Spectacular Speculation: What The New Spider-Man Needs

- by Steve Garcia, 30 June 2015

We got a new Spider-Man, but just what is this next reboot going to do to set itself apart from those before it? Clone Sagas? Symbiote Wars? Spider-Islands? Spider-Ham?!  2017 can’t come quick enough, so I’m just going to fill the gap by doing what I do best: Spectacular Speculation!

1. NEW VILLAINS

A hero is only as good as their villains, and if there’s anything that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been lacking in so far, it’s a great villain. Sure, it has good ones, but they’re either in danger of being done to death, are extremely short lived, or they sit on a floating chair all day in space with the same satisfied expression as they ponder their ever-shrinking rock collection for only two-second glimpses at a time. What’s going to change that? Spider-Man. 

His addition to this wonderful world gives the MCU access to the best rogues gallery outside of Arkham Asylum or the outskirts of Central City. Not only do we have the all too familiar Green Goblin, Dr. Octopus, Venom, Sandman, Lizard, Rhino, and Electro, but we have a ton of new and exciting rogues of which the MCU couldn’t even dream of. But instead of watching the same old-same old, why not look further into the rogues gallery? Off the top of my head, we still haven’t been blessed by the likes of Mysterio, Kraven the Hunter, Vulture, Shocker, Scorpion, Spider Slayers, Morlun, and many, many others. 

The real beauty of this reboot is that we’re starting with a young, teenaged Peter Parker, which gives filmmakers the amazing opportunity to introduce all of these guys, and more importantly, give them the room to grow. Which brings me to my next point…

2. THE SUPPORTING CAST

High school would’ve been even worse than it already was if it weren’t for my best friends to have suffer through it with me. You know who else had some great high school buddies? Peter Parker. 

Left to right: Mary Jane, Harry Osborn, Liz Allan, Gwen Stacy, Flash Thompson.

Harry Osborn, Gwen Stacy, and Mary Jane Watson might have already been seen in those other movies, but outside of the big three, does anyone know about some of the others? Did you know that Peter Parker dated some of the hottest popular girls, like Liz Allan? What about Mark Raxton, who in the Ultimate Universe becomes the hotheaded Molten Man [He dated him, too?? - Ed.]? And did you even hear about Eugene “Flash” Thompson, who was both Parker’s biggest bully and fan, eventually became a Medal of Honor recipient, and then went on to become Venom? 

This new younger approach that they’re taking for the reboot allows the Spider-Man mythos to plant all of its seeds very early on with these extraordinary characters and watch them bloom into who the fans always knew they could be onscreen.

3. THE DAILY BUGLE

I was going to lump this one in with the supporting cast point, but this one warrants its own: Spider-Man needs the Daily Bugle. What set this character apart from every other superhero back in 1962 was that Peter Parker had a job that he struggled at. Kids today (especially ones who have to spend excess amounts of money on web fluid and superhero sewing kits) have jobs, and it’s been far too long since we’ve seen the (seemingly) only newspaper publisher’s presence on the big screen. With the Bugle, you don’t only get access to its beautiful staff like Betty Brant, Ned Leeds, Robby Robertson, Glory Grant, and the jubilant J. Jonah Jameson, but you get access to its awesome news coverage.

Parker! You're fired! :)

Think about it: how many seeds can be planted in the headlines of a Daily Bugle newspaper? How many Bugle reporters not only focus on the likes of Spider-Man, other street-level characters like Daredevil, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and the rest of the upcoming cast of The Defenders? But why stop there? Why can’t the Bugle be the key to introducing Moon Knight, Cloak and Dagger, Blade, Morbius, and all the rest of the characters that the casual movie goers and Netflix bingers have never heard of? Marvel’s always had the goldmine, but the platform to present these characters might be this one.

4. NORMAN OSBORN

Sure, we’ve already seen the evil that Green Goblin can do way back in 2002, but we haven’t really delved into the mad man behind the mask.

Norman Osborn has come a very long way from just being Parker’s arch nemesis. For one, he is the CEO of Oscorp, which has always been a thorn in Stark Industries’s side. 

In the comics, Stormin’ Norman was the one-time leader of the Thunderbolts: the Marvel super-group of villains seeking redemption. He was also a key figure in the Dark Reign story arc which not only had him running S.H.I.E.L.D. and conspiring with figures such as Loki and Dr. Doom, but it ended with a potentially awesome bang that can serve as the basis for an Avengers film post-Infinity War. Backtracking to my original point of the MCU needing a great villain, it doesn’t get any better than Osborn.

Good old Norman. Click for Goblin size.

5. "WITH GREAT POWER..."

The MCU is a very unique concept that has never really happened on this scale before, and that’s in part because it has some excellent lead characters. Tony Stark kicked it off with his genius and snarky attitude that was just so intoxicating that a universe was built on his shoulders. Eventually we got the Hulk, Thor, Captain America, and all the other ones we all know and love, but something has always been missing. 

Sure these Avengers are all high and mighty and the Guardians of the Galaxy are a bunch of loveable a-holes, but none of them are truly… relatable. We can’t really empathize with a billionaire, literal god, or a living legend of World War II, but we can with Spider-Man. The web-slinging and Spidey Sense? Maybe not. But the high school teenager who struggles with two full time jobs, struggles with getting the girl, and genuinely wants to do good despite every other obstacle that gets in his way? The story of Peter Parker is the ultimate coming of age tale that constantly has the character learning from his mistakes, rolling with the punches, and ultimately trying your best when things turn ugly. 

Spider-Man is the ultimate Marvel superhero, and it gives me chills just thinking about all the good he’ll be bringing along to the MCU. 


That’s my list, but what about yours? What exactly do you want from the all-new Spider-Man? Let us know down below, and as always—be good to one another.

Tagged: movies & TV, comics.

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