Ben Reilly is a genetic clone of Peter Parker, the super hero Spider-Man, who went on to establish his own identity as the Scarlet Spider.[5] Ben was created by Miles Warren, the super villain known as the Jackal, to torment the hero, and seemingly died in their first encounter.[7] The clone survived and exiled himself for five years, only returning to New York after learning that Parker's Aunt May was sick. After making amends with Peter, Ben fought alongside him as the Scarlet Spider.[5] For a brief time, Ben and Peter were tricked by Norman Osborn via Seward Trainer to believe Ben was the real Peter Parker. Peter left New York with his wife Mary Jane Watson, leaving Ben to pick up the mantle of Spider-Man.[8] During a subsequent confrontation against Osborn as the Green Goblin, Ben was impaled and died in Peter's arms, also discovering that Peter being the clone was a fabrication.[32]
Ben was later brought back to life by Miles Warren using a new cloning method, and spent years being constantly killed and resurrected by his creator to improve on the cloning technology. Driven mad, Ben managed to escape and overthrow Warren, becoming the new Jackal. He founded New U Technologies in an ill-conceived attempt to use cloning technology for good,[33] but was ultimately stopped by Spider-Man.[36] Seeking redemption but still mentally unstable, Ben moved to Las Vegas and resumed his identity as the Scarlet Spider.[37] He came into conflict with fellow clone Kaine, who had also adopted the moniker of the Scarlet Spider.[38] Ben was eventually left with a damaged soul after being killed and reborn one more time.[29] Ben saw a chance at redemption during the return of the spider-hunting Inheritors. Sacrificing himself to defeat Jennix, Ben was then resurrected with cloning technology, which gave him a clean slate.[35] Ben briefly readopted the Spider-Man mantle, becoming a corporate-sponsored hero for the Beyond Corporation in exchange for being reunited with his lover Janine Godbe.[9] However, Ben turned against his predecessor after Beyond's machinations erased his formative memories. Further tormented after being mutated by a mutagenic polymer, Ben became Chasm.[39] Joining forces with Madelyne Pryor, the new Queen of Limbo, Ben and Janine helped concoct a plan to steal the memories of Jean Grey and Peter Parker by unleashing Hell on Earth,[40] but was imprisoned in the newly installed Limbo Embassy to New York City by the reformed Queen.[2]
