Hasbro Pulse has shown off its first Marvel Legends Spider-Man: Brand New Day action figures, and they give us our best look yet at Hulk in the movie. And boy, does he seem hacked off. It's like he's just stubbed a toe while standing on Lego at the same time.

Revealed at CCXP Mexico, the two toys depict Hulk and Spidey as they appear in the upcoming film. While both are six-inch scale, the Jade Giant towers over Spider-Man.

That's deliberate, as they're very much designed to work in tandem; both come with web accessories that let you attach ol' webhead to Hulk, whether it's in an effort to contain the rampage or for Hulk to swing Spidey around like a, well, doll (which isn't something many of the best toys can say). Because these action figures tie directly into Spider-Man: Brand New Day, both are sporting their on-screen looks. With that in mind, I guess we can discount those 'Gray Hulk' rumors.

Both of these figures are up for pre-order now ahead of their release in August, and you can grab them direct from either Hasbro Pulse or the usual suspects such as Amazon. While that means they drop just after the launch of the movie, at least we won't be waiting too long for them.

Want a better look at these figures look like? Check out the press shots below, including both together.

Hopefully more from the range are on the way (give me the Marvel Legends action figure for Scorpion, please!) and will be shown off soon. A web of Lego Spider-Man: Brand New Day sets have only just been unveiled, for example, so hopefully we're in the middle of reveals season.

• See all Marvel Legends deals at Amazon

For more cool merch, be sure to drop in on our guide to the best Lego sets!

Elijah Wood is world famous for playing Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but that doesn't stop him from getting mistaken for another '00s genre movie icon, Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire.

"Most recently I think it was actually Tobey Maguire. Which does still happen, and it's always for Spider-Man. It's not for any of Tobey's other work," Wood tells the HappySadConfused podcast. "It's just 'Hey, Spider-Man!' Nope. Nope. Nope. I won't correct people."

The case of mistaken identity goes both ways, with Maguire himself telling a story about meeting a very confused Lord of the Rings fan.

"No joke, I once signed an autograph as Elijah Wood because the fan was so excited," said in a Reddit AMA. "I didn't want to disappoint her by telling her I wasn't Elijah."

It's not impossible to see how some fans might confuse Wood and Maguire. Both are dark haired actors with bright blue eyes, who rose to fame simultaneously in the early '00s thanks to Maguire's role as Spider-Man and Wood's role as Frodo in The Lord of the Rings. However, it is a little surprising how often it seems to happen with excitedly inattentive fans.

Maguire was actually almost replaced as Peter Parker in Spider-Man 2 due to a back injury, with Jake Gyllenhaal waiting in the wings to step in. However, Maguire recovered and went on to play Peter in three Sam Raimi directed Spider-Man films along with 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home crossover movie which also brought in Andrew Garfiel's Spidey alongside mainstream MCU wall-crawler Tom Holland.

It's not yet confirmed whether Wood will return as Frodo in Lord of the Rings revival film The Hunt for Gollum, though signs are pointing to 'yes.' The Hunt for Gollum arrives on December 17, 2027. In the meantime, fill out your watchlist with our guide to all the most exciting upcoming movies of the year.

Insomniac Games says that the chances of Peter Parker swinging onto Xbox consoles are low, but the hit-making studio also said the same thing about a PC port of Marvel's Spider-Man once upon a time.

After one online fan's now-deleted tweet asked for an Xbox version of the open-world superhero romp, Insomniac simply replied saying a port is "not likely" to happen. Marvel's Spider-Man first came out as a PS4 exclusive in 2018 and has since been remastered for PC and PS5.

The studio's not revealing anything that's too shocking. After all, Marvel's Spider-Man is a game published by PlayStation Studios primarily as a way to get people to buy PlayStation consoles from Sony, the owner of PlayStation. So, no brainer.

Still, hopes for an Xbox port weren't – and probably still aren't – absolutely in the bin. Keep in mind Insomniac Games is also the same studio that firmly said almost nine years ago that the game would "never appear on Xbox or PC" because it's "a permanent PS4 exclusive publisher by Sony Interactive Entertainment," and that comment, err, hasn't really aged well.

There's also the fact that some Sony-owned games have broken containment in recent years, namely with Helldivers 2 and the upcoming Marathon on Xbox Series X|S, which would've been sort of unthinkable a generation ago, though PlayStation seems more willing to share its multiplayer toys with its biggest frenemy than its single-player blockbusters.

For now, Insomniac Games is set to continue its superhero universe with Marvel's Wolverine, coming sometime later this year, which is apparently a "darker and more brutal" game than you might expect from the studio. I guess it is about a rage-fuelled hairy man with claws.

Marvel's Spider-Man officially has its first working multiplayer mod, and it's probably the closest thing we've got to Insomniac's canceled Great Web project.

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. After assuring that he was content with the torch being passed to a new generation of creatives bringing a different Spider-Man to the screen, director of the Tobey Maguire-led trilogy, Sam Raimi, appears to have had a change of heart.

During an interview with the Associated Press about his new film, Send Help, Raimi was asked whether there really was no chance of him returning to give the wall-crawling menace he brought to the screen a fourth attempt. The only concern for Raimi, however, is how that could affect another webhead on the other side of the Spider-Verse, with Tom Holland as the current Spidey.

"I think the kids would like to see [Tobey's Spider-Man]," Raimi explained. "Right now, Marvel is very successful on their own tangent with their own Spider-Man, where he is involved with The Avengers and the other superheroes.” In Raimi’s eyes, at least, even with Maguire making a comeback alongside Holland and Andrew Garfield, now wouldn’t be the time to bring back his hero, but that’s not to say he wouldn’t turn the chance down, apparently.

"I don’t think it makes sense right now to break up that great, successful run they're having, just to allow me to make another Spider-Man movie," he added. "I'd love to. The day might come, and I’d love to do it.”

Well, there you go. What was seemingly off the table a matter of days ago might just be back on it. Even so, given the current state of the MCU, throwing a standalone story revisiting Maguire’s arachnid-themed alter-ego might be a bit much. For now, we can look forward to seeing Tom Holland’s webslinger return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, set for release on 31 July 2026. Before that, though, why not check out our ranking of every Spider-Man film here.

It’s been five years since Tobey Maguire slipped back into his red and blue suit as what many deem the OG Spider-Man (we see you, Nicholas Hammond) in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Ever since then, fans have had high hopes that his take on the wall-crawling menace would swing back into action under the direction of Sam Raimi, potentially giving us the fourth chapter from their take on the character that we never ended up getting. Well, now the director himself has finally cleared up just when we can expect to see this happen, and unfortunately, the answer is never.

In an interview with Screen Rant, the former director of the trilogy that began way back in 2002 has confirmed that his time weaving another story for the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man has long since passed.

Speaking about the current comic book world that Tom Holland’s Spider-Man has been a part of since Captain America: Civil War, and that Raimi himself has contributed to with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the director said that it wouldn’t "be right for me to go back and try and resurrect my version of this story.”

It might be heartbreaking news for fans of Raimi’s run with the character, but just like anyone can wear the mask, anyone can deliver a new take on the character that can join the legacy Raimi is so proud to be a part of. “Stan Lee’s great character — that a bullpen of writers in New York at Marvel had come up with stories for — he created the character, but so many people contributed, so many artists, that for a brief time I was handed the torch to carry on after 40 years of Spider-Man comics,” the director explained. “And then after my three movies, I handed the torch off to someone else. And I think they’ve got to keep running with the storyline and the audience that is now following the torchbearer.”

But while Raimi has made it clear that he’s not really considering going back to the loveable web head’s world, other artists who contributed to his take have still shown interest. Kirsten Dunst did admit back in October that she’d be willing to reprise her role as Mary-Jane to Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker. Speaking of that pizza-time-focussed hero, there's still a chance that Spidey could make another comeback if internet rumours are to be believed. For now, we can be safe in the knowledge that while the beloved Peter 2 might have a story to tell in the future, Raimi won’t be the one to tell it.

As for every other upcoming MCU movie and show that may or may not have an old Spider-Man make an appearance in it, check out our guide here.

Tom Hiddleston, besides being a god of mischief, is also a master of MCU secrets, even when they’re ones that might not necessarily impact future chapters of the franchise that he’s appearing in. While dropping in on the Happy Sad Confused podcast this week, the star who will be reprising his role as Loki for Avengers: Doomsday was asked which Spider-Man was his favorite. That might be a tough question for a lot of fans, but Hiddleston made it all the more cryptic with his reply.

After sitting on it a moment, Hiddleston declared, “For reasons I cannot disclose, Tom Holland.” Well, okay — but why exactly? Naturally, the immediate assumption is that the MCU legend has perhaps settled on that choice after seeing a performance that we haven’t witnessed just yet. Even though Holland wasn’t announced in the Avengers: Doomsday castlist, neither was Chris Evans, and a trailer has confirmed that Steve Rogers is returning, after all. Keeping that in mind, there’s nothing to suggest Spidey won’t make a surprise appearance in the upcoming Marvel movie. He might even share a scene or two with the God of Stories himself, depending on how big a part he plays in the new film.

