We officially have some updates about a couple highly-anticipated animated series from Marvel Studios, as well as an exciting new announcement to enjoy. At a preview screening for What If…? season two, Marvel also shared news about its other upcoming animated properties. Firstly, an already-announced Disney+ series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is now officially set to release in 2024. Additionally, Marvel revealed a new Black Panther animated series for its line-up titled Eyes of Wakanda.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is a show that was once known as Spider-Man: Freshman Year. Although Tom Holland won’t voice this Marvel Studios Spider-Man, Charlie Cox will return to give life to Matthew Murdock/Daredevil. This series will follow Peter Parker on his adventures before his time in the MCU and delve into his life as, well, a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. We look forward to seeing it sooner rather than later.

Additionally, Marvel Studios revealed a brand new animated Black Panther series. According to IGN, Eyes of Wakanda will focus “on warriors from Wakanda’s past traveling the world to recover dangerous vibranium artifacts.” The publication notes that the official description shares, “Throughout Wakandan history, brave warriors have been tasked to travel the world retrieving dangerous vibranium artifacts. This is their story.”

Most recently, Marvel Studio’s Head of Television Brad Winderbaum gave an update on the series to Marvel’s Official Podcast, noting, “Eyes of Wakanda, more than any other show we’re doing in animation, ties directly into the MCU. This is a story about Wakandan history. It’s produced by Ryan Coogler and directed by Todd Harris who is one of our longtime storyboard artists who I first met when he designed the Hulk vs. Thor fight in Ragnarok.” Additionally, Winderbaum added, “It’s an awesome show. The action is insane and the storytelling is fantastic. It’s both about the history of Wakanda, but also expands into the greater MCU at different time periods. If you’re a fan of the movies, I think this show is going to be a real treat.”

Please note the above image is from season one of What If…? and not from the new Black Panther show. Marvel Studios has not yet shared any further cast, images, or plot details about Eyes of Wakanda. But we are super excited already. It sounds like it will be one epic adventure series.

Originally published on December 12, 2023.

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Two titans of the comic book publishing world are coming together to celebrate one of the medium’s most celebrated characters. They are also celebrating one of its greatest creators. Dark Horse Comics and Marvel are teaming up for The Art of the Amazing Spider-Man by John Romita, coming in Fall 2024. This oversized hardcover showcases several essays on Romita’s interior artwork, as well as covers. It also includes original art scans from the Marvel Comics archives. Aside from Peter Parker’s co-creator Steve Ditko, Romita is the most influential artist in Spidey’s publishing history. You can see the cover for The Art of the Amazing Spider-Man down below:

The Art of the Amazing Spider-Man is the first of a new collaboration series and imprint between Dark Horse and Marvel, called Bullpen Books. This follows up their Marvel collaboration with The Art of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. This new line of deluxe art books will honor the works of legendary Marvel Comics characters and creators. Spider-Man and John Romita are but the first of many. We expect to hear additional details about other books in the series very soon. Here’s what Dark Horse Comics’ John Lind had to say about this new Bullpen Books series:

Our initial projects will concentrate on exploring the extensive artistic and design legacy of Marvel Comics, including the substantial contributions made by its iconic creative teams. Combining the incredible depth and content within Marvel’s art archives with Dark Horse’s exceptional design and production will offer fans unparalleled editions of this material.

Meanwhile, Dark Horse President and Publisher, Mike Richardson shared:

I grew up with the Marvel characters and their creators from my earliest days, so I’m very excited about this new collaboration. We’re very excited about working with Marvel to highlight some of the greatest art and artists from their extensive library. I’m sure these books will be a special treat for comics fans everywhere

The Art of Amazing Spider-Man is available for pre-order at your local bookstore, comic shop, and various online retailers for a price of $59.99. This oversized (10” x 14”, 200-page) in-depth art book arrives in bookstores on October 15, 2024. It arrives in comic book shops one day later, on October 16, 2024.

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The argument over the use of generative AI, in which a program aggregates from sources across the globe to create something like text, videos, images, etc., is hot these days. Should production companies use it to cut some corners? Is the product actually inferior? (Yes, it is.) And why do CEOs seem intent on using it, no matter what? Well the final question has been a big one, and producer Chris Miller has responded. Beyond the Spider-Verse will not employ any generative AI.

IndieWire reported on May 30 that Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra told investors that the studio was “looking at ways to produce both films for theaters and television in a more efficient way, using AI primarily.” Obviously, this made people scared, especially for movies like the third Spider-Verse. Those movies, which have gorgeous visuals, are difficult to make. Would this mean Sony would push to use generative AI for “efficiency” sake? Chris Miller had something to say about this, which we first saw on Gamespot.

Miller responded on Twitter: “There is no generative AI in Beyond the Spider-Verse and there never will be. One of the main goals of the films is to create new visual styles that have never been seen in a studio CG film, not steal the generic plagiarized average of other artists’ work.”

It’s worth noting that the Spider-Verse movies have used AI programs, but not generative AI. They instead incorporated ethical and smart-use machine learning to eliminate repetitive tasks and help the artists better adhere to 3D geometry.

Per the effects supervisor Pav Grochola, “We determined that in order to speed up artists’ productivity over the course of the project, we would utilize machine learning to help our animators get an initial predicted result that would give them a reasonable first pass of creating ink lines on the characters.”

We’re not going to see an end to the AI debate in film and TV for some time. As a tool, machine learning can help artists achieve the desired result more quickly. But generative AI undermines the work of hundreds of real humans, not to mention all the people whose work the machine samples. And so far at least, people can tell the difference.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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It was just two wordless cameos in a pair of stacked episode, but fans of ‘90s Marvel animation jumped for joy at the X-Men ’97 episodes “Tolerance is Extinction” Parts I and III. During a crucial moment, when Magneto powers down all electrical devices across the globe, we cut to several cameos of Marvel characters. One of them is our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. It’s not just any Spidey spinning his webs, though. As fans of ‘90s Marvel cartoons know, the Spider-Man in the X-Men cartoon is the same one from the Spider-Man: The Animated Series, that ran concurrently on Fox Kids at the time. We then saw Peter Parker and MJ together in the season finale. Could this mean a Spidey spin-off is on the way, picking up from Spider-Man: The Animated Series? Here’s what Marvel Animation’s Brad Winderbaum said when asked by Screen Rant about the possibility:

There is always potential, right? We don’t want to close the door on anything. But I think that for now, for the foreseeable future, X-Men ’97 will own the ’90s, and how much we bring in guest stars or tell stories from other Marvel characters from that era is TBD, but it will be seen through that lens of the X-Men.

The ’90s X-Men and Spider-Man Animated Series Were Connected

Spider-Man appeared only as a hand shooting web fluid in X-Men: The Animated Series. The X-Men: TAS producers snuck the cameo in, as technically they didn’t have the rights to use Spidey. However, the full X-Men team from the ‘90s cartoon appeared in the two-part Spider-Man episodes “The Mutant Agenda” and “The Mutant’s Revenge” in 1995. All the X-Men: TAS voice actors returned, and their designs were identical to those on their own show. This was the first connection between two Marvel ‘90s animated shows, showing that at least the X-Men and Spider-Man existed within the same continuity. As for the other Marvel cartoons from the ’90s, that’s up for debate.

Spider-Man: The Animated Series Left Lingering Questions X-Men ’97 Could Resolve

So what does this mean for ‘90s Spidey in X-Men ’97? Former showrunner Beau Demayo confirmed on social media that this version of Spidey is the same one originally voiced by Christopher Daniel Barnes in the classic show. As fans may recall, Spider-Man: TAS ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. After a long and convoluted adventure through the Spider-Verse, Madame Web appears to Peter Parker. She takes him to find Mary Jane Watson, who found herself lost in the multiverse earlier in the season. Viewers never found out if Peter and MJ actually reunited, much less if their planned nuptials ever occurred. It was a bit of a giant question mark. But X-Men ’97 answered that question in the season finale, which shows that Peter did indeed find MJ, and the pair were reunited. Beau DeMayo also confirmed this on social media.

Could X-Men ’97 Lead to a Spider-Man ’98 Spin-Off?

One big thing is likely keeping Spider-Man’s appearance from being a “backdoor pilot” to set up a spin-off show. That’s the upcoming Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man animated series coming to Disney+ soon. This is the series formerly known as Spider-Man: Freshman Year. If anything, the upcoming new Spidey cartoon is probably the biggest obstacle in getting a full Spider-Man ’98 series. Would Marvel Animation have two competing Spider-Man cartoons concurrently? However, the massive success of X-Men ’97 may eventually cause them to rethink those plans. Spider-Man was just as beloved a cartoon hero for ‘90s kids as the X-Men.

Could Peter Parker Teach at Xavier’s School in Future X-Men ’97 Seasons?

Even if we don’t get a Spider-Man ’98 series, there is room for a continuation of that version of Peter Parker in future X-Men ’97 seasons. After all, in the comics, Peter Parker became a teacher at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters for a time (then renamed the Jean Grey School), in the series Spider-Man and the X-Men. Why not make the ’90s version of Spidey part of the supporting cast of X-Men ’97? Peter could teach several new mutants, teens discovering their powers during puberty as he once did. Original voice actor Christopher Daniel Barnes has not been contacted yet, but has said he’s into the idea.

Spider-Man is technically not a mutant of course. He got his powers as a teenager during a lab accident, as everyone knows. None of that stopped the comic book creators from giving him a teaching position at the school though. Of course, we’d love for him to have a revival series like X-Men ’97. But if the other Spidey series on Disney+ makes that unlikely, we’ll take option B. Whatever happens, Spidey is officially part of the X-Men ’97 world now. We highly doubt it’s the last time he swings through the New York skyline in this series.

Originally published on May 1, 2024.

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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.

Alas, we’ll have to wait a while longer to know exactly what though. Kraven the Hunter has been delayed for a third time. The movie was originally meant to be released in January 2023 and was then moved to October 2023. After that Kraven shifted its release date to August 2024. Now Kraven the Hunter is slated to release on December 13, 2024. Hopefully this release date takes.

According to producer Matt Tolmach, the reason for the move was actually a positive one. Tolmach noted, “Kraven moved to Christmas because we’re excited about it, and Christmas is the best release period there is when you get people with time to go back to the movies over and over again. That was a real reflection of how the studio felt about the movie. We’re really excited. But that’s a great move that reflects just the feeling about the movie.” If that’s true, it’s good news. But we’ll have to wait (hopefully just until December) and see to know for sure.

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 December 13, 2024.

Originally published on May 26, 2021.

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This week Amazon announced it’s bringing Nicolas Cage to the live-action side of the Spider-Verse. He’ll reprise his animated character in person in his own Spider-Man Noir spinoff series. But it turns out the studio might have only had room for one such Spidey show. Amazon is not moving forward with its previously announced live-action Silk: Spider Society show. The Spider-Man series starring the character Silk has now been canceled.

Variety says Amazon has pulled the plug on its live-action series about the comic book character Cindy Moon, better known as Silk. The show would have told the story of the young Korean-American woman bit by the very same spider that gave Peter Parker his powers.

The Walking Dead’s Angela Kang was set to serve as showrunner of the canceled Silk: Spider Society, with Into the Spider-Verse‘s Phil Lord and Chris Miller serving as executive producers. Amy Pascal, the head of the Spider-Man franchise, was also onboard as an executive producer. Amazon originally ordered Silk: Spider Society to series in late 2022, so this pre-cancellation of the Spider-Man show was not a hasty decision. However, it’s not a total surprise to fans who’ve been following its development. Earlier this year The Ankler reported that Amazon had released Silk‘s writers room so its members could pursue other opportunities. Kang had remained on as showrunner, showing the streaming site had not fully given up on the show until now.

Silk is one of the newer members of the Spider-Man franchise. Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos first introduced Cindy Moon in 2014’s Amazing Spider-Man #1. The official synopsis for the now-canceled Amazon live-action series said the Silk Spider-Man show would follow her escape from imprisonment and search “for her missing family on her way to becoming the superhero known as Silk.”

Now, Silk will have to search for another way to bring her story to the screen. Either that or Spider-Man Noir’s first case on his live-action show can be to learn what happened to Silk’s series.

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The last few episodes of X-Men ’97, “Tolerance is Extinction Part I-III,” were chock-full of Marvel Comics cameos. Some have never even appeared in the X-Men: The Animated Series universe before now. Let’s break down each of them, and what we think they mean for the future of the series.

Daredevil

Helping to control the chaos and looting on the streets of New York during the blackout after Magneto’s EMP wave is Daredevil, who appeared as part of this universe in Spider-Man: The Animated Series.

Doctor Strange

With hospitals having no power, Doctor Stephen Strange appears, doing mystical surgery on a patient. Doctor Strange’s magic powers have the same look as they do in the MCU in this X-Men ’97 Marvel cameo, something not present in his original Spider-Man: The Animated Series appearances. The mystics of Kamar-Taj were mentioned by Beast in this series as well.

Iron Man and Captain America

Although most of the Avengers are off-world dealing with the Kree-Shi’ar war, we do see Iron Man (in his ’90s armor) and Captain America advising the government on what to do about Magneto. Sadly, Tony Stark didn’t have any speaking lines in his X-Men ’97 cameo. Maybe next season, Shellhead.

Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Polaris

Speaking of Magneto, when Charles Xavier is in his mind trying to reason with him, we see glimpses of Magnus’ children. We see the twins Wanda and Pietro (the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver) as well as Lorna Dane, a,k.a. Polaris. Lorna appeared as a former X-Man and member of X-Factor on the classic show.

Black Panther

Marvel’s Black Panther also cameos in X-Men ’97, but he’s not who you think. It’s not Prince T’Challa in the role of the Panther. Instead, it’s his father, King T’Chaka. We’re not sure why Marvel went with this choice, except maybe thinking no one else should even voice act for T’Challa since Chadwick Boseman’s passing in 2020.

