It is incredible what an endless team of creatives can do with a concept as simple as a person getting bitten by a radioactive spider to gain superpowers. With endless Spider-folks to draw from, fans are waiting on pins and needles to see which new takes on the hero might join the universe-hopping film.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse brought Miles Morales to the screen for the first time and paired him with Peter Parker, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Man Noir, Peni Parker, and even Spider-Ham. It's a perfect sampling of the wildly disparate versions of the characters that crawl across the comic book pages, but the sequel will have to bring in some new faces behind the familiar masks.
Thanks to a couple of errant pieces of merch available now at any local Target store, it's fair to assume that Spider-Punk will be joining the sequel to some extent. Twitter users have photographed and publicized Spider-Punk's distinctive spiked mask and a toy electric guitar that shoots webs from its headstock on store shelves. Both are helpfully emblazoned with Spider-Punk's name and branding, leaving no room for doubt. Comic book fans have formed an attachment to the character's unique take on the character and his awesome costume. Those who don't read the comic books, however, likely only know Spider-Punk as an optional costume in the recent PlayStation 4 game. However, Spider-Punk is yet another of the countless fantastic Spider-Folk scattered throughout the multiverse.
Spider-Punk represents Earth-138, a dystopian reality that differs from the real world only a little. In that reality, Norman Osborn, here playfully referred to as Ozzy, moved on from his successful career as corporate overlord to become the President of the United States. As President, Ozzy sets to work establishing an authoritarian regime and ruling with an iron fist. He employs an army of jackbooted thugs called the Thunderbolt Department to enforce his will, root out subversives, and "make America stronger". To empower his dangerous force, Ozzy develops the Variable Engagement Neuro-sensitive Organic Mesh or V.E.N.O.M. President Osborn also donned the V.E.N.O.M. system, turning him into a version of the character with the powers of Eddie Brock. In this nightmarish America, all hope seems lost, until a new hero rises to defeat the authoritarian government with the power of the ultimate tool of freedom, punk rock.
Hobart Brown is a homeless teenager who develops superhuman powers after being bitten by a spider who was irradiated by dumped nuclear waste. Hardcore comic fans would recognize that name as the original secret identity of frequent Spidey antagonist the Prowler, but Earth-138's Hobie is a punk-inspired hero. He sports the traditional Spider-Folk powers, but his real gift is his talent as a musician. The electric guitar is key to Spider-Punk's aesthetic and his combat style. When it comes time for his rebellion against Ozzy's armies, Hobie uses the power of anarchic music to raise an army of his own and take him on. Through a massive set of amps and an electric guitar, Spider-Punk teams up with Captain Anarchy and the Atom Bomb (138's Captain America and Hulk) and leads the citizenry against the cops. In the battle, Spider-Punk chose a slightly different way of taking out his foe, he bashes the president's brain in with his guitar.
The concept behind Spider-Punk is simple, what if Spidey was the hero of a Sex Pistols concept album? It began life as a concept for a U.K. Spider-Man, but as all the design focused on was Thatcher-era rock music, it transformed fully into a punk rock hero. His solo arc is brief, but impactful, and his solo series only began a few months ago. He joins fellow Spider-People in multiple multiverse struggles, offering a unique personality to the group. Hobie is energetic, unpredictable, and relentlessly independent. He works well enough on a team, but he won't be told what to do. Where most Spider-People are generally good-natured selfless heroes, Hobie Brown is all of that with a bad attitude.
It's fair to assume that Spider-Punk will appear in the film, but impossible to know whether he'll be a member of the film's team or a temporary cameo. As one of few Spider-people of color, he's a welcome addition to the uniquely diverse team. As a more aggressive and violent figure than most, he's also a standout in an otherwise kid-friendly property. He'd be a great addition to Miles' ongoing collection of unique mentors and friends. His inclusion also suggests that Miles might get to visit the awesome album cover-esque world of Earth-138, which would be a treat to see in motion. Spider-Punk isn't the most complex character in the multiverse, but he'd be a great addition to the ongoing journey Across the Spider-Verse. Fans will have to wait and see how Hobie Brown hits the scene when the film drops next year.