Then again, Hiddleston might just be having fun with fans about why he names Holland as his winning webslinger and is choosing not to tell us why. Historically, the man behind Loki has been known to play along with us over the years, so this would be no different. It sure does have us wondering about what he could be alluding to, though.

While there’s no confirmation yet on whether Holland will be swinging into Avengers: Doomsday, he could appear in Avengers: Secret Wars, set for release on December 17, 2027. No chairs have been set out just yet to confirm who will be going into battle for the highly anticipated sequel, which could see even more iconic heroes share the screen, including Holland. We’ll just have to wait until December 18, 2026, to see if Hiddleston proves himself if he does show his face.

For every other Marvel movie and show heading our way, check out our list here.

As people who hate fun keep telling me, tying a tablecloth round my neck like a cape and jumping short distances while shouting "Look at me I'm flying" before hitting the ground doesn't make me a superhero. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 does, though – or at least, it brings me as close as I'm ever going to get. It was, and still is, the best superhero simulator the industry has to offer.

It's not such a great game because it looks pretty… but damn, it does look pretty. Amazing even, you might say. This probably shouldn't come as a surprise considering the fact that it has Sony's money and support behind it, but boy oh boy has that money and support paid off. Few PS5 games come close to matching Spider-Man 2 for looks, especially if you have a TV capable of running it in its full 4K or 120hz glory. Want something to show off the capabilities of your console that is somehow going up rather than down in value? This should be your first stop.

Caught in a web

If 120hz isn't an option for you, you can still go for 60fps, and you should absolutely take it. Sometimes, I don't mind sacrificing frames for fidelity, especially if it's something horror-flavored like Silent Hill f or Alan Wake 2. But it's hard to overstate how integral fluidity is to the experience here, and you need the frame rate to support it.

Insomniac had already seemed to nail the feel of swinging through the air as the web-swinger in the first Marvel's Spider-Man, but by the time the first full sequel launched, it was better than ever. Thwip a webline to arc through the air, launch yourself forwards, thwip another, pull a few air tricks, pull yourself to a launch point to hurl yourself upwards once again, whip out the new web wings to glide and perhaps take advantage of Wind Tunnels to zoom forwards; before diving to build up speed for your next webline.

Soaring through the air above the streets of New York like an arachnid-styled pendulum is an incredible feeling. There's fast travel to unlock, but I honestly don't understand why you might want to use it.

Combat, too, is all about having a smooooth ride. It owes much to the Batman: Arkham series in terms of building up one long combo and dancing from one foe to the next, but both Spider-Men are far more athletic heroes, which is reflected appropriately in how they dispense violent justice.

There's nothing quite like launching a bad guy into the air, leaping up to join them so you can hurl them back down to the ground, pulling yourself to a distant enemy in an instant to start punching them in the face instead, then using a gadget or ability to push back the group that is now trying to crowd you – before using a finisher to instantly take down the nearest goon stupid enough to step up. Fights are a rush.

Air Miles

Perhaps, like me, you bought the game at launch and rinsed it of trophies in less than a week (something I almost never do, by the way). Well since then, New Game Plus has been added, giving you a brand new reason to come back. As well as one final trophy for finishing NG+ on any difficulty, 'Ultimate' character levelling and new unlockable suits have been added. Honestly, though? I just loved playing through the story again, and was once more so taken with the movement and the combat, I found myself drifting back to side content even though I'd already unlocked all the rewards. This 2023 game is one of my 2025 GOTY contenders.

Going back through the story, I was reminded of two things. Firstly, how good the acting is. Nadji Jeter for example again gives a phenomenal performance as Miles Morales, and Yuri Lowenthal remains my favorite Peter Parker version of Spider-Man in any medium (there, I said it). The ever-reliable Laura Bailey makes a great MJ, and don't you dare forget that the sadly departed horror legend Tony Todd makes an appearance as Venom. He plays the character perfectly, and makes a huge impact despite the relatively small role. But don't take my word for it. Just ask his BAFTA nomination.

The other thing that resurfaced in the murky waters of my memory was the depth of the story. Look, it's not worthy or enormously complex, but it echoes uncomfortable aspects of the human condition that you might not expect from a superhero romp. It is in part a story about self-awareness, legacy, and getting a handle on your emotions. Sure, it's also in part a story about one man who turns into a giant lizard and another who only wears scraps of leather and fur so he can show everybody how apocalyptically ripped he is, but that means there's something for everyone.

If Marvel's Spider-Man 2 somehow passed you by, you'll find that it's every bit as impressive today as it was two years ago. If you've already put dozens of hours in – heck, even if you went through New Game Plus as soon as it was added – I'd still urge you to reinstall it and play again. There's a literally endless parade of crimes in this digital New York, and I guarantee you'll look and feel incredibly cool on your way to foil them.

Check out our best PS5 games ranking for what to play next!

While the world keeps a close eye on Tom Holland's return as that loveable wall-crawling menace in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, talk is still swirling about bringing another Peter back that gave a hand and a web in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Ever since Tobey Maguire swung back into action as the original Spider-Man from the Sam Raimi trilogy, fans have been eager to see him crack his back one more time for his own fourth film, with his former co-star and the Mary Jane of that universe, Kirsten Dunst, even expressing her interest in telling a story of an older Spidey, as well. Now another creative force has shown their enthusiasm to give this proposed legacyquel legs with The Batman and The Batman: Part II writer, Mattson Tomlin, offering to get in on the action, as well.

Back in July, Tomlin openly stated on X that he'd be interested in bringing a fourth chapter for Maguire's webslinger to life. "Honestly right now my main interest in this respect would be to write a Spider-Man 4 where Tobey’s Spider-Man is juggling being a husband and a father," he explained. "Spider-Man as a father is where I gravitate towards given the last 8 films."

Flash forward to now, and a fan checked in with Tomlin to see how that dream project was coming along, and things certainly sounded promising. "Slow and steady wins the race. There won’t be anything to say about that for a long time (if ever!) because it involves a lot of people and politics and things going right that have nothing to do with me, but I haven’t gotten a “no” yet!"

It's very early days yet, and clearly something that Tomlin is having a lot of fun working on, even if it doesn't come to pass. Be that as it may, throwing Maguire back into the world he saved on three different occasions wouldn't be that much of a wild idea, and one that fans would undoubtedly lap up if given the chance. Factor in rumors that the original webhead might make an appearance in future Marvel movies, and now would be as good a time as any for that particular friendly neighborhood Spider-Man to fight another day. For now, if you need to keep up to date on every other MCU movie and show headed your way, you can just go into our detailed list here.

Andrew Garfield had a very blunt answer when asked if he was going to return as his version of Spider-Man in Avengers: Doomsday.

"No, unequivocally fucking no," he said in a new video where he answers fan questions for GQ. Well, that answers that.

Garfield also "unequivocally" denied his involvement in Spider-Man: No Way Home, of course, dooming every further denial about his MCU future to be taken with a hefty pinch of salt by fans. His and Tobey Maguire's return as alternative versions of the web-slinger opposite Tom Holland in the 2021 sequel was shrouded in secrecy, and none of the actors let anything slip.

As for whether he would actually come back again, "I think it would have to be very weird. I think I would like to do something very strange," Garfield said earlier this year about what would make him return as Peter Parker. "Something very unique, and offbeat and surprising, kind of like the creative freedom they have with the animated Spider-Verse movies."

He even doubled down on that sentiment this week, saying, "I really love the Spider-Verse movies. I love [writer-producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller]. Just putting that out there."

Even without Garfield, the cast of Doomsday is still incredibly stacked, including Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Paul Rudd, Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, and more (including plenty of X-Men).

Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026. In the meantime, get up to speed with Marvel Phase 6 with our guide to all the other upcoming Marvel movies and shows.

The very first multiplayer mod for Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered is here, letting web slingers sling, swing, and fling around New York City together in the closest thing to Insomniac's canceled Great Web project.

In case you're hearing about The Great Web for the first time, it was a live-service multiplayer Spider-Man game in development at Insomniac and canceled by Sony at some point. It was never officially announced and was only discovered following a ransomware attack in late 2023 that revealed a trailer and some other information. It was based on the Spider-Verse concept and would've let players team up as various Spider-Man iterations to tackle crime around the Big Apple.

We will probably never get to play The Great Web, but we can now play something vaguely similar with this Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered multiplayer mod, courtesy of hbgda on Patreon. And yes, since it's Patreon, unfortunately that means it's locked behind a paid subscription.

I didn't shell out for the mod, but looking at a video from TikTok creator creed_sm (via KAMI on Twitter), it looks like fun. According to Comicbook, the mod lets Spidey friends (up to seven have been seen in images and videos online) join the same server for free roam and hideouts. Apparently, the mod doesn't really gel with the main campaign and side quests; those parts of the game can be accessed, but it seems like they're pretty janky at the moment.

If anything, I've always thought Marvel's Spider-Man would be the perfect playground for the sort of idle hangouts where you and some friends are just messing around and catching up. Its mechanics are just engaging enough to keep you occupied when no one has anything to say, but not demanding enough to distract anyone too much. At the very least, it sounds like this multiplayer mod is serviceable enough to give you and some friends that virtual sandbox.

In case your Spidey sense just ain't tinglin', here are the best online games to play right now.

