Too Many Spider-Men! (Part One)

Spider-Verse continues from Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 3) #11…

Earth-67[1]

At the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson has ordered Peter Parker to investigate reports of two Spider-Men seen in the city and get photos of them. While Parker thinks these are impostors, Jameson thinks that Spider-Man is forming a gang to commit crimes.

Elsewhere, the two Spider-Men are swinging across the city. These are Spider-Men are from different realities. One is Miles Morales and the other a younger version of Peter Parker. They have found themselves swinging around the same few blocks because everything looks the same on this world. That’s when the two of them cross paths with this world’s Spider-Man, who has come to confront them.[2]

The younger Spider-Man attempts to speak to this world’s Spider-Man by using 60’s era slang, as this world appears to be in that era. The Spider-Man of this world then covers the other in a blanket of webbing. Miles puts his hands up and tries to explain that they are from other dimensions and they are recruiting Spider-Men from across the multiverse to help stop a powerful enemy. Surprisingly, this Spider-Man instantly believes the story that Miles tells him, saying that it is the only thing that makes sense.[3] Freeing himself, the younger Peter Parker tries to explain the situation with the Inheritors and how serious the situation is.[4] This world’s Spider-Man does understand, but can’t go anywhere yet because his foe Dr. Noah Body has broken out of prison.[5]

That’s when Noah Body ambushed the Spider-Men with his allies the Spider-Man Revenge Squad which includes the Green Goblin, Electro, the Vulture, and the Scorpion.[6] The two visiting Spider-Men don’t take this very seriously until they are blasted by Noah’s Uranium-powered Futuro-Rifle, stunning them all. Luckily, the villains begin to bicker among each other over who has the pleasure of destroying Spider-Man. While they squabble, Miles questions if this Spider-Man understands the gravity of this situation. Surprisingly, Spider-Man tells them how he devoted his life to fighting crime after the murder of his Uncle Ben, making Miles realize that they have been treating this Spider-Man like an amateur, something that Miles hates when people do it to him.[7]

As the effects of the ray begins to wear off the three Spider-Men then work together to shut down Noah Body and his allies. Once they are defeated, they leave the crooks webbed up for the police. With this out of the way, this world’s Spider-Man agrees to go but needs to tell his friends and family that he won’t be back for a while. To speed things up, the younger Peter Parker suggests taking up some of these duties by posing as this world’s Peter Parker. However, when they both change into their street clothes both are shocked by how the other looks because their styles are vastly different. With everything wrapped up, Miles wishes he could help but removes his mask, saying he couldn’t have sold himself as Peter Parker. This world’s Spider-Man is amazed when he looks at Miles. His younger counterpart thinks this might because Miles is black and is bracing himself for something intolerant, given the era they are in. Instead, the other Peter Parker is surprised that Miles is a high school kid because he acts a lot older than he appears.

With everything out of the way, the three Spider-Man head on their next stop to save the multiverse.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man (Morales), Spider-Man-12041, Spider-Man ‘67, J. Jonah Jameson

Continuity Notes

1. The reality visited here isn’t specifically identified here but confirmed in Secret Wars: The Official Guidebook of the Marvel Multiverse #1. It is based on the 1967 Spider-Man cartoon but is distinct from it. That cartoon takes place on Earth-6799.

2. Spider-Man ‘67 wonders if these are his foes Mysterio and Charles Cameo in disguise. I shouldn’t have to tell you who Mysterio is, if not just read Amazing Spider-Man #13. Charles Cameo, on the other hand, was a villain that only appeared on the 1967 Spider-Man cartoon, appearing in two episodes “The Sinister Prime Minister” and “Double Identity”. If I were to guess, I suppose he was a stand-in for the Chameleon.

3. Spider-Man ‘67 mentions he once met spider-men from another planet. This is a reference to the episode “Home” where Spider-Man helps a bunch of aliens return to their home planet.

4. Both Spider-Man ‘67 and Miles Morales are confused when the other Spider-Man starts talking to nobody in particular. This Spider-Man is from Earth-12041, the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon. One of the tropes of that series is that sometimes Spider-Man breaks the fourth-wall to make jokes for the audience.

5. Noah Body was another villain that was created specifically for the Spider-Man ‘67 cartoon. He first appeared in the appropriately titled episode “Spider-Man Meets Noah Body”.

6. This moment is very reminiscent of the plot to the episode “To Catch a Spider” which also featured Noah Body freeing some of Spider-Man’s foes (the same villains minus the Scorpion) to get revenge against the wall-crawler.

7. Yeah, even this Spider-Man had a murdered Uncle Ben. Oddly, Spider-Man’s origin was not covered until the 2nd season episode “The Origin of Spiderman” (yes, there’s no hyphen)

A Spider in the Dark

Earth-21205

Spider-Woman has been sent to recruit this world’s Peter Parker only to discover that he is this world’s Hobgoblin. Worse, they are being hunted through the sewers by two of Verna’s hounds, multiversal versions of the Rhino and the Scorpion. The Goblin gets tired of running and tries to attack his pursuers head on.

Spider-Woman thinks this is a bad idea and yanks the Hobgoblin down an adjacent tunnel. He demands to know who is chasing them and who Spider-Woman is. She takes off her mask, revealing that she is Gwen Stacy. However, this is deeply upsetting to Peter because on this world Gwen Stacy died, something that Peter blames himself for.[1] In this reality, Peter killed the Green Goblin and then started killing all of his foes until all that was left was killing Spider-Man. Unable to take his own life, Peter destroyed his Spider-Man costume and became this world’s Hobgoblin.

Gwen can understand where Peter is coming from and when she tries to explain her mission to recruit other Spider-Men they are ambushed by Verna and her hounds.[2] An explosive is tossed at them and at first, Peter fears the worse when he sees Gwen laying on the ground. After confirming that she is still alive, the Hobgoblin blows up the two hounds and attacks Verna directly. She easily overpowers the Hobgoblin and strips him of his Goblin Glider and mask. However, before she can drain Peter of his life force, he sets off all the explosives on his body.

Gwen rushes to Peter’s side but there is nothing she can do, he’s dying. He tells her that at least he got to save her this time. After Peter dies, Gwen vows to get revenge against Verna and retreats back to her fellow spiders. Verna on the other hand is disappointed as the Hobgoblin’s premature death was a waste of a perfectly good meal.

… Spider-Verse continues in Scarlet Spiders #2.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Gwen, Verna

Continuity Notes

1. Gwen Stacy of Earth-21205 appears to die in much the same way as her Earth-616 counterpart. Check out Amazing Spider-Man #121 for all the neck-breaking details.

2. Gwen can relate because on her world she was forced to kill her version of Peter Parker, who had transformed into the Lizard. See Edge of Spider-Verse #2.