by Steve Ditko, 1964

Ned Leeds

• Occupation: Reporter for The Daily Bugle
• Known Relatives: Betty Brant (wife)
• First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #19
• Final Appearance:
• Status: Deceased

History:

Ned Leeds was a reporter to the Daily Bugle. He originally entered Peter Parker's life as a competitor vying for Betty's affections. Once Peter decided Spider-Man was always going to be between him and Betty however, it wasn't long before Ned proposed (ASM #30). Betty kept his proposal on the back burner for a long time, and it wasn't until ASM #45 that the two were formally engaged. After a lengthy engagement, they were finally married and honeymooned in Paris (ASM #156).

by Ross Andru, 1976

After his engagement to Betty, Ned became more of a background character in the Spider-Man comics. He was mostly used as a plot device either to give Peter some information or doing some investigation. He was also occasionally endangered by his job forcing Peter to rescue him - once against the Molten Man (ASM #132), by the Jackal (ASM #148), and even on his wedding day by the Mirage (ASM #156).

After he and Betty returned from their engagement, Ned became involved with the Hobgoblin. He was used by the Hobgoblin as a "stand in" to divert attention from the Hobgoblin's true identity until finally Ned was killed by assassins of the Foreigner, convincing the criminal underworld that the original Hobgoblin was dead.

Ned Leeds' Timeline