It might be less than a year away, but the anticipation is only getting bigger for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. With the action-packed set leaks showing Tom Holland in his fresh new suit, we can only imagine what kind of epic comic-book-come-to-life moment will be heading our way. The question is, will any of them top some of the greats that we've already seen from MCU Spidey so far?

Over on Reddit, fans got together and threw in their suggestions that have shown Tom Holland at his best as the web-swinging hero, and some iconic instances got pushed to the top. One fan deemed Peter's spidey sense firing up before catching out Norman Osborn in Spider-Man: No Way Home as potentially the best Spider-Man moment ever, to which many agreed. "This whole scene is the best Spider-Man scene ever. And one of the best moments in superhero history," wrote the fan, to which another replied saying, "All of the scenes when all of them were cooped up in that apartment — it was so tense for me because I was just waiting for something to go wrong. It was a ticking time bomb. Great scene altogether."

One scene that also got a nod was Michael Keaton's Vulture realizing who he was driving to prom in Spider-Man: Homecoming. "That car ride’s how you make an intimidating villain," explained one fan. "There's no need to show superpowers… just show how he dominates the situation."

Another fan added that "The fight between Goblin and Peter is a top 5 superhero fight," but could it possibly be surpassed next year? With the inclusion of both Jon Bernthal's Punisher, Mark Ruffalo stomping in as The Hulk, and Michael Mondo reprising his role as Mac Gargan, aka The Scorpion, there's undoubtedly going to be a large amount of super-scuffles when we see Spider-Man: Brand New Day arrive in theaters on July 31, 2026. While you wait, check out our ranking of all the Spider-Man movies here.

Emma Stone has spoken about her time in the Spider-Verse as Gwen Stacy opposite Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spider-Man films, and while she has nothing but love for the experience and encounters that came from it, one thing that feels like a heroic feat was the press tours that were required for them.

During an interview for Vogue, Stone spoke about the high demand required for promoting the films that has only grown greater since Tom Holland's webslinger has entered the MCU. “I will say the press tours for these films. I don’t know how people do it,” she confessed. “I remember it being nine countries in two weeks. You’re functioning in a state of jet lag previously unknown to you. I felt truly psychotic the entire time. I’m half dead.”

That being said, Stone spoke highly of working on the projects before her character was killed off in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. “I really loved doing ‘Spider-Man,'” assured Stone.. “I loved everybody I worked with. I met Andrew there. I met Sally Field. Marc Webb was wonderful. It was a really special time in my life. That’s a recurring theme: The people, more than the film itself, is what sticks with me for so long. I only have fond memories of this experience.”

Some incredible memories look to have been made for the next chapter of Tom Holland's wall-crawling menace in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which just finished filming in Glasgow. Behind-the-scenes snippets of Holland being the most Spidey he's ever been, along with glimpses of Jon Bernthal making his first big-screen appearance as The Punisher, suggest we're in for an explosive, intense new adventure for the webhead when it arrives on July 31, 2026. For everything we know about Spider-Man: Brand New Day, swing on over here to get your spidey senses tingling.

If your Spidey senses were tingling today then we know why. A brand new teaser for Spider-Man: Brand New Day has arrived online, and while it might not show any actual footage of the film, there’s enough to confirm that the suit is still a perfect fit for the four-time solo webslinger, Tom Holland, as he talks about getting back to saving the days, all while taking photos with kids and proving he’s still pretty much a real life hero.

The new film directed by Shang-Chi and the Legend of the The Ten Rings director, Destin Daniel Cretton, sees Peter sticking to the business of fighting the good fight after the world forgot he was everyone’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man in No Way Home. Unfortunately that does include his best pal Ned (Jacob Batalon) and his former girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) who are living their lives at a safe distance from their old friend.

Unfortunately that bubble looks to burst, courtesy of Michael Mando reprising his role as Mac Gargan aka Scorpion, who has a score that’s been waiting to be settled since the Spider-Man: Homecoming post credits. Chances are Spidey might have some help though in the form of The Punisher, which will mark the first big screen appearance from Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle. Naturally, given that Spidey has a no killing rule, we can only expect a bit of friction between the two. Throw in the appearance of Mark Ruffalo who will be dropping in as the Hulk, though, and we can expect the streets of New York getting a little bit dented. The good news is that Glasgow, which is currently standing in for the Big Apple is looking pretty good and so is Holland in his brand new threads. There’s also Strange Things star, Sadie Sink, turning up in a role that’s yet to be confirmed.

Shown in his beloved red and blue get-up and alongside Cretton, Holland sounds very enthusiastic to return as the wallcrawler. “Putting the suit on… it feels different this time. I’m just going to do my best. Hopefully get it right. No pressure.” You’ll be able to see how he handles his old superhero thing when Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theatres on July 31, 2026.

He may have starred in three of the most successful films of all time, but for Tom Holland, they all sound like they've been bumped down a notch following his experience in the highly anticipated Christopher Nolan film, The Odyssey. Speaking to GQ about the upcoming movie that also stars Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, and Robert Pattinson, Holland teased that we better be prepared for what's coming.

"It was amazing. The job of a lifetime, without a doubt. The best experience I've had on the film set," Holland revealed. "Incredible. It was exciting. It was different. And I think the movie is going to be unlike anything we've ever seen."

It should come as no surprise that Holland is so hyped for the film, given the excitement that's already building for Nolan's next project. Adapting one of the oldest stories in human history, The Odyssey will tell the epic tale of Odysseus (Damon), who, after a decade at war, heads home on a journey that will be just as long while his son, Telemachus (Holland), waits for him. But while Odysseus faces all manner of gods and monsters on the journey, his son is left with his mother, Penelope, who is having to refuse a variety of suitors that are competing for her hand in marriage. The story homes what might be the first ever hero in literature, dating back to 8 BC, but for Holland, the film is full of them.

"Matt Damon has always been a hero of mine, Anne Hathaway has always been a hero of mine, so to share scenes with them, to learn from them, to become friends with them, I couldn't have asked for a better job," Holland said. "And I’m so proud of the work I’ve done. I came to work every day with a real sense of purpose and a point to prove, and I’m so grateful to Chris to have given me that opportunity."

As is compulsory for any Nolan film, there's still an air of mystery about the project, even for a story that's almost 2,700 years old. As it stands, Holland and Damon are the only cast members whose characters have been confirmed, along with Charlize Theron, who will be playing the witch-goddess, Circe, and is responsible for, at one point, turning Odysseus' crew into pigs. Given Holland's mention of filming scenes with Hathaway, it feels safe to assume that she's playing Penelope in the epic adventure.

Working with Chris, getting to know him and Emma [Thomas, wife and producer of all of Nolan's films] was absolutely fantastic," confessed Holland. "I've never seen someone that can work the way that they do, and there is a reason why they're the best in the business for sure. To get a front row seat to that and to be a part of the process and to collaborate with a true master of his craft and learn from him was the best experience I've ever had."

That front row is pretty stacked, as well. Joining Holland, Damon, Hathaway, Pattinson, and Theron are also Mia Goth, Zendaya, Elliot Page, Lupita Nyong'o, Samantha Morton, Will Yun Lee, Himesh Patel, and Benny Safdie. The film will also see Holland sharing the screen with his future Spider-Man: Brand New Day co-star, Jon Bernthal, who will be making his first big-screen debut as The Punisher now that he's returned to the MCU. Coincidentally, these two were also the primary focus of the first teaser trailer for The Odyssey, which was recently released in theaters (and which inevitably leaked online).

You'll be able to see what part they all play when The Odyssey sets sail into theaters on July 17, 2026. If you're a daring soul and want to guess where this will fit in the pantheon of Nolan movies so far, why not check out our ranking of his films here.

Actor Jon Bernthal just made his big return to the MCU as Frank Castle/the Punisher in Daredevil: Born Again season one. And much like the Punisher has strong connections to Spider-Man in comics, Bernthal has strong connections to MCU Spider-Man actor Tom Holland, with whom he's currently filming The Odyssey with Christopher Nolan.

Bernthal tells IMDb that he and Holland helped each other rehearse for their auditions as Punisher and Spider-Man, respectively, before either one of them was ever cast in the MCU.

"He knew, he knew. I mean, he knew. He knew," Bernthal gushes about Holland when asked if he had any idea whether Holland would be cast as Spider-Man. "I'm working with him right now, and he's the best. He is the best. He had such drive for, you know, a young kid."

"He was like. 'I'm gonna get this.' I was like, 'I dunno, a lot of people probably want it buddy'," Bernthal laughs. "We actually were in a very tiny town in Ireland, filming this movie on the west coast of Ireland, and he read with me for Punisher, and I read with him for Spider-Man, and we both got cast. But yeah, he was wonderful."

The movie in question was 2017's Pilgrimage, a Medieval action film set during the time of the Norman invasions of Ireland.

Technically, Spider-Man and Punisher have yet to crossover in the MCU, either in a show or a movie, though Daredevil: Born Again season one included mentions of both Punisher and Spider-Man from Wilson Fisk, finally connecting them.

Bernthal will reprise his role as the Punisher in a Marvel Special Presentation streaming special co-written by the actor himself, while Holland will return as Peter Parker in the recently announced Spider-Man: Brand New Day. And of course, with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars on the horizon, there's definitely still a chance they could cross paths in the MCU.

