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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse delivered everything fans and critics hoped it would, and then some. The wildly imaginative sequel to 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has left global audiences awestruck with its envelope-pushing animation style and heartfelt narrative. The film effortlessly weaves between universes and visual aesthetics at breakneck speed, never once missing an opportunity for a witty quip or poignant emotional beat. Like its predecessor, Across the Spider-Verse utilizes Miles Morales (Shamiek Moore) and Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) as its primary protagonists, but on the multiversal home base for the Spider-Society in Nueva York, we’re introduced to dozens of new on-screen Spider-People – each sporting a signature style and distinctive character traits.
Thanks to the film’s mile-a-minute pace and rapid splash panel animation style, it can be all too easy for even the most astute viewers to fall victim to cinematic whiplash. The ever-shifting landscape of this franchise can be tricky to parse; it’s only natural to need a breakdown to fully comprehend all of the narrative data being hurled at you. If you ever felt like you needed to slow things down to learn more about a particular multiversal variant in this film, consider this piece your trusty primer on the comic origins of some of the most fascinating new Spider-People Across the Spider-Verse has to offer.
Miguel O’Hara (Spider-Man 2099)
First comic appearance: Spider-Man 2099 #1 (1992)
In Across the Spider-Verse, Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac) is a multiversal anti-hero with vampiric tendencies who protects the Spider-Verse with an unsentimentality that borders cruelty. This decidedly gray-hat depiction of the character is a far cry from his comic origins. In the Marvel comics, Miguel O’Hara works in Alchemax’s genetics program as he and his colleagues attempt to recreate the original Spider-Man’s powers.
When Miguel is tricked into taking an experimental drug, he gains powers (including dangerous spider talons) he spends much of his time trying to rid himself of. In later appearances, Miguel learns to accept his condition and fights crime with many of the same ideals Peter Parker holds dear. There’s even a run in which he becomes a Mjolnir-wielding galactic leader who ushers in a new peaceful millennium with none other than Steve Rogers.
Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman)
First comic appearance: Marvel Spotlight #32 (1977)
Thanks to her sweet chopper and slick demeanor, Jessica Drew (Issa Rae) quickly won the respect and admiration of Gwen Stacy in Across the Spider-Verse. After Gwen’s father tries to arrest her, Gwen looks up to Jessica as a mentor and surrogate mother. Jessica Drew has a long and storied history in Marvel comics. Believe it or not, she was actually introduced to readers as a HYDRA villain in 1977.
But her villainous persona is merely the product of brainwashing, and once Nick Fury helps her understand the truth, she goes on to fight alongside the Avengers and other notable Marvel heroes. Jessica Drew is perhaps best known as the first female Marvel hero to helm her own animated series: 1979’s Spider-Woman (now available to stream on Disney+).
Hobie Brown (Spider-Punk)
First comic appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #10 (2015)
Unlike most of the Spider-Men in the multiverse, not a soul on planet Earth could mistake Hobie Brown (Daniel Kaluuya) for being a nerd. Across the Spider-Verse introduces us to Hobie as a guitar-playing, runway-posing, anti-fascist with a bleeding edge aesthetic and a heavy cockney drawl. Initially, Miles feels intimidated by Hobie because of his apparent budding relationship with his crush, Gwen. But as the plot unfolds, Miles finds new respect for Hobie as one of the only Spider-People he can trust to stand with him against Miguel O’Hara.
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In the Marvel comics source material, Hobie was a homeless teenager who gained his powers from a spider that had been irradiated by President Norman Osborn’s continual toxic waste dumping. Once taking up the Spider-Punk mantle, Hobie leads the oppressed people of New York City against Osborn, eventually killing him via guitar-smashing. Does it get more punk rock than that?
Pavitr Prabhakar
First comic appearance: Spider-Man: India #1 (2005)
In one of Across the Spider-Verse’s most vibrant sequences, we’re introduced to Pavitr Prabhakar (Karan Soni), the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man of fictional Mumbattan. With luscious locks and beautiful bangles, Pavitr protects his city with the quippy light-hearted spirit we’ve come to expect from most of our Spider-Men.
In the comics, Pavitr lives in Mumbai with his Aunt Maya and Uncle Bhim. After receiving his spider powers from a mysterious yogi, he goes on to challenge his universe’s analog for Doctor Octopus, the nefarious business tycoon Nalin Oberoi. In the popular Spider-Verse comic run, Pavitr fights alongside popular Spider-People like Spider-Gwen, Spider-Ham, and Spider-Man Noir.
Ben Reilly (Scarlet Spider)
First comic appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #149 (1963)
Across the Spider-Verse depicted Ben Reilly (Andy Samberg) as a particularly thick-headed iteration of the web-slinger. With a distinctive 90’s illustration style and a penchant for ham-fisted explanations of on-screen happenings, Ben Reilly was one of the film’s funniest and most accurate satirical additions.
Marvel comics introduced Ben to readers as a clone of Peter Parker. He was created by the Jackal with the purpose of destroying Peter once and for all. However, it doesn’t take long for Peter to talk Ben into a change of heart, and they soon become allies. In other adventures, Ben bonds with the Carnage symbiote and even plays a role in the DC/Marvel crossover event.
Mayday Parker (Spider-Girl)
First comic appearance: What If #105 (1998)
Mayday Parker (Sophia Lillis) was perhaps the most adorable Spider-Person cameo in Across the Spider-Verse. As the daughter of Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) and Mary Jane Watson (Melissa Strum), Mayday was lucky enough to receive her father’s spider powers in the genetic lottery. To the dismay of Mary Jane and the joy of viewers everywhere, Peter takes Mayday along on many of his Spider-Man adventures.
However, this infant iteration of the character is much different than her comic book origins would suggest. Mayday was introduced in a late 90s What If comic as a teenager. After seeing how much fans enjoyed the character, Marvel introduced a Spider-Girl comic run with Mayday as the protagonist.
Peter Parkedcar (Spider-Mobile)
First comic appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #12 (2015)
Of all the ridiculously hilarious cameos in Across the Spider-Verse, the addition of Peter Parkedcar may take the cake as the most absurd. When Miles enters the headquarters of the Spider-Society in Nueva York, he’s introduced to a wide variety of Spider-People, but only one Spider-Object: Peter Parkedcar. As an apparently sentient car with the powers of Spider-Man, Peter Parkedcar won over the hearts of fans with ease.
The comic origins of Peter Parkedcar begin with the Spider-Mobile, which was built by Spider-Man and the Human Torch in The Amazing Spider-Man #130 in 1974. However, it wasn’t until 2015’s Amazing Spider-Man #12 that Marvel introduced a version of the car as a sentient entity. Hailing from a universe stuffed to the brim with living cars, Peter Parkedcar quickly gained a reputation as that reality’s Spider-Mobile. We can only hope Sony has the good sense to give Parkedcar another cameo in Beyond the Spider-Verse next year.
