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Alternative versions of Spider-Man

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Alternate versions of Spider-Man
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceAmazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962)
Created byStan Lee
Steve Ditko
See alsoSpider-Man in other media
Spider-Man computer and video games
Spider-Man on television

In addition to his mainstream incarnation and series, Spider-Man has had been depicted in other fictional universes.

Alternate continuities

Other related characters exist in alternate versions of the Marvel Universe. These include:

Ultimate Spider-Man

Main article: Ultimate Spider-Man

Ultimate Spider-Man is a modernized reboot of the Spider-Man story, starting from the very beginning, with a plot that is inspired by, but very different from, the original continuity. The main purpose of the series is to be accessible to new and young readers, as it is free from the decades of history of the original, but it has been embraced by many longtime fans as well.

In Ultimate Spider-Man, Peter is a high-school student who is bitten by a spider during a school field trip—but instead of a radioactive spider (which reflected the Atomic Age in which Spider-Man's origin was written), it is a lab subject that has been genetically modified by Osborn Industries. This idea of using genetic engineering instead of radioactivity was used for the Spider-Man film. The themes, characterization, and setting are updated to reflect modern life. It is set in the Ultimate Marvel universe.

In the on-going series Ultimate Comics: Avengers, a second Spider-Man was show as one of its member as this Spider-Man appears as the same age as and possessing the same humor as the current Spider-Man. But the second Spider-Man is highly intelligent and has a murderous behavior, as Gregory Stark, Tony Stark's brother, implies that a technician slit his own wrist when staying a week with him. This Spider-Man's identity is still unknown.

MC2

An alternative version of Peter Parker also exists in the MC2 universe, appearing as a supporting character in Spider-Girl.

The title follows almost the entire original timeline of the character up until the first attempt at a "relaunch" by the company, 1999, where it deviates and provides an alternate ending to the Final Chapter storyline. During his final battle against the Green Goblin, rather than survive unscathed, Peter loses a leg to his arch-enemy and Osborn is killed. Peter's wayward daughter May is revealed to be alive and well, and is returned to both Parkers by Peter's first clone, the redeemed Kaine.

Peter finally realizes the price he has paid for being Spider-Man, and ends his career to raise a family with Mary Jane and May. Over the years, he overcomes his physical handicap and ultimately joins the NYC Police Department in a scientific capacity. However, after saving him from an insane Normie Osborn, his daughter May "Mayday" Parker begins a career as Spider-Girl behind his back, a decision Peter begrudgingly is forced to accept and deal with, made difficult by his love for May.

Regardless of his handicap, Peter returned to the role of Spider-Man several times. Once was to aid his daughter and Darkdevil, the son of Ben Reily, against Kaine, another to convince the latest Spider-Man (the son of Jessica Drew), to cease risking his life, and in the 100th issue of the Spider-Girl title to save May from the Hobgoblin. Peter and MJ ultimately have a second child, Benjamin "Benjy" Parker Jr, who is temporarily rendered deaf after possession by the Carnage symbiote and being blasted with high-frequency sonics. Benjy has now developed powers of his own at an infant age.

House of M

In the "House of M", a Marvel crossover, the Scarlet Witch alters reality to make mutants the ruling class over humans. This world is ruled by mutants and their leader, Magneto. In the mini-series Spider-Man: House of M, Peter Parker is believed to be a mutant, and Spider-Man's identity is widely known. He is rich, famous and married to Gwen Stacy, and they have a young son named Ritchie. Aunt May and Uncle Ben are alive and in good health, and J. Jonah Jameson is Peter's often-abused publicist. Unfortunately, his life unravels when Jameson reveals to the world that Spider-Man is not a born mutant. After the world is restored to normal, Peter suffers terribly with the memory of the life he left behind, expressing a desire to kill Magneto, who he mistakenly believes was behind the events of House of M, and the Scarlet Witch, whose powers were responsible for the altered reality.

Spider-Man 2099

Main article: Spider-Man 2099

Spider-Man 2099 (a.k.a. Miguel O'Hara) of the Marvel 2099 imprint. A geneticist, Miguel gains his spider-like powers from a gene-splicing incident.