All episodes of Daredevil: Born Again season 1 are streaming now on Disney Plus. Next up for the MCU is Thunderbolts*, which arrives in UK cinemas on May 1 and US theaters on May 2. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the other upcoming superhero movies on the way in 2025 and beyond.

Almost two years have passed since the 2023 release of Marvel's Spider-Man 2, and its finale still has fans wondering about Peter Parker's potential role in the third game – but according to voice actor Yuri Lowenthal, the character won't be sidelined.

This article contains story spoilers for Spider-Man 2's ending.

Speaking in a recent interview with The Direct, Lowenthal confirms as much when he's asked about Peter Parker's uncertain future, stating that the protagonist "won't be relegated to the couch" in Spider-Man 3 – a reassuring statement considering the sequel's ending. "There are very few things that I can say about this game," he admits, "but you have somehow landed on the one thing that I can answer, and that's that, yes, Peter is not gone."

Lowenthal continues, promising that Parker will still play a key role: "He will be a part of the next game and he won't be relegated to the couch, I promise." The actor isn't able to give any further details on Spider-Man 3 or how the past games' protagonist will fit into it, but what he says is arguably a relief for fans nonetheless as Spider-Man 2 saw Parker leaving fellow hero Miles Morales to take care of New York in his stead.

Parker's own priorities seemingly shifted to his personal life, with the protagonist focusing on the Emily-May Foundation while mentoring Morales. There's no telling for sure how his role will play out in Spider-Man 3 or where he'll go from the last game's ending, but Lowenthal's words do imply that Parker will remain a significant figure in either Morales' story, the third game's setting overall – or, most likely, in both.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 swings and stumbles onto Steam to join Sony's long tradition of dodgy PS5-to-PC ports: "To say this is rough is an understatement"

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is the latest former PlayStation exclusive to swing onto PC, but it's sadly webbed to a legacy of badly optimized ports. 

PlayStation's PC ports have definitely been on the upswing as of late with blockbusters, like God of War: Ragnarok and Horizon: Forbidden West, all running smoothly on your personal computers. But following on from The Last of Us Part 1 and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart's dodgy ports, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is also courting less-than-stellar reactions from new PC players.

The superhero sequel is currently stuck with a 'Mixed' rating based on almost 2,000 Steam user reviews, the majority of which complain about the PC version's various tech woes, which supposedly include constant crashing, wonky performance, stuttering, and graphical glitches.

"Hold off on buying until they get a couple of stabilization patches out because holy hell," one review reads. "To say this is 'rough' is an understatement. Lighting doesn't load in some cutscenes, those same scenes run at seconds-per-frame, audio desync issues up the wazoo, freezing, stuttering, and just about every other performance issue I can think of. I'm gonna get a refund for now because frankly, there's other stuff I could use $70 for right now."

"The crashing and visual issues with this game are pervasive," another claims, with another saying, "The game is currently unplayable on PC... the game crashes to desktop every five minutes."

Of course, there are still plenty of positive user reviews that don't seem to have been affected by any of those tech issues. If you're swinging through New York with Miles and Peter hand-in-hand with no problems, then make the most of the adventure with our guides on where to find all tech creates and all Spider-Man 2 costumes.

Months after the Helldivers 2 fiasco, Sony drops its PlayStation Network requirement on PC and promises free stuff for people who sign up voluntarily instead. 

Amazing Spider-Man is currently in the midst of The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man, but shortly after Peter Parker dies his last death and is reborn as the Spider-Naut in March's Amazing Spider-Man #70, the ongoing series will relaunch with a new Amazing Spider-Man #1.

That'll happen in April, and though it will bring some changes, not everything will be brand new as writer Joe Kelly, currently one of the writers of Amazing Spider-Man, will be sticking around for the new volume. He's joined by artist Pepe Larraz, one of Marvel's top rising stars, along with long time Spider-Man veteran artist John Romita Jr, along with colorist Marte Gracia.

"The new run finds Peter without a job and looking for gainful employment, but his job search is interrupted by a rampaging Rhino who is but the tip of a sinister iceberg," reads Marvel's official description of the new Amazing Spider-Man #1. "What major Spider-Villain is working behind the scenes weaponizing other Spider-Villains including one we haven’t seen in OVER SEVEN YEARS?! Also, what is that Goblin-free Norman Osborn up to these days?"

Check out the cover of Amazing Spider-Man #1 by Larraz and Gracia right here:

"Even though this is a new #1, I don’t think of it as a 'restart' per se," Kelly tells Polygon, who first announced the new Amazing Spider-Man #1. "I'm writing the next chapter of the story of one the world’s greatest characters, lucky enough to follow in the footsteps of the folks before me. After that sinks in, I spend a lot of time thinking about what I love about Spider-Man and his cast, what stories resonated with me at different times of my life, and how I can synthesize all of that into something that works with what came before but breaks new ground…. I feel a drive to take bold, unexpected swings in order to see how Spider-Man deals with Marvel-sized curve balls. Pressure makes diamonds."

"The most important part of Spider-Man that I wanted to portray accurately is Peter. Of course I can talk about drawing a believable New York, I shot hundreds of pictures of details of the city for reference, or how I've focused on drawing the flow of Spidey’s movement and speed in a way closer to animation than comics," adds Larraz. "But I think Spider-Man comics work because we care about Peter and his world, so that was my main focus: To draw a Peter that you instantly recognize and empathize [with]."

Amazing Spider-Man #1 goes on sale April 9.

Stay up to date on all the new Spider-Man comics Marvel has planned for release.

Captain America #16 marks the final issue of J. Michael Straczynski's time on the title, with the fan-favorite writer currently embarking on a series of one-shots which put together unlikely pairings of Marvel characters, like Doctor Doom and Rocket Raccoon.

But before that, he's wrapping up his Captain America run with a much more expected team-up, bringing together Cap, Spider-Man, and Thor, as the so-called "New Warriors Three," as the trio investigates a supernatural mystery in Thor's old stomping grounds of Broxton, Oklahoma.

In this preview of Captain America #16, with art by Carlos Magno, colors by Espen Grundetjern, and letters by Joe Caramagna, Spidey and Thor wrestle with the ghosts of Broxton's tragic past - literally - as Cap fights to protect the innocent people caught in the middle.

Check out the gallery of pages, along with the cover of Captain America #16 by Taurin Clarke:

"THE NEW WARRIORS THREE" PART THREE! Captain America, Spider-Man and Thor are trapped in a mirror dimension harboring Broxton's glory days - and ghosts of Thor's failures are ready to exact their revenge. Can Cap and Spidey help free Thor of his past, or is Broxton's history doomed to repeat itself forever?"

The name "New Warriors Three" does somewhat call to mind the so-called "New Fantastic Four" of the early '90s, in which writer/artist Walt Simonson had Spider-Man, Hulk, Wolverine, and Ghost Rider (four of Marvel's most popular heroes at the team) replace the original FF for a mission. In this case, Spidey, Thor, and Cap are all signature characters for Straczynski, who had extended runs on both Amazing Spider-Man and on Thor's solo title.

Captain America #16 goes on sale December 18.

Check out the best Captain America comics of all time.

We all had a feeling Marvel's Spider-Man sold well, but did you know it apparently made a whopping $3.8 billion?

According to the LinkedIn profile of Kevin Kimball, a former global group marketing manager at PlayStation, he oversaw the efforts for Spider-Man "achieving a 971% sales surge in its first year, selling over 20M units globally and generating $3.8B in revenue." This was first highlighted on Twitter by bogorad222.

The maths on this is seems a little fishy, as 20 million units shipped at $70 only adds up to $1.4 billion. That's still a staggering amount, but less than half what Kimball claims. The figure could also include DLC sales which could bump the revenue up substantially, though it's not clear by how much. We've reached out to Kimball for clarification.

Either way, this is an astonishing amount of money for a single game to bring in on just one console. The game launched in 2018 for PS4, was then remastered for PS5 in 2020, and it finally came to PC in 2022. Kimball wasn't at PlayStation by the time of the PS5 or PC versions, so these figures probably only relate to the original PS4 version of the game.

Unfortunately, even a massive hit like this doesn't guarantee job security, as Sony laid off 900 people in February this year, including staff at Marvel's Spider-Man developer Insomniac Games, as well as Guerrilla Games and Naughty Dog.

If you're keen to play more bangers, check out our list of the best games of 2024 so far.

The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man has sent Peter Parker into a whirlwind of death and destruction, and he's already died and been resurrected once in his mission to defeat all eight Scions of Cyttorak. Now, in this exclusive preview of Amazing Spider-Man #62, he's teaming up with Black Cat to break into Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum.

The big twist is, of course, that Spider-Man is currently in the employ of Doctor Doom, who stole the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme from Strange, and who gave Spidey his current magical suit and the so-called Reeds of Raggador which allow him to come back to life when he dies in battle against the Scions.

