The movie Spider-Man: Far From Home prompts some thoughts on the Marvel character

Holland has now made his second solo film playing the dual role (he's also been part of previous Marvel ensemble movies).

In his early 20s, he's young enough looking to be convincing as a high-school student, which can't be said for Maguire (who was 27 in his first Spidey movie) or Garfield (29 in his).

Moreover, Holland captures the adolescent insecurity and internal tensions of the character - who didn't ask for his superpowers and wasn't born with them - better than the too often deadpan Maguire did, though the nervy Garfield was a pretty close second.

Both the other Spider-Man movie series had their redeeming elements, like J.K. Simmons' irascible J. Jonah Jamieson and some colourful supervillains.

It's a pity we didn't get Spider-Man's origin story this time, though maybe some things seem like overkill even for Hollywood.

The actresses playing Aunt May - who in the old comics looked more like a great-aunt - have also gotten younger: Rosemary Harris and Sally Field were more in the vein of the comic version, while current May, Marisa Tomei, is much younger.

Interestingly, the role has attracted high-calibre actresses despite being decidedly secondary (albeit important): it's probably a reflection of Hollywood's paucity of decent parts for older women.

You could make a good case that Spider-Man/Peter Parker, who was close to co-creator Stan Lee's heart, is the most distinctive, even most important, of the Marvel characters (which makes it a surprise the character took so long to reach the big screen).

His nerdiness and social alienation are relatable for a lot of the target audience and his concealed superpowers only emphasise his outsider status.

Having his abilities thrust upon him as a teenager meant he had to learn to make use of them rather than having them as a birthright (or a choice, like Batman).

He also, famously, had to come to terms with the idea that "with great power comes great responsibility".

It's possible to read various subtexts into the character. Like Superman, some have suggested there are connotations of being Jewish or gay, feeling like an outsider in mainstream America who has to conceal his identity.

There's been some speculation recently that Parker, in some incarnation, will come out of the closet, or if not him, another major Marvel character. It would add another interesting layer to the character.

Time will tell.