There have been many Spider-Man cartoons over the decades. The original 1967 is iconic thanks to that theme song, and many a Millennial Marvel fan loves the ’90s Spider-Man: The Animated Series. But one of the best Spidey toons of all time was the 2008 Spectacular Spider-Man series. It only ran for two seasons, but many view it as one of the best interpretations of Peter Parker outside of comics. Now, via The Direct, we’ve learned that after its Disney+ debut in October 2022, Spectacular Spider-Man is now mysteriously gone from the platform. Spidey didn’t even stick around long enough on Disney+ to make any new amazing friends.

So why is it gone, and where can fans watch it? As to why it’s no longer on Disney+, we can only guess. Sony produced the show, so it’s likely to do with some kind of licensing deal. Non-MCU Marvel properties tend to vanish and then reappear on the platform all the time. The many Fox X-Men films are a perfect example of this. As to where fans can now watch it? Well, it’s still not available on its previous home on Netflix. However, you can still buy individual episodes on Amazon Prime. And, of course, fans can always just buy the complete series set on Blu-ray. Physical media will never suddenly disappear without warning.

Hopefully, one of these days, they will sort out all the various licensing issues, and Disney+ can be the permanent home to all Marvel Comics-based media, especially Spider-Man. With the Spectacular Spider-Man version of Peter Parker appearing (briefly) in Across the Spider-Verse, more fans have become curious about him, and having it vanish from the platform now after a mere few months is rather unfortunate. Having said that, we have a feeling this is not the permanent end of the Spectacular Spider-Man on Disney+. The real question is “When will it return?”

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As we know, there are so, so many Spideys out in the world. It was a delight to see a few of them together in Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, including Spider-Man Noir. The older and frankly worn out monochromatic hero from the 1930s is certainly an interesting take on the character. Now, Spider-Man Noir is getting his own live-action series at Prime Video. It could be yet another win for Amazon’s streaming service.

As Variety reports, Steve Lightfoot will be the co-showrunner alongside creator/writer Oren Uziel. Lightfoot is no stranger to the Marvel Universe, as he was the showrunner for The Punisher Netflix series starring Jon Bernthal.

The show will be set in its own universe and will not center around Peter Parker. The show will, however, take place in the 1930s and will presumably stick with the character’s black and white format. We can’t wait to see how a Spider-Man Noir series plays out. Right now, there’s no casting news nor a release window because things are in the very early stages. It will likely take a while before we learn anything else about this venture, but in the meantime fans can begin all the speculation. 

Originally published on February 9, 2023.

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Everyone loves Miles. The web-slinging teen is back in our lives with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and will return once again next year in Beyond the Spider-Verse. We absolutely adore Miles Morales in his animated form, but many fans have been wondering if the character will make a live-action debut in the near future. Well, according to Variety, producer Amy Pascal says a live-action Miles Morales movie, a Spider-Woman animated film, and Spider-Man 4 are in the works. Tom Holland also chimed in on what upcoming movies might hold.

Spider-People Movies Are in the Works, Including a Live-Action Miles Morales Film

On the topic of a Miles Morales live-action movie and a Spider-Woman adventure, Pascal noted, “You’ll see all of it… It’s all happening.” And that’s what we love to hear, especially when it comes to Miles Morales getting his own live-action solo adventure.

Fellow producer Avi Arad hinted that the Spider-Woman film will actually come sooner than most fans are expecting. That makes a lot of sense considering things are going well with the current animated franchise.

Meanwhile, Pascal also said that a fourth Spider-Man movie with Tom Holland and Zendaya is in the works, noting, “Are we going to make another movie? Of course, we are.”

Tom Holland on Spider-Man 4

But Pascal is not the only one discussing a fourth outing for the MCU’s Spider-Man. Most recently, Tom Holland shared that he was actively engaging in conversations about Spider-Man 4. But he cautioned that he would only return as Spider-Man for a story worth telling. He noted:

All I can say is that we have been actively engaging in conversations about what it could potentially look like for a fourth rendition of my character. Whether or not we can find a way to do justice to the character is another thing. I feel very protective over Spider-Man. I feel very, very lucky that we were able to work on a franchise that got better with each movie, that got more successful with each movie, which I think is really rare, and I want to protect his legacy. So, I won’t make another one for the sake of making another one. It will have to be worth the while of the character.

Of course, should the right story emerge, Holland is more than eager to resume his role in the MCU. He went on to say, “But that said, if we can figure that out, I would be a fool not to put the suit back on again because I owe everything to Spider-Man. I love the character and the people I get to work with. So, I would love to tell another story, but I’ll only tell it if we can find the right one.”

We’ll Cross Our Fingers for More Spidey Updates Soon

Ultimately, It could be a couple of years or five years before any of this stuff happens… if it happens at all. Corporations do change their minds, whether we like it or not. But hopefully, we’ll see traction for all our Spider-People.

And even more hopefully, Sony will give Miles what he deserves, which is to exist in every form with lots of adventures for fans to enjoy. For now, let the speculation on who would absolutely crush a live-action Miles Morales movie begin.

Originally published on May 31, 2023.

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When Venom 3 was briefly teased at Cinema Con 2022, fans of Sony’s Spider-Man spinoff movie were excited and relieved. But since then, we’ve only gotten a few brief teases of what Venom 3 will hold. Of course, the last time we saw Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock and his trusty companion Venom, the pair went on adventures through the multiverse. Sony’s Venom leads ended up in the MCU, but not for long. At the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Eddie Brock returns to his own universe. And we assume that’s where we’ll find him (and most of Venom) in Venom 3.

On the heels of the SAG-AFTRA strike’s positive resolution, Venom 3 is back in production. Tom Hardy shared an on-set image celebrating the movie’s return to filming on his Instagram. It looks like he’s embodying the spirit of Venom, without a doubt. Poor director Kelly Marcel is also pictured, but she doesn’t look like she’s enjoying the antics as much. It feels like the perfect movie will come out of these shenanigans.

Here’s everything we know about Venom 3.

Title

Right now, the only title we have for the third Venom movie is Venom 3. But since Venom 2 eventually got a fuller title, we suspect there might be a longer title in the future.

Venom 3‘s Plot

At this time, we don’t know anything specific about Venom 3‘s plot. We only know that Eddie Brock is back in his own universe after his MCU visit. We assume Venom has also traveled back with him, despite the little gob of Venom goo left behind in the MCU. While we do not doubt that the new MCU Venom bud will seek to cause Tom Holland’s Peter Parker a lot of trouble in a potential Spider-Man 4, that likely won’t factor too much into Venom 3.

Tom Hardy did tease a behind-the-scenes image of Venom 3, which involves Eddie yelling at a wolf. Whether this will prove meaningful, we’ll have to wait and see. Whatever awaits us in Venom 3, we can bet it will involve more of Eddie Brock and Venom snarking at one another and a great mix of comedy and tragedy.

Venom 3‘s Cast

Thankfully, Tom Hardy will return as Eddie Brock for Venom 3. Alongside him, Ted Lasso’s Juno Temple has joined the movie, as will Chiwetel Ejiofor. We don’t know details on either of their roles yet.

Regarding returning actors, there has been no news yet of any actors other than Tom Hardy reprising their Venom or Venom: Let There Be Carnage roles.

Behind the Scenes 

Kelly Marcel, a writer and producer on Venom‘s first two movies, will direct Venom 3. Marcel also serves as the writer of Venom 3, penning the script based on a story she and Tom Hardy created. Marcel and Hardy will act as producers on the movie alongside Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Amy Pascal, and Hutch Parker.

Venom 3‘s Release Date

Venom 3 will release on November 8, 2024.

Originally published on August 1, 2023.

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In the world of Marvel Comics, they say the tail wags the dog. By that, we mean that a popular iteration of a character on TV or film will usually inform that character’s comic book portrayal. And it seems we have a great example of that coming soon. After their success as a mentor and student duo in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Marvel Comics is teaming up Peter Parker and Miles Morales for an ongoing comic book series from an all-star creative team. Spectacular Spider-Men—written by Spectacular Spider-Man and Gargoyles animated series creator Greg Weisman along with Amazing Spider-Man artist Humberto Ramos—is coming in March 2024. You can see the cover for issue #1 as well as a special trailer for the long-awaited series right here:

In a statement, Weisman said “I’m so thrilled to be writing Spidey again. And the fact that I get to write both Spideys, together, makes the gig doubly sweet. It’s fun for me, because in this book, I see the younger Miles trying really hard to show his maturity to his mentor Peter, while the older Pete feels free to let out his inner 16-year-old with Miles. So there’s a bit of role reversal to the normal mentor-protégé relationship than one might expect to see. But I think both Pete and Miles still feel very true to character. And when things get serious, so do our boys (quippage notwithstanding). What we’re seeing here is the evolution from mentor and protegee, to them simply being good friends. And that change of status (in process, as it is) really interests me as a writer. Oh, and Humberto’s art is so damn gorgeous.”

Both arachnid heroes previously teamed up before in their own title, although that was a mini-series, simply called Spider-Men. Originally, Miles Morales crossed over from the Ultimate Universe, where he’d taken over for a dead Peter Parker. Once in the 616, he teamed up with our adult Peter Parker. Although the mini was successful, this is the first time Peter Parker and Miles Morales have had a team-up comic book series since then.

Artist Humberto Ramos had this to say about working on both Spideys: “From a very young age, my goal was to draw Spider-Man for Marvel Comics, and now that it has become a recurring reality in my life, I enjoy every occasion in which I am called to do so, or as I like to say ‘come back home,’ and I could not ask for a better way to do that than alongside Greg Weisman who gave us the greatest Spider-Man TV series! Not only that, but in this book I not only have the joy of drawing not one but two Spider-Mans. Drawing Peter’s adventures was exciting enough, I can only imagine how it will be drawing both Peter and Miles’ adventures! I love my job!”

Spectacular Spider-Men #1 hits comic book shops and digital in March, 2024.

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You don’t need a crystal ball to know the Spider-Verse is about to get even bigger. You just need an internet connection. Sony Pictures has released the first teaser trailer for Madame Web starring Dakota Johnson. The standalone film takes place in a new world within the franchise’s multiverse, but she’s not the only Spidey figure who lives there. Or, rather, will live there. Maybe. We know, it’s confusing, but that’s what happens when powerful beings are all fighting to control a future only they can see and change.

Surprise Adam Driver! We’re in. It doesn’t hurt the film also stars Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor, Isabela Merced, Tahar Rahim, Mike Epps, and Emma Roberts. But what exactly is going on in this intense trailer? And why is someone who looks like Spider-Man hunting down three young women who seem destined to be webbed-slingers themselves? Here’s the film’s official synopsis from Sony:

“Meanwhile, in another universe…” In a switch from the typical genre, Madame Web tells the standalone origin story of one of Marvel publishing’s most enigmatic heroines. The suspense-driven thriller stars Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb, a paramedic in Manhattan who may have clairvoyant abilities. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she forges a relationship with three young women destined for powerful futures…if they can all survive a deadly present.

Sony also shared a featurette with Johnson discussing the character.

This is a big spotlight for a comic book character who has never really had a chance to shine like this. So while Cassandra Webb is now part of the Spider-verse, it makes sense her story takes place in its own universe. The movie can focus on her story for now rather than how she fits into another Spider-Man’s reality.

Madame Web comes from director SJ Clarkson with a screenplay by Claire Parker and SJ Clarkson. It comes to theaters early next year, on February 14, 2024.

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It’s been a good year for your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Recently, there was the much-loved Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 game, and earlier in the year, there was Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Or maybe we should say Spider-Mans, because both the game and the movie feature both Peter Parker and Miles Morales Spideys. Well, if 2023 has got you in an extra wallcrawlery mood, then Citizen Watch has the thing you need—a special, incredibly limited edition Marvel Spider-Man Collector’s Box Set. This set brings together three iconic watch styles, which you can see below:

This Spider-Man watch collection is a very limited edition set, with Citizen only producing 40 worldwide. It brings together three fan-favorite Spider-Man watch styles, each capturing the essence of everyone’s favorite web-slinger. The set comes complete with a Certificate of Authenticity. Any light with Citizen’s proprietary Eco-Drive technology powers all three Spider-Man Citizen watches, and they never need a battery. Those who buy this will receive an exclusive free gift – the Marvel x Citizen Light on Time comic book. 

The first watch in the set is a Disney100 celebration Spider-Man timepiece. The striking dial depicts Spidey in his signature crouching position. He’s in a silver-tone stainless steel case and bracelet complemented by a black bezel. The dial features a gradient blue background, with its darker periphery and brighter center highlighting the illustration of Spider-Man. This Spider-Man watch also has three silver-tone hands and a bright white date aperture at 3 o’clock.

Next up in the collection is Citizen’s “Spidey” watch; it uniquely features the date and crown at 4 o’clock, while the red and blue dial sits as the perfect backdrop to a Spider-Man design. The silver-tone stainless steel case and blue leather perforated strap complete the look.

The last watch in this Spider-Man box set has a stainless steel case with a blue chroma finish and a silver-tone stainless steel bracelet. This Citizen Watch features Spider-Man’s iconic web and logo with red and silver accents. This piece also includes advanced features, including the 1/5 second chronograph that measures up to 60 minutes, 12/24 hour time, and a tachymeter that measures speed based on time traveled over a distance.

The Limited Edition Marvel Spider-Man Collector’s Box Set will set you back $995.00 and goes on sale starting November 24.

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For over 60 years, the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man and its various other Marvel spinoffs have been home to some of the best superhero storytelling of all time. From the days of Stan Lee in the ’60s to today’s creators like Dan Slott, here are our picks for the 10 greatest creative team runs of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man of all time.

10. J.M. DeMatteis with Sal Buscema, Spectacular Spider-Man #178-203 (1991-1993)

Writer J.M. DeMatteis is perhaps most famous for his comedic take on DC’s Justice League, but he also wrote a relatively brief but fantastic run on The Spectacular Spider-Man, from issues #178-200. This was after he wrote the epic Kraven’s Last Hunt storyline in 1987. During his 26-issue run, which lasted from 1991 to 1993, he and artist Sal Buscema told one of the best stories ever involving Harry Osborn and his descent into becoming the Green Goblin, which culminated in issue #200 of Spectacular Spider-Man. It was one of the very few gimmick covers of the ‘90s that actually had a good story behind it. Add in the introduction of the villain Vermin, some X-Men, and this run deserves its status as one of the best.

9. Peter David with Rick Leonardi, Spider-Man 2099 #1-44 (1992-1997)

Peter David has defining runs on several iconic comic book characters, including the Hulk, X-Factor, and for DC, Aquaman. But he also had a pretty defining run for Spider-Man. It’s just the Spider-Man that wasn’t Peter Parker. In 1992, Marvel tasked David with creating a new, futuristic Spider-Man with Spider-Man 2099. This wall-crawler was Miguel O’Hara, the half-Mexican/half-Irish hero who was the first not Peter Parker ongoing character to be called Spider-Man in 30 years.

Together with artist Rick Leonardi, David inverted almost everything about Peter Parker’s Spidey. Miguel was wisecracking out of costume, totally mute as Spider-Man, and so on. His web shooters were organic and not mechanical (something Sam Raimi would later use). The run only lasted 46 issues and four years, but judging from the character’s renewed popularity thanks to Across the Spider-Verse, it’s fair to say David’s run had a long-lasting impact.

8. Todd McFarlane, Spider-Man #1-16, (1990-1991)

Todd McFarlane became an instant superstar in the comics world when he illustrated David Michelinie’s Amazing Spider-Man run in the late ‘80s. His versions of Spidey and Venom became iconic, so much so that Marvel gave him his own Spider-Man title to both draw and write—despite his inexperience as a writer at the time. So in 1990, McFarlane launched Spider-Man #1, which sold an incredible 2.5 million copies. Marvel would break that record a year later with a certain team of mutants.

McFarlane’s writing was a bit over the top, especially by modern standards, but his overall storytelling was undeniably entertaining. It was exactly what the audience craved at the time. His darker take on villains like the Lizard, Kraven, and Hobgoblin redefined the look of those characters. The crossovers with Wolverine and Ghost Rider were very ‘90s, but also very fun. This is one of the shorter runs on this list, but also one of the most iconic. McFarlane’s run only lasted 16 issues as he left Marvel in 1992 to form Image Comics, yet its impact was huge.