Here's a gallery of pages by writer Joe Kelly, artist Ed McGuiness, inker Wade von Grawbadger, color artist Marcio Menyz, and letterer Joe Caramagna showing Spider-Man and Black Cat back in action together, with Spidey making full use of his new magical abilities:

"THE 8 DEATHS OF SPIDER-MAN CONTINUES! Spider-Man finds himself face-to-face with CYRIOS, SCION OF CYTORRAK!" reads Marvel's official description of Amazing Spider-Man #63. "Cyrios represents the inevitability of time and takes Spider-Man on a heartbreaking tour through Peter Parker's past AND future in excruciating detail. How many deaths will Spider-Man spend trying to alter his past and save his future?!"

Spider-Man and Black Cat have a complicated history, as they've been enemies, allies, and even lovers (not too unlike Batman and Catwoman). In recent years, Black Cat has graduated from run of the mill heists to stealing from superheroes and even cosmic beings, at one point even stealing a suit of "Iron Cat" armor from Tony Stark.

Amazing Spider-Man #62 goes on sale November 27.

Stay up to date on all the new Spider-Man comics Marvel has planned for release.

News of Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, the third and final installment in the beloved animated trilogy, has been pretty non-existent recently. After missing its initial 2024 release date, all we've heard is that work is ongoing on the animated Marvel movie, but now it seems that could be about to change.

This is because one Spidey fan spotted a very interesting giant logo being put up in New York City. Sharing the insight, a Reddit user called Coney Q posted the picture of a huge Miles Morales light display in Chelsea.

"I just walked past this crane crew putting up the symbol from Miles Morales's 'Into the Spider-Verse' suit in lights on this apartment building in Manhattan (West 15th & 7th Ave). Anyone have any clue what might be in the works, or if these are popping up elsewhere in the city?" Check it out below.

Miles Morales symbol going up in Chelsea, NYC? from r/Spiderman

Fans have been speculating about what it might mean – and everyone seems convinced that a Beyond the Spider-Verse announcement is imminent. "My heart is telling me it’s a promo for the third movie and we might hear some details soon," wrote one. "My brain is telling me fat chance."

Another added: "This has to be promo for Beyond no? That’s specifically the animated movie symbol and, unless the owner the building REALLY loves Miles, it's the only thing that makes sense." Meanwhile, a third pointed out: "Doesn’t Gwen live in Chelsea NY in the movie? Probably got to do something with her and her apartment."

The latest update on the movie came in September 2024, when producer Chris Miller posted on social media responding to reports that the movie was struggling. "Nothing has been scrapped. The reels are coming along nicely," he tweeted.

There's still no release date for Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse currently, but you can check out our guide to all of the confirmed upcoming Marvel movies and shows.

The new era of Spider-Man officially kicks off in Amazing Spider-Man #61, which marks the first issue from writer Joe Kelly, artists Ed McGuiness and Nico Henrichon, inker Mark Farmer, colorist Marcio Menyz, and letterer Joe Caramagna. It puts Spidey in the hot seat with a magical mission bestowed upon him by new Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Doom.

The story, titled 'The Eight Deaths of Spider-Man,' even lives up to its name by sending Peter Parker to his death - but only the first one. Here's how it all goes down, including Spider-Man's new powers, his new enemies, and his new connection to Doctor Doom.

Spoilers ahead for Amazing Spider-Man #61

Amazing Spider-Man #61 opens with Spidey fighting a new B-list villain named Burnout as he tries to make his way across town to run some errands, struggling with a dash of the Ol' Parker Luck, which is naturally putting as many roadblocks in his way as possible.

But things take a bizarre turn when Doctor Doom appears before Spidey, telling him he has tasked him with a mission known as "the Covenant." However, without any explanation for what's going on, Spider-Man tells Doom to shove off, refusing the call. 

Nonetheless, Spidey finds himself sucked into "the Covenant" when a strange demonic being who controls gravity attacks him. As Spider-Man is desperately trying not to lose the fight, Doom appears to him as an apparition, explaining that the Covenant is a challenge in which a champion of Earth must defeat the eight "Scions of Cyttorak" thanks to a bargain struck years ago by Doctor Strange when he was Sorcerer Supreme. 

In order to take possession of a magical artifact with the ability to shield Earth from certain magical attacks, Strange made a deal with Cyttorak, the ancient being of unstoppable destruction who gives Juggernaut his powers. Every year, Strange defeats his children, the Scions of Cyttorak, by using separate magical artifacts known as the Reeds of Raggador, which resurrect him from death after each battle.

Now, Doom is tasking Spider-Man with defeating each of the eight Scions because he knows Spider-Man is selfless, and capable of enduring great pain. When Spider-Man finally accepts the task, Doom outfits him with "Arcane Armor" that lets him cast spells much like Doctor Strange, and eight of the Reeds of Raggador, which will ensure that each time he dies fighting one of the Scions, he'll return to life.

And indeed, in his battle with the first Scion, who has a black hole inside of his body, Spider-Man defeats him by using a spell that overloads him. But he doesn't escape unscathed, as he is fully spaghettified by the black hole, being crushed down to atoms. Still, the Reeds of Raggador do their job, and after experiencing unimaginable pain and terror, Spider-Man's body is rebuilt in the land of the living. 

Now he only has to do it seven more times. Ouch…

The story continues in November 27's Amazing Spider-Man #61.

Stay up to date on all the new Spider-Man comics Marvel has planned for release.

Writer J. Michael Straczynski is about to wrap up his Captain America run, but before that Captain America #15 tells the penultimate chapter of his story - and we've got an early preview of interior pages right here.

In the story, titled 'The New Warriors Three,' Captain America teams up with Spider-Man and Thor (two other heroes whose titles JMS had fan-favorite runs on) to restore the small town of Broxton, Oklahoma, which was once the site of the city of Asgard when it was located on Earth.

Broxton was destroyed in a battle with one of Thor's enemies, but now it seems Captain America has found a way to restore the town, enlisting the help of Thor and Spidey to do it.

Here's the gallery of pages, by Straczynski, artist Jesús Saiz, color artist Matt Hollingsworth, and letterer Joe Caramanga, along with the cover by Taurin Clarke:

"'THE NEW WARRIORS THREE' PART TWO! J. Michael Straczynski revisits THOR and SPIDER-MAN!" reads Marvel's official description of Captain America #15. "When Captain America, Spidey and Thor find themselves drawn to Broxton, Oklahoma, the trio will have to work together to find what's drawn them to the ruined town - and site of Thor's greatest shame. But what they find may prove too horrifying for even the greatest of heroes to overcome…"

Broxton, Oklahoma entered the Marvel mythos back in Straczynski's early '00s Thor run, in which the God of Thunder restored Asgard and its inhabitants, turning it from its own alternate dimension into a city floating high above the town of Broxton - until it was brought down by Norman Osborn and his Dark Avengers in the story Siege.

Captain America #15 goes on sale November 13.

Check out the best Captain America stories of all time.

Writer Zeb Wells is leaving Amazing Spider-Man with #60, and now Marvel has released an early preview of the oversized issue marking the finale of his run, which is culminating in a brutal knock-down, drag-out fight between Spider-Man and Tombstone, who has bedeviled the web-slinger throughout this volume of the title.

The pages include a glimpse at the chapter drawn by John Romita, Jr. Scott Hanna, and Marcio Menyz, as well as the one drawn by Ed McGuiness, Mark Farmer, and Menyz, along with a look at a Spider-Man/Wolverine story drawn by Pablo Rivera, and finally a look at the chapter drawn by Todd Nauck and Rachelle Rosenberg, all lettered by Joe Caramagna.

Check it out:

"SPECIAL OVERSIZED FINALE! Zeb Wells says goodbye to the AMAZING SPIDER-MAN in style with his collaborators JOHN ROMITA JR., ED McGUINNESS and some other special surprise guests," reads Marvel's official description of Amazing Spider-Man #60. When one era ends though, another begins as THE EIGHT DEATHS OF SPIDER-MAN gets a special prelude by JOE KELLY!"

It seems it's all ending up in a big trial for Tombstone, who tried to kill his own daughter Janice Lincoln/The Beetle, with She-Hulk getting roped in thanks to her status as an attorney - and one of the heroes who fought Tombstone back in the 'Gang War' crossover.

As for what's next after Wells' run, writers Joe Kelly and Justina Ireland and artists Ed McGuiness and Gleb Melnikov will take over for the story 'The Eight Deaths of Spider-Man,' in which current Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Doom tasks Spider-Man with taking on a mystical threat, empowering him with a new magical Spider-suit and eight extra lives to help him with the fight.

Amazing Spider-Man #60 goes on sale October 30.

Stay up to date on all the new Spider-Man comics Marvel has scheduled for release.

Tom Holland is officially returning as Spider-Man for a fourth solo film, according to The Hollywood Reporter. What's more, Marvel Studios is setting a July 24, 2026 release date for the film, which will apparently begin filming next year.

That will make 2025 and 2026 busy years for Holland, who may also have a role in Avengers: Doomsday, and who is confirmed to be taking on a lead role in Christopher Nolan's next big film.

Nolan's untitled movie is scheduled for a July 16, 2026 release - just a week before Spider-Man 4 - meaning moviegoers will get a double dip of Tom Holland in back-to-back tentpole films.

As for Spider-Man 4, it's slated to be helmed by Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton, who was previously signed on for Avengers 5, which has now been renamed Avengers: Doomsday, and will be directed by Joe and Anthony Russo of Avengers: Infinity War/Endgame fame.

