Ben
Reilly was the most genetically stable of the many
clones of Spider-Man created by Professor Miles Warren,
the Jackal. Warren created clones of Peter Parker
and Gwen Stacy from tissue samples he had obtained
from a class experiment. After many failed attempts,
most notably Kaine, Warren succeeded in creating a
clone that did not suffer cellular degeneration.
Believing
to the end that he was the real Spider-Man, Ben was
killed by the Green Goblin (Norman Osborn), sacrificing
his life to save Peter from the impaling spike of
the Goblin's glider. Ben's body degenerated into dust
immediately after his death, proving that he was the
clone after all, and not Peter Parker.
Powers
Ben shared Peter Parker's spider-powers, including
superhuman strength, speed, agility, and the ability
to cling to surfaces. Ben's spider-sense was the same
as Peter's, except that it could not be overridden
by Venom.