7. Dan Slott, with Humberto Ramos and Ryan Stegman, The Superior Spider-Man #1–33 (2013-2014)

Dan Slott has been one of the most prolific Spider-Man writers of the 21st century. But although he’s written plenty of iconic Peter Parker stories, his best Spider-Man run was actually about Otto Octavious, a.k.a Doctor Octopus. In Slott’s Superior Spider-Man series, Peter Parker’s body is taken over by the consciousness of Doc Ock, who takes over Peter’s life and decides he can be a better Spider-Man than his old enemy ever was. Although he does try to do the right thing as Spider-Man, more or less, he’s still arrogant and insufferable. Nevertheless, it was all fun as heck to read. The art by folks like Humberto Ramos, and Ryan Stegman was also always top-notch. Otto was Spidey for less than two years, but it was a memorable two years.

6. Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, Spider-Man: Blue #1-6, (2002-2003)

In the late ‘90s, the creative team of Jeph Loeb and the late Tim Sale produced one of the greatest Batman stories of all time, The Long Halloween. A few years later, from 2002 to 2003, they re-teamed to tell a story about Peter Parker and his great lost love, Gwen Stacy. In the mini-series Spider-Man: Blue, Peter Parker recounts the events of Amazing Spider-Man #40-48. This modern retelling includes Sale’s incredible renditions of characters like Kraven, the Lizard, the Rhino, and the Green Goblin. And, of course, Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson. Blue is only six issues long, but it still stands as one of the most heartfelt and beautifully written and illustrated Spider-Man stories of all time.

5. Gerry Conway with Gil Kane and John Romita, The Amazing Spider-Man #111-149 (1972-1975)

Following up the legendary run of Stan Lee, which lasted a decade, would have been an unenviable task for any writer. But Gerry Conway took big swings in his Amazing Spider-Man run, which lasted from 1972 to 1975. Conway’s stories were enhanced by some gorgeous art by Gil Kane and Spidey veteran John Romita. It was during Conway’s run that fans met the villainous Jackal and his cloning operation (this would matter a lot 20 years later).

Conway’s MJ became a more fully fleshed-out character. She wasn’t just the “out of his league” supermodel anymore. Oh, and Conway’s run also introduced the world to the Punisher. You may have heard of him. Most importantly though, Gerry Conway bucked all known comic book conventions at the time with one shocking act. He did this by killing off Peter Parker’s longtime girlfriend Gwen Stacy. The repercussions of this are still being felt in the Spider-Man titles today.

4. David Michelinie with Todd McFarlane, Erik Larsen, and Mark Bagley, Amazing Spider-Man 296-352, #359-388 (1987-1994)

In the late ‘80s, Spider-Man was still Marvel’s best-selling solo character, but some excitement had fallen away from Peter Parker. Then, writer David Michelinie took over writing duties in 1987. This was shortly after Peter Parker married MJ, and he focused on the high-stakes soap opera of their lives. During his seven-year run on Amazing Spider-Man (second longest-run after Stan Lee) he worked with some of Spidey’s best-ever artists. Names that became iconic, like Erik Larsen, Mark Bagley, and Todd MacFarlane. And together, they made comics magic. Highlights of his run include the introduction of villains Venom and Carnage. Luckily, he bailed from writing duties right before the infamous Clone Saga, so his run remains untainted.

3. J. Michael Straczynski with John Romita Jr., Mike Deodato, and Ron Garney, Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 #500-545, Vol. 2 #30-58 (2001-2006)

At the same time Marvel was injecting new life into teenage Peter Parker in the Ultimate Spider-Man titles, the comics publisher had to figure out what to do with the adult Peter in the 616 universe. They brought in Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski, who made Peter a school teacher. He teaches at the very same place others bullied him as a kid, Midtown High School. Straczynski wrote adult Peter and MJ better than anyone in years and did so by adding a level of sophistication largely absent in the late ‘90s stories.

He also introduced lasting elements to the mythology like Morlun, a villain who hunts spider-totems across dimensions. That’s a huge influence on the Spider-Verse mythology in the animated films. Sadly, his run also revealed a sordid retcon of Gwen Stacy and Norman Osborn, but nobody’s perfect. The main artists for this run were Mike Deodato and John Romita Jr. The latter’s work on this run made him stand with his father as one of the definitive Spidey artists of all time. Straczynski’s run ended with the much-hated undoing of the Peter Parker and MJ marriage. However, that was an event Marvel editorial forced on him. We don’t hold it against him.

2. Brian Michael Bendis, with Mark Bagley, Stuart Immonen, Sara Pichelli, Chris Samnee, David Marquez, and Pepe Larraz, Ultimate Spider-Man #1-160, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1-27 (2000-2011)

During the late ‘90s, Marvel was in trouble creatively and financially. The company emerged out of bankruptcy in the early 2000s, knowing it had to take drastic measures to gain new readers. Marvel conceived the Ultimate line, which involved fresh modern takes on classic characters. Writer Brian Michael Bendis reintroduced Peter Parker and his supporting cast as 21st century teens in Ultimate Spider-Man. And from issue one, the dialogue and characterization were absolutely top-notch. The kids felt real in a way mainstream comics characters hadn’t in a long time.

The reinvented versions of Spidey’s villains often surpassed the originals as well, particularly Norman Osborn. Bendis and artist Mark Bagley did over 100 issues together. Actually surpassing Stan Lee’s run, Bendis continued the title with artists Stuart Immonen, David Lafuente, and Sara Pichelli, with whom he co-created Miles Morales, one of the biggest contributions to come from the Ultimate Spider-Man line. Between Peter Parker and then Miles, this run heavily influenced Spider-Man’s portrayal in other media. This run was an absolute game-changer, surpassed by only one other.

#1. Stan Lee with Steve Ditko, John Romita, John Buscema, and Gil Kane, Amazing Fantasy #15, Amazing Spider-Man #1-100 (1962-1971)

“With great power, comes great responsibility.” This was the only run that could have ever taken the top spot. While Stan Lee co-created almost all the most iconic Marvel Comics heroes, without a doubt his 100-issue run of The Amazing Spider-Man was his best work. With artists like Steve Ditko (Spidey’s co-creator) and later, John Romita, Lee introduced everything that forms the core of what Peter Parker is to this very day. Name a classic Peter Parker personality trait or trope, and chances are it came from Lee.

Lee’s stories introduced 90% of the most iconic Spider-Man villains, like Green Goblin, Doc Ock, Sandman, Mysterio, Kraven, and so many more, not to mention most of the most well-known members of Spidey’s supporting cast. Stan Lee’s run on Amazing Spider-Man lasted a full decade, and it remains the bible from which all following Spider-Man runs on this list pulled from. Simply put, no other Spider-Man run could likely ever take the top spot. Stan Lee and his collaborators broke the mold.

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Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 took the world by storm upon release, and like any good Marvel narrative worth its salt, it’s chock full of teasers for the future and many Easter eggs. If you weren’t excited about the idea of a third Spider-Man game from Insomniac for PlayStation 5 before, you will be after all of these hints of what’s to come. Let’s break down those Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 post-credits teases and cameo appearances.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Hints at Doc Ock’s Return and the Green Goblin

In the mid-credits scene of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, we witness the return of Doc Ock himself, Dr. Otto Octavius (William Salyers), the first game’s Big Bad. After the Venom symbiote is removed from Harry Osborn, his father, Norman, appears, blaming both Spider-Men for hurting his son. Afterward, Norman arrives at the supervillain prison called the Raft, hoping to learn the Spider-Men’s identities from Dr. Octopus. But Doc Ock keeps his secrets and tells Norman, “We all have to experience loss.” When Norman Osborn sees that Otto Octavius has been writing something in a journal, he asks “What are you writing?” to which Dr. Octavius answers ominously, “The final chapter.”

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, The game’s co-creator Bryan Intihar, said of the Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 mid-credits scene, “I can tell you that scene, in some way, has always been the plan since day one. We knew that the second game would end with that kind of scene.” As for the appearance of Spider-Man’s biggest nemesis of all, the Green Goblin, it’s been teased since the first game, where we saw Norman’s pumpkin bombs and prototype mask. But the Green Goblin persona has yet to appear in the Marvel’s Spider-Man games. “We’ve literally discussed Green Goblin at every game,” Intihar says. “If you bring him in, it’s kind of like Venom. There are very, very big expectations. So, you want to make sure if you’re going to do it, you’re going to deliver on it.” If Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 is indeed the grand finale, expect to hear a familiar cackle.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Introduces the Spider Heroine Silk

The second Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 post-credits scene introduces yet another popular arachnid hero to the mix. As we learned throughout the game, Miles Morales’ mom, Rio Morales (Jacqueline Pinol), mentions that she’s begun dating again after her husband’s death. In the final Marvel Spider-Man 2 post-credits scene, we learn who that someone is. Rio introduces her new beau Albert Moon to Miles. But also tagging along is Albert’s daughter Cindy Moon, who waves in the background.

As Marvel Comics fans know, Cindy Moon is a superhero herself, known as Silk. The very same spider that bit Peter Parker also bit her on that field trip. She kept her powers secret until adulthood, unlike Peter. But the introduction of Silk adds another member of the Spidey family to Marvel’s Spider-Man game’s universe. Even though the team considered adding in Spider-Gwen, the game’s co-creator Jacinda Chew said, “Cindy Moon is a character that has so much possibility because she’s not as well known. We were like, ‘Let’s just do something different.'”

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Hints at Spider-Man 2099

Also, the game looks to connect to the wildly popular Spider-Verse films. This should come as no surprise, as the Insomniac Spider-Man appeared in Across the Spider-Verse. In one of the game’s side missions, we see Peter and Miles try to round up some rogue Spider-bots. Miles’ buddy and tech expert Ganke (Griffin Puatu) sends you to an alleyway where a portal opens up. A portal in the familiar hexagonal style of Multiverse travels from the Spider-Verse films. Here is where we see the character of the assassin Delilah, who in the comics has fought Spidey. After examining the Spider-bot, she remarks, “If Miguel comes looking for these, tell him, ‘Finders keepers.'” This Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Miguel mention can only allude to Miguel O’Hara, better known as Spider-Man 2099. Hey, it’s not just the MCU that’s “all connected.”

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Features a Mini Firefly Reunion

Oh, and blink and you miss it, but the game had a small Firefly reunion. Actors Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk play two dudes wearing cat mascot suits and Spider-Man masks christened Bodega Cats in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. These two have an argument outside a bodega. Both Fillion and Tudyk came in for the relatively small roles just because they are huge fans of the Marvel’s Spider-Man game franchise. And the two, who are both no strangers to voice-over acting, recorded their Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 cameos in one weekend.

With all these teases and reveals, including the ones mentioned above and some others teasing Carnage and Chameleon, here’s hoping that a Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 game from Insomniac isn’t too many years away.

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The Spider-Verse has shown “anyone can wear the mask.” It’s a beautiful sentiment, but let’s face it, the odds a radioactive spider grants us super arachnid powers is probably close to zero. (Yes, “probably.” We refuse to give up all hope.) That doesn’t mean we can’t experience what it’s like to be a friendly neighborhood hero, though. We can be a beloved webbed-slinger in video games, and the next chance we’ll have to do that will expand our horizon—and our wardrobe. Three new trailers for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 reveal a ton of drama and many foes, a full closet worth of incredible Spidey-suits, and an even bigger map to explore.

Villans Are Everywhere in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Slightly Spoilery Launch Trailer

It’s almost time for the web-slinging to begin. And in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 launch trailer, we’re thankful for our team of Spidey heroes because there sure will be many villains for them to fight. Beware, though, this new trailer is slightly spoilery.

Kraven, Lizard, and Venom all take a starring role in this upcoming game, and we can see their full strength in Spider-Man 2‘s latest look. But we also get a couple of surprises. The nefarious Spider-Man villain Sandman appears in this trailer, and he is absolutely terrifying (and enormous). Not to mention we see Mister Negative fighting Miles. Any spider-donning hero in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 better watch out.

A synopsis released with the trailer shares:

Spider-Men, Peter Parker and Miles Morales, return for an exciting new adventure in the critically acclaimed Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise for the PS5 console. Nine months after the events of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, we find Miles still enlisting Peter’s help, but when the mysterious symbiote appears, Peter and Miles’ relationships are put to the test. Peter begins to change as he gains symbiote powers, and Miles, Mary Jane, Harry, and the rest of the friend group must help Peter while also facing the impending threats from a cast of new villains like Kraven, Lizard, Sandman, and Venom!

We can hardly wait.

MANY New Spider-Man Suits Are on the Horizon

The second new trailer from Insomniac Games and PlayStation for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 highlight the game’s Digital Deluxe edition. This promo features the many, many, many suits players can opt to use in the game, which will see “Peter Parker and Miles Morales face the ultimate test of strength inside and outside the mask as they fight to save the city, each other and the ones they love, from the monstrous Venom and the dangerous new symbiote threat.”

The game will include the following options for Spidey-ware:

• 5 unique Miles Morales suits
• EnC0ded Suit design by Kris Anka
• Biomechanical Suit design by Jerad Marantz
• Tokusatsu Suit design by Julia Blattman
• Agimat Suit design by Anthony Francisco
• Red Spectre Suit design by Sweeney Boo
• 5 unique Peter Parker suits o Aurantia Suit design by Raf Grassetti
• Apunkalyptic Suit design by Jerad Marantz
• Tactical Suit design by Joel Mandish
• Stone Monkey design by Victoria Ying
• 25th Century Suit design by Anthony Francisco

Pre-ordering Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will also get a few more suits. Those who buy it ahead of its October 20 release will nab an Arachknight Suit for Peter with three color variants and a Shadow-Spider Suit for Miles that also comes with three color variants. Pre-orders will get an early unlock Web Grabber gadget.

Is that…too many suits? No, no, that’s not a thing. We truly need all the suits. Especially since we’ll have even more places to show them off.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Reveals Expanded NYC Gameplay Map

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2‘s last new trailer, narrated by Insomniac Games’ Senior Creative Director Bryan Intihar, shows the expanded map players will encounter in the game.

Peter and Miles’ open-world adventures will let them go to their respective home burrows, Queens and Brooklyn. Those long-overdue additions to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will double the original release’s New York City’s map. And how will you traverse so much ground fast enough to save the day? With new web wings that will help each Spider-Man zip through the air.

These new Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 trailers provide even more insights into the new aspects players will find in the game. But the most important one remains the same. It will let us wear the mask. Many, many, many versions of the mask.

Originally published on September 15, 2023.

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Few games are as anticipated as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which arrives on October 20. Expectations are high. This game follows up the incredibly well-received Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and also features the Venom symbiote. Now, for fans who want a peek behind the curtain, Dark Horse Books, Marvel Games, and Insomniac Games are teaming up to present The Art of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

The Art of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, regular and deluxe editions will arrive on shelves at the same time. These new artbooks celebrate the fan-favorite game, and give Spidey aficionados a behind-the-scenes look at its development. You can check out the cover art of The Art of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and read the book’s official synopsis below:

Peter Parker and Miles Morales return for an exciting new adventure in the critically acclaimed Marvel’s Spider-Man video game saga. As the inimitable web-heads swing, jump, and glide across Marvel’s New York, iconic villains threaten to destroy their lives, their city, and the ones they love. Now readers can explore the creation of this dynamic new entry in the Marvel’s Spider-Man video game series—from unforgettable characters, extraordinary equipment, breathtaking locales, thrilling storyboards, and more—all accompanied by insightful commentary from the game’s creative team!

The Art of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 regular and deluxe edition arrive in bookstores on April 16, 2024. They arrive next in comic book shops on April 17, 2024. Both are 232 pages long. The Deluxe Edition edition features an exclusive cover, a decorative slipcase, and a folio enclosing a gallery-quality print. The standard edition is now available to pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and your local comic shop and bookstore for $49.99. Meanwhile, The Art of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Deluxe Edition is also available to pre-order at the same retailers for $99.99. 

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When you’re swinging through the skyline of New York City and running on the side of buildings, you probably need some amazing footwear. Well, as Stan Lee was fond of saying, you’re in luck, True Believers! Via Marvel, we’ve learned Adidas is joining forces with Sony Interactive Entertainment, Marvel, and Insomniac Games to create the Adidas Peter Parker Advanced Suit and Venom collection, featured in the latest installment of Marvel’s franchise video game series, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which arrives October 20 for the PlayStation 5 console. You can check out an image gallery of the new shoes below.