It's entirely possible that Doomsday, which is slated for a May 1, 2026 theatrical release, could also feature an appearance by Holland's Spider-Man; after all, it would be entirely in Marvel Studios' wheelhouse to have Holland shoot some scenes concurrently with Spider-Man 4, as both movies will be filming around the same time.

What's still up in the air is how the film will pick up from Holland's last appearance as Spidey in the smash hit Spider-Man: No Way Home, which ended with everyone forgetting who Peter Parker is, including his girlfriend MJ and his best friend Ned Leeds. No Way Home writers Erik Sommers and Chris McKenna are signed on to pen Spider-Man 4 as well.

Also undetermined is the film's villain. And while it may be a longshot, with Venom: The Last Dance hitting theaters, it's hard not to wish for a Spider-Man/Venom showdown in some capacity. 

We'll have to wait and see as more details emerge between now and Spider-Man 4's July 2026 release date.

For everything coming to the big and small screen, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2024 and beyond, or, skip right to the good stuff with our comprehensive list of movie release dates. 

If you'd been holding out hope for Spider-Man 2 DLC, you might want to let out the breath you've been keeping in. Buried in the announcement of the game's new PC port, developer Insomniac has confirmed that no more story content is planned.

"While we have no additional story content planned for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2," the devs say in the announcement blog, "we’re delighted to bring all of our previously released post-launch content to the PC version, including New Game+, new suits and color variants, Photo Mode features, and more."

That's pretty surprising given that players had uncovered what looked like story DLC plans when one patch accidentally left the game's debug menu accessible. There's also the fact that there's a pretty obvious tease - one I won't spoil just in case you haven't yet finished Spider-Man 2 - for the appearance of a notable villain in one of the game's major side stories. Of course, it's entirely possible a lot of planning got turned upside-down when those Insomniac leaks happened last year.

What we are getting is a PC port of Spider-Man 2, due out on January 30 across both Steam and the Epic Games Store. There's a fresh trailer you can see below, but if spoilers are a concern you might want to steer clear - the video shows a surprising amount of late-game story content you might wanna go into fresh.

"Our amazing partners at Nixxes have once again done an incredible job bringing the world of Marvel’s Spider-Man to PC players," Insomniac's core technology director Mike Fitzgerald says in the announcement. "Our team put a lot of love into this game, and we’re excited that it will soon be enjoyed by a whole new audience with keyboard and mouse controls, ultra widescreen support, and numerous graphical options that make it feel at home on their platform." The game also features "enhanced ray-tracing options" on PC.

All eyes ahead to Marvel's Wolverine and all the other upcoming Marvel games.

Marvel revealed its Holiday Tales to Astonish special back with its December 2024 solicitations, and now the publisher is revealing several variant covers for the one-shot, along with the early holiday gift of an advance look at some unlettered interior pages as well.

The one-shot features three stories celebrating a variety of winter festivities. It starts off with the Fantastic Four's holiday party, which is crashed by an uninvited guest in a story by writer Gerry Duggan and artist Phil Noto. Then there's a flashback tale of Kitty Pryde shopping for Hannukah gifts for the X-Men by writer Daniel Kibblesmith and artist Pat Oliffe. And finally, Peter Parker and Miles Morales struggle to stick with their own New Year's resolutions in a story from writer Gene Luen Yang and artist Dylan Burnett.

Here's an early look at all three stories, including Doctor Doom grinching it up in the FF tale, Kitty Pryde trying to warm up Wolverine with some hot cocoa in the X-Men story, and a glimpse of Peter Parker and Miles Morales trying to stay dry in a wintery fight against Hydro-Man in the Spider-Man story. There's also the main cover by Luciano Vecchio, a wraparound variant by Lee Garbett, an FF-centric variant by Leonardo Romero, and a 'Hidden Gem' variant consisting of classic art by Gil Kane and John Romita, Sr.:

"This December, get in the holiday spirit with a special new Marvel Comics one-shot: Marvel Holiday Tales To Astonish! In the great Marvel tradition, behold the many ways your favorite heroes celebrate the season with stories starring the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and Spider-Man!" reads Marvel's official description of the holiday special. "Brought to you by a lineup of acclaimed Marvel talent, these three heartwarming, inspirational, and action-packed stories are suited for any reader to enjoy, making them the perfect gift for the Marvel fans in your life!"

Marvel Holiday Tales to Astonish goes on sale December 4.

Stay up to date on all the new Spider-Man comics Marvel has planned for release.

Writer J. Michael Straczynski is a fan favorite for his Marvel work on characters such as Thor, Spider-Man, and his current Captain America run, and now he's returning to some of those characters as well as bringing in many more - including some lesser known classics - for a series of team-up one-shots that span the Marvel Universe.

In each of the six one-shots, Straczynski will bring together pairs of heroes and villains that rarely cross paths (and a couple of all-time classic pairings) for "timeless" adventures that exist on the hazy fringes of continuity. Artist Leinil Francis Yu has created some promo art featuring all the characters involved, seen here:

The one-shots kick off in January with Doctor Doom & Rocket Raccoon #1 (which features Yu's promo art as a variant cover), and continue monthly with Captain America & Volstagg #1, Nick Fury Vs. Fin Fang Foom #1, Hulk & Doctor Strange #1 (which also includes a back-up story starring Aunt May and Agatha Harkness), Ghost Rider Vs. Galactus #1, and finally Spider-Man Vs. Doctor Octopus #1.

Here's the list of all the planned one-shots, including the artists and release dates for each, as well as the covers where available:

DOCTOR DOOM & ROCKET RACCOON #1

Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Art by WILL ROBSON
Cover by GARY FRANK
Promo Variant Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU
On Sale 1/22

CAPTAIN AMERICA & VOLSTAGG #1

Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Art by BERNARD CHANG
Cover by TERRY DODSON
On Sale 2/26

NICK FURY VS. FIN FANG FOOM #1

Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Art by ELENA CASAGRANDE
Cover by GARY FRANK
On Sale March

HULK & DOCTOR STRANGE #1

Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Art by GERMÁN PERALTA
Cover by TERRY DODSON
On Sale May

GHOST RIDER VS. GALACTUS #1

Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Art by JUAN FERREYRA
Cover by TERRY DODSON
On Sale June

SPIDER-MAN VS. DOCTOR OCTOPUS #1

Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Art by PHIL NOTO
Cover by TERRY DODSON
On Sale June

"I like to go where the fun is, and the idea of putting together Marvel characters who had either never been paired before, or only minimally, seemed like it would be a ton of fun, and it was even more of a blast than I anticipated," Straczynski says in a statement accompanying the announcement. 

"For the first time we could see the original Nick Fury in China along with the Flying Tigers taking on a newly awakened Fin Fang Foom...go to the edge of time and space with Rocket Raccoon and Doctor Doom...see the Ghost Rider slugging it out with none other than Galactus...Aunt May caught in the midst of a supernatural battle alongside Agatha Harkness...the more unlikely the pairing, the more eccentric the combo, the more fun it was to see it come to life. I've been sitting on news of this series for over a year and I'm so excited to know it will finally be hitting newsstands starting in January."

Straczynski returned to Marvel back in 2023 for his still ongoing Captain America title, which recently featured cameos from Spider-Man and Thor, two of his other signature characters.

Stay on top of all the new Spider-Man comics Marvel has planned for release.

Marvel has billed the original Spider-Man: Reign as one of the most controversial Spider-Man stories of all time, and its current sequel, Spider-Man: Reign 2, is living up to that reputation by pitting an aging - but still powerful - Peter Parker against an adult version of his protege Miles Morales. And in Spider-Man Reign 2 #4, it's coming to blows as the pair are locked in a knockdown, dragout battle of the spiders, and we've got a preview of interior pages.

In the alternate future of Spider-Man: Reign, Peter Parker is a widower whose wife Mary Jane Watson died after getting cancer due to the radioactivity of Peter's, uh, well… bodily fluids. In the original story, he comes out of retirement to save the city one last time. The current sequel kicked off with Peter in a kind of stasis, living an artificial life with MJ, a la The Matrix.

That was all rudely interrupted, and Peter has once again been called upon to save the world, though it's a lot more complicated than that as evidenced by these pages from Spider-Man: Reign 2 #4 by writer/artist Kaare Andrews, colorist Brian Reber, and letterer Joe Caramagna, which dig into Peter and Miles' fight.

Check it out:

"Ravaged by age, traumatized and now time-tossed, Peter Parker can barely function. Miles Morales doesn't particularly care if taking down his old friend is what is needed to save the city and possibly all of existence," reads Marvel's official description of Spider-Man: Reign 2 #4.

Spider-Man: Reign 2 #4 goes on sale October 16.

Stay up to date on all the new Spider-Man comics Marvel has planned for release.

Marvel is giving fans of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson a lot to be thankful for right now in the rebooted Ultimate Spider-Man, in which they're married with kids. And now the happy couple are also giving thanks on Terry and Rachel Dodson's new Norman Rockwell inspired cover for Ultimate Spider-Man #11, which shows the Watson-Parker family sitting down to a Thanksgiving meal.