Spider-Man 2211

Main article: Spider-Man 2211

Spider-Man 2211 aka Dr. Max Borne, the Spider-Man of the year 2211, first appeared in the Spider-Man/Spider-Man 2099 one-shot. His daughter Robin is the Hobgoblin of 2211. He is later shot by an alternate version of Ben Parker, who is later revealed to be the Chameleon of 2211 in the guise of Uncle Ben.

1602

Peter Parquagh is a counterpart to Peter in the miniseries Marvel 1602, albeit without powers. In the series he acts as an apprentice to the royal spymaster Sir Nicholis Fury. A running gag involves Peter repeatedly almost getting bitten by unusual spiders, something that finally occurs at the very end. In the sequel, 1602: New World, he takes the identity of the Spider.

Elseworlds

In the intercompany crossovers called "Elseworlds", Spider-Man has worked alongside Superman twice, once to defeat Dr. Octopus and Lex Luthor and the other to stop Doctor Doom from providing the Parasite with long-term access to the power of the Hulk and Wonder Woman. He also worked alongside Batman to defeat Carnage and the Joker, the two later collaborating to defeat the Kingpin and Ra's al Ghul, with Fisk eventually aiding the heroes in the end. The Ben Reilly Spider-Man participated in Marvel vs. DC, where he faced Superboy and won.

Exiles

In the series Exiles, which involves inter-dimensional travel, several alternate versions appear:

  • The Spider is an alternate-reality version of Spider-Man who has merged with the Carnage-symbiote and has become a psychopathic killer. Before being displaced in time, he had been on death row in his home reality. He originates from Earth-15 and is a member of Weapon X.
  • Mary-Jane Watson, a.k.a. Spider-Woman, seen in Exiles issues #20-22, is part of a resistance against the techno-organic virus and heroes infected with it, including that world's Spider-Man. Mary Jane is also portrayed as a lesbian in issue #34.
  • A Spider-Man who is a member of the Fantastic Five dies in a battle against The Spider.
  • A version of Spider-Man 2099 joins the Exiles when his identity is made public.
  • Morph once fought a Demon Spider-Man on an alternate world; later on, the Demon Spider-Man was viewed briefly by Mojo and Major Domo as it attacked a young couple in a parking complex, but Spider-Man killed himself.
  • In New Exiles issues #9-10, there's a world where Peter Parker is part of a mutant super hero team, Force-X, led by Emma Frost. His codename is "Spider". His outfit is the standard Force-X uniform and he wears goggles instead of a mask. Also, his webbing is organic.

Earth X

In the series Earth X and its sequels, Peter Parker is no longer a superhero and has become a police officer. Three other related characters appear:

  • The Spiders Man is an enigmatic character who makes illusions using webs that come from his sleeves. He has lumpy red skin that resembles Spider-Man's costume, and wears a tattered cloak.
  • Two alternate versions of Spider-Girl appear: one is called Venom and the other was raised by Ben Reilly (Paradise X: Heralds).

Age of Apocalypse

In the "Age of Apocalypse", Peter Parker is executed by Apocalypse's regime simply because he is a potential ally for rebel Gwen Stacy. Its unknown if he ever gained his spider's powers.

What if? AoA

In a "What if?" Age of Apocalypse reality, in which both Charles Xavier and Magnus Lensherr were killed, Apocalypse is served by clones of a symbiote Spider-Man, although the clones seem to be more symbiote than man.

Spider-Man: Chapter One

The miniseries Spider-Man: Chapter One, was John Byrne's attempt to reimagine Spider-Man's early years, (similar to the revamp given to Superman), giving him a new but similar origin. The series is no longer considered canon.

Pestilence

Deadpool encounters a version of Spider-Man in a universe which he refers to as "an Age of Apocalypse" (not the Age of Apocalypse). That Spider-Man is Pestilence, Horseman of Apocalypse. This version has six arms, poisonous fangs and engages in cannibalism.

Mutant X

In the Mutant X universe, the Man-Spider still has six arms. He was replaced by a clone for many years, but the clone was killed by Hank "Brute" McCoy within the series, at which time the original Man-Spider returned. He was later killed, alongside much of the team.

What if?