Click To View Gallery

This new collection showcases Peter Parker’s Advanced Suit, right as the Venom symbiote overtakes it. The Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 collection includes a large selection of Spidey-inspired footwear and apparel. These include Ultraboost J and Ultra 4D sneakers, the Adizero 12.0 football cleat, sweatshirts, and even compression tights. Adidas made this collection to appeal to both gamers and athletes, and of course, everyone who is both. Also, look out for some Adidas-branded products featured in-game. The regular folks on the ground in New York mainly wear these, but maybe you’ll see a super person or two wearing them as well.

This is not the first time there’s been an Adidas collaboration with the Spider-Man and Sony brands. Back in 2020, at the time of the release of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Adidas came out with a special red and black pair of Superstar shoes in honor of the game. But this new Venomized shoe is just that much cooler. When you wear them, make sure you let everyone know you did not, in fact, step in black tar. The Peter Parker Advanced Suit and Venom collection will be available to purchase from October 20 via the Adidas app, online, in stores, and in selected retailers.

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In April 2022, Sony announced a new Spider-Man spinoff movie for their Sony Marvel universe, El Muerto. This movie was meant to focus on Marvel’s super-powered wrestler, anti-hero El Muerto. It was announced to star award-winning singer and rapper Bad Bunny at the time. Especially exciting was the prospect of El Muerto marking the first time a Latino actor would lead a Marvel film. However, the movie has faced some difficulties in becoming a reality since then. In June, Sony removed this Spider-Man spinoff from its release calendar. And most recently, Bad Bunny shared he would no longer star in El Muerto.

Speaking to Vanity Fair about the movie, Bad Bunny, whose full name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, noted, “I don’t know what to say,” when asked about the El Muerto role, offering that it was a “delicate” situation. The publication’s write-up alluded to an awkward pause. Ultimately, Bad Bunny’s publicist concluded, “Obviously, it’s out.”

Bad Bunny’s exit from El Muerto sounds like sad news for both the star and fans of the character. The actor’s on-screen skill combined with his WWE training made him perfect for the Marvel role. According to Entertainment Weekly, the actor even said, “I love wrestling. I grew up watching it, and now I’m a wrestler. That’s why I love this character. I think it’s the perfect role [for] me. It will be epic.”

Though El Muerto, whose real name is Juan-Carlos Estrada Sanchez, is not a particularly well-known comic character, the Sony movie seemed like a great opportunity to let him shine in a bigger way.

The good news is that, while removed from Sony’s release calendar, El Muerto remains in development with Jonás Cuarón as its director. While we would have loved to see Bad Bunny in the lead role of the Marvel film, we hope that, after the studios are willing to pay their actors fairly, ending the current SAG-AFTRA strike, we’ll see the movie move forward.

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We know the multiverse is ever-changing, especially when that multiverse is actually the Spider-Verse. While the movie was in theaters, fans quickly realized that there were different versions of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse thwiping around. One showing of Across the Spider-Verse would feature one set of scenes… Only for certain moments to change in the next. In theaters, this was a fun treat. It made viewers feel like they were part of the Spider-Verse itself. But now that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has been released on digital, it looks like the movie has seen even more changes. Most of these alterations are minor, but there are actually quite a few of them. And, at least one feels like it might have taken a little bit of heart out of a scene. Let’s take a look at how the digital version of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse compares to its previous iterations.

So, there are actually a lot of differences in the #SpiderManAcrossTheSpiderVerse cuts

Here's a cut comparison 🧵 theatrical vs digital of Across The Spider-Verse

(*will update as more are found) pic.twitter.com/PUdiqnnFJx

— Chris 🎧 (@chrisagwrites) August 9, 2023

The full thread of differences lives on Twitter, thanks to user Chrisagwrites. It currently contains just under 20 examples of changes made in Across the Spider-Verse‘s digital version. You can check out a few of them below.

We won’t review all 17 alterations here. But one that sticks out occurs during Miles’ fight with Miguel O’Hara a.k.a Spider-Man 2099. Once Miles realizes the Spider Society is not the place for him, he seeks to go home to save his father. To do so, he outsmart Miguel and the rest of the Spider-Mans, People, and Animals.

In a climactic moment, Miles Morales gains the upper hand in their battle and tells Spider-Man 2099 that he’s going to do his own thing and that he’s “going home.” It’s a true turning point for the character, who so wanted to leave his home to be a part of the Spidey Club. But in the digital version of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the line has been removed.

4. When Miguel tries to stop Miles, Miles says "Sorry man, I'm going home" in the theatrical cut

This line was removed in the digital version. pic.twitter.com/zIpYHJbmb3

— Chris 🎧 (@chrisagwrites) August 9, 2023

Speaking to GamesRadar+ about the different cuts of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, including the digital version, Phil Lord and Chris Miller noted, “There was an international version that was made almost two months before the movie came out because it had to be translated into different languages and these French censors have to decide what the rating of the movie is in Europe.”

Additionally, they shared, “The team at [Sony Pictures] Imageworks still had some shots that they felt they could do better for the finished version. So, they cleaned up and tweaked those things… Certain crew members – people in the sound department or on the animation team – were like, ‘Oh, could we do this instead?’… Let’s do the best possible version we can. Because it’s a multiverse movie, it’s like there’s a multiverse of the movie – that was really the reasoning behind it. It was trying to make the best possible version that everyone was going to be the proudest of.”

The gift and the curse of digital releases is that the media is always in flux. Maybe, just maybe, despite changes made to Across the Spider-Verse‘s digital release fans will get back the moments they miss eventually. The multiverse is ever-changing, after all.

Originally published on August 11, 2023.

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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse made an impact when it arrived in theaters in June. It shook up the box office while continuing the striking storytelling and animation from Into the Spider-Verse (at a cost, however, because animators alleged harsh working conditions). The film explores the next chapter of Miles Morales’ story, which stretches across the multiverse. While it’s still about Miles, Across the Spider-Verse focuses on Gwen Stacy as well. You can watch the first 10 minutes of Across the Spider-Verse below—10 minutes that follow Spider-Gwen.

This preview comes with the home release of Across the Spider-Verse and sets the stage for the emotion ahead. Like Miles, or any of the Spider-Mans we meet in comics, Gwen wrestles with her dual identity. She goes through life as Gwen Stacy but also as Spider-Gwen. Her father is a cop who disregards masked vigilantes. Gwen’s life unfolds on separate paths. And like any version of Spider-Man, Gwen loses someone close to her: her best friend Peter Parker. Then her dad blames the “Spider-Woman” for Peter’s death. These opening scenes of Across the Spider-Verse depict the loss in Gwen’s recent past and how she’s struggled since.

Did we mention Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a very emotional movie? We can’t wait to see what happens next in the third installment, Beyond the Spider-Verse. Though originally slated for March 2024, Sony removed the film from its release calendar. We’ll likely see a new release date when AMPTP steps up to pay striking actors and writers fairly.

In the meantime, you don’t have to stop watching after these gorgeous 10 minutes. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is available to buy on digital.

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Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man Universe is ever-expanding. Coming up very soon is Kraven the Hunter. Sony’s Kraven the Hunter film has been in the works for some time now, but it has finally turned a corner. With Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Kraven, suiting up for his third different superhero project, we know we’re in for… something. Here’s everything we know about Sony’s Kraven the Hunter movie.

Title

The film is named Kraven the Hunter, after its central character.

Kraven the Hunter’s Plot

In the original Marvel Comics, Sergei Kravinoff is born into an aristocratic Russian family. He becomes a world-famous international big-game hunter, who tries to catch the ultimate and elusive prize: Spider-Man. The villain first shows up in The Amazing Spider-Man #15 (1964). The Stan Lee/Steve Ditko creation is a founding member of the Sinister Six. Later stories show witch doctor Calypso giving Kravinoff an herbal potion, granting him enhanced speed and senses that match those of a wild jungle cat.

In Kraven the Hunter, it seems like we’ll get an origin story for the Spider-Man villain. Take a look at the movie’s official trailer below.

Unlike Venom, the character of Kraven has never had a shelf life outside of being a Spider-Man villain. So it’s hard to see how they are going to create a narrative around the character that doesn’t involve the wall-crawler in some form. There is no news of Tom Holland appearing in the movie so far.

Kraven the Hunter will unsurprisingly be Sony’s first R-rated Marvel movie. As Aaron Taylor-Johnson eloquently noted at Sony’s panel at CinemaCon 2023, “Will it be rated-R? F**k yes, it will be rated R.”

Behind the Scenes

A Most Violent Year’s J.C. Chandor is directing a script from Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, and Richard Wenk, with Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, and David Householter producing.

Kraven the Hunter’s Cast

The upcoming film is anchored by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who is playing Kraven the Hunter. Joining him are Russell Crowe, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, and Alessandro Nivola. Crowe will play Kraven’s father. Meanwhile, Nivola will play classic Spider-Man villain Rhino, and Hechinger will act as Kraven’s brother, Chameleon. DeBose will play Calypso.

Additionally, Deadline reports that Christopher Abbott will join Kraven the Hunter. Although unconfirmed, the publication shares that Abbot will play the film’s main villain, the Foreigner. In the comics, Foreigner is a Spider-Man villain with the ability to induce hypnotic trances. Otherwise, it is his skills in martial arts and mastery of weaponry that makes him a threat. As we learn more about Kraven the Hunter‘s plot, we will see how this character comes to exist on the screen.

Kraven the Hunter’s Release Date

Kraven the Hunter will now arrive in theaters on August 30, 2024.

Originally published on May 26, 2021.

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We all know the story of how Spider-Man gets his powers. He gets bitten by a radioactive spider, and the rest is history. But the newest Sony Marvel movie, Kraven the Hunter is bringing a twist on the spider bite. A lion bite. In the first blood-spurting trailer for the movie, we get a quick rundown of this version of the Spider-Man villain comes to be. And it’s all down to a bad dad and the jaws of a giant beast. Take a look at Kraven the Hunter‘s official trailer, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, below.

The trailer for Kraven the Hunter gives us a pretty good set-up for the movie to come. In childhood, Kraven’s father, Nikolai Kravinoff, played by Russell Crowe, drills it into his son that power is about never showing weakness. But after the future Kraven fails to kill a lion, Nikolai leaves his son for dead. Villains aren’t born, the Kraven the Hunter trailer reminds us, they’re made. Indeed, between his father’s cruelty and the maws of a lion, Kraven rises to life. It seems like his blood mixes with that of the lion, and that melding gives him all kinds of new powers, including a connection with animals.

The trailer also teases that Kraven the Hunter might give us a more anti-hero view of the Spider-Man villain. Kraven’s brother seems to think he’s just like their father. But Kraven himself believes he’s taking evil out of the world, not creating it. Anti-hero or villain, Kraven is certainly out for blood. Knives, bullets, crossbows, teeth, you name it. Kraven seems to take at least some delight out of his rampages. Particularly of note is a scene where he bites the nose off of a man and spits it into the camera… Not for the faint of heart. Kraven the Hunter is rated R, after all. It’s the first Sony Marvel movie to get that rating.

When it comes to other aspects of the Marvel world, we see a few teases. We get a glimpse of Aleksei Sytsevich transforming into the Rhino, another Spider-Man villain. But perhaps, in this case, he’ll be a Kraven villain… Or is that a future ally? As for Spider-Man himself, we still don’t see any indication the hero will appear in any form in the movie. However, we do see some excellently creepy spiders in the Kraven the Hunter trailer, nodding at the character.

Kraven the Hunter previously had a release date of October 6—however, the movie will now release in theaters on August 30, 2024.

Featured Image: Sony Pictures

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Five years later and I’m still in awe of how good and complete a Spider-Man story the PlayStation Spider-Man game is. A thorough experience all around, but add the three-part DLC and the spinoff game Miles Morales and you’ve got one of the best Spidey stories in any non-comic medium. Because of that, the hype for the sequel has been off the charts. Happily, we now know the Spider-Man 2 game will officially release on October 20. A story trailer, released at San Diego Comic-Con, shows more of what’s ahead.

The Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 gameplay footage released with the announcement (below) begins with Peter—now sporting a brand new black-goo suit. Hmm, wonder what that can be all about. He tries to stop the Kraven cronies from hunting Dr. Curt Conners, who has become fully, monstrously Lizardish.

We get to see some of Spider-Man’s new Venom skills before we swap to Miles. He now has a very good sense of his own powers. Stealth will still play a part in the new game, and one can hope they’ve upgraded the AI of the thugs to make it a bit more sporting. Not long after, Miles, Peter, and Miles’ friend-and-guy-in-the-chair Ganke control a drone as they chase down Conners and try to keep him (and everyone else in NYC) out of Kraven’s crosshairs.

As with the first Spider-Man game, a large amount of plot and character comes during dialogue during gameplay. Here we learn that Conners’ research is integral to helping with Harry Osborn’s condition. If you’ll remember, the end of the first game showed Harry deep in the throes of a debilitating disease. No way that will turn him into Green Goblin. Can’t imagine it will.

Those of us who know the Spider-Man mythos know the black suit and Peter’s gruffer attitude will lead to some problems for his loved ones. However, he’s not likely to remain John Goo for very long. And while Sony has confirmed the game will not be two-player co-op, we have full faith that Miles Morales will provide the player with plenty of opportunities to save Petey Pie.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will be out on October 20, 2023.

Originally published on May 24, 2023.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse blew everyone away in 2018, introducing mainstream audiences to Spider-Man Miles Morales, as well as a host of multiversal variants of everyone’s favorite wall-crawler. The film was a hit at the box office, and won Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards. Now, after several delays, the first of two sequels has finally arrived in theaters, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. A third film, Beyond the Spider-Verse, arrives in 2024.

And for fans heading to theaters, the multiverse is that much more real. A few eagle-eyed viewers have spotted slight differences in scenes across theatrical viewings. And recently, Spider-Verse editor Andy Leviton confirmed that there are at least two versions of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse swinging through our reality. Neat!

Although we don’t know with certainty how many differences or even versions exist, you can take a look at the above video for a rundown of the differences that exist.

Keep your eyes out for more! Here is everything we know about the first, long-awaited continuation of Miles Morales’ adventures across the multiverse.

Title

The title for the first sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘s Plot

In this movie, Miles Morales will reunite with his friends Spider-Gwen and Peter B. Parker, and also team up with Spider-Man 2099, Spider-Punk, and the original Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew. Whatever multi-dimensional shenanigans the story entails will see multiple animation styles at play. The villain is an often mocked villain from the comics, called the Spot. But for the film, they have given the Spot a power upgrade. Now he has abilities that allow for him to create portals to other realms of the multiverse. Early toy reveals for also show that Ben Reilly, the so-called “Spider-Clone” from the ’90s, as well as a Cyborg Spider-Woman also feature in the plot.

Of course, we will also see many new Spider-Man variants in Across the Spider-Verse and per a recent article on Empire, five new worlds in total. According to the article, there’s Spider-Gwen’s Earth-65, which is done in watercolors. Additionally, we’ll visit Mumbattan, an India-inspired world, Nueva York where Spider-Man 2099 lives, and New London, the world of Spider-Punk. There’s one more universe besides all of those, but that’s a secret for now. Or is it the mysterious LEGO world?

Jake Johnson, who voices Peter B. Parker, added one more to the pile. He teased a LEGO universe would be a part of the movie. Johnson offered, “Everything in this movie, the animation is so wild. It’s pushing so many boundaries that at times I’m like, ‘what are they doing now?’ Like the Lego world was really neat, remember where it jumps into a LEGO universe for a little bit? And I’m like, ‘man, what is happening?'” Will this LEGO Spider-Verse location be central to the movie or just a passing place we’ll visit? Only time will tell.

At CinemaCon 2023, we learned that Across the Spider-Verse begins more than a year after Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It seems like Gwen and Miles have been apart for that time. And, according to Slash Film, Gwen has been involved in some multiversal adventures, having joined a society comprised of Spider-People. Reports indicate that the society works to prevent universes from collapsing.

Additionally, the main theme of the movie appears to be: “It’s how you wear the mask that really makes you a hero.”

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘s Cast

Across the Spider-Verse will see many returning cast members from the first film, like Shameik Moore (Miles Morales), Hailee Steinfeld (Gwen Stacy), Jake Johnson (Peter B. Parker), Oscar Isaac (Spider-Man 2099), Brian Tyree Henry (Jefferson Davis), Luna Lauren Vélez (Rio Morales), Issa Rae (Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman), Jason Schwartzman (the Spot), and Daniel Kaluuya (Spider-Punk). Shea Whigham is also part of the cast, as police captain George Stacy, Gwen’s father. Jorma Taccone plays the Vulture, as a secondary villain. Additionally, according to the co-director of the movie, Joaquim Dos Santos, Scarlet Spider will appear and be voiced by a mysterious and notable celebrity. And it turns out, that celebrity is none other than Andy Samberg—an exciting reveal.

pic.twitter.com/qY51GisX1f

— Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (@SpiderVerse) May 29, 2023

Recently, we learned that Deadpool franchise actor Karan Soni would join Across the Spider-Verse as Pavitr Prabhakar or Spider-Man India. This is an exciting addition to an already incredible cast.