The pose is adapted, of course, from Rockwell's iconic painting 'Freedom From Want,' which depicts an extended family sharing a classic American Thanksgiving turkey dinner, but with a Spidey twist that is sure to tug at the heartstrings of the many readers who love seeing Peter and MJ together.

Check it out:

On that note, Ultimate Spider-Man is certainly delivering on that promise, with Peter sharing his secret identity as Spider-Man with MJ and their kids Richard and May (named after Peter's father and aunt, both of whom are deceased in the new Ultimate Universe). 

He's also shared it with none other than Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, who has become Peter's close friend and ally as they work together to learn the ropes of being superheroes.

"With his secret double life out in the open, Spidey joins his wife and kids for a picturesque Thanksgiving feast," reads Marvel's description of the cover. "But don’t be fooled! The life of this Peter Parker is far from perfect, and with upcoming threats like Black Cat, Kraven the Hunter, and the Sinister Six - not to mention the impending return of the Maker, the deranged alternate universe Reed Richards behind the creation of this corrupt world - Peter will need the support of Mary Jane, May, and Richard Parker more than ever!"

As stated in the description, Peter and Harry's superhero antics have attracted the negative attention of the Kingpin, who sends his six top assassins after the pair. So far, they've taken on the original Black Cat, and in Ultimate Spider-Man #11, they'll meet his daughter.

But that's not all that's brewing in Ultimate Spider-Man, as Peter possesses a highly advanced super-suit that has an onboard AI which mimics his own personality. The suit, which is jet black in its natural form, has shown some creepy tendencies that hint that it could become the new Ultimate version of Venom.

And of course, it's all building to the impending return of the Maker, the villainous mastermind who engineered the history of the new Ultimate Universe, and who Spider-Man is supposedly fated to have a direct hand in defeating.

The next issue coming is Ultimate Spider-Man #10 on October 16, followed by Ultimate Spider-Man #11 on November 20, just in time for Thanksgiving which is Thursday November 28 in the US.

Stay on top of all the new Spider-Man comics Marvel has planned for release.

The new Ultimate Universe is expanding again in January with the reveal of the Ultimate Guardians of the Galaxy, who will debut in Ultimates #8. But that's just the start of what's ahead for the Ultimate Universe as it reaches the end of its first year - and closes in on the return of the Maker, the villain who created the new Ultimate Universe, and who could change everything when he escapes his current captivity.

In Ultimates #8, the new Ultimate Guardians of the Galaxy are revealed as Captain Marvel, Star-Lord, Ultimate Nullifier, and of course Cosmo the space dog. Judging by the issue's cover by Dike Ruan, Captain Marvel is a Kree warrior of some kind, while Star-Lord appears to be an older sage. Ultimate Nullifier carries a pair of pistols just like his lesser known core Marvel Universe counterpart, and Cosmo is, well, a very good dog.

Here are Juan Frigeri's designs for the characters:

"The creative goal we set for ourselves on ULTIMATES - in addition to telling complete stories every issue - was to create (or recreate) characters interesting enough to sustain readers' imaginations and their own series, if they had to," says Ultimates writer Deniz Camp, potentially hinting at a future Ultimate Guardians of the Galaxy title. "Whether we've succeeded on either count is up to the readers to decide, but the reaction so far has been really special. I am so grateful for it, and am doing my best to be worthy of it."

"Issue eight introduces the Ultimate Guardians of the Galaxy, and I hope readers enjoy meeting the heroes of the future as much as I enjoyed writing them!" Camp continues. "It's our most cosmic issue to date, the life and death of universes in 20 pages, and explores new sides of the Ultimate Universe through Ultimate America Chavez, who has quickly become a favorite of mine."

Also in January, over in Ultimate Spider-Man #13, the Sinister Six continue their attempts to hunt Spider-Man, with this issue specifically paying homage to the classic tale Kraven's Last Hunt, as the Ultimate Universe version of Kraven sets his sights on Peter Parker. 

Meanwhile, in Ultimate Black Panther #12, T'Challa and Moon Knight go one-on-one in a duel to end their war. And in Ultimate X-Men #11, the burgeoning mutant group finally goes public as a hero team.

Here are the solicits for Marvel's January Ultimate Universe titles, along with the covers and release dates.

ULTIMATES #8

Written by DENIZ CAMP
Art by JUAN FRIGERI
Cover by DIKE RUAN
On Sale January 1

THE ULTIMATE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY!

America Chavez takes center stage in this issue as a group of galactic travelers from a far-flung, Maker-free future arrive in search of her!

ULTIMATE BLACK PANTHER #12

Written by BRYAN HILL
Art and Cover by STEFANO CASELLI
On Sale January 8

MOON KNIGHT VS. BLACK PANTHER!

Moon Knight challenges Black Panther to a one-on-one duel to end the war! But with his army of zealots behind him, would Moon Knight’s followers even accept defeat? And the Maker’s Council can’t be stopped so easily… It’s the epic climax of the title’s first year!

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #13

Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art and Cover by MARCO CHECCHETTO
On Sale January 22

The Sinister Six are all hunting Spider-Man and the Green Goblin for their ringleader, Kingpin – and this time, Kraven has the upper hand in this love letter to 'Kraven’s Last Hunt'!

ULTIMATE X-MEN #11

Written by PEACH MOMOKO
Art and Cover by PEACH MOMOKO
On Sale January 29

Maystorm takes the reins! No more hiding their powers – even if it means hiding their faces! Disenfranchised and despairing after the raid on the Children of the Atom, the man-made mutants seek out leadership – and Maystorm is ready to rise to the occasion!

Stay up to date on all the new Spider-Man comics and new X-Men comics Marvel has planned for release.

Writer J. Michael Straczynski is well-known for his work on some of Marvel's most popular characters, with the fan-favorite writer currently helming the Captain America ongoing title. Now, in Captain America #14, Straczynski brings in two of the Marvel characters for which he's best known, with Spider-Man and Thor teaming up with Cap for a wild adventure.

Drawing on a bit of the Thor mythos, the trio become an "impromptu Warriors Three" as they team up (so much for Hogun, Fandral, and Volstagg it seems!). But whatever they're up against, it seems it could take them places they never expected, as their very minds and sanity may be on the line.

Here's a gallery of unlettered pages by artist Carlos Magno and colorist Espen Grundetjern showing off what happens when Thor and Spider-Man meet up with Cap:

"THE NEW WARRIORS THREE! J. Michael Straczynski revisits THOR and SPIDER-MAN! Still reeling from recent events at the Front Door Cabaret, Captain America needs friends now more than ever," reads Marvel's official description of Captain America #14. "But Spidey and Thor have problems of their own, and so the impromptu Warriors Three set out on an adventure that will either draw them closer together or drive them all insane!"

Straczynski is well known for his work on Thor, which restored and altered the mythos of Asgard in the Marvel Universe by having the godly realm manifest on Earth. Likewise, he is perhaps best known for his long Spider-Man run, which culminated in the infamous story 'One More Day,' in which Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson trade their marriage to Mephisto to save Aunt May.

Captain America #14 goes on sale September 30.

Check out the best Captain America stories of all time.

Spider-Man is about to get a new animated series streaming on Disney Plus, but alongside the show, titled Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Marvel Comics is publishing a prequel story setting up exactly how Peter Parker got to where he is as a young hero.

Written by Christos Gage with art by Eric Gapstur, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will run for five issues starting in December, and will introduce the supporting cast of the animated show including none other than Nico Minoru of the Runaways, and many classic Spidey villains.

"In Marvel Animation’s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Peter Parker is on his way to becoming a hero, with a journey unlike what we’ve seen before and a style that celebrates the character’s earliest comic book roots," reads Marvel's official description of the comic. 

"In this new comic book series, you can take the very first steps along with him as he discovers his powers, decides to become a hero, and even picks out his name and costume! Now Peter’s gotta survive an entire Freshman year as a newbie crime-fighting vigilante…and if you think you know how this story goes, you are in for a surprise!"

Writer Christos Gage is no stranger to Spider-Man, having written numerous Spider-Man comics over the years, as well as serving as a writer on the video games Marvel's Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 and their spin-off comics.

"I've had the privilege of writing a lot of Spider-Man's adventures, both in comics and in the Insomniac video games, but one thing I've never gotten the chance to do is recount his earliest exploits," Gage says in a statement accompanying the announcement. "And the exciting part about this book is it's a brand new take on those formative times. While this is definitely Peter Parker, the Spidey we know and love, he's got a new cast of supporting characters - including Nico Minoru, who you may know from Runaways - and some surprising twists!"

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1 goes on sale December 11 with 2 covers by Leonardo Romero, seen above. The streaming series premieres November 2 on Disney Plus.

Stay up to date on all the new Spider-Man comics Marvel has planned for release.

Following the unveiling of the upcoming debut of a new Spider-Girl in the pages of October's Spider-Boy #12 during Comic-Con International: San Diego 2024, her "secret origin" will be told starting in Spider-Boy #13 - which Marvel is billing as a "fatal issue" which could "mean the death" of Spider-Boy and Daredevil.

