was startling commuters by throwing ropes at their vehicles (presumably improvised "web-shooters") and jumping on top of cars. The would-be superhero was arrested and, while under investigation, told police he had woken up in hospital wearing the Spiderman costume, with no recollection of how he came to be dressed in it or why he was there. Unsurprisingly, doctors were summoned to assess the man's mental health.