Cloak and Dagger

This is a deeper cut. The superhero duo Cloak and Dagger are seen on the streets of New York trying to control the chaos. In older Marvel lore, these purveyors of light and dark were mutants themselves. That has since been retconned. But back in the ’90s, they certainly thought they were mutants!

Psylocke, Alpha Flight, and Cecilia Reyes

On the ruins of Genosha, we see the mutant telepath Psylocke. She appeared a few times before, in the classic X-Men: The Animated Series. Alongside Psylocke is the Canadian mutant team Alpha Flight, including members Puck, Northstar, and Aurora. Also with them is Dr. Cecilia Reyes, a mutant and occasional X-Man.

Mister Fantastic

Morph transforms into Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mister Fantastic of the Fantastic Four, our first visual reference to a member of Marvel’s First Family. This wasn’t technically an X-Men ’97 cameo, but we were happy to see this Marvel character all the same.

Sauron

Morph also transforms into Sauron, the mutate from the Savage Land who is part human/part pterodactyl. Not to be confused with Sauron from The Lord of the Rings, although he was named for him.

The Hulk

This wasn’t technically an X-Men ’97 cameo, as it was shapeshifting Morph in disguise, but the Incredible Hulk smashed through Bastion’s forces in “Tolerance is Extinction Part II.” Still, it was amazing to see the Jade Giant in the world of the X-Men. Hopefully, the real Bruce Banner shows up before too long, and gets to battle his old nemesis Wolverine.

Rachel Summers

The most important Marvel cameo came early on in episode 8 of X-Men ’97. As Cable tells the X-Men the history of his future, he explains how Bastion’s plan resulted in his timeline. In one of the images we see, we witness how the surviving mutants in Bastion’s future are used as slaves to humanity. Among them is a telekinetic/telepathic young woman named Rachel Summers. She’s the (as yet) unborn daughter of Cyclops and Jean Grey. Raised in the dystopian Days of Future Past timeline, she was one of the remaining mutants who were reconditioned by Sentinels to be mutant hunters called Hounds. The tattoos on her face are the signature of the Hound program.

In the comics, Rachel breaks free of her programming, goes back in time to our present, and becomes an X-Man. She even absorbs part of the Phoenix force, taking after her mother. Eventually, she goes thousands of years to the future, where she founds the Clan Askani. This is the same group that took in baby Nathan Summers. When Cable says a rebel from his time sent him back, we had a hunch he means his half-sister Rachel. This was confirmed in the final moments of season one, when we see Rachel as Mother Askani (voiced by Star Trek’s Gates McFadden) with Clan Askani in the far future.

Polaris (Lorna Dane)

Also in the same dystopian future is an older version of the magnetically-powered Polaris. She’s being used as slave labor by humans just like Rachel. In the X-Men: TAS continuity, Lorna Dane was a former member of the X-Men in the early years. She had a romantic relationship with Iceman/Bobby Drake. She is the daughter of Magneto, half-sibling of Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, as noted in Magneto’s mind in the season finale.

William Stryker

One of the X-Men’s deadliest human enemies from Marvel Comics, Reverend William Stryker, appears in a “blink and ya miss him” X-Men ’97 cameo. We see him on a TV news show, predicting a war between humanity and mutants. In the comics, Stryker was an anti-mutant televangelist, who was the primary villain in the 1982 graphic novel God Loves, Man Kills.

That story was adapted into live-action in 2003’s X2: X-Men United. In that film, Stryker was reimagined as a military general, not a preacher. Actor Brian Cox portrayed him in the film. Stryker as a younger military man appeared in X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men: Apocalypse played by Josh Helman.

Doctor Doom

Another big X-Men ’97 cameo is the first official appearance by Doctor Victor Von Doom in a Marvel Studios project. He appears on a monitor talking to Bastion, presumably from his castle in Latveria. He admits to his complicity in the Genoshan attack, however, the level of war crimes committed by Bastion disgusts him. Doom seems to regret allying himself with him, before cutting off the feed. To Victor Von Doom, someone like Bastion is quite beneath him.

Baron Helmut Zemo

Baron Helmut Zemo, sporting his classic comic book-accurate face mask, also pops up on one of the monitors talking to Bastion. He seems far less remorseful than Doom about what’s been happening. This minor X-Men ’97 cameo could be hinting that Zemo and his Masters of Evil, usually Captain America and Avengers villains in the Marvel Comics, might be fighting the X-Men in the future. Or maybe the Avengers and the X-Men team up against Zemo? Our heads are spinning at the thought.

The Silver Samurai

When Magneto unleashes his power and shifts the polarity of the Earth, we see electricity go out all over the world. In Japan, we get a quick look at a long-time Wolverine enemy. Looking out of a high-rise window is the mutant gang leader Silver Samurai, whose real name is Keniuchio Harada. Silver Samurai appeared in the classic X-Men: The Animated Series episode “The Lotus and the Steel.” Samurai appears again in the finale episode of season one.

Omega Red

In Russia, we see a government facility that looks like a nuclear power plant. As Magneto’s wave cuts the power across the world, we see that held in suspended animation in this scientific research base is the mutant operative Omega Red. With the power out, Omega Red awakens. Omega Red appeared in four X-Men: The Animated Series episodes over the course of five seasons. We later see him with the Russian Winter Guard, including Darkstar and Crimson Dynamo, in the season finale.

Spider-Man

Oh yeah, then there’s this guy. You might have heard of him. Yes, the amazing Spider-Man himself appears in a silent X-Men ’97 cameo as the power shuts down in New York City. Former X-Men ’97 showrunner Beau Demayo confirms via social media this is the very same wallcrawler who starred in Spider-Man: The Animated Series in the ‘90s, which crossed over with X-Men: TAS. Could this be leading to a revival of that show too? We have our suspicions. In the season one finale, we see Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson, and Flash Thompson on the streets of New York. Showrunner Beau DeMayo confirmed on social media that Peter and MJ were reunited after the events of Spider-Man: TAS, resolving that cliffhanger ending.

Originally published on May 1, 2024.

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The Spider-Verse is about to get even bigger via the small screen. It is also about to get a lot darker, mysterious, and funny. And, let’s be honest, a lot weirder. Prime Video has officially done what Spidey fans have been waiting to hear. The studio has formally ordered a new live-action series starring Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man Noir, the character he originally voiced in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Amazon used its inaugural upfront presentation in New York City to announce it has finally ordered Noir to series. The Spider-Man Noir show will see Nicolas Cage playing the live-action version of his character from Sony’s animated 2018 Oscar winner. The series, based on the Marvel comic Spider-Man Noir, will air on Prime Video and MGM+.

Harry Bradbeer (Fleabag, Killing Eve) will direct and executive produce the Spider-Man Noir‘s first two episodes. Oren Uziel (22 Jump Street) and Steve Lightfoot (Marvel’s The Punisher, Shantaram) will serve as co-showrunners and executive producers. They developed the show with the Spider-Verse‘s Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Amy Pascal. All three are also on board as executive producers.

For those who have (for some absurd reason) not yet seen Into the Spider-Verse or are unfamiliar with the character’s comic history, Amazon also shared a brief synopsis for the Spider-Man Noir series.

Noir tells the story of an aging and down on his luck private investigator (Cage) in 1930s New York, who is forced to grapple with his past life as the city’s one and only superhero.

Vernon Sanders, head of television, Amazon MGM Studios, explained why the studio wants to make this series in a release. (As though we need an explanation.) “Expanding the Marvel universe with Noir is a uniquely special opportunity, and we are honored to bring this series to our global Prime Video customers,” he said. “The extremely talented Nicolas Cage is an ideal choice for our new superhero, and the accomplished producing team with Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Amy Pascal, and the incredible team at Sony is dedicated to expanding this franchise in the most authentic way.” 

We’re ready to dedicate our time to watching when it debuts. The Spider-Verse is an infinite place of possibilities and heroes. But we very much want to spend more time with this version of the character. And obviously, more time with Nicolas Cage.

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For decades, the two titans of comic book publishing, DC and Marvel, would occasionally cross over for special event comics. But we haven’t had one of these in over 20 years. The previous crossover comics have remained out of print, available only via the back issue bins at your comic shop. Now, Marvel and DC are reprinting these beloved comics at last, in two massive hardcover omnibuses collecting almost every single crossover, including the ’90s DC Versus Marvel event, and its fallout, the fused-together Marvel/DC Amalgam universe. Both omnibuses will be coming out this summer.

DC President Jim Lee illustrates new covers for both omnibuses, showcasing his first time drawing Marvel characters like the X-Men in an official capacity in decades. You can see both covers, which are Direct Market exclusives, below:

DC vs. Marvel

Direct Market cover by Jim Lee, Scott Williams, and Alex Sinclair

DC vs. Marvel: The Amalgam Age

Direct Market cover by Jim Lee, Scott Williams, and Alex Sinclair

Here’s what we know so far about the DC and Marvel crossover comics reprints.

DC Versus Marvel Omnibus 

Who would win: Superman versus Spider-Man? Batman versus Captain America? The X-Men meeting the Teen Titans? DC Versus Marvel Omnibus collects crossovers between the core DC and Marvel characters starting from 1976’s Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man to 2000’s Batman/Daredevil. The collection includes stories from some of comics’ most revered talents. It features names like Dennis O’Neil, George Pérez, Dan Jurgens, Chris Claremont, Walter Simonson, J.M. DeMatteis, Mark Bagley, Gerry Conway, John Romita Jr., and more. DC and Marvel fans alike can’t miss these thrilling pieces of unearthed comic book history.

Specific issues included are Batman/Captain America #1, Batman/Daredevil #1, Batman/Punisher: Lake of Fire #1, Batman/Spider-Man #1, Daredevil/Batman #1, DC Special Series #27 (Batman vs. the Hulk), Darkseid vs. Galactus: The Hunger #1, Green Lantern/Silver Surfer: Unholy Alliances #1, Incredible Hulk vs. Superman #1, Marvel and DC Present Featuring the Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans #1, Marvel Treasury Edition #28 (Superman and Spider-Man), Punisher/Batman: Deadly Knights #1, Silver Surfer/Superman #1, Spider-Man and Batman #1, Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man #1, and Superman/Fantastic Four #1.

DC/Marvel: The Amalgam Age Omnibus 

This collection features stories first told in 1996 of the two superhero universes fused together into a new Amalgam Universe, combining DC’s and Marvel’s heroes, villains, and mythologies. The result was a series of unforgettable one-shot comic books starring the likes of Dark Claw (Batman and Wolverine), Super Soldier (Superman and Captain America), Iron Lantern (Iron Man and Green Lantern), and many more. Among the creators are Peter David, Dan Jurgens, Mark Waid, Dave Gibbons, Ron Marz, José Luis García-López, Gary Frank, Bill Sienkiewicz, Claudio Castellini, and more. This represents one of the most fun and unlikely periods in comic book history.

This omnibus collects the 1996 DC Versus Marvel series, issues #1-4, and the subsequent follow-up one-shots. Included is DC/Marvel: All Access #1-4, Unlimited Access #1-4, Bat-Thing #1, Bruce Wayne: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1, Bullets and Bracelets #1, Challengers of the Fantastic #1, Doctor Strangefate #1, Iron Lantern #1, Legends of the Dark Claw #1, Lobo the Duck #1, Speed Demon #1, Spider-Boy #1, Super Soldier #1, Thorion of the New Asgods #1, X-Patrol #1, and more. We imagine that the rest of the Amalgam issues like Amazon (Wonder Woman and Storm) and JLX (Justice League and X-Men) are also included. There will also be “a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes material.”

No JLA/Avengers…Yet.

Now, arguably the most famous of the Marvel and DC Crossovers is not included here. We’re talking about JLA/Avengers. That 2004 event comic was the biggest and last of the crossover events. It was written by Kurt Busiek and drawn by the legendary George Pérez. When Pérez announced his terminal diagnosis in 2021 the two publishers rushed a very limited-run reprint for charity. But it sold out almost instantly. We can only hope that the legendary title receives its own new deluxe edition. That’s one book that should never go out of print.

The DC Versus Marvel and DC/Marvel: The Amalgam Age omnibuses both hit on August 6, 2024.

Originally published February 14, 2024.

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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.

Most recently, Tom Holland updated fans on how Spider-Man 4 was coming along and how he was involved. He noted to Deadline when asked whether he’d return for more Spider-Man, “The simple answer is that I’ll always want to do Spider-Man films. I owe my life and career to Spider-Man. So the simple answer is yes. I’ll always want to do more.”

Holland’s more complex answer, however, is as follows. “We have the best in the business working toward whatever the story might be. But until we’ve cracked it, we have a legacy to protect. The third movie was so special in so many ways that we need to make sure we do the right thing.” Finally, he revealed, “This is the first time in this process that I’ve been part of the creative so early. It’s just a process where I’m watching and learning. It’s just a really fun stage for me. Like I said, everyone wants it to happen. But we want to make sure we’re not overdoing the same things.”

Here’s what we know about Spider-Man 4 and the rest of the Spider-People films in the works.

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.

Pascal followed up on this revelation recently with Variety, assuring fans that live-action Miles Morales is coming, but two more projects are taking priority. Chris Miller, who has worked on the Spider-Verse franchise alongside Phil Lord, gave fans more clarity via social media. Spider-Man 4 and Beyond the Spider-Verse are the two projects that must come first. So breathe easy, all good things are still happening.

Fellow producer Avi Arad shared 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

Pascal is not the only one discussing a fourth outing for the MCU’s Spider-Man, of course. In addition to his comments above, Tom Holland shared more about Spider-Man 4 late last year.