There’s no official word yet if we’ll see cameos from some characters from Into the Spider-Verse not officially listed in the cast for the sequel. As far as the official cast listing, there’s no indication that variants like Peter Porker will appear again. But it would not surprise us to see some of them. It would also not shock us to see and hear animated versions of the live-action Spider-Mans like Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire, although none of them are confirmed.

A Spider-Man we won’t see returning, though is Nicolas Cage’s Spider-Man Noir. Here’s what Cage had to say about Spider-Man Noir’s presence in Across the Spider-Verse.

You’d have to ask Sony. I don’t know what’s going on with that… No one’s spoken to me about that. Ask them. I don’t know. I really don’t. I wish they would. I love Spider-Man Noir, too. I think that’s a great character. Spider-Man’s the coolest superhero. And then you combine that with [James] Cagney and [Humphrey] Bogart and Edward G. Robinson, come on, it’s a great character.

That’s one Spider-Man variant we’re sad to see go.

Behind the Scenes

Across the Spider-Verse is directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, in their feature directorial debuts. The script comes from the original film’s writing team of Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and David Callaham. Like the first film, this one is a Sony Pictures Animation production, and Marvel Studios had no involvement.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘s Release Date

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse hits theaters on June 2, 2023. 

Originally published in 2022.

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With Across the Spider-Verse swinging back to the top of the box office this weekend, more people than ever are seeing the epic multiversal adventure. But are all audiences seeing the same movie? Dan Casey swings into the Spider-Verse to get to the bottom of this multiplex of madness on today’s episode of Nerdist News!

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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and to a lesser extent Spider-Man: No Way Home, have both exploded the Spider-Man mythos in wild new directions. Nothing is off the table now when it comes to Spidey movies. So we think Sony and Marvel should start thinking outside the box. There are plenty of weird, off-the-wall Spider-Man tales that would make for amazing films, in both animation and live-action. Here are some wild chapters from Spider-Man’s comic book history that just might work (or be hot messes). But we’d love to see them try!

The Six-Armed Spider-Man

One of the earliest of the “weird” Spider-Man stories came in Amazing Spider-Man #101-102, in a Stan Lee-written tale where Peter Parker decided to take a serum to remove his powers, which caused him so much grief over the years. Instead, they cause him to mutate into a more spider-like being with six arms. While this story only lasted two issues, it was adapted into a memorable episode of the ’90s Spider-Man cartoon. And there are some wild What If…? stories where Six-Armed Spider-Man is actually proven to be better, and even defeats Thanos! All because he had a few more extra limbs. We dare you to make that movie, Sony and Marvel.

The Superior Spider-Man (Doc Ock Spidey)

For over a year in the comics, Peter Parker was dead. Not in body, just in mind. And his mortal enemy Doctor Octopus took over his physical form and retained his memories. And after experiencing all the pain and sacrifice Peter went through, he had an epiphany and became a hero. He was still an arrogant jerk, however, declaring himself the “Superior Spider-Man.” But in some ways, he really did a better job at being Peter Parker than the real Peter Parker, even creating a huge business empire, Parker Industries. Superior Spidey briefly popped up in Across the Spider-Verse, but he deserves his own movie.

Spider-Man and the X-Men

In the Marvel universe, the X-Men are mutants, and Spider-Man, famously, is not. He got his powers from that infamous spider bite, and doesn’t have an X-gene. But in the Spider-Man and the X-Men limited series, Wolverine asks Peter Parker, who recently taught at Midtown High, to teach ethics at the Jean Grey School for Gifted Youngsters (the renamed Xavier School). While there, he investigates a traitor at the school, and has to deal with super-powered students who don’t have much respect for their teacher, Mr. Spider-Man. Corporate logistics might make this one impossible, but what a fun animated film this would make.

Spider-Island

In the two Spider-Verse films, as well as in No Way Home, we’ve learned that there are an infinite number of variants of Spider-Man across the Multiverse. But what if everyone on the island of Manhattan suddenly got spider powers too in just one reality? That’s the premise of Spider-Island, a 2011 storyline that had Peter Parker suddenly dealing with a New York where everyone has his spider powers, but not his moral compass. This one is probably too wild for live-action, but it would make for an incredible animated Spider-Man movie.

Spider-Man vs. Dracula

When you think of Spider-Man, you don’t usually think of gothic monsters like vampires (Morbius notwithstanding). Dracula seems like a more natural enemy for someone like Batman. But back in 1974, in Giant-Size Spider-Man vs Dracula, Peter Parker took on the Lord of the Vampires himself. Well, except he really didn’t? In that comic, written by the great Len Wein, the two never even fight. They just happen to be on the same ship at sea for reasons. Luckily, in more recent times, in the YA book Ultimate Spider-Man: Spider-Man vs. Dracula, he really fights the legendary bloodsucker and his undead armies with the help of S.H.I.E.L.D. We say adapt that one and forget the original.

The Spectacular Spider-Ma’am

Why have a Spider-Man, when you can have a Spider-Ma’am? Yes folks, there is a Spectacular Spider-Ma’am, and she is Aunt May herself. In an issue of What If…? from 1980, Spider-Ma’am was introduced in a story where her nephew Peter forgot his lunch at home. So May rushed to the science demonstration field trip to give to him, and she was bitten by that pesky radioactive spider instead. She made a costume and set out to do stunts to support her family, but ended up fighting the villain Leap-Frog. We can’t tell you how down we’d be for this as a movie. An Aunt May movie was once seriously discussed. This is the only one we want to see.

Cosmic Spider-Man

What if Spider-Man was a cosmic god? That’s not a What If…? story; for a time, that actually happened in the pages of Marvel Comics’ main continuity. For a brief few issues, Peter Parker gained the might of the so-called “Uni-Power,” and became Captain Universe. When a professor at Empire University had a machine in his lab overload and unleash the mysterious Enigma Force, it surged through Peter Parker’s body, giving him the cosmic Uni-Powers. Man, what are the odds of being in two lab accidents that give you super powers? As the new host for this ultimate power, he became Cosmic Spider-Man. It didn’t last long, as the power left him for a new host. But a movie where Spidey gets suddenly as strong as Galactus? Sign us up.

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Moviegoers haven’t exactly been fond of watching living vampires. However, in 2022, Sony announced it was expanding its Peter Parker-free live-action Spider-Verse. The studio was getting back into the ring with another Spider-Man baddie. Bad Bunny was cast as the super-powered Marvel wrestler El Muerto in this Sony solo antihero film. However, according to Variety, El Muerto has now been removed from Sony’s release schedule.

The film had an initial release date of January 12, 2024, but now its release date is unknown. We’re crossing our fingers that it gets a new one sooner rather than later. When it does release, El Muerto will mark the first time a Latino actor will lead a Marvel film.

As to what we do know about El Muerto, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, most commonly known by his stage name Bad Bunny, will play the title character of this Marvel movie. Additionally, Jonás Cuarón, the son of Alfonso Cuarón, will direct the movie. And, according to The Wrap, Blue Beatle writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer is writing El Muerto‘s script.

El Muerto, whose real name is Juan-Carlos Estrada Sanchez, is not an especially famous Spider-Man comic book character. He made his debut in 2006’s Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #6. Yet he’s only made two appearances in the comics’ main Earth-616 timeline. But we can’t wait to see how Sony will bring the character to life.

Sony seemingly couldn’t have made a better choice for the role than Bad Bunny (Bullet Train). The performer’s own interests intersect perfectly with El Muerto’s story. El Muerto is a title and set of powers the character inherits from his family via a wrestling mask. He even faced off with Spider-Man in the squared circle. (El Muerto is way tougher than Bonesaw McGraw.) Sony says Sanchez will be on the verge of getting those powers in the film. And Bad Bunny doesn’t need much training for the part. He’s worked with the WWE previously. And he gave what many consider the greatest celebrity wrestling performance in company history.

And if you can earn the respect of wrestling fans, turning a minor comic book character into a star shouldn’t be that hard. Maybe just don’t wrestle any living vampires.

Although we don’t know when exactly El Muerto will release, we’ll be keeping our eyes open for new developments.

Originally published on April 26, 2022.

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Despite what many believe, Miles Morales was not the first non-Peter Parker Spider-Man to star in his ongoing series. Nor was he the first non-white hero to use the name. The first was Miguel O’Hara, famously known as Spider-Man 2099. Created by writer Peter David and artist Rick Leonardi, this Spidey was part of a publishing initiative by Marvel known as the 2099 universe. In the early ’90s, Marvel Comics gave many of their most popular titles futuristic updates, often with new characters wearing the famous mantles of past heroes. There was X-Men 2099, Punisher 2099, and of course, Spider-Man 2099. And thanks to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse film, Miguel O’Hara’s Spidey is a household name. Here’s the backstory of this once-forgotten ’90s hero.

Miguel O’Hara: The Most ’90s Spider-Man

In the early ’90s, the comics industry was booming. DC sold millions of comics with stunts like Superman’s death. And Marvel crushed it by selling 10 million copies collectively of Spider-Man #1 and X-Men #1. This resulted in a brief comic boom, which also coincided with the rise of Image Comics. Marvel launched a whole new line of books, conceived by Stan Lee and superstar creator John Byrne. This new line of comics would take place a century in the future from the regular Marvel series, “The Marvel World of Tomorrow.”

That title became a bit of a mouthful, so it became Marvel 2093, then finally, Marvel 2099. Spider-Man 2009 first appeared in a preview in 1992’s Amazing Spider-Man #365, before launching in his own ongoing title a few months later. Writer Peter David named him Miguel after his friend actor Miguel Ferrer, best known for his roles in Twin Peaks and Robocop. He was given mixed ethnicity, with an Irish father and a Mexican mother. This was something that was a pretty big deal at the time when most superheroes were of caucasian and North American descent only.

The Comics Origins of Spider-Man 2099

Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099 was from what appeared to be the future of the mainstream 616 Marvel Universe. However, it was later revealed as Earth-928. Miguel was the head of the genetics department at the mega-corporation called Alchemax. He spent much of his time trying to replicate the powers of the original Spider-Man, Peter Parker. Miguel’s manipulative boss Tyler Stone got him addicted to a drug called Rapture, an addiction that Miguel tried to purge from himself by making himself the guinea pig in his experiments to replicate spider powers. But a co-worker named Aaron Delgado, who was always jealous of his success at Alchemax, sabotaged the machine that would give Miguel spider abilities. He now had a staggering 50% arachnid DNA. The machine exploded, and Tyler Stone began the hunt for his former employee to unlock the secrets of his powers.

Using an old Dia de Los Muertos costume, which was made from unstable molecules (an invention of the Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards), Miguel donned the suit and became the year 2099’s new Spider-Man. Miguel embraced this new Spider-Man 2099 identity, and became an enemy to not only his former employer Alchemax, but also all the corrupt megacorporations which run the world in the future. He also fought many futuristic versions of classic Peter Parker foes, like the Vulture and the Green Goblin. Always with the help of his holographic assistant, Lyla. Eventually, thanks to some time travel shenanigans, Spider-Man 2099 even met his predecessor Peter Parker in the past. The solo Spider-Man 2099 Marvel Comics series ran for four years and had a respectable 46 issues. But in the late ‘90s, Marvel Comics hit serious financial troubles and shuttered the whole line. Miguel’s Spider-Man 2099 would be more or less absent from the Marvel Universe for a decade.

The Powers of Spider-Man 2099

Miguel O’Hara has powers similar to Peter Parker, but they are not exactly the same. Like Peter, Spide-Man 2099 has the proportionate strength, agility, and speed of a spider. But he can only climb on walls thanks to the talons he grew on his appendages. He also has a pair of fangs that deliver poisonous venom. Some have joked that, in some ways, Spider-Man 2099 is a “vampire Spider-Man.” Unlike Peter, Miguel O’Hara’s webbing comes out of his wrists naturally, a power Spider-Man 2099 had whole decade before Tobey Maguire had organic webs. He tends to prefer gliding to swinging on webs, though. Unlike Peter, Spider-Man 2099 has no traditional Spider-Man “Spidey Sense.” However, he makes up for this fact with telescopic vision, not to mention his super hearing.   

Spider-Man 2099 in Modern Marvel Comics

In the 2000s, Miguel found himself stranded in the past. Spider-Man 2099 finally showed up again in mainstream monthly titles like Amazing Spider-Man. Miguel even worked for Peter in his Parker Industries empire before Peter lost it all and went back to being an ordinary middle-class guy. He appeared a few more times, particularly in the crossover comics events like Spider-Verse or Spider-Geddon. Spider-Man 2099 even got a new white costume while stuck almost a century in the past. But without a doubt, his upcoming appearance in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is his biggest mainstream appearance—at least outside of comics.

Who Is the Animated Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099 in Across the Spider-Verse?

We saw Spider-Man 2099 and his assistant Lyla in the post-credits scene for Into the Spider-Verse. Then Spider-Man 2099 played a key role in its sequel, with Oscar Isaac reprising his role. In Across the Spider-Verse, we learned that Miguel runs the Spider-Society of multiversal spider-heroes in Nueva York, on Earth-928B. Unlike his Marvel Comics counterpart, this Spider-Man 2099’s home city looks utopian—not like a dystopian hellscape.

Miguel built the device that allowed him to hop dimensions within the multiverse, something we saw at the end of Into the Spider-Verse. Eventually, he discovered a universe where he had a family and a daughter. When his alternate self there died, Miguel decided to replace him on that Earth and raise his daughter as his own. But that one anomaly seemingly caused that particular Earth to unmake itself, apparently killing everyone on it.

Now despondent over his unintended actions, Miguel created the Spider-Society, multi-dimensional Spider-People dedicated to returning any wayward Spider-People back to their proper dimension after the Super Collider event at the end of the previous film. Most importantly, his trauma caused him to enforce a strict mandate: every spider hero had to follow their intended destiny and “canon event,” usually a personal tragedy, otherwise it could lead to anomalies like the one that destroyed the alternate Miguel’s world.

Miguel sees Miles Morales as the “original anomaly.” He says Miles’ unintended existence as Spider-Man is the entire reason he had to create a Spider-Society in the first place. When Miles lets it be known that he won’t allow his personal “canon event” to take place—the death of his father—Miguel sends the entire Spider-Society out to stop him. Although he thinks he’s doing the right thing, Miguel O’Hara is the real antagonist of Across the Spider-Verse. Here’s hoping he sees the error of his ways by the third film. We’d hate to see Spider-Man 2099 only as a misguided villain; he deserves a heroic turn.

Originally published on May 31, 2023.

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One of the scene-stealing Spider-people in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was Spider-Punk, voiced by Daniel Kaluuya (in his second Marvel role after Black Panther). While characters like Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy, and Spider-Man 2099 are Spider-People who have had many series of their own to their name, Spider-Punk is a more recent Spider-Man creation with a much shorter comic book resume. But he has had quite the journey so far, even before ever hitting it on the big screen. Here’s the Marvel Comics history of Hobart “Hobie” Brown, also known as the Spider-Punk.

In terms of the many spider folk we saw in Across the Spider-Verse, Spider-Punk is among the newer Spider-Man variants we meet. He first appeared in 2015—in the Marvel Comics event Spider-Verse. This, of course, inspired the first Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse film. Created by longtime Amazing Spider-Man writer Dan Slott, he was originally designed by artist Olivier Coipel to be the Spider-Man of the UK. But Slott changed his mind, as he felt the UK deserved a Spider-Man that was more than just a tribute to ’70s punk rock icons the Sex Pistols. But he loved the design, so the character was reimagined, and thus was born Marvel Comics’ Spider-Punk. 

The Origin of Spider-Punk, the Spider-Man of Earth-138

Unlike Peter Parker, Hobart Brown was living on the street as an unhoused youth on Earth-138. But as was often the case for his multiversal spider brethren, a spider bit him. This one mutated as part of President Norman Osborn’s toxic waste dumping. He gained powers that were identical to the 616 universe’s Peter Parker. A punk kid or not, Hobart was still a gifted scientist and invented his web shooters. But none of this stopped him from playing the guitar and being in a punk band. Thereby making him officially cooler than 616 teenage Peter Parker.