  • Alternate versions of Spider-Man appear in a number of issues of What If..? (see List of What If? issues). One major alternate universe is one in which Spider-Man joined the Fantastic Four; this universe is revisited in several different issues of What If..?
  • "What if?: The Other", set during "The Other" storyline, features an alternate version of Peter who abandons the Spider when given the choice. Some time afterwards, the Venom symbiote leaves its current host Mac Gargan and merges with Peter to become Poison.
  • Another "What if?" universe has a version of Spider-Man who works side by side with his uncle Ben to fight crime after Aunt May is killed.
  • In one What If comic, he is shown as Spider-Woman keeping most of his/her trait's, but making enough changes to fit being a female counterpart.[citation needed]

Spider-Man Powerless

Marvel published a limited series called Powerless in 2004, which tells how the Marvel Universe would be without super-powers. In this series, Peter Parker appears as a young man nicknamed Spider-Man on the internet.

Spider-Man: Reign

Spider-Man: Reign depicts an older Spider-Man in the future who, having given up on crime-fighting, is driven back into action by the return of some of his old enemies.

Marvel Zombies

Marvel Zombies features a Spider-Man who has been turned, along with all other heroes in the Marvel Universe, into a flesh-eating zombie. He is infected by Colonel America in the first issue of Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness.[1] Although Spider-Man is just as ravenous and disgusting as the other zombies when hungry, when he has eaten, Spider-Man is constantly wracked with guilt at what he has done, agonizing over having eaten Mary Jane and Aunt May, but unable to change his nature.[2] At the conclusion of the storyline, Spider-Man is one of the few heroes who become The Galactus, having consumed the original Galactus and subsequently acquiring his cosmic powers.[3] Later, the Marvel Zombies attack a Skrull planet, only to encounter the Fantastic Four of the core "616" reality — then consisting of Black Panther, Storm, the Thing and the Human Torch- leaving the Zombies eager to capture the FF and transport back to their reality.[volume & issue needed]

In Marvel Zombies 2, he is seen with a new cyborg lower leg as well as having his mask repaired as he is seen with it covering his face once again.[4] He has noticed that his hunger is starting to fade, and, as a result, is the first of the Galactus to turn against his fellow zombies, Luke Cage joining him as the two confront Wolverine and Iron Man.[volume & issue needed]

Having mastered his hunger, Spider-Man is teleported to a new world, where he consumes the Sinister Six; however, as his cosmic abilities didn't come with him, and his organic webshooters have long dried up, the zombified superhero is forced to make due with his own veins and arteries, a process which he finds to be quite painful. That particular universe's Spider-Man is killed by the Sandman, who mistakes him for the zombified Spider-Man after Sandman saw the undead Spider-Man massacre the other members of the Sinister Six. With the zombie Giant-Man having followed Spider-Man to this new reality — having already infected the Inhumans, the Hulk and the Sentry-, Spider-Man resolves to stop Giant-Man.[5]

Spider-Man managed to get the infected Wolverine, the Hulk, & the half cybernectic Rody, as Iron-Man, and dubbed themselves as the New Avengers as they confront Giant-Man with the infected Quicksliver, Thundra, Sentry, Moon Knight, Super Skrull, Quasar and others. Determined to end the zombie plague, Spider-Man ordered the team to destroy the canester he was carrying, which released the Sandman, now infused with nanobites, and wiped out every zombie heroes and villians. The Zombie Spider-Man thanked Sandman and commented that his Aunt May and Mary Jane are avenged before he dies.

Earth-Z

This version of Spider-Man appears in Marvel Zombies Return. As mentioned above, this reality Sandman meets zombified Spider-Man and is horrified by the abnormal and terrifying behavior of the latter. Sandman runs away scared and soon bumps into this reality Spider-Man. Mistakenly taking him for the zombified Spider-Man, Sandman turns from fear to rage and attacks bewildered Spider-Man, filling him with his sandy body through his mouth and then bursting out, ripping Spider-Man apart.

Bullet Points

In the Bullet Points mini-series, Uncle Ben dies before he can raise Peter. Without a father figure, Peter grows up to become a rebellious teenager who skips school. Peter finds himself on the test site for a Gamma bomb and absorbs a big dose of gamma radiation, becoming the Hulk. In an attempt to find a cure for Peter, Dr. Bruce Banner examines specimens taken from the test site and is bitten by a radioactive spider, becoming Spider-Man. Peter later dies while fighting Galactus, but his death inspires the Silver Surfer to attack Galactus.

Spider-Man: India

Main article: Spider-Man: India
The Indian version of Spider-Man.

Spider-Man: India is a comic book originally published in India by Gotham Entertainment Group in 2004, retelling the story of Marvel Comics' Spider-Man in an Indian setting.