Chiefly, 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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Over the past 22 years, we’ve had 3 different iterations of Spider-Man swing their way onto the big screen. Now, as part of Columbia Pictures’ 100th Anniversary celebration, the eight live-action Spider-Man films are returning to movie theaters. Each film is for a one-night-only event. Beginning on April 15, these Spider-Mondays will run through June 3. It all starts with Sam Raimi’s original Spider-Man from 2002, the film that really started the ball rolling on Marvel movie dominance. You can watch the trailer for this summer’s Spider-Mondays right here.

Until the release of Jon Watts’ Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021, it really felt like each iteration of Peter Parker was its own thing. Tobey Maguire’s take on Spidey in Raimi’s trilogy was quite different from Andrew Garfield’s in Marc Webb’s two films. The same goes for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, who was similar to his predecessors, but just as different too. But after No Way Home, each movie feels more like part of an interconnected story, one about three “brothers” on similar life journeys that somehow all come together for an emotional first encounter. Maybe one of the best unintentional cinematic retcons of all time, the existing 8 Spider-Man movies now work that way. And so, it will be fun to see these Spider-Man movies return to theaters as a unit.

Unfortunately, the animated Spider-Verse movies aren’t a part of these Spider-Mondays. So Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse or Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse won’t return to movie theaters this summer. Hopefully, when the third Spider-Verse installment finally arrives, Sony will think of releasing the first two films back in theaters again. In the meantime, you can catch Spider-Man in movie theaters on April 15, Spider-Man 2 on April 22, Spider-Man 3 on April 29, The Amazing Spider-Man on May 3, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 on May 13, Spider-Man: Homecoming on May 20, Spider-Man: Far From Home on May 27, and Spider-Man: No Way Home on June 3.

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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 Spider-Verse, 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.

Most recently, Nicolas Cage, who voices Spider-Man Noir in Into the Spider-Verse, reveals he is in talks to return for the series, but nothing is set in stone yet. He shares with Collider, “Well, I can say that we have been talking. It’s no secret that I love the character. I think the character provides another mash-up of sorts. I can combine my favorite golden age performances, i.e. Robinson, Cagney, Bogart, with a character that is, I guess, widely considered [to be] Stan Lee’s masterpiece. I see it as a kind of foray into a pop art mash-up of, sort of, a [Jungian] Lichtenstein, mash-up by way of Bogart and Cagney, but nothing’s definitive yet. It’s just conversation.”

With such a nuanced vision of Spider-Man Noir in his head, we feel like it’s only right that Cage reprise this role. But we’ll probably have to wait a while longer to know for sure.

Last year, Variety reported that 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 firm 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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Morbius and now Madame Web were Sony’s follow-ups to Venom for their Spider-Man-less Spider-Man cinematic Universe. Let’s just say that neither of these films set the world on fire. And yet, Morbius does have some fans out there. Sure, most of them love the movie starring Jared Leto as “the living vampire” in an ironic way. Yet they love it regardless. Well, it will soon be “Morbin’ time” for them on Disney+. The streamer has announced that Morbius is premiering on the platform on March 1.

Morbius is the latest Sony Spider-Man-adjacent film to debut on Disney+, as part of an arrangement between Sony and Disney. Currently, the original Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy can be found there, as well as the two Marc Webb Amazing Spider-Man films. Two of the three MCU/Sony collaborations, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home, have a home on the platform too. So does Venom starring Tom Hardy. At some point, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Spider-Man: No Way Home will land on Disney+. Probably once licensing deals with other streaming services end. We’re not sure if this deal includes both animated Spider-Verse films, which are currently on Netflix.

Once Venom was a huge success back in 2018, Morbius was step two in Sony’s “independent from the MCU Spider-Man-centric universe.” But where Venom was a huge character at Marvel Comics with a significant fanbase, Michael Morbius was not. The character faced an uphill battle trying to get audiences to care about a solo film starring the character. Especially without introducing him as a Spider-Man villain first. If the upcoming Kraven the Hunter film doesn’t land, we think it will be time for Sony to seriously rethink their strategy of making an entire Spider-Man universe that doesn’t contain any Spider-Man in it. In the meantime, you’ll soon be able to watch Morbius on Disney+, and bask in all the ‘Morbin.

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Picture this: a Peruvian rainforest, 1973, green forest everywhere, an expanse of mystery and possibility. Remember it, because it’s the last time you’ll know peace for the next hour and 57 minutes. It’s a shame, because Madame Web had the chance to be a spunky, idiosyncratic take on the Marvel Comics character. A fun early-Millennia setting (the bulk of the film takes place in 2003), a cast of young female talent, direct ties to the Tom Holland Spiderverse. But the result is a film drained of any and all pleasure, held together by a flimsy web of careless story beats, bad action, and dead-on-arrival performances. It’s almost intolerably bad.

Madame Web centers on Cassie Webb (Dakota Johnson), a New York City paramedic who lives a pretty melancholy and detached life. She’s uncomfortable around kids, even the children of people she saves. She also doesn’t have much of a life. Her only real friend is fellow paramedic Ben (Adam Scott) and a stray cat who comes to her apartment for milk. This “outsider” status is borne of early-life trauma. Her mother Constance (Kerry Bishé), an arachnologist, died during childbirth, so Cassie grew up in the foster system. 

Unbeknownst to her, a man named Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim) lives in the city too. Sims has ties to Cassie’s origins. He knew—and betrayed—her mother in Peru those 30 years before. The source of his betrayal? A mysterious, powerful spider whose venom contains mystical, psychotropic properties. Sims seemingly procured these properties, given he looks exactly the same in 2003 as he did in 1973. The venom also allows him to see into the future. He’s haunted by visions of his own death at the hands of three young women dressed in spider-like superhero gear. This prompts him to go looking for his would-be killers. 

And that’s where fate intervenes. After a work accident throws her off a bridge and into the river, Cassie starts developing her own super-abilities. Time exists all funny now. She sees visions of the future that quickly rewind, catching her in uncontrollable mini time loops. Soon after, at a train station, she encounters Sims as he’s about to murder the three girls from his vision. Cassie uses her precognition to intervene, but it comes with a price: now the girls—Julia (Sydney Sweeney), Mattie (Celeste O’Connor), and Anya (Isabela Merced)—are in her care. Together, they go on the run to avoid Sims’ wrath and figure out how the four of them are interconnected. And how it all might tie back to some legendary Peruvian spider people.

While the plot is mostly legible, it’s almost shocking how lifelessly it comes together, right down to the semantics. Characters just… arrive in places with no real set up. Cassie “kidnaps” the girls in Manhattan and minutes later they’re deep in the woods. There’s no logical reason for their escape, either. The script needed them at a new set piece, so it plunked them there without logic or coherence and expects us not to care. And hey, maybe that was the right call, because it’s doubtful anyone will—about anything. 

The dull story might be less noticeable with a charming cast, but somehow that element is even worse. Johnson deserves much of the blame. She could not appear less interested if she tried. In an interview, director S.J. Clarkson described the character of Cassie as “abrasive” and “quirky” but Johnson makes no attempt to be either. She gives an entirely toothless performance, lazing through each scene as if dreaming about the 14 hours of sleep she’s missing out on. She needs to be the gravitational pull of the film, but her low energy, terrible line delivery, and general “who cares” vibe tanks the whole thing. It does, at least, give us some hilariously bad line reads that will likely become memes. Like the way she says, without an ounce of energy, “Seriously, don’t do dumb things.” 

Her co-stars aren’t doing much either. Rahim also delivers lines with such stiffness that I wondered at times if his entire performance was dubbed. Sweeney is entirely miscast as a naive teen forgotten by her family. (Not even the teddy bear she carries around can make you believe she’s a minor.) O’Connor and Merced try their best with the crumbs their characters receive—a shame, given who they’re meant to become—and Adam Scott has almost nothing to do. The only actor with any spark is Zosia Mamet as Sims’ computer-whiz assistant, but she’s barely around. It’s an odd assemblage of people who have next to zero chemistry. What was going on with this casting process?

But bad directing, bad plotting, and bad acting aren’t the worst thing about Madame Web. The most grueling aspect is how oddly it exists within the larger Sony Spiderverse. You know immediately who characters like Ben are meant to be, but the film never just comes out and says anything. At one point, Emma Roberts appears as a character who exists just to wink largely in your face without any notable revelations.

The film knows that you know these people and their fates. But instead of just letting them exist as real characters, the film forces them to coyly tease things that should be basic plot. I’m sure there are people behind the scenes who found this all rather cute, but it’s not. It’s infantilizing an audience already over this type of superhero schtick. You can’t keep feeding them slop and expect them to stick around. Especially not slop that directly insults their intelligence.

Unfortunately for Sony, Madame Web isn’t just slop. It’s completely forgettable slop. Not even the fun kind of bad movie. Just an aching waste of time, the memory of which evaporates before it ever takes hold. If the idea is to spin this into some larger Spidey storytelling, it’s time to reevaluate or maybe even close up shop entirely. No one involved in this film seems to care much that exists, so why should the audience? The cinematic superhero death knell is growing louder by the day.

Madam Web ⭐ (1.5 of 5)

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DC Comics and Marvel Comics have always been publishing rivals. However, once upon a time, the two companies would join forces to produce crossover event comics, stories that superhero fans went wild over. The crossover comics sold like hotcakes. This began in the ’70s, only ending in the mid-2000s. With separate mega corporations now owning each comic book company, the chances we’ll ever get events like these again are slim. In fact, these comics are all out of print, and unlikely to ever get reissued. But if you can track these down online, or at your local comic shop back issue bins, we think these are the greatest DC and Marvel Comics crossovers.

10. Darkseid vs. Galactus: The Hunger (1995)

by John Byrne

This is one of the more off-the-wall Marvel/DC crossovers of the ‘90s, written and illustrated by John Byrne at the height of his popularity. It takes place in a universe where both the Marvel and DC characters co-exist, and always have. (In fact, most of these crossovers retain that conceit). In Byrne’s one-shot tale, two of Jack Kirby’s most powerful alien villains meet at last. Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds comes to Darkseid’s home planet of Apokolips to consume it for energy. Darkseid throws everything a literal God of Evil can throw at a galactic force of nature, including armies of Parademons. The Silver Surfer gets caught in the melee. We won’t spoil the twist ending here, but it’s a fun one. Of all the DC and Marvel Comics crossovers, this one counts as perhaps the most Biblical in its proportions.

9. Batman vs. The Incredible Hulk

by Len Wein, José Luis García-López, and Dick Giordano

There should be no question; the Hulk could trample Batman in a cold minute. So this seems like a very odd premise for a crossover. In 1981 though, Batman was still a superstar thanks to endless reruns of Batman ’66. The Hulk was a household name thanks to his TV series. So, kids wanted to see them interact. Somehow, writer Len Wein and DC style guide artist José Luis García-López made this crossover comic work. Hey, if Batman can use his genius to beat Superman, why not Hulk? The story finds Bruce Banner working in the science division of Wayne Enterprises, hoping to find a cure for his condition. Although the two team up against the Joker, the truly wild thing here is that the main villain is the cosmic entity the Shaper of Worlds, an obscure Marvel baddie. Track this one down for the stellar art and wacky premise alone.

8. Superman/Fantastic Four: The Infinite Destruction (1999)

by Dan Jurgens and Art Thibert

This was the first-ever crossover of DC’s first superhero and Marvel’s “First Family.” It was printed in an oversized Treasury Edition one-shot, in the style of the first crossover editions. While it should probably be better than it was, it has interesting things that make it worth reading. Revealing that Galactus destroyed Krypton is a cool twist to the Superman mythology ,as is Galactus trying to make Kal-El his new herald. And since the evil Cyborg Superman was originally a character from DC’s own twisted version of the Fantastic Four, it’s cool to see him included. Some of the interactions between the FF and the Man of Steel are truly enjoyable too. However, the oversized format actually hurts the art by Dan Jurgens and Art Thibert. The Dan Jurgens/Alex Ross painted cover is killer though.

7. Daredevil/Batman: An Eye for an Eye (1997)

By D.G. Chichester and Scott McDaniel

As much as Batman and Spider-Man were no-brainers for a team-up, so too were urban vigilantes Batman and Daredevil. It finally happened in 1997’s Daredevil/Batman: An Eye for an Eye. While enjoyable, this story could be better, despite some pretty good art from Nightwing artist Scott McDaniel. Two-Face and Mr. Hyde team up in this story, becoming the primary villains. One of the more enjoyable reinventions in this one has former lawyer Harvey Dent/Two Face having a history with attorney Matt Murdock, which leads to some juicy character moments. The best part of this one-shot is how much the (very similar) Dark Knight and the Man Without Fear do not get along. The initial “fight before we team up” makes this one worth a read.

6. Spider-Man and Batman: Disordered Minds (1995)

by J.M. DeMatteis and Mark Bagley

Batman and Spider-Man were the biggest heroes of their respective companies in the mid ’90s, dominating comic sales (and Fox Kids’ cartoons). For all their differences, both heroes were born of tragedy, and have the two best rogues galleries in comics. Fans wanted a meetup for decades. It finally happened in 1995 in Spider-Man and Batman: Disordered Minds. Written by longtime Amazing Spider-Man scribe J.M. DeMatteis and illustrated by Spidey artist Mark Bagley, it pits the two heroes against a union of villains Joker and Carnage. Both are deranged serial killers locked away in creepy asylums, so the two merging makes sense. As it turns out, Joker enjoys the theater of murder more than Carnage does, who just wants to kill for killing’s sake. Not that Bats and Spidey got along any better. This one’s a true time capsule of where Batman and Spider-Man were as characters in the ’90s.

