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Let's Re-Invent: Spider-Man

Suzu

Suzu

天下無双
Self-Requested Ban
Location
secret base
Pronouns
She/Her
"Anyone can wear the mask. You could wear the mask. If you didn't know that before, I hope you do now."

So, everyone knows the story by now.

Boy from Queens. Radioactive spider. Dead uncle. Spider-Man.

Already did that in 2017. In 2012. In 2008. In 2002. In 1994. And that Japanese one in 1977.

What I'm saying is, almost everyone here knows something about Spider-Man, and I'm sure that for the majority of people on this forum, the defining identity of Spider-Man is one Peter Parker.

But recently - after watching Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - one question came up in my mind.

"If it was up to me to make a new version of Spider-Man, what I'd have done?"

This question I share with you SV. What is your take on the Spider-Man mythos? Do you wish to streamline the story of Peter Parker? Add a completely new protagonist? Come up with a new development from a certain point in the character's publication history?
 
One idea that crossed my mind was to just run with the idea that "every universe has a spiderman" and have someone actively sending out mystical spiders to different worlds to create heroes.

Madame Web from the animated series could work for that.

Basic premise could be that Madame Web or whoever wants to keep the multiverse safe so she seeks out intelligent and goodhearted people and sends out spiders to bite them and grant them powers.

Precognition and super strength being the standard powers they get, but of course they can get others.

The series might start out just focusing on Peter in New York, but then we get to see various Elseworlds stories where different people get bitten, or see world's that are totally different like medieval fantasy worlds where a knight's squire gets bitten and has to fight a demon lord and his army of goblins, a wild west one where the Spider Sherrif is the fastest gun in the west and has danger sense, etc.

Then, once Peter learns about this, we have instances of Madame Web alerting the various Spidermen to multiverse threats (if one Spider person encounters a multitude threat, even by precog or Spider sense, Madame Web gets alerted and can alert the others). Or there can be smaller disasters that just need some extra help and we get to see our Spiderman head to alternate worlds and timelines to save princesses or fight zombies or something.

So in multiverse stories, Spiderman becomes the first to figure out what's going on and if they head to another universe there's decent odds they'll encounter a spider person on that world who can help out.

Kind of like a really informal kind of Green Lantern Corp. There's one Spiderman per universe usually, their enhanced strength and wall crawling tend to make them ideal for street level threats so they can focus on being "friendly neighborhood spidermen" while their natural and increased intelligence along with Spider sense and precog usually means they can find or whip up some gizmo to take out bad guys.

So yeah... that's kind of my first thought. Have there be a primary source for spider powers, establish that there are lots of different spider people in the multiverse who share similar powers and heroic mindsets, and occasionally have them interact with eachother and work together against major threats.
 
That already happened in which the Marvel multiverse Spideys has to fight Morlins race of totem drinkers and naturally the most powerful Parker's died.

I hate post 80s comics.

I personally had a idea where Peter Saw the spider and allowed himself to be bitten on purpose. Like a compelling thing but has to figure out why he is chosen for Spider Powers.
 
Twists on the spider-man mythos... got a couple of ideas.

---Have him be a descendant of Anansi, the mythical trickster-hero... and give him all the regular powers as well as additional powers related to Anansi. Shape-shifting of some form, for one (extra limbs? Turn into a spider?) . And as Anansi was the "master of stories", perhaps heightened deductive and inductive ablities a la Sherlock Holmes, eidetic memory and psychometry (the ability to "read" memories off of objects by touch. Or off people, like in the movie "Unbreakable.") Rather than a news photographer he gets a job as a crime scene photographer, and uses his powers to become the world's greatest masked detective a la Batman (without the edgelord issues.)

--- no physical enhancements. He just gets the danger sense....and he can detect when people are in danger all over the city. he can't possibly get there in time, or even do anything if he did (still a 98 lb weakling), but the city's full of cops, rescue workers, and superheros he can contact....

---instead of the spider powers, he gets the ability to control an army of spiders and other arachnids, see through their eyes, etc.
 