Spider-Man: Noir

This version of Spider-Man exists in Great Depression-era New York in the 1930s. Aunt May is a speaker of equality and spends time standing on a soap box shouting her beliefs. Uncle Ben was killed by a crime syndicate run by Norman Osborn, aka The Goblin. Shortly afterward, Peter is bitten by a strange spider and endowed with mystical spider-powers by a Spider God. He then dons a black mask, gloves, and trenchcoat and sets out to stop Norman and his gang. In the beginning of the first issue, he is framed for the murder of J. Jonah Jameson.

Wolverine: Old Man Logan

In this alternate timeline, Spider-Man was killed during or sometime after the big battle between heroes and villains, where the villains won. In this timeline, he married an unknown African American woman and had a daughter, who eventually married Hawkeye and had a child of their own. Hawkeye kept and customized the Spider Mobile after his death.

Other

  • An alternate Spider-Man who had used his powers for fame and fortune devolves into a vicious Man-Spider; due to the removal of his Uncle Ben from that timeline, he kills a number of superheroes, including the Avengers.
  • In another reality, Spider-Man was bitten by the spider, and used his powers for his own financial gain, becoming a billionaire, and building a robotic suit similar to Iron man's suit.
  • In another reality, Spider-Man was bitten by the spider, but after a short time he lost his power's but his friend Otto Octavius built four robotic arm's (similar to the robotic arm's Doctor Octopus has).
  • In another reality, Spider-Man was bitten by the spider, but a fragment of the Symbiote fell on the spider and bonded with the spider changing the venom ,transforming him into what he calls himself Spider-Carnage. Becoming ridiculed by his appearance, the Symbiote was the only thing that still talked to him and it convinced him to eradicate humanity for ridiculing him.
  • In another reality, Spider-Man, in the story Weapon X: Days of the Future Now, like most other non-mutant superheroes, has retired to the moon. Magneto hatches a plan to recruit these lost heroes in a large show of solidarity against the Sentinels and Weapon X. However, Magneto's true intention is to sacrifice the lives of the human heroes, thereby shocking the country into action against anti-mutant sentiment.
  • Two possible alternate versions of Peter Parker had he not been bitten by the radioactive spider are shown to Spider-Man by Mephisto in One More Day; one of the two is an overweight, unfulfilled software tester who turned his anger inward and the other is a lonely billionaire who discovered several scientific breakthroughs and turned his anger outwards.

Spider-Girl

Main article: Spider-Girl

The Spider-Girl comic book series, originally published under the MC2 imprint, features May "Mayday" Parker, Peter's daughter in an alternate continuity. This timeline diverged from regular continuity when Peter and Mary Jane's daughter is returned to them by Kaine. In Spider-Girl, Peter has been retired from crime fighting since his final battle with the Green Goblin, which cost him a leg. Peter has settled down to family life and works for the New York City Police Department as a forensic scientist. His teen daughter May follows in his footsteps against his wishes, but Peter eventually helps her train for her calling. Peter appears in costume several times in Spider-Girl, either to restrain and protect May, or to assist her. Peter is among the superheroes kidnapped by Loki in the spin-off Last Hero Standing.

In the recent Spider-Girl storyline "Brand New May", Peter has uncovered a lab, within it is a stasis tank containing an exact physical duplicate of Mayday Parker, with notes left behind by Norman Osborn suggesting she is the real Mayday, and not a clone. When protecting his nephew Normie from an exploding test tube, Peter is affected by the serum within much like Osborn was...and begins to develop erractic behaviour.

Spider-Man (Gerry Drew)

Main article: Spider-Man (Gerry Drew)

In the same continuity as Spider-Girl, in MC2, Gerald "Gerry" Drew, the son of Jessica Drew, inherits spider-powers and poses as Spider-Man.

Other Spider-Men and Women in the Marvel Universe

In the comics, others use the Spider-Man identity. Some of these actually exist in the Marvel Universe (Earth-616):

Other characters have used similar themes:

Derivatives

Spider-Man has also inspired a number of derivatives:

References

  1. ^ Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness #1
  2. ^ Marvel Zombies #4
  3. ^ Marvel Zombies #5
  4. ^ Marvel Zombies 2 #1
  5. ^ Marvel Zombies Return #1
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