5. Superman and Spider-Man (1981)

By Jim Shooter, Marv Wolfman, and John Buscema

Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man was the first DC and Marvel Comics crossover in 1976, making comic book history. But it was their second meeting that was really the most fun. In the 1981 sequel, Superman and Spider-Man, written by Marvel EIC Jim Shooter and Marv Wolfman, and illustrated by Marvel legend John Buscema, Superman and Spidey join forces to stop Doctor Doom. Not traditionally a Spidey villain, the Latverian monarch was a big enough threat to unite Clark and Peter. What makes this one better than the original is that we get our first-ever Hulk vs. Superman fight in it, and Spider-Man takes on Wonder Woman too. All four characters were media superstars in 1981, with TV shows and movies in the zeitgeist. For the readership of the time, this was the ultimate comic book. Yes, it’s dated in many ways, as it’s 40 years old. But we still love it.

4. The Incredible Hulk vs. Superman (1999)

by Roger Stern and Steve Rude

It’s probably the oldest superhero nerd debate of all time. Who is stronger, Superman or the Hulk? Well, despite brief fights in other crossovers, their real smackdown took place in The Incredible Hulk vs. Superman one-shot, published in 1999. What elevates this one over the other Man of Steel vs. Jade Giant fights is that it actually has a strong story and superlative art, and isn’t treated as just one long battle, like Superman vs. Doomsday. Written by comics legend Roger Stern and illustrated by Steve Rude, the story takes place in an alternate 1960s Silver Age, with both Clark Kent and Bruce Banner reflecting their depictions during that time. Rude’s art also has a very retro flair which fits right in with this interpretation. So who won? We won’t ruin the outcome in case you read it. But this brawl is a doozy.

3. DC Versus Marvel/Marvel Versus DC (1996)

by Peter David, Ron Marz, Dan Jurgens, and Claudio Castellini

This crossover event was born purely out of necessity. In 1994, the speculator boom of the early ’90s led to a massive crash in the comics industry. Desperate for a big hit, Marvel and DC teamed up to bring fans the knockdown brawl they’d been waiting decades for. This four-issue series was written by Peter David and Ron Marz, and illustrated by artists Dan Jurgens and Claudio Castellini. The two publishers would alternate issues, so when DC Comics published an issue, their brand name came first. When Marvel Comics did, the title changed to Marvel Versus DC. It’s hard to call this series “good” in any traditional sense, but it is thoroughly enjoyable and will bring out the inner child of anyone reading it.

The story of DC Versus Marvel is a pretty basic one, highly reminiscent of Marvel’s Secret Wars. It has two godlike beings, one from each reality, using the heroes of each universe to fight it out, determining which universe is stronger. Super basic plot or not, it delivered what every DC and Marvel fan wanted—to see these superhero icons duke it out. Comic book fans actually got to vote as to who would win each fight, leading to the story becoming more of a popularity contest than a real match between characters. (Sorry, Wolverine would NOT beat Lobo.) Having said that, this series led to the brief Amalgam Universe, where DC and Marvel fused together. That was even more wildly silly fun. For all of its faults, it’s hard not to remember this one fondly.

2. JLA/Avengers (2003 – 2004)

by Kurt Busiek and George Pérez

In many ways, JLA/Avengers is the ultimate DC and Marvel crossover, over 20 years in the making. A version of this crossover event was nearly completed by artist George Pérez in 1983, before Marvel’s EIC Jim Shooter killed the project. Pérez gave up hope that he’d never get the chance to bring the greatest heroes of two Earths together in one epic story. He finally got to illustrate this magnum opus crossover event in 2003/2004. Unlike previous DC and Marvel crossovers, this comic absolutely hinged on the fact that the Marvel and DC Universes were separate and that their colliding together was the entire plot. This series emphasized the DC and Marvel universes were inherently different, almost destined to conflict.

Kurt Busiek, famous for writing Avengers and Superman, understood that the actual plot of a series like this was secondary. It was all about the small moments between iconic characters. What makes this book great is Black Canary dating Hawkeye instead of Green Arrow, or Wonder Man and Wonder Woman arm wrestling in a panel. And, of course, seeing every character ever to call themselves an Avenger or Justice Leaguer appearing on the page together was nerd nirvana. The four-issue mini-series is always an engaging fan service of a read, and a joy to look at in every issue. Sadly, it was the final DC and Marvel crossover. But man, what a way to go out. It’s truly criminal that this seminal comic is not perpetually kept in print. It should be, just to honor the late, great George Pérez.

1. The Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans (1982)

by Chris Claremont, Walter Simonson, and Terry Austin

What could possibly be better than the Justice League meeting the Avengers? How about DC and Marvel’s two biggest-selling teams of the ‘80s, the X-Men and the Teen Titans, joining forces? In 1982, both comics ruled the sales charts, and were at their peak creatively. So teaming them up for the Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans one shot was a true event. X-Men writer Chris Claremont wrote this special edition issue, illustrated beautifully by Thor artist Walter Simonson. The story is truly an epic one, featuring DC’s Darkseid resurrecting Marvel’s Dark Phoenix to use as a way of conquering all known reality.

Uncanny X-Men/New Teen Titans was written a mere two years after The Dark Phoenix Saga, when the death of Jean Grey was a fresh wound for the X-Men. Even out of continuity, this was a devastating moment for the mutant heroes. This special issue had Claremont writing at the peak of his abilities, foreshadowing many things that would occur in the regular Marvel continuity, such as Jean’s return. On the DC front, this story also predicted Darkseid becoming the DC Universe’s biggest bad, and Beast Boy developing a crush on Kitty Pryde foreshadowed his crush on the Titans’ own “evil Kitty,” Terra. Because of its high emotional stakes, incredible art, and iconic moments, Uncanny X-Men/New Teen Titans takes our top spot.

Hopefully, one day both DC and Marvel Comics find a way to reprint these issues. Perhaps the companies could collect them in an omnibus, with all proceeds going to charity? These are seminal comics, which don’t deserve to be deleted from history.

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Tom Hollander is a well-known working actor, famous for roles in things like Pirates of the Caribbean and White Lotus. What he is not, however, is Tom Holland, a.k.a. Spider-Man. But we’ve learned via Variety that he almost got paid some Spidey-level money once, entirely by accident. And when we say Spidey-level, we’re talking millions. Because Tom Hollander was once mistakenly sent a bonus check for an Avengers film meant for Tom Holland. He told Seth Meyers the story while promoting his role as Truman Capote in the upcoming Feud: Capote vs. the Swans on FX/Hulu. You can watch the clip below:

Hollander recounted to Seth Myers that it was his agency that mixed him up with the similarly named Holland via an email. That is how he got his very fat check by mistake. We’re not sure which Avengers movie it was, since Tom Holland was in two of them. Honestly, we can see how something like this could happen. Luckily, Mr. Hollander is a man of good moral character, and didn’t just take the money and run. We guess that’s the Spider-Man thing to do. Now we wonder if Child’s Play and Fright Night director Tom Holland has ever accidentally received some Marvel money by mistake himself.

We don’t know how much Tom Holland’s check was for, but apparently, it left Tom Hollander’s jaw on the floor. He said “It was an astonishing amount of money. It was not his salary. It was his first box-office bonus. Not the whole box-office bonus, the first one. And it was more money than I’d ever [seen]. It was a seven-figure sum.” If you’re wondering why so many of these actors, like Hugh Jackman and others, keep returning to their superhero roles for sequel after sequel? There’s your answer. There ain’t no money like Marvel money. But we bet Tom Hollander is ready to sign up for the MCU right about now. Someone’s got to play the Beyonder in Secret Wars, right?

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The Sinister Six have long been a thorn in Spider-Man’s side in the pages of Marvel Comics. They first came together in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 in 1964, and have repeatedly made Peter Parker’s life miserable. Years later a team of villains came together to fight the three Spideys in Spider-Man: No Way Home—although it was just five baddies and not six, for unknown reasons. (The Sinister Several?) But rumors persist a proper Sinister Six is coming to the big screen. Possibly in the MCU, or more likely, Sony’s Spider-Man universe. But what is the Sinister Six comic book history? We break down this legendary consortium of bad guys.

Who Are The Sinister Six?

Though they are called the Sinister “Six,” in truth, this supervillain team has had a varying number of members. The original members of the Sinister Six included Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio, Doctor Octopus, Vulture, Sandman, and Electro, but a revolving door of villains has come in and out of the ranks. Over the years, many a Spidey rogue has joined their ranks. However, certain linchpin members keep signing on over and over. Some of these are the aforementioned Sinister Six founding members, loyalists from the start, while others joined later.

But who are the Sinister Six, really? Here is a breakdown of each key member of the Sinister Six (or “Insidious Six,” for you ’90s Spider-Man: The Animated Series fans) to help you get to know them. Although there is some stiff competition, some might argue these are the best members of the Sinister Six, but that’s up to you to determine.

We’ll start with the man who put the team together, Doctor Otto Octavius.

Doctor Octopus (Also Known as Doc Ock and Dr. Otto Octavius): The Sinister Six’s Leader

Doc Ock’s Comics History 

If there’s an MVP of the Sinister Six, it’s Dr. Otto Octavius. Doctor Octopus is the most consistent of the team’s leaders, which isn’t surprising because he also formed the Sinister Six. The mad eight-limbed scientist was also one of Spidey’s earliest villains in the Marvel comics, appearing in 1963’s The Amazing Spider-Man #3. In the comics, Otto Octavius was a genius, a widely respected nuclear physicist. Thanks to a lab accident, however, he became something more. Doctor Octopus got his arms when a set of mechanical ones he’d invented became fused to his body. His now-mutated brain could control them with a thought.

Becoming a super-criminal, he tangled with Spider-Man more than almost any other villain. For more than a year, Doc Ock even became Spider-Man himself. He took over Peter Parker’s mind and body, and he attempted life as the heroic “Superior Spider-Man.” But his superhero days were short-lived. Peter regained control of his body. Otto has since resumed his supervillain existence in a version of his old body… complete with his absolutely terrible haircut.

Doc Ock’s Powers and Abilities 

Doc Ock has four long, extremely durable metal appendages. They can telescope and feel sensations. The pincers on his arms are capable of gripping with a force of 175 pounds per square inch. He can mentally control them, just as he would his organic limbs. During his time as the Superior Spider-Man, he also had access to all of Peter Parker’s powers too.

How Doc Ock Could Appear Again in the MCU

Thanks to Multiversal shenanigans and one spell from Doctor Strange, the Doc Ock from Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films appeared on Earth 616 (a.k.a. “the Sacred Timeline”) in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Could Alfred Molina appear in the MCU again? Nothing is ruling it out. The Multiverse Saga is far from over, and he could still appear in a future Sinister Six project.

The Vulture: A Founding Member of the Team

Vulture’s Comics History

Adrian Toomes was a genius electronics engineer who became one of Spider-Man’s most persistent enemies, Vulture. First showing up in The Amazing Spider-Man #2 in 1963, Toomes designed a winged suit that allows him to fly at incredible speeds. After business partners cheated him out of his livelihood, he turned to a life of crime. Vulture was an original member of the Sinister Six, helping to found the team, and has served on many iterations of the Sinister Six over the years.

Vulture’s Powers and Abilities

Toomes’ Vulture apparatus consists of an electromagnetic anti-graviton generator that he wears as a harness. It not only allows for him to fly stealthily and with superior maneuverability, but the side effects of wearing the harness include enhanced strength. It’s why the Vulture, usually portrayed as a wiry older man, can withstand physical fights with Spider-Man as he battles the hero for the Sinister Six and alone.

How Vulture Could Appear Again in the MCU

Michael Keaton famously played Adrian Toomes in Spider-Man: Homecoming. And although Spidey defeated him, he is still alive and in prison. It’s only a matter of time before we see him again. In fact, those who watched Morbius saw him briefly in a confusing cameo. He should have rounded out the Sinister Six in No Way Home, but for unknown reasons, he was absent. If the team forms properly in the MCU, he needs to be there.

Sandman: Sometimes a Hero… Sometimes Not…

Sandman’s Comics History

William Baker from Queens, New York, was a two-bit criminal who began a life of petty crime after his school expelled him. Taking on the name Flint Marko, Baker was caught in a nuclear testing site, where an accident caused him to bond with sand on a molecular level. He embarked on a life of crime, joining up with the Sinister Six and regularly crossing paths with Spider-Man. In later years, he tried to be a superhero, and even joined the Avengers. But inevitably, he’d became a criminal once more.

Sandman’s Powers and Abilities 

Sandman can transform his body into different sand shapes, both hard and soft. As fans saw in Spider-Man 3, Sandman can transform his hand into a mace, for example, or soften his form to take punches and bullets. He can also become a living sandstorm. Extreme heat impedes him, as it can transform him into glass. But he can, with much concentration, control glass as well. Water is another vulnerability. But as long as the one grain of sand that contains his consciousness isn’t isolated, he’s virtually indestructible. That makes him a big help to the Sinister Six when he’s a part of their team.

How Sandman Could Appear Again in the MCU

Thomas Haden Church played Sandman in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3. It was a fairly comics-accurate version of the character, too. He was one of the villains from Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy transported to Earth-616 in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Although he went back to his home dimension at the end, nothing is stopping him (or a version of him) from joining a future Sinister Six.

Electro: A Shocking Teammate

Electro’s Comics History

Like many of Spider-Man’s antagonists, Electro started as a blue-collar guy who received superpowers during a freak accident. Maxwell Dillon, an electrician, was struck by lightning while working on power lines. Finding he could now control electricity, he started wearing a garish costume and became the criminal Electro. He first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #9 in 1964 and has come to blows with Spidey ever since. Electro was also a founding member of the Sinister Six.