Becoming a punk rock-inspired Spider-Man, Spider-Punk led the subjugated citizens of New York against Osborn’s V.E.N.O.M. troops. While Peter Parker and Miles Morales had a strict anti-killing code, Spider-Punk was understandably a bit harder-edged. Although he, too, had a soft spot for his universe’s Gwen Stacy, “until she croaked,” he often said. Spider-Punk killed the Norman Osborn of his Earth during a riot by repeatedly bashing him with his guitar. (Dang, Spidey). Once Osborn died, this world’s Spider-Man unmasked himself to the rioting crowd, who now viewed Spider-Punk as a revolutionary icon.

Joining His Fellow Web Warriors

During the Marvel Spider-Verse comic book event, Spider-Punk was recruited by Superior Spider-Man, who was Doc Ock in Peter Parker’s body, to join an army of arachnid heroes. Hobie became a part of the so-called Web Warriors in big spider-hero-centric events like Spider-Verse and, later, in Spider-Geddon. And he quickly rose to the pack of most prominent Spider-Man variants among the group. Not an easy task, when we’re talking about dozens, if not hundreds, of webslingers. Spider-Punk even fought notorious Marvel villains like Red Skull and even Kang and lived to tell the tale.

Spider-Punk in His Own Series at Last

Finally, in 2022, Spider-Punk got his own mini-series, Spider-Punk: Battled of the Banned, from writer Cody Ziglar and artist Justin Mason. In the recent Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon series, Spider-Punk made his first non-comic book Marvel appearance. They gave him a cockney accent, despite the fact that the comic character was from New York City. That new character detail stuck, and the Daniel Kaluuya version of Spider-Punk we meet in Across the Spider-Verse is a Brit as well. Despite the odds, the original conception of the character as a citizen of the U.K. won out in the end.

Spider-Punk in Across the Spider-Verse

In Across the Spider-Verse, Hobie was one of the spider heroes that befriends Gwen Stacy, and forms a bond with her. She even stays with him sometimes on Earth-138B. Although technically a part of the Spider-Society, Hobie, being a bit of an anarchist, plays by his own rules. So when Miguel O’Hara declares that Miles Morales must be contained before saving his father, possibly disrupting reality, Hobie eventually sides with Miles. At the end of the film, we see him as part of the team recruited to help Miles escape from Earth-42. With Hobie no doubt getting even more exposure in Beyond the Spider-Verse, we expect Spider-Punk to become as prominent as the other Marvel Spider-People in the mainstream very soon.

Originally published June 1, 2023

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Spider-Man has one of the best rogues’ galleries in comics—formidable and iconic villains like Green Goblin, Venom, and Doctor Octopus. Heck, only Batman has a better set of bad guys. But Spider-Man has got some real D-list baddies too. (The Hypno-Hustler, anyone?) But one of those second-string bad guys, known as the Spot, has a pretty big role in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. And he’s actually quite powerful. Whether he realizes it or not. But who is this forgotten Spider-Man villain, now movie star? And is the Spot secretly…kind of cool? Here’s the Marvel Comics history of the Spot, one of the most unlikely Spider-Man villains ever to get the cinematic treatment.

The Origin of the Spot, Spider-Man’s Goofiest-Looking Villain

The villain known as the Spot first appeared in Marvel Comics as an unnamed scientist at MIT; he arrived in 1984’s Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #97. Writer Al Milgrom and artist Herb Trimpe created him. In the very next issue, they revealed the Spot as Jonathan Ohnn, who worked for Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. the villainous Kingpin. Working for Fisk, they tasked the soon-to-be Spot with trying to replicate the powers of the Marvel hero called Cloak, of the duo Cloak and Dagger. Cloak could create portals out of his own being, and the Kingpin wanted that power for himself. Working late one evening, he thought he cracked the code to Cloak’s dimension. But Ohnn actually wound up in a different dimension, one-half dark and one-half light.

This dimension was filled with various small black portals that opened up into other realities. Ohnn found a way back to Earth eventually by going through one, but many of the small black portals had already attached themselves to his body. He discovered he could use these black holes by throwing them and opening portals. Once returning to Earth, he confronted the Kingpin’s nemesis Spider-Man, declaring himself “the Spot.” Spider-Man laughed right in his face at the dumb name that made him sound like a pet. Spidey soundly defeated the Spot, leaving him humiliated. After all, being able to throw interdimensional portals? WAY cooler than having octopus tentacles or rhino skin. Having Spider-Man beat you, regardless of how powerful you were, must have been downright embarrassing for the Spot.

The Spot’s Marvel Comics Fate

After a few defeats at the hands of Spider-Man, Marvel relegated the Spot to permanent loser status. The character was conceived of as a joke villain, but the fact that they gave him such incredible powers makes it a kind of depressing joke. Since his first Marvel Comics appearance, the Spot continually popped up here and there, usually fighting Spider-Man, sometimes in battle with another hero like Daredevil. Often, the Spot was part of a larger Marvel criminal team, like the Sinister Sixteen, MODOK’s 11, or the Legion of Losers. The fact that he was part of a team with a name like that shows you everything you need to know about how the Spot saw himself.

The Spot’s Powers in the Spider-Man Comics

Despite the dumb name, Marvel’s the Spot was pretty formidable power-wise. With his trademark space warp spots, the Spot could transport himself or any part of his body from one area to another, all over what seemed like an unlimited distance. The Spot is able to do all these things thanks to the dimension that gave him these powers. A dimension he unimaginatively named “Spotworld.” These spots could be small, large, and even suspended in the air. The Spider-Man villain could also change their size at will.

The Spot could even control which portal could lead to Spotworld, and which could open up somewhere else in this dimension. Because of his connection to Spotworld, the Spot learned that he was effectively immortal. This power set technically made him one of Spider-Man’s most formidable Marvel Comics foes. Or at least, it should have. But he’s inflicted less damage on Spider-Man than some weak villains with names like the Looter and The Answer.

The Spot’s Role in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Until now, the Spot’s most prominent role outside the pages of Marvel Comics had been in the 1990s Spider-Man: The Animated Series. He appeared in that show in season three’s “The Spot,” and then again in the recent 2017 Spider-Man cartoon. Now, Jason Schwartzman portrayed this loser villain in Across the Spider-Verse. And he’s even Across the Spider-Verse‘s “Big Bad.” The Spot was always the Spider-Man villain with the most potential when it comes to his powers and abilities, and yet he was barely ever used as anything but a punchline.

In Across the Spider-Verse, we learned that this Jonathan Ohnn was a scientist working at Earth-1610’s Alchemax. He transported the radioactive spider from Earth-42 to his dimension, causing the chain of events leading Miles Morales to become Spider-Man. When Kingpin’s Super-Collider was destroyed, Johnathan became corrupted by dark matter, transforming him into the Spot, a villain who can create dimensional portals across space and parallel worlds.

Blaming his current situation on Miles Morales, and fighting him in a rather hilarious sequence early in the film, the Spot became hellbent on revenge for Miles making him something both more (and also less) than human. We’ll find out in Beyond the Spider-Verse if he can succeed when it comes to exacting vengeance on poor Miles, or if he’s truly a joke “villain of the week” or not. Who ever thought that this reject of a bad guy could potentially destroy all reality? The Spot proves even the goofiest bad guy has potential.

Originally published June 1, 2023.

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As Miles and Gwen swing back into theaters with Across the Spider-Verse, fans are already looking ahead at what’s to come in next year’s Beyond the Spider-Verse. With so many unanswered questions after the film’s cliffhanger ending, theories are running wild across the Spider-Verse, including one that could see Miles face off against the ultimate team of Spidey villains, the Sinister Six. Dan breaks it all day on today’s episode of Nerdist News!

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Across the Spider-Verse revealed just how wild and diverse its multiverse really is. Its countless parallel worlds are populated by both humans and animated figures. It also consists of little plastic toy people. LEGO Spider-Man got in on the fun during one of the movie’s most memorable sequences. How did the creative team behind the film bring that tiny block world to life? We would have guessed producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller turned to the team they used for The LEGO Movie franchise. Instead they hired a 14-year-old who impressed them with his LEGO versions of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse trailers.

Collider recently hosted a screening of the Across the Spider-Verse with the film’s co-director Joaquim Dos Santos. During a Q&A session after the movie an audience member asked about the challenges of creating the film’s LEGO dimension, which we saw when The Spot popped into it during an early part of the film.

Turns out it was simple: they simply hired a teenager named Preston Mutanga. Lord and Miller got YouTuber LegoMe_TheOG to make their LEGO Spider-Man universe.

They asked the youngster—who worked on the sequence with his dad—about contributing to the film after seeing his recreations of the film’s trailers. When you watch this 14-year-old’s work, you can see why they trusted him to get the job done for Across the Spider-Verse.

Obviously everything about this story is incredible. But somehow it’s even more impressive than it sounds. While the movie took years to make, Dos Santos said they only approached the young filmmaker a few months before the movie premiered. That’s a quick turnaround for a blockbuster movie that could take home a very big Oscar next year.

Whether or not it takes home any golden statues, though, we have a feeling this won’t be the last time this kid has a chance to win one.

Originally published on June 5, 2023.

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Have you seen Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse yet? Judging from its incredible box office take over opening weekend, it seems many of you have. Those of you who haven’t? Really, you need to get on that, because it’s freakin’ amazing. But whether you’re seeing it for the first time or the fifth, one complaint keeps popping up from moviegoers. And that’s the Across the Spider-Verse sound mix. Many moviegoers have reported the volume is too muted at the start of the film and that the opening narration from Gwen Stacy is hard to hear. While we love the film, we agree.

Well, Across the Spider-Verse writer/producer Phil Lord has a suggestion for everyone. He took to Twitter and reminded the audience that all they had to do was politely make an inquiry to a movie theater employee. Simply ask someone who works at the theater to turn up the volume to a reference 7, or even a slightly louder 7.5. Lord even made some stickers for the projectionists who make the movie look and sound its best.

As you can tell from the replies to Lord’s post, a lot of people are having issues with the Across the Spider-Verse sound mix. Given that the movie is one of the most stunning animated films ever, muddled sound shouldn’t detract from it. Regardless, we actually would like one of those little custom Miles Morales stickers. It’s a cooler Spider-Verse memento than one of those popcorn buckets you never know where to display.

Hopefully, when Beyond the Spider-Verse hit theaters next year, we won’t have the same audio issues. As of right now, Beyond the Spider-Verse is of the most anticipated cinematic “third chapters in the trilogy” since Avengers: Endgame. Dare we suggest it’s maybe even on the same level as Return of the Jedi? It would be a shame if we got anything less than a perfect theatrical experience. Miles and the Spider-Society deserve the best.

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The long-awaited return to the Spider-Verse is finally here, and Dan Casey is diving head first into the theory-verse with a potential dark twist for one of the film’s main antagonists, Miguel O’Hara. Could Spider-Man 2099 secretly be a supervillain? Find out on today’s episode of Nerdist News!

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It’s a big week for Spider-Fans! Not only is Miles Morales swinging back into theaters with Across the Spider-Verse, but it looks like we will finally get to see him in his own live action movie soon as well. Dan breaks down all the latest Spider-News on today’s episode of Nerdist News!

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There’s a new threat to the Spider-Verse, and before you swing back into action with Miles, Gwen, and the rest of the Spider-variants, Kyle Anderson has you covered with everything you need to know about the villainous history of, The Spot!

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Unlike many of her heroic Marvel counterparts, Jessica Drew, the original Spider-Woman, doesn’t have the kind of origin story one can summarize in just a few sentences. Her backstory is, to put it mildly, somewhat complicated. She plays a big part in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, so as we celebrate Jessica Drew’s animated cinematic debut, and wait for her to make her grand cinematic live-action entrance, let’s take a deep dive into her bizarre backstory. For Jessica, it began with 1977’s Marvel Spotlight #32, which gave us Spider-Woman’s complicated origin story. Or, at least, the first version of her origin story.

Contradicting Marvel Comics Origin Stories for Spider-Woman

Jessica Drew is actually way older than any Marvel hero not named Steve Rogers. She was born in 1924 to scientist Jonathan Drew and his wife Miriam. As a very young child, Jessica Drew traveled with her parents to Mount Wundagore, in the small Balkan nation of Transia. This locale was also central to the comic book origins of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Her father conducted genetics research at Mount Wundagore with Dr. Herbert Wyndham, who would later become the villainous High Evolutionary.

Marvel Comics

At the age of seven, Jessica contracted a deadly case of uranium poisoning after exposure to her father’s experiments. In an effort to save her life, her father and Dr. Wyndham injected her with an experimental spider-derived serum, one which would only work with years of hibernation in a genetic accelerator. After spending decades in a slow-growing form of hibernation, the soon-to-be Spider-Woman received subliminal education through specially designed recordings. She finally woke up decades later, fully cured, but now physically a teenager. She also had superpowers, thanks to the spider-serum and the effects of her stasis.

However, that might not be the origin of Spider-Woman’s powers. Later Marvel comics from the 2000s, like Brian Michael Bendis’ Spider-Woman: Origin reveal that Jessica received her powers differently. In the Bendis retcon, Jessica gained her powers when a laser beam hits her pregnant mother Miriam in the torso. This beam contained the DNA traits of several different species of spiders, thus altering the fetus’ DNA. It’s unclear which version of the origin of Spider-Woman’s powers is officially the current Marvel canon.

A Different Set of Powers than Peter Parker

Regardless of how she got her powers, Spider-Woman’s power set has remained consistent over the years. Jessica has super strength, superhuman speed, stamina, agility, and reflexes. She doesn’t have a healing factor like her good friend Wolverine per se, but she does heal more rapidly than a normal human. Spider-Woman also emits bio-electrical “venom blasts” and releases pheromones that can both attract and repel people. Like her male counterpart, Spider-Man, she can attach herself to surfaces and climb on walls. So they have that in common, at least.

Spider-Woman’s Life as a Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. Double Agent

With no family and now living in a strange time, Jessica Drew left Wundagore and tried to have a normal life. But after accidentally killing her boyfriend with her new powers, she fell under the sway of Count Otto Vermis, a high-ranking member of Hydra. Vermis brainwashed Jessica into believing she wasn’t human, but a spider evolved into a human form. He trained her to be Hydra’s most skilled assassin and gave her the name Arachne. Spider-Woman trained in hand-to-hand combat by none other than the Taskmaster.

One of her first missions was to kill S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury. While attempting to kill him, the super-spy informed Jessica Drew of the truth: Hydra was a terrorist organization, and they had brainwashed her in a vulnerable state to become their tool of destruction. They even lied to her about accidentally killing a man. Devastated upon learning the truth, Jessica Drew abandoned Hydra and joined Fury as an agent of S.H.I.E.LD. Eventually, Spider-Woman decided to leave the life of being a secret agent behind to become a full-time superhero.

Spider-Woman, Marvel’s Globetrotting Heroine 

Spider-Woman then moved around the globe for years. First, she worked out of London, where she partnered with a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and Scotland Yard detective named Jerry Hunt. When that romantic and working partnership dissolved, she moved to Los Angeles. There, Spider-Woman became a super-powered bounty hunter in the Marvel universe. Later, she moved to San Francisco, where she worked as a private investigator. After a battle with the ancient witch Morgan le Fay, Jessica Drew lost her Spider-Woman powers. She continued to lead the life of a P.I., only this time in the dangerous island nation of Madripoor.

Things start to somehow get more complicated for Jessica Drew at this point. She is approached by Hydra agents who offer her a chance to restore her powers. But only if she rejoins them and infiltrates S.H.I.E.L.D. as a double agent. She goes to Nick Fury, informing him that she is taking the offer but will secretly be loyal to him. Unbeknownst to either of them, these Hydra agents are actually Skrulls. The alien shapeshifters then place Spider-Woman in stasis, and the Skrull Queen Veranke replaces Jessica Drew to the world at large. She joins the Avengers and infiltrates the superhero community from within.

Juggling Avengering and Motherhood

After the events of Secret Invasion, the Skrulls are defeated, and the real Jessica Drew returns. Feeling she has nowhere left to go, Spider-Woman joins the Avengers for real. She has adventures with several different iterations of the Avengers, establishing herself as a stalwart member of the team. Spider-Woman also gets pulled into several Marvel adventures with Spider-Man and other arachnid-powered heroes, forging a bond with them as well. More recently, Jessica Drew became a single mom, giving birth to a son named Gerry. Little Gerry Drew inherited all of his mother’s powers, and now Spider-Woman has to contend with a toddler who can crawl on walls and has super strength.

