by Sal Buscema, 1989

Betty Brant Leeds

Occupation: Reporter and Former Secretary for the Daily Bugle
Known Relatives: Bennett Brant (brother - deceased); Ned Leeds (husband - deceased)
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #4
Status: Widowed. No criminal record.

History:

Betty Brant was Peter Parker's first love. The two met at the Daily Bugle where Betty worked as J. Jonah Jameson's personal secretary and Peter was selling photographs of Spider-man. After the Vulture attacked the Bugle's office (Amazing Spider-Man #7), the two began flirting which finally bloomed into a full-blown romance (Amazing Spider-Man #9). Unfortunately, Betty blamed Spider-Man for the death of her brother Bennett (Amazing Spider-Man #11). This as well as Betty's jealousy towards Liz Allen and Mary Jane eventually drove the pair apart (Amazing Spider-Man #14 and Amazing Spider-Man #26). During this time, Betty met and began seeing Ned Leeds (Amazing Spider-Man #18). After comforting Betty during an attack on the Daily Bugle by the Scorpion (Amazing Spider-Man #29), Ned proposed (Amazing Spider-Man #30), but Betty's lingering feelings for Peter cause her to quit the Daily Bugle and flee New York altogether for a short time (Amazing Spider-Man #34). After her return, Betty and Peter realized that they no longer had romantic feelings for one another, and Betty and Ned got formerly engaged (Amazing Spider-Man #44). After a long engagement, Ned and Betty were finally married despite an attempted robbery at their wedding by the Mirage (Amazing Spider-Man #156).

by Ross Andru, 1976

After Ned was framed as the Hobgoblin and died at the hands of the Foreigner's assassins, Betty suffered a severe mental breakdown. Finally, she pulled herself together, and even gained a reporting position at the Bugle.

Betty Brant Leeds

History:

Betty Brant's Timeline