Electro’s Powers and Abilities 

Electro can produce enormous amounts of electricity, up to one million volts. When he charges his body to the highest levels, he becomes stronger and faster than an ordinary human. In recent years, his abilities have evolved to the point where he can become electricity itself, traveling through power lines. Electro is almost indestructible in this form. But just like real electricity, Max Dillon is quite vulnerable to water.

How Electro Could Appear Again in the MCU

Jamie Foxx, who played Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, crossed over into the MCU in No Way Home. Although Electro appeared differently than he did in his original film appearance, Foxx was the very same Electro who fought Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man. And just like with Doc Ock, he wound up in Earth-616 through Multiversal fractures. He could return to join the Sinister Six at some point.

Mysterio: The Sinister Six Gave Him His Spotlight 

Mysterio’s Comics History

First fighting Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man #13 in 1964, the man known as Mysterio was a former special effects master Quentin Beck. Seeing no glory in behind-the-scenes work, he craved the attention of being an actor. When that didn’t pay off for him, he used his talents of creating illusions to commit crimes. This caused him to have several run-ins with Spider-Man across the years and led him to help found the Sinister Six.

Mysterio’s Powers and Abilities

Mysterio actually has no super abilities to speak of. But he is, however, a master of special effects and stage illusions, while also being a proficient hypnotist and magician. He’s learned quite a bit about robotics as well. But when it comes to a Mysterio vs. Spider-Man showdown, none of these skills have ever allowed him to defeat the hero, not even with his Sinister Six allies. 

How the Sinister Six’s Mysterio Could Appear in the MCU

Just like Vulture, Mysterio has already appeared in the MCU, as he was the main villain in Spider-Man: Far From Home. Although the MCU version, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, was actually a scientist who worked for and grew to resent Tony Stark. He had no Hollywood or movie connections at all. Seeing as he is already in the MCU, he is a prime candidate for the MCU’s Sinister Six. Assuming he’s not really dead, as Far From Home implied.

Kraven the Hunter: A Hunter Obsessed

Kraven’s Comics History

The Sinister Six’s Sergei Kravinoff, better known as Kraven the Hunter, first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #15. (Those early issues produced a lot of iconic villains). A big-game hunter of world renown, he came to New York to prove himself as the world’s best by capturing Spider-Man. His failure humiliated him, and thus capturing and killing the wall-crawler became a lifelong obsession.

Kraven’s Powers and Abilities

Kraven only has powers due to taking an unnamed potion concocted of jungle herbs. By ingesting it, Kraven received superhuman abilities like strength, speed, and durability. His sight, hearing, and sense of smell were all enhanced, making him a natural hunter. The abilities also affect his aging process. Kraven is well over 70 years old but appears to be about 30.

How Kraven Could Appear in the MCU

Kraven is a bit of a conundrum. A live-action solo film is coming out soon, starring Aaron Taylor Johnson. But he has yet to appear in any Spider-Man movie, despite his A-list villain status. It’s unclear which universe Kraven will inhabit. If he becomes a Sinister Six member in the MCU, it will likely be in a later incarnation of the team.

The Green Goblin: The Sinister Six? Try The Sinister Twelve 

Green Goblin’s Comics History

The Green Goblin has long been considered Spider-Man’s greatest enemy. As the father of Peter Parker’s best friend Harry, wealthy industrialist Norman Osborn grew close to Spider-Man, learning all his secrets. After taking an experimental “Goblin formula,” he grew super strong, but also mad. Using equipment of his own design, like the now-famous Green Goblin pumpkin bombs and gliders, he embarked on a life of crime. There, he came into conflict with Spider-Man.

Developing a deep hatred for Spidey after many defeats, he killed his girlfriend Gwen Stacy. As if that wasn’t enough, he made many other attempts at ruining Peter’s life as well. Despite his status as Spidey’s biggest foe, Goblin didn’t join the Sinister Six proper. Instead, he doubled the team in size and became leader of the Sinister Twelve. This occurs in Marvel Knights Spider-Man #10. The Hobgoblin, a different villain who uses Green Goblin’s tech and overall appearance, joined the Sinister Six long before, in 1990’s The Amazing Spider-Man #335.

Green Goblin’s Powers

Due to the Goblin Formula, Norman Osborn possesses superhuman strength, increased speed, reflexes, endurance, intelligence, and a healing factor. All of these abilities came at the cost of his sanity, however. Aside from his powers, he also has tons of advanced weaponry of his own design. This includes his Goblin Glider and a series of pumpkin bombs and jack-o’-lantern grenades. But Norman Osborn’s biggest “power” has always been his vast wealth and intelligence.

How Green Goblin Could Appear Again in the MCU

Willem Dafoe’s version of the Goblin appeared as the prime antagonist in No Way Home. Although his version seems unlikely to go the villainous route again, as we’ve mentioned before, there’s a whole Multiverse out there with plenty of other Norman Osborns in it.

Other Sinister Six Members

Naming all of the Sinister Six members is nearly impossible. Almost every villain Spider-Man has battled has been a Sinister Six member at least once—even if they were one-off participants. Notable members who joined the team briefly include Beetle, Chameleon, Shocker, Hammerhead, Scorpion, and even Venom and Carnage. The Lizard was only a member a couple of times, despite appearing in No Way Home.

Sometimes the name of the team expanded to Sinister Seven, then Sinister Twelve, then even Sinister Sixteen. Once, there was even a Sinister Sixty! We doubt we’ll get there anytime soon, though. Let’s just make it to six first.

We’ll see who makes the final live-action Sinister Six cut when they officially appear as a team. If we know anything about the MCU, it’s that we could always have curveballs thrown our way. But, hopefully, we will have some kind of project to explore this nuanced team.

Originally published August 31, 2021.

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We’re not getting Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse any time soon; however, you can still celebrate several versions of our favorite arachnid hero. Actually, make those arachnid heroes, plural. The folks at YouTooz are creating a series of collectible figures based on Spider-Man. And it’s not just the Peter Parker Spidey, but also Miles Morales and Spider-Man 2099! Each one is based on an iconic moment from Spider-Man’s comic book history, spanning decades of Marvel Comics. You can check out images and descriptions of each Spider-Man collectible down below:

Amazing Fantasy #15 First Appearance Spider-Man

The first YouTooz Spidey figure is based on Spider-Man’s first appearance in 1962’s Amazing Fantasy #15. This was the first Spidy story ever, written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Steve Ditko. Based on the cover of that iconic issue, this figurine showcases your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man swinging away with a criminal in tow. The figure stands at 5.1 inches tall.

Amazing Spider-Man #50 Peter Parker

The next Spidey figurine is based on one of the most iconic comic book covers ever, John Romita’s cover of Amazing Spider-Man #50. This was the famous story “Spider-Man No More,” which had Peter Parker leave his role of Spider-Man behind. This figure is 4.4 inches tall, with a large Spidey standing in front of a beaming orange background looking over his shoulder at the disheartened Peter.

Web of Spider-Man #1 Black Costume Spider-Man

We flash forward now to the ’80s, when Peter Parker got a new black outfit, an alien symbiote costume that would eventually become Venom. Black costumed Peter Parker also landed a new ongoing series, Web of Spider-Man. This figure recreates the iconic cover for Web of Spider-Man #1, with Peter Parker perched on a red brick ledge at 4.8 inches tall, hovering over a gargoyle.

Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O’Hara)

In the early ’90s, Marvel fans embraced the first non-Peter Parker wallcrawler in Miguel O’Hara, the Spider-Man of the future. Recreating the iconic cover of 1992’s Spider-Man 2099 #1, this figurine leaps forward at 5.1 inches tall, flying through the air as a series of colorful New York City buildings fan out in the background. Small blue police vehicles flying surround Miguel.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man

Our most recent iconic Spider-Man is teenager Miles Morales, who debuted in Ultimate Spider-Man in 2011. This Spidey would become a household name thanks to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and Beyond the Spider-Verse. This 4.8″ figurine is perched on top of a makeshift throne of CRT televisions stacked up around him with glowing blue screens. Miles’ eyes mimic the TV static and are highlighted with deep red rims.

Each YouTooz Spider-Man Limited Edition collectible figurine will set you back $39.99, and ship from May 1-31, 2024. Each collectible ships in a matte, embossed, protective outer sleeve and a custom-sized plastic protector for maximum protection during shipping. You can pre-order each of the five figures by clicking here.

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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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Actor Bruce Campbell and director Sam Raimi go together like peanut butter and jelly. The pair have worked together ever since the first Evil Dead way back in 1981. You could say Campbell is like Raimi’s lucky charm. (Along with that 1973 Oldsmobile that appears in all of his movies). And Campbell’s “lucky charm” status has extended to Marvel films. He appeared in Raimi’s three Spider-Man films in cameo roles, and in 2022 he appeared as street vendor “Pizza Poppa” in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But according to an interview with Comic Book, Campbell says those are all the same guy. Here’s what he had to say:

“The cameos are like, in the Spider-Man movies — if you know anything about the multiverse, you know now, retroactively, I’m in the multiverse now because of Doctor Strange. I’m not a pizza vendor, OK? That would be a massive mistake to think I’m just a pizza vendor, or an usher, or a ring announcer, or a maître d’. It’s called the multiverse, my friend. So, yes, he is the same character, but we don’t know who he really is. It has not been revealed yet. I just got off the phone with the guys at Marvel, and we’re getting close to finding out.”

We don’t know if Mr. Campbell is just yanking our chains, or if he really knows more about these cameo characters being the same person. We’ll throw out this suggestion, though. What if Bruce Campbell is playing a rouge Watcher? Just a cosmic entity who happens to be there at key moments in the lives of superheroes across the multiverse? Yes, we know that in the comics and in What If…? the Watchers are these giant aliens with big old heads. But they can also assume other forms to disguise themselves. We’re not sure if Bruce Campbell is going to appear in any future non-Raimi Marvel films. However, we’d like to nominate him for Beyond the Spider-Verse and Deadpool 3. Who wouldn’t want to see Bruce and Ryan Reynolds on screen together? Make it happen, Kevin Feige!

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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse did what every great sequel aims to do. It somehow surpassed the original installment of the franchise. It did so while introducing a ton of new characters and without sacrificing Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy’s story arcs. The script was written by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Dave Callaham who, in their own words, was “inspired by the work of thousands of writers and artists over sixty or so years.” Now, as part of Deadline’s Read The Screenplay series, you can read the entire 158-page script for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse for free.

There are a few fun facts about this particular script. The writers named it “Whac-A-Mole,” no doubt due to the hundreds of spider-people in the movie. Not only did it include Spider-Man 2099 Miguel O’Hara, but also Spider-Woman Jessica Drew and Spider-Punk Hobie Brown. Even ’90s favorite Scarlet Spider Ben Reilly made the cut. And those are just the spider folk who had speaking lines! Animated films rarely get Academy Award nominations for their screenplays. However, we have a strong feeling that this coming year will be different, as Across the Spider-Verse showcased one of the best scripts of any film this year, animated or live-action.

The third Spider-Verse film was originally scheduled for release in March 2024, but it’s now off the schedule. This uncertain delay is probably giving the creative team more time to craft something worthy of the first two films. After that shocking conclusion for Across the Spider-Verse, and the unanimous praise for the film, they know they need to deliver a Return of the Jedi-style conclusion to that Empire Strikes Back cliffhanger ending. Hopefully, we won’t have to take too much longer to see Miles Morales and our favorite arachnid heroes again.

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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.

The post The 10 Greatest Spider-Man Comic Book Runs of All Time appeared first on Nerdist.

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.

The post Here Are the MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN 2 Post-Credit Reveals and Easter Egg Cameos appeared first on Nerdist.

We love horror here at Nerdist, but we were kids once too. Not every kid watches A Nightmare on Elm Street at eight years old. Some of us watched regular old cartoons. But, those of us who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s can tell you some of those were scary as hell too. Everyone just wanted to terrify children back then. D’ose were da days. To that end, members of the Nerdist team have delved into their own kinder-fears to give you examples of episodes of cartoons that traumatized us.

We should point out, we’re pretty much leaving out anything that was inherently terrifying. Like Courage the Cowardly Dog, for example. That sh*t was designed to be scary every week. Picking an episode of this would be too easy. Anyway, without further ado.

Rocko’s Modern Life – “To Heck and Back”

To immediately contradict the above, it’s entirely possible Rocko’s Modern Life, Nickelodeon’s fourth Nicktoon which premiered in 1993, was in fact meant to terrify kids. The show, about a Wallaby’s foibles of daily existence, has some of the creepiest and most grotesque imagery this side of Ren & Stimpy. However, I don’t think anything was as nightmare fueling from that series as “To Heck and Back,” the second cartoon of the eleventh episode of the series. In it, Rocko’s best friend Heffer Wolfe (a cow) chokes to death on a chicken bone and as Rocko tries in vain to save him, has a truly disturbing trip to Heck where he meets the avatar of death itself, named Peaches.

It’s not merely that Heffer dies (he has Xs for eyes!) but it’s that Peaches at the end takes off his black hood to reveal his head is made of cow udders and sprays milk everywhere. It’s one of the most vivid memories I have of this entire show, because it scared the poop out of me. – Kyle Anderson

Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends – “The Bride of Dracula!”

Saturday morning cartoons in the ‘80s loved using classic monsters, but always watered them down to a ridiculous degree. One of those times was when Dracula popped up on Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends and hypnotized Angelica Jones into becoming his bride. He didn’t even know she was the superhero Firestar, he just had a thing for redheads. He might not have picked her if he knew was a living sun. Oops.

