Spiders come in all sizes. They always spin a silk thread, called a dragline, behind themselves as they move about. When in jeopardy, they can drop to safety from the dragline. In different cultures, the spider is seen as an heroic mother symbol. That’s somewhat the intent in this thoroughly enjoyable big-screen adaptation of the popular Marvel comic book Spider-Man.

Whereas Batman and some of the other releases in the superhero genre have been chilly exercises in urban jadedness, this entry is rooted in the richly human and robust performance by Tobey Maguire (Wonder Boys, The Cider House Rules). He plays Peter Parker, a geeky adolescent who lives with his uncle (Cliff Robertson) and aunt (Rosemary Harris) in Queens, New York. On a high school field trip to a university science lab, Peter is bitten by a genetically altered spider. The astonished young man suddenly finds that he possesses superhuman strength, speed, and an ability to climb walls.

Peter first uses his new gifts to get even with a high-school bully. He then tries to get some money by entering a three-minute challenge with a professional wrestler. He wants to impress Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), the pretty girl next door he’s been in love with since fourth grade. But he abandons such egocentric uses of his prowess when his uncle is murdered in a carjacking. Remembering his words — “With great power comes great responsibility” — Peter takes up the new mission of fighting crime in Manhattan.

What sets Spider-Man apart from other contenders in the superhero field is not only the rounded performance by Maguire but the solid screenplay by David Koepp which draws us further into Peter’s romantic quest to express his love for Mary Jane. This becomes more difficult than ever when his best friend Harry Osborn (James Franco) starts dating her after they all move to Manhattan.

Naturally, no superhero would be worth his mettle unless he had a nefarious adversary to battle. Spider-Man squares off against the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), a former corporate arms dealer who, after being mistreated by his board of directors, has become an avenging force of evil as an armor-plated terrorist.

Director Sam Raimi makes the most of the free-flowing scenes of Spider-Man swinging from building to building on self-generated threads. Danny Elfmann’s impressive score provides a soaring accompaniment to the action and the romantic interludes between Peter and Mary Jane. But the real thrill here is seeing this young man develop into a moral crusader doing what he can to make the world a better place. Now there’s a quest that boys — and girls — can wrap their eager imaginations around!

Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment has released two DVD special editions, one in a widescreen format and one full screen. Both versions are packed with extras. There are audio tracks with the director Sam Raimi, star Kirsten Dunst, and the producers Laura Ziskin and Grant Curtis; a second commentary by John Dykstra about the special effects; trailers; making-of featurettes; music videos; TV spots; and Tobey Maguire's screen test. For those who are interested in the roots of Spider-mania, there are interviews with artists of the comic books, archives of the story lines, and a gallery of villains and loves in Peter Parker's life. There's plenty here for devoted fans and curious newcomers to this contemporary myth.