Spider-Woman in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

In Across the Spider-Verse, Jessica Drew (Issa Rae) goes by “Jess Drew.” She’s one of the many Spider-People who work out of the interdimensional hub known as the Spider-Society. Like her later incarnations in the comics, Spider-Woman still fights the good fight while pregnant in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. She mentions a dad, but we never learn who her partner is. Maybe in Beyond the Spider-Verse, we’ll find out more about Spider-Woman and her family.

Spider-Woman also rides a cool motorcycle to boot. Her costume is all-new for the Spider-Verse movie, but it has some recognizable elements to it from Marvel’s comics. Her powers seem more in line with Spider-Man’s than 616 Jessica Drew. But it’s possible Sony is waiting for the third film to unleash her venom blasts. In Across the Spider-Verse, Spider-Woman is one of the Spider-folk who Miguel O’Hara sends after Miles Morales.

Meanwhile, if the Olivia Wilde-directed Spider-Woman film is set in the MCU, as rumors suggest, then maybe we will see the ties between Hydra and Nick Fury explored more. When it comes to Spider-Woman, her different connections to the Marvel Universe are all primed to provide cinematic fodder for years. And her animated incarnation hopefully has a bright future as well.

Originally published on June 9, 2021

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We knew Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was going to have a lot of Spider-people. That much we saw in the trailers. What we didn’t know is exactly how many were going to be there. Nor did we know in what dimension they’d exist. Not alternate dimensions; physical ones. While the movie as a whole is gorgeously animated, utilizing a number of different styles and types as Into the Spider-Verse did, some Spider-Man cameos are even not animated. Have I been vague enough yet?

Okay, so there are real human people in this movie. Like live-action, real people. One of the pre-release marketing bits revealed the Spot (Jason Schwartzman) popping up in the convenience store from Venom. That’s pretty fun, but without Tom Hardy in it, it’s little more than that. Later, when Miguel O’Hara is trying to convince Miles about the tragedy necessary for timelines to exist properly, we see flashes of various Spider-peoples crying over Uncle Bens or Captain Stacys. This allows the movie to show both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield clips in Across the Spider-Verse. No new footage appears, though, just clips from their respective movies.

But, the biggest, most fun, and potentially universe-collapsing human cameo comes when Miles sees the tubes of villains who’ve hopped dimensions. In one of them, we see a version of the Prowler, aka Miles’ uncle Aaron. Except this one is Donald Glover, the Childish Gambino himself. Yes, Donald Glover appears as a live-action Prowler in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Let’s unpack.

This is fun for myriad reasons. First, it hearkens back to the initial groundswell of internet support for Glover to play a live-action Miles Morales several years ago. He’s obviously a bit too old now, but during the Community heyday, he was a favorite. That didn’t come to pass, obviously, but it did eventually lead to Donald Glover’s appearance in a Spider-Man movie. He played an unwilling informant in Spider-Man: Homecoming, named Aaron Davis. Yeah, the Prowler!

So when it comes to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, you may have noticed, while a lot of different depictions of Spider-Man appear, we only ever get a passing mention of the Tom Holland one and what he did with Doctor Strange. This is, of course, a reference to Spider-Man: No Way Home. This is due to the very weird Marvel Studios/Sony deal. Sony owns Spider-Man film rights, but had to strike a specific deal to have Spider-Man in the MCU. Even the Sony-co-produced movies within the MCU have special dispensation to use the villains. Because Sony owns the rights to the villains and ancillary characters.

The Vulture, as seen in Homecoming, had to hop universes to appear in Morbius. This effectively cuts him off from appearing in further MCU movies. Or at least until it doesn’t anymore. So is the Donald Glover Prowler actually the same Aaron Davis from the MCU’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, or is it just a fun nod to that? The truth is, it doesn’t entirely matter. Donald Glover represents the MCU and the actor’s history with Miles Morales. We know Sony wants to make a Miles Morales live-action Spider-Man movie, so could Glover appear there? Only time and Amy Pascal can say for sure.

In any case, seeing Glover as the Prowler was one of the most enjoyable surprises in Across the Spider-Verse. It was right up there with seeing animated Spectacular Spider-Man and the one from the Insomniac video game universe. One can only imagine what kind of surprises we’ll get in the next movie next year.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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“Bad things are gonna happen. It makes us who we are.”

Peter B. Parker’s words of comfort to Miles Morales in Across the Spider-Verse turned out to be true in ways no one expected. The movie ended with a shocking revelation that showed how bad things led another Miles down a dark path. In the dimension where a radioactive spider never bit him, Miles became the Prowler. Now that alternate version wants to destroy the hero he never became.

What does that cliffhanger mean for both the film and its sequel, Beyond the Spider-Verse? The existence of Prowler Miles gets to the core of the franchise’s most important and meaningful idea about what really defines us.

Why Is Spider-Man Miles “The Anomaly?”

A radioactive spider bit (the film’s primary) Miles’ in his home dimension of Earth-1610. But that DNA-altering arachnid came from Earth-42 via Kingpin’s Super Collider. That spider—seen glitching prior to biting Miles in Into the Spider-Verse—wasn’t from his world.

That’s why Miguel O’Hara calls Miles “the” anomaly. Miles was never supposed to become Spider-Man. His world already had one, and suddenly getting a second instantly led to tragedy. His dimension’s original Spider-Man (Peter A. Parker) died saving Miles, who only needed rescuing because he’d been turned into a Spider-Man.

That bite had huge ramifications for another universe, too.

Why Did Earth-42’s Miles Morales Become the Prowler Instead of His Uncle?

Because Earth-42’s radioactive spider never bit anyone from its own dimension, that world didn’t get its very own web-slinging superhero. But it still got all of Spider-Man’s villains. A news report revealed the Sinister Six operate with near impunity in a burning city overrun with crime. There is simply no one to stand against them.

While that universe’s Miles didn’t became Spider-Man, he still suffered the way all Spider-Mans do. His dad, a police captain, died rather than his uncle Aaron. (Which indicates Miles-42 was supposed to become Spider-Man.) And without the great responsibility of becoming a superhero, Miles instead followed his uncle into a life of crime. Without his father as a guiding light Miles became the Prowler rather than Aaron.

The two Miles unknown connection ultimately led them to meet face-to-face.

How Did Spider-Man Miles End Up in the Wrong Dimension?

Spider-Man Miles desperately wanted to go back to his home world. Miguel told Miles his father needs to die to ensure the safety of hthat entire universe. Without that “cannon event” reality itself could fall apart, killing everyone. And since Miles is “the anomaly,” Miguel also fears interfering with fate could impact every world.

Miles refused to accept that his father must die. He believes he can “save everyone,” his dad included. (Gwen’s own final encounter with her father indicated he might be right.) To get home Miles jumped inside Miguel’s arachnid transport machine. It sends people back to their own dimension by reading their DNA. Except, Miles’ DNA no longer identifies him as being from Earth-1610. The spider that bit him rewrote his genetic code with its own. That caused the machine to think Miles comes from Earth-42, the spider’s dimension.

That’s how he ended up encountering his still-alive uncle and his evil alternate Prowler self who was never pushed towards greatness. And that difference gets to the most important theme of the film and the franchise, just not in the way it might seem.

What Does Prowler Miles Mean for Across the Spider-Verse?

Like Into the Spider-Verse before it Across the Spider-Verse is about what it means to be Spider-Man. As Peter B. Parker said, “Being Spider-Man is a sacrifice. That’s the job.” Part of that sacrifice, in every universe, involves dealing with the death of someone very close to them. No one becomes Spider-Man without Uncle Ben. Sometimes that role is filled by a different uncle, a best friend, a significant other, or a police captain. In Miles’ world that sacrifice appeared to be his Uncle Aaron, a cautionary tale about how easy it is for a good person to end up being bad. Aaron’s death was clearly important in Miles becoming Spider-Man. It helped unlock something inside of him. Without that loss he might never have taken his “leap of faith.”

A different bad thing that happened to Prowler Miles. Instead of his uncle he lost his dad, and without the great responsibility of being Spider-Man to anchor him, his grief consumed him. Because as much as Spider-Mans are defined by bad things, Peter B. Parker also pointed out they are also shaped by the good things that happen to them. That includes the best thing that happens to them: being burdened with responsibility. Without the good, Miles turned bad.

That’s the main idea of Across the Spider-Verse. The things that happen to us, no matter how painful they might be or how much we wish they didn’t happen, shape who we are. But whether good or bad, the events of our lives don’t define us, it’s how we respond to them. Our choices define who we are. We’re not passive actors in our own lives. We pick the path we’ll walk down. Miles recognized that before he met his evil self. He told Miguel, “Everyone keeps telling me how my story is supposed to go. Nah. I’m gonna do my own thing.”

He’s right. And that’s exactly why Prowler Miles isn’t a hopeless cause, either.

What Will Happen With the Two Mileses in Beyond the Spider-Verse?

Gwen Stacy is putting together a team of Spider-Mans to save Miles. She gathered together their old friends from Into the Spider-Verse along with their new friends. They don’t know they’ll be potentially rescuing Miles from his alternate self. But we don’t know if they’ll even need to.

Prowler Miles can do his own thing, same as Spider-Man Miles. Neither of them have to follow a story others or even fate itself have seemingly written for them. They can tell their own tales with their actions. And maybe getting a chance to see who he could have been will be good enough for Prowler Miles to realize he can be a better version of himself. Just because you’re not a superhero doesn’t mean you have to be a super villain. Like every Spider-Man who has something bad happen to them, he can still choose to be a better person.

Across the Spider-Verse‘s two very different Miles make clear how easy it is for us to go astray. But it also makes clear we decide who we are. Miguel, Jessica Drew, Gwen Stacy, and both Miles each decided who they wanted to be. Same as we all do in our lives, whether we’re a Spider-Man or not.

And that will be true no matter how Beyond the Spider-Verse resolves that cliffhanger.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Few Marvel characters exemplify the ‘90s more than Ben Reilly, the Scarlet Spider. He was, in many ways, the epitome of comic book trends of the era. First, the Scarlet Spider was popularized in a major “status quo-shaking” Marvel Comics event. Second, he was an edgier version of an iconic hero. These were key ’90s comics ingredients. Now, Scarlet Spider has made his big screen debut in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, voiced by Andy Samberg. But who is Ben Reilly, the infamous alternate Spidey? And why were folks so excited to see him return? Here’s the lowdown on Peter Parker’s broody clone, the Scarlet Spider.

The Scarlet Spider’s Groovy ’70s Marvel Comics Origins

The roots of the Scarlet Spider didn’t actually begin in the ‘90s. They went back even further, to 1975. In that year’s Amazing Spider-Man #149, Peter Parker’s college professor Dr. Miles Warren, also known as the Jackal, created a fully grown version of Parker to destroy Spider-Man. Why did he hate Spidey so much? Well, it turned out Dr. Warren was a super creep. He was obsessed with his much younger student Gwen Stacy, whose death he blamed solely on Spider-Man. And he was a brilliant scientist who studied under none other than the High Evolutionary. That association always leads to trouble.

When Gwen died at the hands of the Green Goblin, a death Spider-Man could not prevent, Warren snapped. He developed an alternate persona to deal with his feelings of guilt—the Jackal. As the furry costumed Jackal, he cloned Gwen and Spider-Man, thus learning that the wallcrawler was his other student, Peter Parker. This clone had all of Peter’s memories and was designed to fight and kill his doppelgänger. However, he seemingly died in the very issue they introduced him in. And that would be the last we’d hear of this Spider-Man clone for nearly two decades. It was all meant by writer Gerry Conway as a one-off story, but it ended up creating Marvel Comics’ Scarlet Spider.

Scarlet Spider Returns in the ’90s, Following Comics Trends of Darker Doppelgängers

In the early ‘90s, one of the biggest comic trends was replacing iconic heroes with darker, edgier versions of themselves. In 1992 Superman died, and one of his replacements was the evil Cyborg Superman. Batman’s back was broken, and then the ultra-violent Azrael wore the batsuit. At Marvel, someone remembered the clone from 1975 and had an idea. What if maybe the Spider-Clone didn’t die and had been living in secret for years? Even more tantalizing for Marvel, they teased readers with the notion that this character was actually the Peter Parker we’d been reading about for years, while the newly emerged “clone” was the real thing.

When Marvel brought back the Spider-Clone, they revealed that after his apparent death, he realized he was a mere copy of Peter Parker and not the original. He decided to leave New York and became a drifter wandering America. He bleached his hair blonde and took the name Ben Reilly. Ben after his deceased uncle Ben, and Reilly since it was his Aunt May’s maiden name. He continued his scientific studies, this time under Dr. Seward Trainer (yet another acolyte of the High Evolutionary). He suffered many tragedies during his exile, making him a darker and more bitter version of his (now happily married) genetic twin. But when he learned that his Aunt May was near death, he went back to New York, and revealed his existence to Peter.

Ben Reilly and Peter Parker first resented each other and had an uneasy relationship. There was a good deal of spider-on-spider violence. Eventually, Dr. Trainer performed blood tests on both heroes, only to determine that the Peter Parker fans had been reading about for 20 years at Marvel was the clone, and Ben Reilly was actually the first Peter Parker. Ben then decided to stay in New York City and fight crime under a new name—the Scarlet Spider. Sales soared for the Spider-Man titles during this time, and it seemingly encouraged Marvel editorial to keep the newly coined Clone Saga and Scarlet Spider going for as long as possible. And they did.

Scarlet Spider Becomes Spider-Man and Ben’s Untimely Demise

In late 1995, Marvel decided that Peter Parker and MJ would retire to married life and start a family, and Scarlet Spider would take over as Spider-Man. He was “the real deal” after all. Scarlet Spider became the new friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, taking over all five Spider-Man ongoing books and getting a new costume. Although some fans felt betrayed that the Spidey they’d been following for years was a copy, Ben Reilly persisted. In fact, in the epic Marvel vs. DC crossover event that year, it was actually the Ben Reilly Spidey that fought DC’s heroes, not Peter.

Eventually, after more than two years, sales of the Spider-Man books (and comics overall) began to plummet. Marvel decided it was time to end The Clone Saga and get back to basics. It was revealed that a returned Norman Osborn/Green Goblin—who had at that point been dead for almost 25 years—had been behind everything. He planted fake evidence that Scarlet Spider was the real Peter Parker, as a way of tormenting Peter Parker himself. Ben Reilly died in battle with the Goblin and literally liquified. Thus proving he was the actual clone all along. At the time, people were mostly glad the story was finally over. It seemed no one would miss old Ben.

The Scarlet Spider’s Modern-Day Resurrection

But as we know, nostalgia makes even the worst stories look better. Kids who grew up with The Clone Saga and the Scarlet Spider actually loved that event looking back. By the 2010s, these kids were now adults, and begged Marvel to bring back the Scarlet Spider. In 2015, Marvel finally did. In The Clone Conspiracy, Marvel revealed that the Jackal had collected the DNA of Ben Reilly from his death site and attempted to bring him back, memories and all, 26 times.

The 27th clone was stable and lived, but held traumatic memories of each painful death. Ben freed himself from the Jackal, and resumed a heroic career. At first, he took the name Anubis, after the Egyptian God of Death. Eventually, he took on the name and mantle of the Scarlet Spider once more. And thus, the Scarlet Spider returned to Marvel Comics. ‘90s nostalgia was in full swing. He was the hero of Las Vegas for a time before returning to New York City. Scarlet Spider’s last major storyline was Marvel Comics’ Dark Web, where he became entangled with Marvel’s other most famous clone, Madelyne Pryor, herself a disregarded genetic copy of the X-Man Jean Grey.

The Scarlet Spider Becomes a Movie Star in Across the Spider-Verse

With his appearance in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Ben Reilly’s Scarlet Spider finally made it to the big screen. He appeared in the ‘90s Spider-Man: The Animated Series a couple of times, right around the time of his comics heyday. But aside from showing up in the recent Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon series, there were not many appearances by Scarlet Spider outside the comics. With Across the Spider-Verse, that’s finally changed.