In the episode, Vlad takes her to Transylvania, where his Frankenstein and werewolf henchman fight Spidey and Iceman who come to save her. The idea that Drac might just randomly pop into a school dance and choose you as his victim is actually pretty scary when one is nine years old. And his werewolf henchman Bruno was actually scarier to any kid than Dracula, and stuck in my mind longer. Sadly, Dracula doesn’t bite anyone, but at least he’s not as lame as Super Friends Dracula, who turned people into vampires with eye beams. -Eric Diaz

Rugrats – “Under Chuckie’s Bed”

As a late ‘80s baby and ‘90s kid, Rugrats was a huge part of my cartoon lineup. I loved watching those silly babies with large heads go on ridiculous adventures. But one journey I didn’t love was when Chucky made his transition from a crib to a big boy bed in “Under Chuckie’s Bed.” I was long out of the crib stage at this point. However, I still had some serious anxiety about monsters lurking in every shadow of my room, including under my bed. And watching A Nightmare on Elm Street while living on Elm Street didn’t bolster my confidence about sleeping in a bed alone.

Hearing a voice call out to Chuckie, attempting to bribe him into the darkness under his bed with candy gave me chills. Of course, Angelica makes it worse with her story about Barnaby Jones, in which we see Barnaby getting pulled into the abyss in a very It-like fashion. Sure, Chuckie’s monster was only a sweater in the end but the possibility of ending up like Barnaby loomed in my mind. – Tai Gooden

Yu-Gi-Oh! – “Evil Spirit of the Ring”

At its heart, Yu-Gi-Oh! has some truly excellent horror bones. After all, the main conceit of the show is that its characters are basically getting possessed by ancient spirits all of the time. Even the friendlier ones don’t exactly always ask permission. But no character brings the creeps and chills quite like Yami Bakura. And that’s why his introductory episode is the one that makes this list. While other Bakura episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh! are arguably scarier, like his eyeball-filled Battle City duel with Yami Yugi or his graveyard-set, zombie-ridden encounter with the aptly named Bones, this episode is the most quintessentially creepy and also has a great feeling of Halloween.

For starters, “Evil Spirit of the Ring” takes place in the Shadow Realm and involves characters getting their souls sent to a graveyard where they’re chased by the Grim Reaper and see their names on gravestones. And on top of that, Yu-Gi-Oh’s main gang get to play dress up during this episode in true Halloween style. They’re transformed into monsters on the playing field and literally become their favorite cards. It’s horrifying from the perspective of their experience, but also a lot of fun. Taken together, this eerie episode of Yu-Gi-Oh! summons not only evil the spirit of the Millennium Ring but also the spirit of tricks and treats. – Rotem Rusak

Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island

I’m gonna cheat a little here and pick the movie Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island. While not technically an episode of the television show, this direct-to-video horror classic made regular appearances on Cartoon Network throughout my childhood and left a lasting impact on my love of all things spooky. With a more serious and genuinely scary tone than the previous adventures of Scoobert-Doo and company, Zombie Island was an essential piece of gateway horror that felt exciting and dangerous and is undoubtedly responsible for spawning many lifelong fans of the genre. – Alison Mattingly

Beetlejuice – “Laugh of the Party”

As a kid I thought the Beetlejuice animated series was the greatest thing on TV, I just couldn’t articulate why. My child analysis was mostly limited to saying, “It’s really funny!” Now, as an adult with an expanded vocabulary and greater media literacy, I realize young me nailed it. If you want to see why go back and watch the show’s delightful first Halloween episode, “Laugh of the Party.” It features Beetlejuice attempting to throw a real-world Halloween bash using Neitherworld aides. Predictably that leads to a hilarious disaster.

The episode, like the entire show, totally holds up thanks to the cartoon’s timeless comedic sensibilities. The series blended silly and smart humor via absurdist gags, memorable characters, and clever wordplay. That was all anchored by the genuine friendship between Lydia and the Ghost with the Most. Their partnership made every party, even ones with Halloween monsters running amok, worth attending. -Michael Walsh

BONUS: Turbo Teen

I can’t pick a single episode of this bizarre 1984 series (which I saw later in the ’80s) because the entire thing is messed up. I’m all for things changing into other things in cartoons. Hell, Transformers was my absolute jam. Even people turning into animals, or animals turning into human-like things. I loved all of it. So why, then, was Turbo Teen so upsetting? Well, have you seen it?! It’s about a teenager who has the power to turn into a car. He’s not mechanical, mind you. He can just turn his body into a sports car. The transformation sequence, which they showed ad nauseum in every episode, is almost more harrowing than the similar scene in An American Werewolf in London.

I mean, just look at this monstrosity!

His face turns into the car’s grill! His friends sit inside him! That’s as gross as it gets. – Kyle Anderson

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What is canon and what is not to the MCU has been a topic of fervent fan debate for years. Is Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which referenced the events of Avengers, actual MCU canon? What about the former Netflix shows like Daredevil, which also made mention of Avengers like Captain America and Thor? Well, we now have an answer to that question from the guy in charge, Kevin Feige. In his introduction to the book Marvel Studios: The Marvel Cinematic Universe—An Official Timeline, he wrote the following:

On the Multiverse note, we recognize that there are stories—movies and series—that are canonical to Marvel but that were created by different storytellers during different periods of Marvel’s history. The timeline presented in this book is specific to the MCU’s Sacred Timeline through Phase 4. But, as we move forward and dive deeper into the Multiverse Saga, you never know when timelines may crash or converge (hint, hint/spoiler alert).

FYI, our own Editor-in-Chief Amy Ratcliffe cowrote that book.

So, in short, everything utilizing Marvel characters, whether produced by Marvel Studios or not, is part of a branched timeline in the overall Marvel Multiverse. Some we already knew about. The original Sam Raimi Spider-Man films, and the Marc Webb Amazing Spider-Man films? No Way Home confirmed them as Multiverse canon. Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness confirmed Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, and Deadpool 3 is set to canonize Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Even if these are variants of the Fox X-Men films, it indicates all those movies are also Multiverse canon.

Also, with clips of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s respective Peter Parkers in Across the Spider-Verse, not to mention the appearance of Donald Glover in his MCU role as the Prowler in that film, those animated films also exist in the overall MCU Multiverse tapestry. Will movies like Ang Lee’s Hulk, Sony’s Ghost Rider films, and others get included in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Secret Wars? Well, Jennifer Garner as Elektra in Deadpool 3 suggests it’s all on the table now. Heck, why not Howard the Duck? Stranger things have happened.

Right now, the MCU is the highest-grossing film franchise of all time. By a lot too, with $29 billion dollars total. By contrast, the #2 slot goes to the Star Wars franchise, which is a distant second at $10 billion. But if the MCU now includes pre-Marvel Studios films? Oh man, then does that number ever go up. The mutant franchise at Fox adds $10 billion to that sum. The non-MCU Spider-Man films? About $8 billion total. Even the Fantastic Four films have collectively made $800 million. Throw in a couple of Blade films, we’re talking about a franchise that has made some $50 billion dollars. Easily the biggest success story in Hollywood history. And a record we’re likely never going to see surpassed in our lifetimes. In the meantime, we’re just excited to see Hugh Jackman take on Tobey Maguire while Deadpool just laughs at them both.

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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.

The post Launch Trailer for MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN 2 Reveals More Villains, Venom, and Lots of Drama appeared first on Nerdist.

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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Blue Beetle, starring Xolo Maridueña as the titular character, is a delightful adaptation of the DC Comics legacy superhero. But much like the Jaime Reyes version of Blue Beetle from the comics drew inspiration from many previous superheroes in print, so does that cinematic version find its inspiration in some great superhero media. Mostly films, but also some television. Here are some key superhero films and one TV series which likely influenced Blue Beetle director Angel Manuel Soto in one way or another.

Iron Man (2008)

When one thinks of superheroes who wear high-tech suits of armor, the first character anyone thinks of is usually Iron Man. And while Jaime Reyes’ suit isn’t metal per se, it’s definitely a form of armor. The scenes in the film where he’s learning how to fly under the Scarab’s power, and making plenty of mistakes along the way, recall similar scenes from the first Iron Man film. Not to mention the scenes of sheer joy and wonder at what the suit can do. Obviously, it’s not a one-for-one. Unlike Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, Jaime Reyes didn’t create his own suit. But the scenes in Blue Beetle evoke many of the same feels as Iron Man.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

It’s hard to think of any teenage or college-age young superhero and not think of Spider-Man. Every costumed teen with an ordinary family and struggling with ordinary problems, like getting a job and paying bills? In some way, they are all descendants of Peter Parker. But of all the Peter Parkers in film and over the years, it seems Jaime is most influenced by the MCU’s Spidey (Tom Holland). Simply because that Spidey is unique, in that he has a high-tech suit he doesn’t quite understand. All thanks to Tony Stark. Scenes in Blue Beetle where Jaime is talking to Kahji Dha, the Scarab’s sentient AI, recall similar scenes in Homecoming where Peter is carrying on conversations with the suit’s AI named Karen. And just trying to figure out how the darn thing works.

Shazam! (2019)

When Jaime Reyes can’t get the Scarab to obey his commands by asking nicely, he literally jumps off the roof of a building. Knowing full well the Scarab will protect him and give him the Blue Beetle armor. Sound familiar? It’s similar to the first Shazam!, when Billy Batson (Asher Angel) jumps off a roof, transforming into a hero mid-air. But of course, there are more similarities to Shazam than just that. After all, Billy and Jaime are two young men who out of nowhere have incredible ancient power thrust on them. And both have to step up to become the latest in a long line of heroes. No magic word for Jaime to say, but the similarities are there.

Venom (2018)

On the surface, Marvel’s antihero Venom and DC’s Blue Beetle don’t have a lot in common. But of course, Venom is an alien lifeform that attached itself to reporter Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and forms a symbiotic relationship with him. Eventually, the symbiote and Eddie begin to share their thoughts becoming interdependent on the other. With the Scarab Kahji Dha, Jaime Reyes forms a symbiotic relationship of his own with a mysterious alien presence. While we wouldn’t describe the Scarab as “alien goo” like Venom, when the suit overtakes Jaime is more like some kind of living liquid than just armor plating going up like Iron Man. That is definitely some Venom influence.

Batman Beyond (1999-2001)

Not all the influences on Blue Beetle are live-action movies. There’s a healthy dose of the animated series Batman Beyond in there too. In the 1999-2001 animated series, ordinary teenager Terry McGinnis stumbles upon the Batcave of the now-retired Bruce Wayne. It’s a cobwebbed, dusty place filled with relics of Batman’s crime-fighting days. He ultimately takes on the mantle of Batman—whether he’s trained and ready or not. When Jaime Reyes steps into the dusty old secret bunker of Ted Kord under his mansion, it instantly recalls Terry McGinnis finding the Batcave and all its wonders in Wayne Manor. That both Terry and Jaime are inheritors of a heroic legacy with cool flying suits is just the cherry on top.

Blue Beetle is currently playing in theaters everywhere.

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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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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: Across the Spider-Verse did much more than leave us with one of the biggest cliffhangers of all-time. The animated adventure introduced us to more Spider-People than we could possibly count. In fact, a handful of them are now integral to Miles Morales’ story. One of them is Pavitr Prabhakar, an Indian Spider-Man from Earth-50101 who lives in Mumbattan. Who can forget that epic scene of Miles, Gwen, Hobie, and the very dashing Pavitr teaming up to save his home from the Spot? We cannot wait to see what they will all do together in this final fight to save many universes from the Spot’s expansive attack. Thanks to the film’s resounding success, Pavitr is getting his own epic five-issue Marvel comic adventure in Spider-Man: India.

Spider-Man: India is written by Nikesh Shukla with Adam Kuber and Neeraj Menon crafting its artwork and Abhishek Malsuni as the comic’s penciler. Here’s a quick description of what’s going down with Pavitr Prabhakar’s Spidey: 

SPIDER-MAN: INDIA RETURNS! Just in time for his big role on the silver screen, Spider-Man: India returns for his first miniseries in almost twenty years! Pavitr Prabhakar is back, fresh from “The End of the Spider-Verse” in his own universe’s Mumbai. But things aren’t exactly simple. There’s a science professor promising results, activating people’s “lizard brain” along with a ruthless businessman who may be more than he seems… Don’t miss the break-out Spider-Character of 2023!

Sounds like a blast, indeed! It is super exciting to see a crop of new stories featuring diverse Spider-Mans, especially ones that we are now getting to see on the big screen. We cannot resist a wild standalone adventure, especially one involving lizard strangeness. Spider-Man: India’s first issue is already out in the world and quickly sold out. But never fear; this friendly neighborhood Spider-Man’s first issue is getting a reprint just in time for its second issue. In fact, we have some incredible preview panels for Spider-Man: India #2 to share with you.

Click To View Gallery

Spider-Man: India #2 swings to stands on July 26, so grab your copy (along with the first issue, of course!) and get ready to dive back into Pavitr’s world.

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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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One of the most prolific and legendary artists to ever work for Marvel Comics has left us. John Romita Sr. has sadly passed away at the age of 93, on June 13. The news arrived via Twitter, in a post from his son John Romita Jr., himself an art legend at Marvel Comics. The elder Romita was especially famous for taking over art duties on The Amazing Spider-Man, redefining Peter Parker’s look. This was after Spidey’s co-creator Steve Ditko left the title. During his time with Spidey, he introduced several of his co-creations to the lore, like the Kingpin and Peter Parker’s future wife, Mary Jane Watson. Stan Lee asked Romita to draw “the most beautiful girl you can imagine” when creating MJ. Romita delivered on that promise in just one iconic panel.

In addition to his five-year run on The Amazing Spider-Man, Romita also co-created the characters of Wolverine, Luke Cage, and the Punisher. Technically Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko co-created the bulk of the classic Marvel heroes and villains. But by the early ’70s, Romita was the chief architect in how Marvel’s characters looked in merchandising. John Romita became the go-to guy when you needed images of Marvel’s pantheon of heroes drawn in heroic poses. In fact, during this period, John Romita Romita would serve the role of Marvel’s art director.

