Big things are happening in the world of Spider-Man comics, which is something Marvel says about once a month, 🧸but this time it’s actually true. Starting this month, the notoriously impenetrable Spider-Man is getting multiple new entry points that are, for the first time in a long time, making me excited to read about Spidey again. If you’ve ever thought about getting into Spider-Man comics, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for.
I’ve been reading Spider-Man since I was old enough to buy my own comics, but I haven’t been an enthusiastic reader in over a decade. For years, the mainline Spider-Man book has been a messy, overwritten slog that’s deeply rooted in complex and ancient lore that I don’t remember or care about anymore. It’s become more convoluted and campy than an afternoon soap opera, and there hasn’t been a compelling big event series since the original Spider-Verse in 2014. Occasional storylines have shined brightly - Go Down Swinging had its moments - but for the most part Spider-Man has been in a creative rut a long, long time. Worse, it’s the kind of rut the new readers could never hope to find their way into thanks to the story's reliance on deep continuity.
I Just Don't Think Insomniac's Peter Parker Was Ever That Interesting
Peter Parker is a great character but the Inওsomniac version is missing a lot of the qualities that make Pete interesting.
But lo, change is on the horizon for Spidey, and we don’t have long to wait. Next W✨ednesday, January 10 will see the launch of Ultimate Spider-Man #1, a reboot of tꩵhe Ultimate label that ended its 15 year run with the conclusion of 2015’s Secret Wars storyline (sort of). It probably sounds like I’m about to launch into a bunch of complicated history to catch you up to speed, but the beauty of this new Spider-Man story is how little setup is necessary.
There is backgro𒁏und of course, we’re talking about comic books after all. But I can explain the whole thing in two sentences and then you won’t have to worry about reading years of back issues to get caught up. Ready? There’s an evil version of Mr. Fantastic🎃 called The Maker that discovered a new universe and, using a time machine, has meticulously erased virtually all superheroes from its history. On the day Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive Spider, The Maker followed him into the lab and smashed the spider, allowing Peter to grow up living a normal life, sans Spider powers.
The new Ultimate Spider-Man takes place in Universe 6160, a totally fresh universe that 💛hasn’t been explored at all in Marvel comics - save for the four issue Ultimate Invasion mini-series that sets up The Maker’s evil scheme. Of course, the Web of Destiny is called that for a reason, and Peter can’t escape his own. With Peter getting his powers later in life after he’s already raised a family with MJ, this will be a very different take on thꦺe character than anything we’ve seen before.
A big part of what makes this new series so exciting is the creative team behind it. If you know anything about comics you’ve probably heard of Jonathan Hickman, whose run on Fantastic Four in the early 2010’s is one of the most celebrated in comic book history, right up there with Frank Miller’s Daredevil run and Grant Morrison’s Batman. Hickman is also the writer behind the 2012-2015 Avengers series that ended with Secret Wars, which the upcoming MCU movie🥀 is purportedly based on. Along with Maco Checchetto, one of the most prolific Marvel artists working today, Hickman is bringing a new vision to Spider-Man and Marvel comics that feels long overdue.
But wait, there’s more. Starting in March, Peter Parker and Miles Morales are getting their first ongoing co-leading comic series ever. Spectacular Spider-Men is perfectly timed to capitalize on the success of Insomniac’s Spider-Man 2, and while it’s not in the same universe as the game, it seems like it will feel like a natural progression from the games. Writer Greg Weisman said in a statement that the series will explore the evolution in the relationship between Peter and Miles from protege and mentor to simply being good friends. He also praises the book’s artist, Humberto Ramos, who's been drawing Spider-Man books for a long time and has become my favorite Spidey artist working today.
As a lifelong Spider-friend, I’m excited for the first time in a long time - not just because my favorite creators are collaborating on these beloved characters, and not just because these books represent fresh new angles for the character, but because I finally have an ongoing Spider-Man book I can recommend to the comic-curious. These are exactly the kinds of stories that will appeal to people that know Spider-Man but have never seen what ongoing comic series have to offer, and I’m excited to finally have something to start fresh with. If the new Ultimate Spider-Ma👍n is anything like the original, this is going to be the start of something really special.
