When it comes to Spider-Man, few people understand the heart of the character like Paul Jenkins. From 1999-2005 Jenkins wrote a series of classic stories exploring Peter Parker’s psyche. The run deconstructed Spider-Man’s relationship with humor and revealed the true motivation of his superhero banter. Jenkins wrote emotional stories about Uncle Ben, Peter’s parents, along with some other surprises. There were also oddball moments like Spider-Man battling a gang of mimes, a nude performance from Peter Parker, a suspicious dog, and a sentient piece of cheese named Kevin.

Popverse recently had a chance to sit down with Jenkins during a convention, and our conversation touched on his favorite memories from his six-year run, along with some behind-the-scenes insights. Jenkins spoke about Marvel’s early attempts to get rid of Spider-Man’s marriage to Mary Jane, and how they pressured him to give Peter organic web-shooters to match the Sam