John Romita was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1930, the son of Italian immigrants. By 19, he was already working as a comic book artist. He would then find success drawing romance comics aimed at a female audience. In 1966, he got hired by Marvel, to draw their relatively low-selling series Daredevil. But after eight issues, Stan Lee hired him to take over for Steve Ditko when he left The Amazing Spider-Man.

During Romita’s time, he put his experience with romance comics to good use. He made Peter Parker more handsome, like a soap opera lead. He became a character MJ Watson would believably fall for. During Romita’s Spider-Man tenure, the title would go from Marvel’s second best-selling title to their biggest seller.

If you were a Gen-X kid growing up in the ’70s and ’80s loving Marvel Comics, then the art of John Romita was the way you perceived the Marvel characters. From calendars to plastic cups to posters to lunchboxes, it was Romita’s renditions that were on almost every piece of merchandising during this era. The Marvel “House Style” ultimately wasn’t Jack Kirby or Gil Kane or any other prolific artist, it was Romita’s. The heroic pose of Spidey standing in the center of his web was an image every kid knew back in the day. Most kids didn’t know who drew it, but it was the distinctive touch of John Romita. Although Romita mostly retired for the last several decades, he drew the occasional issue or cover for Marvel, reminding younger readers that he still had it. His contributions to the art form of comic books will not be forgotten.

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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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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.

The post Who Is the Scarlet Spider? The SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE Hero, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

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 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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The MCU certainly knows how to build to a big showdown. Ever since the Avengers first got together to take on Loki the franchise has delivered some epic team-ups. Now LEGO will let fans physically build their own big showdown via two new action-packed sets. Both Endgame and Spider-Man are getting their own final battle LEGO collections.

LEGO’s Endgame Final Battle 794-piece set ($99.99) will bring the iconic war with Thanos at the Avengers compound to your own home. The 360-degree set comes with seven minifigs. That includes: Captain Marvel, Okoye, Wanda Maximoff, Shuri, Valkyrie, Thanos, and The Wasp. The collection also features plenty of spots to place the heroes, as well as other fun extras. Among the wreckage you’ll find Captain America’s shield, Thor’s hammer, the Time Stone, and the portal-opening rat that helped save the universe.

While you can put this set on display, it’s designed for play. It stands 11.5-inches high by 8.5-inches wide and 8-inches deep when closed, but it comes with two handles so you can pull it open. That “causes the battleground to expand for even more adventures.”

But LEGO knows no MCU fan would settle for just one epic showdown, which is why the company has also announced another new 360-degree playset. The Spider-Man Final Battle collection ($109.99) celebrates the last clash in No Way Home in cool LEGO style. And yes, that means it has separate minifigs for each the film’s three Spider-Mans: Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland. Joining them are figures for Electro, Doctor Strange, Green Goblin, Ned, MJ, and Doc Ock.

The characters are just the start of the fun with this set measuring 7-inches high, 8-inches wide and 8.5-inches deep. It also has “three minifigure supports for midair action. It also has a removable roof that opens up to show Sandman’s hand. And there’s “a flip-open rear access to a portal and a soft web element to envelop minifigures.”

Both sets are designed for ages 10 and up. Each will be available later this summer on August 1. But while you have to wait to get your hands on them, you don’t have to build a bunch of other sets before they come out. Only the MCU has to do that before it reaches its final battles.

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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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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.

Click To View Gallery

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 1990s gave kids some of the very best action-adventure cartoons ever. I say this not only as an action-figure-buying ’90s kid, but as a consumer of all manner of animated media. Sure, a lot of them were just lengthy toy adverts, but they were no less exciting and deep. While Warner Bros. Animation’s Batman: The Animated Series stands as the very best of this crop of shows, which ushered in the DC Animated Universe, Marvel had a whole bumper crop of cartoons in the decade. Without those, as Nerdist‘s Eric Diaz posits, we wouldn’t have the MCU as we know it.

But not all of the ’90s Marvel cartoons are created equal! And it’s up to me (according to me) to rank all of them, from worst to best. It’s a more varied list than you might expect. Luckily, if you want to watch any of these, they’re all on Disney+ now.

9. The Avengers: United They Stand (1999-2000)

You very well might be saying to yourself, “What is this show?” And that’s not unreasonable. By the time the show debuted on Fox Kids, interest in these kinds of animated shows had started to wain. I actually didn’t know The Avengers: United They Stand existed until very recently. It consists of only a single, 13-episode season and, uhh, there’s kind of a reason it didn’t last beyond that.

For the series, the makers used largely the roster from the ’80s West Coast Avengers: Ant-Man and the Wasp led the team, while other members included Scarlet Witch, Wonder Man, Vision, Falcon, Tigra, and Hawkeye. A solid lineup, certainly. However, the characterizations of most of these characters just feels very off, especially Hawkeye who is supremely self-serious and angry. In order to compete with WB’s Batman Beyond, the series takes place in a non-specific future and all of the Avengers have borderline sci-fi costumes. It also doesn’t help that the animation was not nearly on the level of other shows at the time. It looks cheap and feels it.

8. Fantastic Four Season One (1994-1995)

Just like how the Fox movies never quite nailed its take on Marvel’s First Family, so too did the syndicated animated series have trouble finding its tone. So much so that its two seasons may as well be two separate shows. And so that’s how I’ve delineated them!

Now, your mileage may absolutely vary on this choice, but the first season of the Fantastic Four animated series just really doesn’t work for me. Despite having a very respectable roster of villains and storylines, the tone is way too goofy. It feels at times much more like a sitcom than an action-adventure show, and that also holds for the animation style. Much swimmier and more elastic than the other “realistic” shows in the lineup. Hell, just watch the first episode where Gary Owens plays a talk show host interviewing the FF about how they got their powers. It’s just not great.

7. Spider-Man: Unlimited (1999-2001)

Remember what I was saying about the above Avengers series trying to be like Batman Beyond? Well that was the second attempt. The first attempt was much more overt, and more successful. In a particularly weird twist, Peter Parker from our present gets flung into a dystopian Counter-Earth and resumes his Spider-Manning with different versions of his villains while also aiding in the war between the humans and the Beastials.

This is a very weird cartoon, surely, and it felt like they were trying to do Spider-Man 2099 without doing anything that that comic did. The result is a radically different, while still at times painfully repetitive, take on the Spider-Man story. The designs are pretty good and Spider-Man having a nanotech suit is pretty neat, but it all feels a bit grimdark for no reason and was definitely trying too hard to ape Batman Beyond. This one also only lasted 13 episodes, but had a huge gap in the middle of airing.

6. The Incredible Hulk (1996-1997)

This is the just-okayest cartoon on the list, in my humble opinion. The Incredible Hulk might arguably have the best, smoothest animation of any of the shows, but its formula is a particularly tired one, even for only 21 episodes. It follows everything you’ve probably assumed; Dr. Bruce Banner is on the run from the U.S. military and General Thunderbolt Ross, his Hulk side too dangerous to be left alone. Along the way, as Banner/Hulk destroys millions of dollars worth of government property, he also helps people and fights some heavy hitting villains, such as Abomination, Doctor Doom, and the Leader. It’s all very bog standard.

The second season, which is only eight episodes, saw a full-time team-up with Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk and the plots became a bit sillier. While the quality of the series never really dipped during its run, it never quite hit the heights of series further down the list either. The best part of the whole thing was probably Lou Ferrigno, who played the Hulk in the ’70s live-action series, voicing the Hulk here. And we got some fun crossovers with other UPN series of the bunch. But yeah, it’s fine, nothing more.

5. Fantastic Four Season Two (1995-1996)

Both the Fantastic Four series and another one we’ll get to in a moment had drastic retooling in their second seasons. I’ve already said how much the overt comedy of the first season didn’t work for me. The second, however, I think is a legitimately good show. It still keeps the fun and exuberance you want from a Fantastic Four show, but it takes its topics, and characters, much more seriously.

While the first season had introduced the big FF villains Doctor Doom and Galactus in multi-episode arcs, the second season did much more with both of them, plus introduced Daredevil, Black Panther, and the Inhumans. I was fully prepared to put both seasons of this show pretty low on my list, but after my recent rewatch, I have to bump this one up. It’s a good season. Not perfect, but it does justice to the characters which, again, seems very hard to do for some reason.

4. Iron Man (1994-1996)

I would argue—and I might not even need to do it that emphatically—that when the Iron Man movie came out in 2008, an entire generation only really knew him from this two-season cartoon. Despite him being one of the most important Marvel Universe figures, he’d not really gotten much push outside of comics since the mid-’60s with the terrible “animated” series. It’s certainly how I knew about Tony Stark, Rhodey, Hawkeye, Mandarin, and a dozen or so other Marvel heroes and villains.

This is another series that got a drastic revision between its first and second season, but while the second season is better than the first (which I’ll get to in a minute), I actually like both seasons well enough to put them comfortably here on the list as a whole. The first season is a bright kind of villain-of-the-week series, with Tony, Rhodey, and a number of other heroes working together to fight bad guys. Each episode is standalone and the resolutions are neat and tidy. The second season sees Tony dealing with a season-long injury, upgraded armor, and serialized storytelling. It’s much more serious and has a darker look to boot.

Definitely personal biases showing, but I thought this show was incredible when I was a kid, and it’s the reason I like War Machine as a character so much. Sure, Iron Man was the main character, but War Machine was the real badass.

3. Silver Surfer (1998)

I knew this show existed at the time, but I never watched it as a kid. It wasn’t until the early days of quarantine back in 2020, when I was looking for something to watch to take my mind off of everything, that I finally watched the 13-episode Silver Surfer cartoon. Boy, do I both wish I’d watched this at the time, and that I’d been millions of people so that they could have kept making it. I was so impressed by this series—which followed Norrin Radd from family man on the planet Zenn-La to Herald of Galactus to galaxy-roaming cosmic hero. The cel-shading look really made the space adventures pop, even if it retained the limited mobility of some other series of the time.

Not only that, but in only 13 episodes we got a bevy of other Marvel Cosmic characters. Galactus, of course, but also Thanos, Adam Warlock, Gamora, Drax, Nebula, Pip the Troll, Beta Ray Bill, Ego the Living Planet, and Uatu the Watcher. Legitimately the only negative thing I can say about it, other than its abbreviated length, is its CGI is a bit dated. Big whoop.

2. Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994-1998)

The top two are pretty much no-brainers; the only real question is the order. It’s definitely down to a question of preference, but in either case, no one can dispute the quality and influence of Spider-Man on future superhero shows. This series, especially on rewatch, feels so packed with story, character, and action that you could easily double the seasons just to fit in everything. The story of college student Peter Parker and his never-ending fight against New York City’s billion villains made a major impression on me as a young and burgeoning comic fan, and this series gives you just about everything you could hope for, with a couple of network-mandated caveats.

Spider-Man wasn’t allowed to punch anyone, for fear kids would emulate it. Instead, he only kicks or swing-kicks, or throws things using his webbing. I never noticed as a kid. Another weird mandate was that Morbius (you know, the Living Vampire) was not allowed to drink blood. He instead sucked “plasma” out of people using a lamprey-like sucker in the palm of his hand. It’s weird more than anything. Also what’s Blade doing if he’s not hunting vampires? I dunno, man.

At any rate, the Spider-Man series followed its villain-of-the-week first season with a series of very lengthy serialized adventures. By the end of the show’s surprisingly consistent five-season run, we got everything from Secret Wars to Spider-Verse precursors, and all the villains you could imagine. It’s a great show, just great.

1. X-Men: The Animated Series (1992-1997)

Come on, did you think it could be anything else?! The first, the best, the reason the rest of the ’90s cartoons got a chance. X-Men may not have the animation quality of some of the other shows on the list—and heaven knows the last season looks pretty darn bad—but not a more iconic show exists in the canon. Utilizing the then-mega-popular Jim Lee redesigns and adapting a ton of Chris Claremont’s classic comics arcs, X-Men gave us mature stories and characters dealing with heavy, real-world allegories and a complex, unfolding narrative.

Honestly, I’m not sure what more I can say that hasn’t already been said by a million other people. I’ll just say, the same way Kevin Conroy’s voice rings in my head when I read a Batman comic, the Canadian voice cast of X-Men: TAS rings when I read any X-title. Especially Lenore Zann as Rogue, Cal Dodd as Wolverine, Cedric Smith as Professor X, and John Colicos as Apocalypse. For whatever reason, those are the ones that remain unchanged in 30 years.

It’s not perfect, but it’s perfect, ya know?

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

The post Every 1990s Marvel Animated Series, Ranked appeared first on Nerdist.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is full of larger-than-life figures doing the impossible. The fate of entire worlds often depends on Avengers and Guardians. Sometimes the entire multiverse does. Earth’s greatest heroes aren’t just mighty, they’re also really freaking funny. The franchise has been making us laugh from its very first film. But which one stands as the most hilarious? Here’s every MCU movie ranked, from the unfunniest to the most hysterical.

32. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

You’re already mad, but you shouldn’t be! While this might be a fan favorite, that’s not because it makes you laugh. The most humorous moment comes at the very beginning of the movie, when Cap repeatedly passes Sam during a run together. It’s a great first meeting between the two characters, and it’s definitely a great bit. But when that’s your funniest scene, your movie isn’t exactly a laugh riot. If anything, the fact it doesn’t need a ton of comic relief is a testament to how good the movie is.

