Forest Hills gets 'Spider-Man Way' at Ingram Street, steps from Peter Parker's comic-book home
Fans, many in costume on the school holiday, joined Marvel editors, Steve Ditko's nephew and a long list of Queens officials for Monday's unveiling at Ingram Street and Ascan Avenue.
Photo: Jim Griffin / Wikimedia Commons · CC0
- A stretch of Ingram Street in Forest Hills was co-named Spider-Man Way on Monday, with the sign at Ingram Street and Ascan Avenue, QNS and ABC7 reported.
- The corner is steps from 20 Ingram St., the address Marvel gave Peter Parker in a 1989 comic.
- Council Member Lynn Schulman introduced the co-naming bill after a push by Assemblymember Sam Berger, according to QNS.
- Speaker Julie Menin, Borough President Donovan Richards, Rep. Grace Meng and DA Melinda Katz were among the officials on hand.
- Spider-Man editor Nick Lowe and Mark Ditko, nephew of co-creator Steve Ditko, spoke at the ceremony.
Queens made it official: the Kid from Queens has a street. A portion of Ingram Street in Forest Hills was co-named Spider-Man Way on Monday, with the new sign unveiled at the intersection of Ingram Street and Ascan Avenue, QNS and ABC7 New York reported.
The corner sits steps from 20 Ingram St., the fictional home of Peter Parker. Spider-Man debuted in 1962, a few issues later Parker was placed in Forest Hills, and his exact address was revealed in a 1989 comic, according to ABC7. The real two-story house at that address belongs to Jack Shi, who told ABC7 he welcomes the fans who come to see it.
Who came out
Council Member Lynn Schulman introduced the co-naming legislation in the City Council after advocacy from Assemblymember Sam Berger, QNS reported. Joining them were Council Speaker Julie Menin, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng, Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi, state Sen. Leroy Comrie and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, according to QNS.
Dozens of young fans, off from school for the Columbus Day holiday, turned out, several dressed as the web-slinger. One young fan told ABC7 they plan to be Spider-Man for Halloween.
A working-class hero
Speakers leaned on Parker's ordinary roots. Berger described him as a kid from Queens with homework and bills to pay who still shows up, QNS reported, while Schulman said the character reminds people that you don't need superhuman origins to do extraordinary things. Richards compared him favorably to other famous fictional locals, telling the crowd that "Rocky could never lay a glove on Spider-Man," according to QNS. Menin used the moment to plug location filming in the city as a source of jobs.
Marvel was represented by Spider-Man editor Nick Lowe, who told ABC7 it was "magical" to see a character created in 1962 still mean so much to kids, and by Mark Ditko, nephew of co-creator Steve Ditko, who said his uncle worked to define Parker as a regular person from a regular neighborhood, QNS reported.
If you go to see the sign, keep in mind that the house at 20 Ingram St. is a private home.
- QNSDozens of Spidey fans celebrate co-naming of Forest Hills street as 'Spider-Man Way'
- ABC7 New YorkNew York City renames street corner in Queens in honor of Spider-Man
Every story links to the reporting and records it’s based on. Our editors write each piece from public reporting and official data, and check it against those sources before it’s published.
Comments
0NSynced with CommunityIn CommunityYour comment is also posted to Community with this story attached, so neighbors can find it and reply there too.
No comments yet
Start the conversation — your comment shows up here and in Community for neighbors nearby.