Flash Thompson

Flash Thompson has been Peter Parker's classmate since both were 7, but they have never been friends. The sporty Flash was worlds away from the bookish Peter, and took delight in tormenting him. For Flash, the most important things in the world are basketball and football, interests shared by his best friend "Kong" Harlan and his idol Mark Raxton. Flash fancies himself a ladies man, though his track record suggests otherwise. When he hit on Mary Jane Watson soon after Peter Parker secretly gained superhuman abilities, the jealous Peter knock Flash down with a basketball to the face. After school, Flash tried to fight Peter, who eventually blocked a punch and broke Flash's hand; to add insult to injury, Peter temporarily replaced the incapacitated Flash on the basketball team. Flash's parents threatened to sue Parker's guardians if they did not pay for Flash's medical bills.

For all the students of Midtown High, the last few months have been interesting, but for Flash, the most important person to enter his life was Gwen Stacy. A new girl in class, Flash wanted to ask her out, but couldn't figure out how to; when she moved in with the Parker's following the death of her father's death, Flash repeatedly tried to ask for help on this front, only to be rebuffed each time before he could reveal what he wanted. It wasn't until after Gwen's untimely death that Mary Jane deduced Flash had feelings for Gwen.