31. The Incredible Hulk 

Maybe I’m a bad person for saying this, but I laugh every time Hulk kicks Tim Roth around that tree. The bigger problem (than my own sense of humor) is that moment qualifies as one of the few times the movie manages to conjure any chuckles. Bruce Banner jumping out of the plane and not immediately transforming into the Hulk is a great sight gag. But even that is improved upon in a Thor: Ragnarok callback. Of the many issues this film has, one of its biggest is how unfunny it is. Which is weird since its main character is a giant green rage monster. (At least they eventually figured that out.)

30. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

It’s incredible Ryan Coogler was able to deliver any laughs in a movie as inherently somber as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which had to deal with Chadwick Boseman’s death. But Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams helped add some much needed levity. This film might be funnier than we’re giving it credit for, but when we think about it, “humorous” is not one of the first thoughts that comes to mind.

29. Captain America: The First Avenger

Between tiny Steve Rogers, young Howard Stark, Peggy Carter, and confusion over fondue, this might be the most charming movie in the MCU. It’s not what you would describe as funny though. Even Cap’s unfortunate pageant montage isn’t great comic relief, because it’s pathetic the Army turned their greatest soldier into a propaganda tool.

28. Eternals

Marvel’s introduction of the Eternals served as a dark reminder that mankind has long been its own worst enemy. In a movie that told an intimate personal story of family and friendship that spanned millennia. It still managed to slip in some laughs, though. Especially thanks to the flashy Kingo and his valet Karun. And like any family, the group managed to find humor in making fun of one another, for some much needed relief in a somber and darker MCU entry.

27. Thor: The Dark World

The second Thor movie, often listed near the bottom of MCU movie rankings, is definitely funnier than people remember. As always, Thor has some good lines, Darcy is still around, and an unhinged Dr. Selvig running through Stonehenge naked is an obvious winner. But overall, this film, with its super serious and super lame villain, isn’t exactly a howler. Way too often, it veers—no pun intended—too dark. Okay, maybe a little pun intended.

26. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Any Sam Raimi movie is going to have some laughs, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness certainly did. From Stephen Strange snark and Pizza Poppa punching himself, to Zombie Strange’s meat puppet exploits and the comedy genius known as Wong, the franchise’s first horror film provided some comic relief to help ease the constant tension. But it’s hard to laugh when your movie features a grieving Scarlet Witch murder spree that centers on her hopes to kill a child. Pedicide is just not funny in any universe. Nor is seeing some of our favorite characters so miserable.

25. Captain Marvel

A young, more trusting Nick Fury interacting with a “cat” deserves special recognition. As does Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos, one of the funniest characters in the entire franchise. And we’ll always enjoy watching Carol Danvers destroy everyone to a great ’90s soundtrack. But while Captain Marvel has plenty of charm, comparatively speaking it’s just not as funny as most MCU movies.

24. Iron Man 2

It’s impossible to have Iron Man around and not laugh some of the time. Plus, Sam Rockwell is hilarious in all of his scenes. And we always love having Happy on board. That said, most of this film is about Tony Stark being a raging a-hole because he’s dying. No other MCU movie makes us dislike its hero more, which limits how much we can enjoy him when he’s attempting to be humorous. Whiplash’s obsession with his bird always makes us laugh though.

23. Black Widow

One of the MCU’s more intimate and inherently sad (it’s Natasha’s post-Endgame farewell) installments still has its funny moments. The franchise really knows how to get laughs from bickering siblings. Even in the midst of a high-speed chase. It’s Florence Pugh’s Yelena and David Harbour’s Red Guardian who do most of the heavy comedic lifting here. And they carry it well. But on the whole the film is more somber than most Marvel movies, so it can’t rank that high.

22. Doctor Strange

Surprised by this low ranking considering Stephen Strange is basically magic’s answer to House? Don’t be. The movie is pretty light on laugh-out-loud moments. Most of the humor comes from clever quips and misunderstandings. Mads Mikkelsen gets the biggest laugh when he gets Strange’s name wrong. Not exactly vintage Chris Rock, you know? Meanwhile, Dr. Strange’s hilarious second MCU appearance in Infinity War shows just how much funnier he could have been here.

21. Thor

Old-school dumb Thor is always funny. And he was never dumber than in his first film, when he got to play an oblivious stranger in a foreign world. One of the movie’s strengths is how it embraces its inherently ridiculous nature, which is based on an actual god showing up on Earth. As a result there are plenty of funny moments throughout. None better than the diner scene where Thor discovers coffee. Plenty of characters get to shine as well, including Darcy. (I’m #TeamDarcy. Always have been and always will be. WandaVision showed why.) As well as Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster and the always great Dr. Selvig. (Note: No bonus points for Chris Hemsworth’s blonde eyebrows. Only intentionally funny things count for this list.)

20. Avengers: Age of Ultron

Marvel cast James Spader as a sarcastic, mad genius robot who hates Tony Stark. We should really appreciate that much more than we do. The second Avengers movie might not have matched its predecessor overall, but it was still full of humorous lines and scenes, including one of the most memorable in the entire franchise: when everyone tried picking up Thor’s hammer. The God of Thunder’s fear as Captain America gave it a go is still one of the funniest moments of the MCU. Plus, this movie gave us the classic “language” bit.

19. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

A dead mom, a sad dad, and estranged siblings caught in a tragic family drama that could destroy not one but two worlds is not necessarily the best setup for comedy. But Shang-Chi does what the best Marvel movies do by finding humor even amid heartbreak and giant dragon fights. It also helps that Awkafina’s Katy is one of the funniest sidekicks in the franchise. And Sir Ben Kingsley’s Trevor is back for more ridiculous fun. (This time without any disappointed Mandarin fans.) Plus the always hilarious Wong pops in for some scene-stealing moments, especially the best karaoke performance ever.

18. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

The third Ant-Man film inexplicably left some of the franchise’s funniest characters on the sideline. Fortunately it made up for some of that lost comedy with characters like Veb and M.O.D.O.K. They helped keep Quantumania from being too serious even if it’s the most intense movie of the three. That combo is ultimately while it ends up near the middle of this list.

17. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

The MCU’s funniest group delivered one of the franchise’s darkest films in their third and final ride together. James Gunn’s farewell to Marvel Studios featured some truly upsetting scenes and devastating moments. In anyone else’s hands that would have led to this being near the bottom of the list, but the Guardians can’t help but make us laugh even during their most emotional moments. Drax and Mantis in particular kept this entry from being too somber.

16. The Avengers

Marvel’s first big team-up still ranks as one of the studio’s very best. Not because it’s especially funny though. Cap’s “I understood that reference” is a highlight. As is Hulk’s “fight” with Loki. And with so many funny characters, many interactions are imbued with a lightheartedness that helps maintain the movie’s energy throughout. It’s consistently clever and full of great one-liners. But it’s not loaded with as much pure laugh-out-loud comedy the way many later films in the franchise are.

15. Iron Man 3

Unlike in Iron Man 2, Tony is once again likable in Iron Man 3. As a result he’s inherently much funnier. His interactions with his unlikely kid partner are all great. Plus, Happy’s new job as head of security lets him be extra ridiculous at the start. And the payoff to the Mandarin is among the most humorous surprises in the MCU. (Well, at least to non-comic readers.) This might be War Machine’s most comical performance too, which is really saying something since he’s always funny.

14. Black Panther

The delightful Shuri steals the comedy spotlight, with her new “sneaker” invention ranking as the most hilarious line. But she’s not the only funny part of the movie. M’Baku and the Jabari Tribe barking at Everett Ross is genuinely amazing. The jokes about T’Challa “freezing” all land perfectly. And every scene with Andy Serkis’ madman Klaw makes us smile. No one would say this movie is funnier than it is dramatic, but that’s a testament to how well it pulled off both elements.

13. Spider-Man: No Way Home

Like every movie that features Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, No Way Home had plenty of laughs. In fact, this one had three times as much thanks to all of the Spider-Mans who showed up. Normally that would be a perfect comedic recipe for a much higher spot on this list. Especially when you add in the laughs Ned, MJ, Doctor Strange, Wong, and all those villains added to the film too. But this is also one of the saddest entries in the entire MCU, with one of the saddest deaths and saddest endings. You can’t make an audience cry this much and crack the funny top ten.

12. Captain America: Civil War

This might be the only movie in the entire MCU that qualifies as a tragedy, but it has so much comic relief you laugh just as often as you feel terrible. Why is the big fight at the airport arguably the single best sequence in the franchise? Because in addition to being an amazing action set piece, it has more than a dozen genuinely hilarious moments. Spider-Man and Ant-Man alone would be enough to make this film one of the funniest. And yet our favorite interactions might be the animosity Sam has for Bucky. We love hearing “I hate you.”

11. Ant-Man

Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang is as sharp and funny as Tony Stark, while also being as charming and lovable as Steve Rogers. That combo makes him one of the most endearing heroes in the franchise. When you combine him with the great visuals of epic battles taking place on a wooden toy train set, sincere interactions with ants, and the kookiest sidekicks around—led by the long-winded Luis—it’s hard to believe this doesn’t rank higher.

10. Iron Man

The MCU’s first movie really set the template for the entire franchise. It gave us a hero who manages to be hilarious while also kicking ass. This original Iron Man balances its very serious dramatic elements, which includes the beginning of Tony’s PTSD, without sacrificing humor. Happy and Tony are still one of Marvel’s funniest twosomes. And Gwyneth Paltrow never gets enough credit for how consistently hilarious Pepper Potts is too.

9. Spider-Man: Far from Home

Peter Parker’s second solo MCU movie dealt with some pretty heavy issues about grief and responsibility. That didn’t stop the film from being hysterical. It features Ned’s brief vacation fling, Peter’s awkward attempts at romance (and accidental attempt at a drone strike), literally everything Zendaya’s MJ does or says, and Happy becoming an overwhelmed de facto dad. Not to mention all of the humor of dusted teenagers returned from the Snap, or the two teachers who took them to Europe a few months later. I mean, this movie has J.B. Smoove, and he’s maybe the fifth or sixth funniest character. And we didn’t even mention Samuel L. Jackson playing Talos pretending to be Nick Fury.

8. Thor: Love and Thunder

From Russell Crowe’s Zeus and giant screaming goats, to the Guardians of the Galaxy and a God of Thunder lacking self-awareness, to Korg’s unique perspective, to sentient weapons with jealous issues, Thor: Love and Thunder might have more jokes, gags, and silliness than any other film in the franchise. And you know you’re successfully mining every aspect of your film for humor when your creepy god butcher is making us laugh while performing as the universe’s scariest clown for a group of children hostages. But despite all the laughs in this very silly film, Jane Foster’s beautiful story of bravery adds way too much gravitas for this to make the top five.

7. Ant-Man and the Wasp

Even funnier than the first Ant-Man, this sequel boasts even better visuals that maximize the potential silliness of Hank Pym’s technology. And any film that stars Paul Rudd as a charming hero is going to make us laugh. But let’s be honest, Michael Peña’s Luis alone is enough to get into the top 10. We’d watch an entire movie of him recapping all the other movies.

6. Avengers: Infinity War

You’d think watching half of the MCU’s heroes fade to literal dust would be too much of a downer to land Infinity War so high on a funny list, but when you start considering how often you laughed during the most ambitious crossover ever, it’s impossible to deny it’s genuinely hysterical. The Guardians are at their funniest interacting with Thor, while Doctor Strange, Tony Stark, and Peter Parker form the best improv group in the universe, and Bruce Banner has the worst case of performance anxiety ever. Plus, in the midst of the biggest fight in MCU history, we get Captain America and Groot exchanging pleasantries.

5. Spider-Man: Homecoming

One complaint about previous live-action Spider-Man movies is that they didn’t really capture how freaking funny Peter Parker really is. But that’s not a problem in Homecoming. Tom Holland’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is hilarious, as is his friend Ned, Zendaya’s Michelle, his debate team coach, Hannibal Buress’ gym coach, and, of course, Happy Hogan and Tony Stark. Plus the school PSAs from that familiar “war criminal” are truly amazing. (Oh, so you forgot about Captain America’s cameo, did you?)

4. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

As weird as it sounds, there might be too much comedy in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. That’s about as nit-picky as you can get, we know. Especially because if you think about what you might cut it’s some of the funniest scenes in the film. There are so many great bits and characters here, including the naïve newcomer Mantis and Baby Groot that this would rank in the top five if we only judged it based on Drax.

3. Avengers: Endgame

Endgame is intense, hopeful, epic, and sad. But the movie also packs an incredible comedic punch. There’s “Lebowski” Thor. Professor Hulk and his tacos, selfies, and dispirited fake smashing. Scott Lang’s confusion over how time travel works in movies is meta perfection. As is all of the inherent comedy of the time heist. You doesn’t love seeing that “idiot” Peter Quill dancing without hearing his music? “That is America’s ass” will always make us laugh. As will hearing Cap whisper, “Hail Hydra.”

2. Guardians of the Galaxy

Try to list the five funniest moments from Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s impossible. So is attempting to list the 10 funniest. In fact, you probably need 30 spots before you’d feel okay leaving something off the list, that’s how many great gags, jokes, and scenes it packs. This is one of the funniest action or superhero movies ever made, and in many ways it reset the standard for just how hilarious an MCU film can be.

1. Thor: Ragnarok

Korg, Miek, Hulk acting like a big baby, Valkyrie, and Jeff Goldblum as the demented Grandmaster are just some of the many reasons the movie is relentlessly and absolutely hysterical from start to finish. Thor: Ragnarok isn’t just the funniest Marvel movie; it’s one of the funniest films of the 21st century. It will take one truly hysterical MCU film to knock it out of the top spot.

Well, unless they give Darryl his own movie. And now that’s he’s officially canon in the MCU, that’s more possible than ever.

Featured Image: Marvel Studios

Originally published on July 9, 2018.

The post Which Is the Funniest MCU Movie? All 32 Films Ranked appeared first on Nerdist.