Peter Porker, The Spectacular Spider-Ham #16

Peter Porker, The Spectacular Spider-Ham #16 was published in 1986 as part of Marvel Comics' Star Comics imprint, a line specifically intended to reach a younger demographic. The series featured the adventures of a spider who was bitten by a radioactive pig, creating a surreal and humorous parody of the traditional Spider-Man mythos. This issue served as a late entry in the series, which struggled to maintain mainstream interest as the novelty of the character design began to wane among comic book readers.

The character was created by Tom DeFalco and Mark Armstrong, with issue #16 featuring contributions from writers and artists tasked with maintaining the lighthearted, slapstick tone of the Star Comics brand. The design of Peter Porker leaned heavily into the anthropomorphic aesthetic popular in mid-80s animation, aiming for a visual style that would be approachable for children while still satirizing the darker themes found in standard superhero fare of the era. The book is now primarily remembered as a cult artifact of 1980s experimental comic branding.