I actually came up with an alternate version of spodermans powers in ma head. Happened to take place in a universe where a artificial shapeshifting entity from venus flys to earth comes to really like the concept of super heros from the stories of ancient heroes it was told by its creator and reading. So it chooses to try and recreate them by atleast handing out sicknasty powers to positively good and kindhearted people with the potential to grow and learn. So we come upon Our spiderman duplicate/recreation gets bitten by a spider the size of a brain, freaks out for awhile over two months goes through biological and metaphysical changes, develops tactile telekinesis that can overlap with body, enhanced physique, and a few other enhancements. Telikinetic cling, slowed perception in response to enviremental tk feedback, basic human improvement package, then later the spider that big him is actually the shapeshifters means of providing a supersuit "venom knockoff" to supplement as webbing because shooting webs from super compact containers attached to your waist not good.
 
I think we're ready to move on from Peter Parker. Don't get me wrong - I like the kid, but this is 2019, and we've had something like fifty years of Peter Parker stories is enough. Let new people wear the mask.

So, well, I think that Into the Spider-Verse did it best. Have Spider-Man be put off the board for some reason or another, injured or killed or retired or what have you, and let someone succeed him, ideally a woman or a POC, but the real thing is that it's someone new, a new character that let's new people be inspired by them, and new stories be told. Maybe that's Miles Morales. Maybe it's Mayday Parker. Maybe it's Jessica Drew, or Mattie Franklin, or Gwen Stacy, or someone new entirely. But I want the franchise to move beyond 'radioactive spider-dead uncle-daily bugle-green goblin-MJ Watson.'
 
If you were looking for an interesting re-invention of Spider-Man I would recommend checking out the Spinnerette webcomic. The main character has a somewhat similar origin and power set but the story as a whole is still original and extremely well executed.
 
A typical Spider-man, but he uses his brilliance to plan out traps. Same powers, just with the additional urge to catch his victims in webs. Maybe have that be the reason Jonah Jameson hates Spider-Man, he keeps leaving spider-webs around that block traffic for an hour or so.
 
How about shifting another aspect of the Peter Parker story instead. Say, on the field trip, the bite occurs. Its on Parker, notable geek and unpopular. Middle of the gaggle. But instead of a swap and mutation later in the day/night, its an IMMEDIATE BIG DEAL. Anaphylactic shock and hives and white foam on lips and Peter collapses in the middle of the room getting attention immediately.

Oscorp immediately provides medical aid, it comes out somehow that the bite was from an escaped experimental animal. Issues flow. Peter's under surveillance by the media as well as hospital staff and Oscorp scientists so when the Spider Stuff kicks in, its noticed.

How does Spider dash Man develop when he's outed from the get go?
 
RHJunior said:
---Have him be a descendant of Anansi, the mythical trickster-hero... and give him all the regular powers as well as additional powers related to Anansi. Shape-shifting of some form, for one (extra limbs? Turn into a spider?) . And as Anansi was the "master of stories", perhaps heightened deductive and inductive ablities a la Sherlock Holmes, eidetic memory and psychometry (the ability to "read" memories off of objects by touch. Or off people, like in the movie "Unbreakable.") Rather than a news photographer he gets a job as a crime scene photographer, and uses his powers to become the world's greatest masked detective a la Batman (without the edgelord issues.)
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I thought that was already established somewhat in the canon? Like his spider sense is apparently a supernatural power that is god-like in its nature.
 
Kokurokoki said:
I thought that was already established somewhat in the canon? Like his spider sense is apparently a supernatural power that is god-like in its nature.
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Yeah the Morlun arc shows that Peter Parker has tribal "Spider Totem" Powers and his Race feed on totem empowered humans. Currently Spider was on the menu.

As for redirection: I like the idea of at bite Spider Man is in Oscorp custody and everyone knows. Instead of being Friendlyy Everyday Spider Man, instead have him escape and in the loose.

Like the Fugitive, if a spider themed teen kid chance by Oscorp goons and such. Also have Gwen Stacy as main love squeeze. Felt MJ was forced.

And it's fine to have Miles and others.

But remember this: The true essence of Spider Man is a guy who is completely normal, who gets forced into super powered bullshit beyond his control.

That's the Core, does not manner age, Race, or gender. The Spider title in Marvel is a hard luck hero who never catches a break and if so, lasts for only so long.
 
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Ct613hulu said:
If you were looking for an interesting re-invention of Spider-Man I would recommend checking out the Spinnerette webcomic. The main character has a somewhat similar origin and power set but the story as a whole is still original and extremely well executed.
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That comic seems like super fetish bait.
 
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