In Across the Spider-Verse, Ben Reilly is used as a kind of comedic meta-commentary on the overly angsty Marvel comics of the ’90s. Ben is part of Spider-Man 2099’s squad sent to go after “fugitive spider” Miles Morales. He spends most of his screen time brooding and constantly commenting on his situation, giving voice to an old-school comics thought balloon. His look was very much like the art style of his co-creator, the late Tom Lyle. Will Scarlet-Spider switch sides in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, and choose to help Miles instead of hunting him? We’ll find out when the third chapter hits theaters in 2024.

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Spider-Man fans are finally swinging back into the multiverse with Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy and even more Spider-Heroes. Across the Spider-Verse is already being heralded as a masterpiece by fans and critics, but could it also take home the Oscar gold as the best movie of 2023? Dan Casey swings into the Spider-Verse to break down why it deserves to on today’s episode of Nerdist News!

Check out our full review of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on Nerdist! https://nerdist.com/article/spiderman-across-the-spider-verse-review-visually-stunning-epic-adventure-miles-morales/“

Across the Spider-Verse Directors Interview: https://youtu.be/hmTfAyBtZT8
Across the Spider-Verse Cast Interview: https://youtu.be/2hhX3FUz-Sg

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Just how many Spider-Mans and Spider-People (and Spider-animals!) can we expect to see in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse? Well, the trailers and teasers for the movie gave us some idea that it would be quite a few. And in a recent interview, co-director Justin Thompson gave a more specific number for us to look out for. He said that in the headquarters of Spider-Man 2099’s Spider Society there are “over 600 different spiders” present.

How Many Spider-People Are in Across the Spider-Verse?

More specifically, Thompson noted that the total number of Spider-Mans, Spider-Peoples, and other Spider-Friends in Across the Spider-Verse amounts to “somewhere in the neighborhood of 630-ish.” And out of those, 150 are named Spider-People with unique designs.

That’s an increase from the last count Thompson offered before the movie’s release. Then he told us would see about 280 Spider-People running around in Across the Spider-Verse, but that was before a final count.

Thompson shared at the time:

The exact number? Oh boy, we kept adding, like all the way up until the very end. Honestly, I’m gonna be level with you, we just finished the film, like in the last like two weeks, and I don’t think I’ve had time to pause and actually take a final count. But I think it was about 280 the last time I looked in. Just to be clear, that doesn’t mean specific, unique characters that you might recognize, it might mean variations as well. But if you’re just talking about named characters, then I think there’s probably about 95.

More Spider-People to Come

Whether it’s 95 or 150, that’s a whole lot of characters to name. But the Spider-Man fun won’t stop there. Across the Spider-Verse is only part one of the Spidey mayhem we have coming our way. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse will release in 2024. And co-writers and producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller want us to know, they’ve saved some Spider-People to add into the next movie.

Lord notes, “Believe it or not. You thought that you’ve seen every Spider-Person that you could imagine, but not every Spider-Person we can imagine.” Meanwhile, Miller adds, “We saved several!”

Our heads are spinning just thinking about it. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will feature Spider-Man 2099, Spider-Cop, Spider-Cat, Spider-Jock, Spider-Girl, Spider-Byte, Superior Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, The Bombastic Bagman, Spider-Rex, and many, many more. But we guess they’d all better make some space at the table for new Beyond the Spider-Verse friends.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and its many Spider-People and Spider-Mans released on June 2.

Originally published on June 1, 2023.

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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse directors Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson, and Joaquim Dos Santos sit down with John Pirruccello (@Johnny2Cellos) to discuss their process for working on the massive two film project, the evolution of Miles and Gwen, and what they would do if they woke up with spider-powers on today’s episode of Nerdist Now!

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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse reaffirms that animation is cinema. 

The sequel to the critically-acclaimed Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse pushes the boundaries of animation and storytelling to create a movie that’s visually stunning as it is frenetic. In Across the Spider-Verse, Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) has trouble balancing his super-powered duties with his school and personal life. Everyone feels like they know what’s best for him, but ultimately he has an idea of what he wants for himself. However, he doesn’t feel open sharing his identity with his parents Jefferson (Brian Tyree Henry) and Rio (Luna Lauren Vélez). Miles is learning (the hard way) that life comes with sacrifices. 

While having to navigate this, Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) comes back into his universe and his life, bringing back nostalgia and connection. To make things more fun, she also comes with a new set of super-powered individuals. This crew includes Jessica Drew/ Spider-Woman (Issa Rae), Pavitr Prabhakar/Spider-Man India (Karan Soni), Hobie Brown/Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya), Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac), Margo Kess/Spider-Bite (Amandla Stenberg), Ben Reilly/Scarlet Spider (Andy Samberg), and Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Jake Johnson). Of course, they all happen to be a Spider-Hero from their respective universe—or the Spider-Verse, if you will. But being involved with this new Spider-Crew gets Miles wrapped up in a mission to save not just New York City from supervillain the Spot (Jason Schwartzman), but the entire Spider-Verse from impending disaster.

When Into the Spider-Verse first came out, it not only shocked viewers with the quality of animation, but also its storytelling. Thankfully, both elements return in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Its predecessor operated as more of an introduction to Miles and an origin story for him. The sequel builds upon his story by highlighting his evolution as a hero, but also as a teenager.

As we all know, with growth comes growing pains. Ultimately, this film is about growing up, becoming your own person, and not letting anyone write your story but you. Across the Spider-Verse is equal parts coming-of-age tale as it is a superhero film. Many of those coming-of-age elements are highlighted through Miles and Gwen’s narratives.

Both characters are navigating challenges in their relationship with their parent(s) and maintaining their secret identities. Miles juggles his parents’ demands and Gwen is stuck balancing a life without community. There’s conflict with her, specifically when it comes to lying to her father, George Stacy (Shea Whigham), about her secret identity—a lie that could severely alter their relationship. Miles and Gwen’s concerns surrounding their identities are a powerful reflection of real-life hardships that teenagers navigate as they discover who they are. Sometimes, those identities come with the risk of rejection by their parents.

This narrative works as a metaphor for when LGBTQ+ kids “come out” to their parents. Miles shares a moment with his mom that’s similar to coming out as queer. Gwen has a similar scene with her father, but her character and the scene’s coloring is washed in pink, blue, and white, which just so happens to be the transgender flag colors. 

Speaking of identity, Across the Spider-Verse creates a world where everyone can exist, especially as a member of the Spider-Society. Each Spider-Hero comes in a diverse array of races, genders, sizes, and abilities with their own rich character development. Even with an immense character collective, Across the Spider-Verse’s writing and directing still allows for plenty of heartfelt storytelling and moments between these characters. 

The authenticity of New York City’s culture shines on the big screen. The hustle and bustle of the city is perfectly captured as well as the diversity of communities, specifically Black and Puerto Rican enclaves. Through Miles’ relationship with his parents, viewers see what life is like for folks who are Afro-Latino, biracial/multiracial, and/or multicultural. His family shows that there’s no one right way to express your identities. 

From the small bodegas selling beef patties to the massive buildings covered in graffiti spreading throughout the city, Across the Spider-Verse encapsulates the Big Apple’s architectural delights. This film beautifully pulls off the task of recreating dazzling New York City landscapes as well as Spider-Verse versions of the city.

In fact, there’s only one glaring problem with Across the Spider-Verse. It is a tad too long! There’s plenty of ground to cover with various plot points tossed into the air as freely as Spider-Man swings between New York City’s skyscrapers. But while the action and story is jam packed, it’s not overwhelming. 

Overall, Spider: Man Across the Spider-Verse‘s thrilling action sequences, beautiful animation, and robust stories will make MCU fans and general moviegoers get lost in a universe that they may not want to escape.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse swings into theaters on June 2.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ⭐ (4 of 5)

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Miles Morales and many, many other Spiderfolks are hitting our screens soon in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. And, when fans think of the AfroLatino teenage hero, they instantly think of Miles Morales’ signature style, especially his shoes—Air Jordan 1 sneakers, to be exact. To celebrate more Miles Morales on the big screen, Nike has put the new Air Jordan 1 High Next Chapter shoe out in the world. This Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse pair puts a spin on the ones that Michael Jordan himself wore when he played with the Chicago Bulls, adding some leather and suede in the mix.

Check out the new Miles Morales Across the Spider-Verse sneakers below.

And, of course, there’s the clear nod to Spider-Man with graphics near the ankle that will make you want to soar above the city. These Jordans would look super awesome with Box Lunch’s Miles Morales baseball jersey or jacket. But if you’re trying to flex in these Miles Morales sneakers, then you’ll have to cough up some serious cash. This pair of Js is already sold out on Nike’s website but resell sites like StockX are there for you… at a cost, of course. Should you go for them? Well, it depends on how badly you want to have a pair of sneakers inspired by the adventures of Miles Morales. Either way, watching Miles swing through NYC and whichever other universes he ends up in will inspire the hero in all of us. So lace up your shoes and get ready, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse releases on June 2, 2023.

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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse stars Shameik Moore (Miles Morales), Hailee Steinfeld (Gwen Stacy), and Daniel Kaluuya (Hobart ‘Hobie’ Brown) sit down with John Pirruccello ( @Johnny2Cellos ) to discuss the new film, preparing for their roles, and what they would do if they woke up with spider-powers on today’s episode of Nerdist Now!

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We’re about to head into the Spider-Verse like never before. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse promises a bigger Spidey adventure than we’ve ever seen on our screens. We’re talking about meeting hundreds of different Spider-People in many incredible worlds; all brought to life in varied and awe-inspiring animation styles. But, of course, at the heart of it are the characters we’ve grown to know and love and a very human set of fears and relationships. It’s Miles Morales that’s our true hero. And there’s nothing like a little closet cosplay to show your love for your favs. BoxLunch‘s latest Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse collection wants you to bring some of the movie’s magic into your universe as it celebrates our Brooklyn-friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

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Take a look at some pieces from the collection above, and, of course, keep your eyes peeled. You never know when an Easter egg may have snuck into a design. It’ll also be good practice because Across the Spider-Verse is sure to be chock full of references and subtle details at every turn.

You can check out the full Spider-Verse collection on BoxLunch. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse releases in theaters on June 2.

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The long awaited sequel to Insomniac Game’s Spider-Man series is almost here, and the Wednesday’s Playstation showcase gave fans their best look yet with massive, action packed trailer. Dan Casey swings into action to break down all the easter eggs, hidden details, and everything else you might have missed on today’s episode of Nerdist News!

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The Marvel options on Disney+ are about to expand. Several Spider-Man films and Venom will arrive on Disney+ this spring—most of them as early as April 21. This move, a result of a deal between Disney and Sony, makes it easier to catch up on the world of Marvel films in one place, though most of the Spider-Man movies aren’t part of the MCU. That said, Spider-Man: No Way Home did bring Tobey Maguire’s and Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parkers into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Disney+ released the below video to mark the occasion.

Here’s which Spider-Man movies will be available when on Disney+ in the US:

• Spider-Man (2002) – Available April 21, 2023
• Spider-Man 2 (2004) – Available April 21, 2023
• Spider-Man 3 (2007) – Available April 21, 2023
• The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) – Available April 21, 2023
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) – Available May 12, 2023
• Venom (2018) – Available May 12, 2023

Disney also said that, “Additional titles from Sony Pictures’ film and television library are expected to premiere on Disney+ in the US later this year.” We suspect that means Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Morbius, and maybe the Spider-Verse films.

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It’s almost time to head back into the Spider-Verse with Miles Morales, and a new trailer for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse offered fans a closer look at what’s to come in this latest multiversal adventure. In addition to a whole pack of Peter Parker’s worth of Spider-Man variants, the trailer also dropped a major revelation that could impact not only the world of the Spider-Verse, but the whole Marvel multiverse as well. Dan Casey swings into action to break down all the latest on this new trailer and whether Miles Morales broke the multiverse on today’s episode of Nerdist News!

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How do you try and top one of cinema’s best superhero movies, an Oscar-winning film that changed animation forever? You don’t just go “into” the Spider-Verse. You go “across” it. That’s where you’ll find even more versions of everyone’s favorite friendly neighborhood arachnid. But while the latest trailer for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has us ready to jump back into the multiverse, not every Spider-Man will be happy to see Miles Morales show up. Fortunately for him, he still has friends to help him face the inescapable responsibility of being Spider-Man.

We thought it was impossible for anything to get us more hyped for this movie. We were wrong. This trailer just did it. Not only does it have a chance to be more exciting than the original, but it also looks like it might be more emotional, too. What exactly is going on? And why is a big scary version of Spider-Man out to get Miles? Here’s the Across the Spider-Verse‘s official synopsis from Sony:

Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar-winning Spider-Verse saga, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.

That’s the nice thing about going across the Spider-Verse and not just into it. Sure, you might find even more enemies, including some just like you. But you’ll also find plenty of friends, both old and new, to help you.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse comes from directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson. It stars Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, Jake Johnson, Issa Rae, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, Rachel Dratch, Jason Schwartzman, Shea Whigham, Daniel Kaluuya, Jorma Taccone, and Karan Soni. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse swings into theaters June 2, 2023.

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In a surprise report, it appears Sony is developing a Spider-Man: Noir live-action series for Prime Video. This would be the second Spider-Man-related live-action show for them, following their announcement of Silk. Given how popular this relatively obscure Spider-Man variant became after the release of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and one great Nicolas Cage voice performance, it makes sense.

However, the biggest change for this live-action Spider-Man iteration is that, unlike the comics, he won’t be Peter Parker under that mask. Or under that stylish hat. But we’re here to explain why that may not really matter in the long run. But first, a brief history of Spider-Man Noir in the comics.

The Marvel Comics History of Spider-Man Noir

Before 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse, Spider-Man Noir only had a few appearances. He first popped up in a gimmicky publishing initiative by Marvel in 2009, titled as Marvel Noir. They took versions of some of their well-known heroes, like Iron Man and Luke Cage, and put them in a pulpy, 1930s hard-boiled setting. Each received a four-issue mini-series. Yet it was Spider-Man that stood out. David Hine and Fabrice Sapolsky, and artist Carmine Di Giandomenico, created that first series. Artist Marko Djurdjevic designed that distinctive costume. Of the six initial Marvel Noir titles, only Spidey and X-Men got a follow-up mini-series.

This version of Peter Parker leaned hard into all the pulp fiction detective story tropes of the era. Not just the detective stories, but also the high adventure stories from pulp magazines that heavily influenced Indiana Jones. In fact, this Peter Parker got his powers in 1932 when he ventured into a warehouse with stolen artifacts, and a mysterious ancient spider-idol cracked, unleashing mystical spiders on him. All that’s missing to go full Indy is a giant boulder. Becoming “the Spider-Man,” he looks out for the little guy in an era when the poor and downtrodden were more stomped on than ever. His Uncle Ben was murdered by criminals before he ever got powers, so he vowed to continue the fight in his name.

The Key Differences Between Classic Spider-Man and Spider-Man Noir

The origin story of Spider-Man Noir is certainly similar to classic Peter Parker in some respects. He’s from New York City, had an Aunt May and an Uncle Ben, and gained cool spider powers. But, the other differences are more than just cosmetic. And we don’t just mean the time period shift. This Peter Parker was a full-grown adult, eliminating a lot of the adolescent drama that makes classic Spider-Man Spider-Man. That’s a big one.

Most importantly, this Peter got his powers from an ancient spider-god, and not a science mishap. He was also an investigative reporter and not a photographer. And he definitely was not cracking-wise all the time like mainstream Peter. He’s much more Batman-esque in his approach to fighting crime. In fact, he even killed occasionally, a line “our” Peter never really crossed. There are enough changes to make him Peter Parker in all but name. So why not change the identity under the mask too?

Is the Peter Parker Name Even Important?

Peter Parker as a character remains a precious asset to Sony, not to mention Marvel Studios. The latter is not involved in this production, we should add. They probably wanted to limit the appearance of any character named Peter Parker in live-action. Especially since post-Spider-Man: No Way Home, they have three Peter Parkers swinging around, likely to return. But we feel a good workaround would be to make Spidey Noir a Parker, or Parker family adjacent, just not Peter Parker.

Spider-Man Noir: Peter’s Grandpa?

Given that the time period of the series will be the Great Depression, it could be fun to make this Spidey a young version of Peter’s grandfather. In 60 years of Spider-Man comics, we know next to nothing about Peter Parker’s grandparents, except for the name of his mother’s father, William Fitzpatrick. It would be a deep-cut reference to make Spider-Man Noir into William, a character who would have presumably been in his prime during that time. And it would still keep ties to the Parker family and legacy.

