Spider-Man has spun his web for 60 years, and during that time there have been various other people who've taken up the mantle. There's Miles Morales, the star of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, and the upcoming Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse. There's Cindy Moon, the sensational Silk. Even Spider-Man's clones Ben Reilly and Kaine have gotten in on the action (it's a very complicated story). With the Spider-Verse concept exploding in popularity over the years, comic book creators have had the chance to put their own spin on Spider-Man — which leads to the very disturbing concept of Spiders-Man.
Who and What Is Spiders-Man?
You probably know Spider-Man's origin story by heart, whether you've read a comic or not. The bite of a radiation-doused spider grants Peter Parker superhuman abilities, which he uses to protect the innocent after his Uncle Ben is killed by a burglar he fails to stop. The origin story of Spiders-Man might not be as heartbreaking as the death of Uncle Ben but it's a lot more horrifying. On Earth-11580, Peter Parker is visiting Horizon Labs with his best friend Gwen Stacy where they witness a colony of spiders being treated with radiation. This version of Peter falls into the colony and the spiders promptly devour him whole!
However, in the process, the colony also absorbs Peter's memories and decides to fight crime as "Spiders-Man." To do so, it hides the bulging mass of spiders that make up its body in a form-fitting red-and-blue suit. Spiders-Man's secret is revealed during a high-pitched battle with the Green Goblin and his allies, as Jack-O'-Lantern learns the hard way that his arachnid-powered foe isn't entirely human. Though Spiders-Man is able to stop the Goblin's reign of terror, he ends up pushing Gwen away. Fate would give him another chance to embrace his heroic destiny.
What Is Spider-Geddon?
Spiders-Man is soon approached by the Spider-Man of Earth-616. (Unbeknownst to him, it's Peter Parker's archnemesis Doctor Octopus in a cloned body calling himself the "Superior Spider-Man.") Superior Spider-Man is gathering other Spider-People in order to battle the mystical beings known as the Inheritors. Spidey and his fellow arachnid allies had battled the vampiric beings during the original Spider-Verse event, stranding them on a radioactive wasteland. However, the Inheritors had returned with a vengeance, requiring the gathering of a Spider-Army.
Spiders-Man eventually makes the acquaintance of another Spider-Man, who also happens to be one of Peter Parker's lifelong enemies: Norman Osborn. On Earth-44145, Osborn has taken up the mantle and powers of Spider-Man instead of the Green Goblin, but still remains the ruthless businessman his mainstream counterpart was. He suggests stranding the Inheritors on Earth-616, much to Peter Parker Prime's disgust. Spiders-Man, however, agrees with Norman and decides to attack the Web of Life and Destiny which holds the multiverse together. Eventually, the Inheritors are defeated, but Spiders-Man spreads several of his spiders throughout the Multiverse and joins forces with Osborn to battle Superior Spider-Man.
What is Spiders-Man's Connection to the Spider-Verse?
Spiders-Man would soon be drawn into yet another multiversal battle, this time involving the malevolent being known as Shathra. Peter Parker Prime had previously battled her, and she was trapped in the Web of Life and Destiny until she was ultimately freed. Shathra begins to corrupt Spider-People across the universe, severing the threads that hold them in reality. She even succeeds in cutting off Peter Prime's link to the Web, seemingly erasing him from existence! Peter was in fact still alive but had never been bitten by the spider that transformed him into Spider-Man.
Eventually, he becomes a world-famous scientist and starts studying a colony of radioactive spiders....that happens to be Spiders-Man in disguise! While the other Spiders battle Shathra, Spiders-Man helps Peter build a device that reconnects him to the Web. They finally defeat Shathra, with each Spider returning to their respective universe.
Spiders-Man may be one of the most disturbing but ultimately interesting concepts within the Spider-Verse. It remains to be seen if he'll appear in Across The Spider-Verse or its upcoming sequel Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse, but there is definitely a gold mine waiting to be tapped into with this character.
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse is out in theaters now.