Spider-Man is considered by many to be the most popular superhero franchise in the world. However, this past year has seen comic fans' loyalty put to the test, as the narrative of Spider-Man's current comic series has stirred a ton of controversy. Luckily, modern media provides various depictions of the hero for fans to cheer for. Following the massive success of 2018's Marvel's Spider-Man, the title's Peter Parker is one such depiction. This iteration of Peter stands out due to his unique and especially tragic characterization, which led many fans to deeply connect with him. With the sequel Marvel's Spider-Man 2 due to arrive later this year, the comic book controversy may indirectly benefit Peter's next video game outing.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will feature Peter Parker and Miles Morales in a joint narrative, following the events of Marvel's Spider-Man and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Announced in 2021, the title will task players with saving New York City from Kraven the Hunter, who sees each Spider-Man as worthy prey for his next hunt. Joining the fray will be fan-favorite villain, Venom. Though Venom will not be the only antagonist of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, the character is certain to have a massive impact on the title's narrative, as well as the relationship between its two heroes. Though fans will be happy to see him in action, they might just be happier to see a beloved version of Peter Parker due to his recent comic releases.
Peter Parker's Current Comic Book Controversy
The Spider-Man comic book series features many unique plot lines that fans of the movies and games have yet to experience. However, the current series is one that comic fans would like to forget. The last year has seen Peter Parker struggling to recover from his role in a mysterious event, which alienated him from many of his closest relationships. The event is connected to a prior story arc, in which Peter prevented a Mayan god, Wayeb, from entering the Earth-616 universe.
In the current run, an obscure Spider-Man villain, Rabin, attempts to converge with Wayeb, transporting Peter and MJ to its dimension. Rabin plans to kill Peter and ritualistically sacrifice MJ, which will empower Wayeb while ensuring Spider-Man can't stop his invasion of Earth-616. Peter creates a device that can transport him and MJ back home, but there is only enough energy for one person to leave. Before Rabin can enact his plan, MJ uses the device to return Peter to Earth-616, leaving herself trapped in Wayeb's dimension. This splits the two up, just as they had gotten back together in the previous story arc. A glimpse into future events following the Wayeb arc are the focus of many fans' ire, as MJ has completely moved on from Peter, happily living with her boyfriend Paul and his children.
How Insomniac's Spider-Man Can Benefit from the Comic Controversy
Insomniac's Peter Parker is perhaps the most tragic version of the character in modern memory, and his complex and emotional journey in Marvel's Spider-Man led many fans to form a deep connection with the character. Having lost Uncle Ben, prior to the game's events, Marvel's Spider-Man sees Peter lose his remaining parent-figures - Dr. Octavius and Aunt May. Despite these devastating blows, Peter becomes a mentor to Miles Morales, whom he leaves in charge of the city while away on a trip in Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will be the first time that players experience Peter's life after the death of Aunt May, and the environment couldn't be better for this version of Spider-Man to return. The current comic run has left fans feeling disengaged from Peter Parker, as he makes silly mistakes and fails to succeed at every turn. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 benefits from this, as it reintroduces a deeply emotional and resilient Peter Parker whose losses stem from his success in saving the city, not making mistakes. Insomniac has given Spider-Man 2 a projected Fall 2023 release window, so fans eager to return to this iteration of Peter Parker can take solace in knowing that the wait is almost over.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is scheduled to release in Fall 2023 for PS5.