Of course, as Miles Morales and others have proven, one doesn’t need to be Peter Parker to be Spider-Man. As Stan Lee famously once said “anyone can wear the mask.” So if they choose to make him completely unrelated to Peter, that’s fine too. He’s already substantially different enough as a character that it wouldn’t really matter. In the end, it’s not the Parker legacy that makes Spider-Man Noir so memorable. It’s the look and the attitude. And one killer fedora.

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The Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse trailer is chock-full of cameos from arachnid heroes from across the multiverse. Spider-Man 2099 joins Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy this time, as does Spider-Woman and Spider-Punk, who you can see in the production art below. But who else did we spot in the new trailer? Quite a few. Here are just some of the Spider-Man variants and variations that stuck out to us in the most recent Across the Spider-Verse trailer and marketing.

The PS4 Spider-Man Variant Joins the Spider-Verse

We saw the distinctive red, white, and blue Spider-Man costume from the Insomniac PS4 game in the trailer, making the game a canonical part of the Spider-Verse. It’s not just the MCU where “it’s all connected” these days. Our own spidey-sense told us this very popular variant of Peter Parker would show up, and it seems we were not wrong.

Spider-Cop, at your service

At first, we thought he was a gag made just for the movie; a “Spider-Cop” directing traffic in the multiversal hub. But no, there was a Spider-Cop in the comics once. Not that long ago, in fact. The NYPD’s Spider-Cop debuted in 2018’s Spider-Geddon #4 and 5.

The Amazing Spider-Clones

There have been several notable “Spider-Clones” over the years. The most famous of these was Ben Reilly, the Scarlet Spider. But there wasn’t just him. There was Kaine, Ultimate Spider-Woman, and the Spider-Girl who was April Parker, yet another Peter clone. The last two with their Y chromosome taken out, of course. We see what appears to be all of these genetic copies in the trailer.

Spider-Man Unlimited‘s Distinctive Spidey Costume Appears

Although not as beloved as the 1994-97 Spider-Man: The Animated Series, the follow-up cartoon, 1999’s Spider-Man: Unlimited, does have its fans. It’s a weird show, where Peter Parker wore a nanotech suit designed by Reed Richards, and had adventures on the High Evolutionary’s Counter-Earth, populated by human/animal hybrids (and which will appear in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3). The show was very short-lived, but we spotted the distinctive costume swinging around in the trailer. We can’t wait to see more of this new Spider-Man variant in Across the Spider-Verse.

Flash Thompson, Spider-Jock.

The beefy Spidey we saw walking around in the letterman’s jacket? We’re pretty sure he’s a nod to “Captain Spider,” a version of Spider-Man who was Peter’s high school tormentor, Flash Thompson. He first appeared in What if? #7, way back in 1977.

Spider-Girl (May “Mayday” Parker) Joins the Spider-Verse World

In the MC2 universe, Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson married and had a daughter. Young May “Mayday” Parker inherited her dad’s powers and embarked on a heroic career as the amazing Spider-Girl. We’re pretty sure we saw someone wearing her signature web shooters and costume in the trailer. We definitely saw Peter B. Parker with a baby (art below), which confirms the infant version of Mayday.

It seems we might eve get two versions of Peter’s ginger kiddo. But, hey, two Across the Spider-Verse baby Spider-Man variants? Sign us up.

Lady Spider Is One of the Spider-People in the Trailer

Hailing from Earth-803, Maybelle Reilly (a young version of Peter’s Aunt May) is a kind of steampunk arachnid hero Spider-Man variant. She doesn’t have spider-powers, but instead built web-shooters and mechanical spider arms in a perpetual Industrial Revolution-style world. She debuted in the first issue of the Spider-Verse comic series back in 2014 and became a member of the Web Warriors. Given the Spider-Man films’ tendencies to age Aunt May younger and younger, having Lady Spider pop up as a new variant in Across the Spider-Verse makes sense.

Superior Spider-Man a.k.a the Doc Ock Variant Joins Spider-Verse

Although we only see a glimpse of his costume, we spotted the unmistakable color scheme of the Superior Spider-Man. For a year or so, Peter Parker’s old foe, Doc Ock, took control of his body. But when Dr. Octopus had access to his mind, he gained access to his memories. Changed by the knowledge of Peter’s heroism, he became the Superior Spider-Man. He was still a total jerk, though.

Spinneret and Spiderling Are a Spider-Family in Spider-Verse

In yet another universe from the pages of Marvel Comics, Peter and MJ married and had a different child. But this version of Mary Jane had spider-powers, gained through a suit that siphoned some of her husband’s abilities, and she went by the name Spinneret. Her daughter, Anna May “Annie” Parker, inherited her parent’s powers and became Spiderling. You can clearly see these two Spider-Man variants walking together in the new Across the Spider-Verse trailer.

’90s Silver Armor Spider-Man Variant Briefly Appears

In the early ’90s, everyone in comics had a moment where they needed armor. Even Superman, for some reason. Keeping with the trends of the day, Spidey had a suit of silver and black armor, that although short-lived, lived on as many an action figure. We’re pretty sure we saw ’90s armored Spidey in the mix as one of the new Across the Spider-Verse Spider-People.

Mangaverse Spider-Man Joins the Spider-Verse Variants

In the early 2000s, Marvel created manga versions of their iconic heroes, Naturally, one was “manga Spider-Man.” This version of Peter Parker, hailing from Earth-2301, was a member of the ninja warriors known as the Spider Clan. His Sensei, Ben Parker, trained him in their ways. He became the last member of the Spider Clan after Venom kills Ben under orders from the Kingpin. We spotted the Mangaverse Spider-Man variant walking alone in the Spider-Verse trailer.

2003 Animated Series Spider-Man Gets New Life

Another often dismissed Spidey came from the 2003 MTV Spider-Man animated series. Many folks have probably forgotten about this Spider-Man cartoon. His costume is pretty classic, so it’s hard to tell him apart from the classic Spider-Man look. But the physicality of one of the Spider-People we saw in the Across the Spider-Verse trailer suggests to us it’s that very same Peter Parker variant.

Flipside Is Spider-Man 2099’s Foe

Flipside was an android who could mimic the powers of anyone it came in contact with (kind of like DC Comics’ Amazo). In the future, he copied Spider-Man 2099’s powers and became a thorn in his side. We’re pretty sure we saw him wandering around in the Across the Spider-Verse trailer. And with Spider-Man 2099 playing a big role in the movie, we’re even more convinced Flipside will appear.

The Spidey Who Howls at the Moon

Yes, Peter Parker has more than one animal inside him. That’s a werewolf version of Spider-Man we see among the others. This furry and fanged Spidey hails from the Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness comics. We don’t think Ash will fight him in the movie though. Just a guess.

Spider-Man MK II “Bulletproof” Armor Variant Exists in the Spider-Verse

Back in 2011, Peter Parker lost his spider-sense, which is what enabled him to dodge bullets the way he does. So he concocted a black and gold “bulletproof” armor, similar to Tony Stark’s. Although the technical name for it was the Spider-Armor MK II. We see a new Spider-Man variant wearing that very armor in the Spider-Verse trailer, sitting down and chillin’ with another Spidey.

Anya Corazón (Spider-Girl, Araña) Is One of Spider-Verse’s New Spider-People

Going by the names Araña (Spanish for spider) and Spider-Girl both, Anya Corazón was a Mexican Puerto Rican teen living in New York, who got spider powers when a group called the Spider Society performed a ritual on her. This happened when the Society gave Anya a mystical spider tattoo. She’s been a fairly regular part of the Spider-family ever since, and one can see her distinctive black and white costume in the trailer. We’re really excited to see this one of Spider-Man’s variants come to life in the Spider-Verse.

The Bombastic Bagman Is Our Favorite New Spider-Verse Variant

“The Bombastic Bagman” was the name Peter Parker jokingly took when his costume was damaged. So as to not swing around New York City naked, he borrowed a Fantastic Four costume from their HQ and put a brown paper bag over his head. Sadly, Sony does not have the rights to the Fantastic Four, so they obscured the FF logo on Bagman’s chest. But we love that this Spider-Man variant made the Spider-Verse cut anyway.

Earth X Spider-Man Creator Hints at Spider-Verse Variant

Earth-X was another multiversal comics story from the 2000s, that saw a version of Peter Parker that retired after a series of tragedies. Could the familiar-feeling Spider-Man variant we saw in the trailer be the one from Alex Ross’ series? Alex Ross seems to think so.

Spider-Man: India‘s Spidey Variant Arrives in Style

Another Spidey from the comics who got a total redesign for Across the Spider-Verse is the Spider-Man from India. Pavitr Prabhakar definitely got a costume upgrade, as seen in this production art. We dig it.

New Spider-Man Suits and People on Across the Spider-Verse‘s Poster

The newly released Across the Spider-Verse posters feature even more new spider-folk not seen in the trailer. And a few that are very exciting to longtime fans.

Spider-Woman II (Julia Carpenter) Appears as a Spider-Verse Variant

Yes, Jessica Drew is in this film. But she’s not the only Spider-Woman. The new poster clearly shows Spider-Woman II, Julia Carpenter, is also a part of the Spider-Verse. She is also sometimes known as Madame Web.

Spider-Cat (Earth-999) Is a Spider-Person in Spirit

First appearing in 2011’s Spider-Island crossover event, yes folks, that is your friendly neighborhood Spider-Cat from Earth-999. Who can say no to a cat who is also one of the Spider-People?

Web-Slinger (Cowboy Spider-Man) Rides into the Spider-Verse

Right below Spidey-Cat on the Across the Spider-Verse poster is Web-Slinger, the cowboy Spidey from the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon series on Disney XD.

“Ends of the Earth” Armor Spider-Man Has Suited Up as a Spider-Verse Variant

In the 2012 comics storyline “Ends of the Earth,” Peter Parker used Horizon Labs’ vast resources to create a special armor to fight the Sinister Six. You can see the MKIII armor in the poster as well.

Spectacular Spider-Man Peter Parker Swoops Into Action

In the bottom right of the international Spider-Verse poster is the Peter Parker from the 2008-2009 Spectacular Spider-Man animated series. That show has quite a following, so many fans will be pleased.

Spider-Byte (Earth 22191) Has Been Downloaded into the Spider-Verse

The computerized, TRON-looking character to the left of Spider-Punk is Spider-Byte, who first appeared in 2018’s Vault of Spiders. This particular Spider-Person helps to fight cybercrime.

Sun-Spider (Earth 20023) Joins the Fun as a Spider-Verse Variant

The spider-person with the backward baseball cap on? That’s Sun-Spider, a hero whose real name is Charlotte Webber (yes, really). She’s a recent creation, appearing in the 2019 Spider-Verse comics

Spider-Carnage Bears His Teeth

This vampire-lookin’ Spidey in the Across the Spider-Verse poster is probably Spider-Carnage. Although we supposed there’s an outside chance that it’s vampire Spider-Man. Spider-Carnage is a meld of a Spider-Man and the symbiote Carnage. He seeks the destruction of reality.

Spyder-Knight

His outfit might be slightly different, but the medieval knight Spider-Man is called “Spyder-Knight,” and first popped in a 2015 episode of Ultimate Spider-Man. We’re guessing the “Y” in “Spyder” sounds more old-timey? This Peter Parker hails from Arthurian times, and the wizard Merlyn was his mentor. We see him clearly in the Spider-Verse international poster. He’s nestled right between PS4 Peter and Spinneret.

All the Spider-Man Variants in Across the Spider-Verse

Of course, we expect many more surprise Across the Spider-Verse Spider-people before it’s all said and done. Maybe we could even see Tom, Tobey, and Andrew variants appear in the Spider-Verse? As long as the ’70s Japanese Spider-Man shows up, we’ll be happy.

The movie has even challenged us to pair some mysterious symbols with their appropriate Spider-People variants.

Can you do that after reading this article?

Originally published December 13, 2022.

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You know you’ve got an effective trailer with instant pop culture impact when there is an immediate LEGO fan-made version right away. And that’s what’s happened with the first Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse trailer, which just got a LEGO-ized version by the folks at the YouTube channel LEGOMe_TheOG. They replicated the whole trailer’s original dialogue track in its entirety. And the visuals received the classic Minifigure treatment. Just how do Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen, and all these spider-people climb walls and spin webs with LEGO hands and no digits?? Watch the full video below and find out.

There are so very many Spider characters in the original trailer. So this is one LEGO fan film that just had to be a hard one to figure out. There are a LOT of random Spider folks in this one. After all, even we had to go over the trailer with a fine toothcomb to figure out which wall-crawler was which. And we are some old-school Spider-Man fans here who know our Marvel lore. And we know there are some Spider heroes (and probably villains) still hidden in that trailer. Kind of like a superhero Where’s Waldo? book.

LEGOME_TheOG has a lot of other pop culture parody videos on their channel that are pretty delightful. They’ve recreated the iconic “high ground” battle moment between Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker from Revenge of the Sith. Also, the often-parodied “Martha moment” from Batman v Superman. And, of course, we see a few other Marvel-related ones. Including one showing Reed Richards getting a much better deal at the hands of Wanda in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. You can check out the rest of their LEGO videos by heading over to the LEGOME_TheOG channel.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse swings its way into theaters on June 2.

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The Hypno-Hustler is one of the most obscure, not to mention ridiculous, Spider-Man villains out there. And he is often ranked as one of the worst too. Despite sharing a creator with the man who gave the world Rocket Raccoon, Bill Mantlo. And yet, this musical criminal is going to be the subject of a live-action movie, starring none other than Donald Glover. The news comes straight from The Hollywood Reporter. But just who the heck is this obscure Spider-Man villain? We’re here to explain it all to you.

Hypno-Hustler, the Disco Devil

The Hypno-Hustler was one of many attempts during the peak of the late ‘70s Disco music craze to try to cash in on the phenomenon. (the other, far more famous example, is the mutant Dazzler). After Saturday Night Fever, everyone from Mickey Mouse to Count Chocula was cutting a Disco album, so Marvel wanted in on some of that action. Hence, the Disco-themed villain Hypno-Hustler made his debut in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #24 way back in 1978.

The Hypno-Hustler’s real name was Antoine Desloin. He was the lead singer of a Disco musical group called the Mercy Killers. They were scheduled to headline at a popular nightclub called “Beyond Forever.” But the club’s manager caught the Hypno-Hustler robbing his safe, so Desloin used his high-tech hypnotic equipment on the manager. He had a guitar that could emit hypnotic soundwaves, and also had some boots that spewed out knockout gas. He even had retractable knives in the soles. Later up on stage, Hypno-Hustler and the Mercy Killers used their hypnotizing equipment on the audience in order to rob them all. And it would have all gone according to plan, if not for that meddling wallcrawler.

A Fateful Encounter on the Dance Floor

As luck would have it, Peter Parker was dancing away at the club on that fateful night. And so, the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man was there to challenge the Hypno-Hustler. In the brawl, Spidey discovered that the Hypno-Hustler’s headphones protected him from his own hypnotic sounds, rendering him immune. Spidey then took his headphones off, therefore causing him to become a victim of his own hypnosis. In traditional Spidey fashion, Peter left Hypno-Hustler all webbed up for the police to take into custody. Interestingly enough, they introduced a Disco-themed villain who used music to hypnotize and steal on the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman TV series that same year.

Not Exactly an A-List Spider-Man Rogue

Hypno-Hustler did not exactly become one of Spidey’s recurring villains after this encounter. Within a year of his introduction, the Disco bubble burst. By the end of 1979, the terms “Disco Sucks” and “Dead as Disco” were on everyone’s lips. Everything pertaining to this genre instantly became tacky and passe. Thus, the Hypno-Hustler, with his all-silver costume and period-specific hairdo, seemed like an instant relic of a pop culture fad gone by. He has appeared a handful of times in the decades since. Usually as a background character cameo as the butt of a joke. He sadly did not survive the implosion of Disco like his fellow cash-in character Dazzler did. We last saw the Hypno-Hustler at a Vil-a-Non meeting for reformed villains.

We imagine Donald Glover will be able to have a ton of fun with a character like Hypno-Hustler. Especially if he makes the film an homage to the glorious excess of the Disco era. Maybe they make the movie a throwback period piece. Or maybe it takes place in the modern day, at a retro-themed nightclub. If we get a Spidey dancing cameo, that would make it all worth it. As long as Donald Glover wears a very close reproduction of the original Hypno-Hustler costume and embraces the absurdity, we’re here for it.

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