Spiderman (Netherlands)

Real Name: Hans Jansen

Identity/Class: Human (Dutch)

Occupation: Unrevealed

Group Membership: None known

Affiliations: Spider-Man (Peter Parker) 

Enemies: Unidentified Dutch criminals

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Amsterdam, the Netherlands

First Appearance: Superhelden Agenda '89-'90 (Netherlands, 1989)

Powers/Abilities: The Dutch Spiderman is a normal human in peak condition. He is athletic and agile, but in no way superhuman like his American counterpart. He has developed his own take on his inspiration's web-shooters. His version fire a kind of glue distilled from canal water, and was stored in a canister on his back, similar to a diver's airtank. Less versatile than the U.S. Spidey's webbing, it was only useful for binding opponents. 

History: (S.A. '89-'90, bts) - Hans Jansen was a huge fan of the American superhero Spider-Man. Inspired by his hero, Hans decided to follow his example and become a superhero. He designed a costume based on Spidey's, and created his own version of web-shooters. His early endeavours against minor criminals were successful, and drew press attention, becoming known as the Dutch Spiderman.

(S.A. '89-'90) - Peter Parker arrived in Amsterdam, sent by J.Jonah Jamieson to investigate the story of another Spider-Man for the Daily Bugle. Peter soon witnessed his Dutch counterpart in action, and afterwards tailed Hans home. There the American original introduced himself to his Dutch imitator. Hans was overjoyed to meet his idol, but Peter was troubled, debating whether he should try and convince Hans, who had no real powers, to stop risking his life on a daily basis trying to copy him.

Hans' example led others in Amsterdam to become masked vigilantes, which in turn led to intense police attention. When Hans next went into battle, things went wrong, and he was captured by the criminals he had tried to stop. The American Spider-Man had to save him. The police arrived to find Hans, still in costume, tied to a chair. The officers, who now knew his identity, agreed to let him go after he promised to hang up his mask and retire from crimefighting. 

Comments: Created by Joost Timp (writer) and Chris Krone, Steven de Rie, Gerben den Heeten and Erik Olden (artists). Each of the artists was a winner of a competition to illustrate a genuine Spider-Man story, and drew one quarter of the total story. The art seen on this page is by Steven de Rie. Each page had only one row of panels. Steven de Rie was the only one of the group who got to draw Hans in full costume. Since the strip was black and white, it's uncertain of the colouration of his costume, but considering who inspired him, red and blue like his idol seems the most likely. This theory is strengthed by the fact that JJJ gets news that Spider-Man (and not a Spiderman) is seen in Amsterdam.

Name wise, Hans introduces himself as the “Nederlandse Spider-man” to the real Spider-Man, but “MAN” is written on the next line. It’s likely that his spelling is Spiderman, which is still the most common way to write the name of Marvel’s best known NYC-bound hero in the Netherlands. Probably they were speaking English (since Peter Parker hasn't shown elsewhere a knowledge of the Dutch language), so “Dutch Spiderman” may have been how he introduced himself to the “Real Spider-Man”.

Marvel comics produced outside of America are usually reprints of U.S. material. Marvel U.K. was an exception to this when it started to publish and later produce original material for the U.K. market. Marvel Japan have also produced original material. Marvel Netherlands appears to have produced two original stories, this one being the first. There is as yet nothing which confirms this story took place on Earth-616, but it is as official a Marvel story as any other, so the possibility exists that one day, as happened with the Marvel U.K. characters, Hans Jansen might make his way into the mainstream Marvel universe.

Hans is mentioned as having encouraged other Dutch citizens to become costumed vigilantes. Of these, three are shown, but none named - one is a drunk dressed in a Wolverine suit. A Dokter Oktopus is also mentioned.

In addition to that were there are 20 (or more) superhero gags by Steven de Rie in the same publication, which produced 6 Dutch and 5 Belgian Superheroes:

NL: Amsterdammertje (Small one from Amsterdam, common name for the well-known short (phallic) poles in that city), Kaaskop (Cheesehead), Klompman (Clogman), de Molen (the (Wind)Mill) and the two Koemannen (Named after two brothers Koeman, very famous football players, here two heroes dressed up as cattle, so you could translate it as Cowmen).

B: Ma Yonaise (Only superheroine in the set), Pa Tat (Fries, as in French Fries, which are actually Belgian), Frietzak (bag of Fries), Atomiumman (named after the symbolic building of Brussels the Atomium) and Manneke Pis.

None of these are officially Marvel characters, but they did appear in a Marvel publication, so you never know...one day? If the Hostess ads guys can make that leap to canonicity, then so can anyone.

The Marvel Atlas entries for Netherlands and Belgium confirm the 616 existence of these characters.
--David A. Zuckerman

One last note, not so much character specific, but worth pointing out I feel. Dutch characters' home country is the Netherlands, not Holland. In the same way that England is only a part of Great Britain or the United Kingdom, Holland is only part of the Netherlands.

Profile by Loki and Peter Kroon, with additional information supplied by Theodoor Westerhof.

CLARIFICATIONS: The Dutch Spiderman, Hans Jansen, should not be confused with

• Spider: of Weapon X Exiles, @ Exiles #12
• Spider-Man: Peter Parker, @ Amazing Fantasy#15
• Spider-Man: Mattie Franklin, later Spider-Woman, @ Amazing Spider-Man II#1
• Spider-Man: of Earth MC2, son of Jessica Drew and Jerry Hunt, @ Spider Girl I#32
• Spider-Man 2099, Miguel O'Hara, @ Amazing Spider-Man I#365
• Spider-Man 2211: @ Spider-Man 2099 Meets Spider-Man
• Spiders Man of Earth-X, @ EX Sketch, Earth X#1
• ANY of the Spider-Clones who clogged up any of the Peter Parker Spider-Man books