Written by Dan Slott, who co-created Spider-Girl with artist Michael Cho, Spider-Boy #13 is drawn by Paco Medina and Humberto Ramos, who is himself the co-creator of Spider-Boy. The issue picks up where Spider-Boy #12 leaves off, with Spider-Boy and Daredevil teaming up alongside the newly debuting Spider-Girl. 

But just as the new Spider-Girl's origins are being explored, the danger is ramping up for Spider-Boy and Daredevil, whose very lives are threatened in the issue. And while it seems unlikely that Daredevil is going to die in an issue of Spider-Boy, the fate of the eponymous hero could very well be up in the air.

"The secret origin of spider-girl starts here! Is she friend or foe? Regardless, it’s not looking good for Spider-Boy," reads Marvel's official solicitation text for Spider-Boy #13. "This will be a fatal issue, especially once you learn about THE GOLDEN FANG and why it may mean the death of Spider-Boy AND Daredevil!"

The Golden Fang, which seems to be the key to the potentially dire fate being faced by Spider-Boy and Daredevil is indeed a mystery. The name doesn't have any corollaries in Marvel history, so it seems to be a totally new concept.

Spider-Boy #13 goes on sale in November with a cover by Paco Medina, seen above.

Stay up to date on all the new Spider-Man comics Marvel has planned for release.

The Venom War has officially begun. And with writer Al Ewing promising Newsarama that the big symbiote-centric crossover would crown the "one true Venom," it may turn out that the least likely candidate of all could at least be in the running - Peter Parker.

Though it's been teased for a while in advance solicitations for September's Venom War #2 and October's Venom War #3, we now know exactly how Peter and the Venom symbiote reunite. And as it turns out, the reunion of Spider-Man and the Venom symbiote shows exactly what the heart-and-soul of Peter Parker is all about.

Spoilers ahead for Venom War #1

Venom War #1 by writer Al Ewing, artist Iban Coello, colorist Frank D'Armata, and letterer Ariana Maher opens with a big event taking place at New York City's Grand Garden Arena, with the fabled superhero Unlimited Class Wrestling league hosting a special event.

However, before the action can even get going, Eddie Brock and his "time-split" duplicates Wilde, Tyro, and Bedlam pop in from the timestream to interrupt the event, leading to an all-too-real blowout with some of the UCW combatants. 

This in turn triggers a full evacuation of the venue, with Eddie demanding his son Dylan and the Venom symbiote come to the arena, and flat-out declaring "Welcome to the Venom War!"

Meanwhile, elsewhere, the symbiote is now separate from Dylan Brock, Eddie's aforementioned son and its most recent full-time host. It takes a trip down memory lane, recounting its history with Peter Parker and many of its other hosts.

Just as the symbiote finishes thinking about its whole life, we find out why it was thinking so much about Peter and its past misdeeds - because it's disguised itself as Peter Parker's own t-shirt, tricking him into putting it on and turning into Peter's well-known black costume.

Peter is horrified, but before he can remove the symbiote or start fighting against it, the symbiote itself makes an appeal to Peter's better nature as a hero (and removes itself from him as a show of good faith), telling him it is desperate and on the run after Dylan's recent rejection of their bond. 

Though the symbiote tries to refuse to help Eddie and Dylan end their conflict, as it now feels tremendous guilt over alienating them both, Peter gives it a pep-talk, telling it that he's watched it - and Eddie - become heroes over the years. Reaching out his hand, Peter entreats the symbiote to once again bond with him to spring into action in the so-called Venom Wars.

Dylan Brock and his gang of symbiote allies arrive at the arena where Eddie and his duplicates are waiting. Eddie demands the symbiote back from Dylan to prevent what may come to pass in the future if Dylan stays bonded to it. 

But just as Dylan is explaining that he no longer has it, it's revealed who does: Peter Parker, who is leaping into the arena once again bonded to the Venom symbiote in the revival of one of the most unlikely pairings in the Marvel Universe, complete with an updated version of Peter's black costume.

And it really does go to show exactly who Peter Parker is: a hero who will not ever turn away someone in need, even a (formerly) bloodthirsty alien symbiote that has literally tried to eat his brain. Instead, he even spurs the symbiote back into action to help Eddie and Dylan, risking bonding with the symbiote again just because it's the right thing to do in the moment.

The story continues in Venom War #2 on September 4.

Check out our list of the best Venom hosts of all time.

Amazing Spider-Man #55 is on the way, and it also marks the legacy numbered Amazing Spider-Man #949. With the landmark Amazing Spider-Man #950 just around the corner, #55/949 is setting the stage by putting Peter Parker into one of the few situations where he's the most vulnerable: trying to get in the good graces of his date Shay Marken, who he's blown it with several times already.

We've got a preview of Amazing Spider-Man #55/949, written by Zeb Wells with guest artist Emilio Laiso, color artist Bryan Valenza, and letterer Joe Caramagna, in which Shay completely reads Peter for filth for being late for yet another date - this time because he was fighting an all-new Stilt-Man, who manages to give him a big, ugly black eye.

Check it out, along with the issue's main cover by John Romita, Jr.:

"The last arc nearly killed Spider-Man (others weren't so lucky)," reads Marvel's official description of Amazing Spider-Man #55. "Peter hopes to take a breath but gets a new challenge to face in this, the 949th legacy issue of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN! This is the last domino to fall as we head into our next big centennial!"

Amazing Spider-Man just wrapped up the story of the Spider-Goblin, in which Peter Parker became possessed by the essence of Norman Osborn's dark side, the Green Goblin, which concluded with both Peter and Osborn now free of the Goblin.

With one final arc left in writer Zeb Wells' time on the title before a new creative team comes in, Spidey is getting ready to square off with Tombstone, the new big boss of New York's crime syndicates, in a clash that's been building since the start of the current volume of Amazing Spider-Man.

Amazing Spider-Man #55/949 goes on sale August 14.

Stay up to date on all the new Spider-Man comics Marvel has planned for release.

Marvel has revealed new details of writer Joe Kelly and artist Ed McGuiness' upcoming run on Amazing Spider-Man with a story titled 'The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man' in the publisher's Next Big Thing panel at Comic-Con International: San Diego. And oddly enough, the new info actually includes some spoilers for the finale of the current Blood Hunt crossover, so be warned.

Spoilers for Blood Hunt ahead.

As we now know, Blood Hunt will end with Doctor Strange transferring the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme to Doctor Doom, who has long been a contender to the mantle. This will result in the 'One World Under Doom' status quo which Marvel also teased in its Next Big Thing panel.

Part of Doom's responsibilities as Sorcerer Supreme will involve protecting the Earth from magical threats. But Doom has bigger plans, and will enlist Spider-Man to be Earth's magical protector, arming him with a magical suit and, as the title implies, eight "extra lives" that will help him survive the experience.

Here's a look at McGuiness' design for the magical suit, along with the covers of Amazing Spider-Man #61 and #62:

"The world has changed, Doctor Doom is Sorcerer Supreme, but he has no plans to spend his time like his predecessor… Each year, Doctor Strange would use every ounce of his power and experience to save the world from an evil god and his scions," reads Marvel's official description of 'The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man'. "This year, Doom is delegating this task to…SPIDER-MAN?! The leader of Latveria has given Spider-Man a new, magic powered suit and EIGHT EXTRA LIVES with which to save (!?) the world. True believer, they won’t be enough… "

Kelly and McGuiness will also be joined on their Amazing Spider-Man run by writer Justina Ireland and artist Gleb Melnikov. The arc was announced to run for a total of 10 issues, starting in November, directly following the end of writer Zeb Wells and artist John Romita Jr.'s current run.

Stay up to date on all the new Spider-Man comics Marvel has planned for release.

The core Marvel Universe is getting another new Spider-hero in the form of a brand new Spider-Girl spinning out of - where else? - Spider-Boy. The cover and solicitation for October's Spider-Boy #12 were fully "classified" in Marvel's just released October 2024 solicitations, but they've now been revealed as of the Diamond Retailer Breakfast at Comic-Con International: San Diego. And the surprise they hold is indeed the all-new Spider-Girl.

Like Bailey Briggs (AKA Spider-Boy) before her, the identity of the new Spider-Girl will remain a mystery. But what we know for now is that she was co-created by Spider-Boy writer Dan Slott and artist Michael Cho, while artist Paco Medina will draw the first adventure of the new Spider-Girl in Spider-Boy #12, which also features a team-up with Daredevil.

Here's a gallery of covers for Spider-Boy #12 by Cho, Medina, Mark Bagley, and Elizabeth Torque:

"THE ALL-NEW ... SPIDER-GIRL?! After the recent status quo shake-up, Spider-Boy's life really will NEVER be the same again!" reads Marvel's official solicitation text for Spider-Boy #12. "In light of what happened, maybe it's time for Bailey Briggs to be someone else's sidekick. Get ready Daredevil, because here comes The 'Boy Without Fear'!  Also in this issue: find out what Bullseye has to do with it all."

Spider-Boy was recently mixed up with none other than Doctor Octopus, who took over Bailey Briggs' body with his own mind to become the Superior Spider-Boy - though he was eventually freed by Peter Parker.

"Spider-Girl’s mysterious backstory will supersede even Spider-Boy’s shocking origin!" states Marvel's announcement. "Just as the emergence of Spider-Boy turned the Spider-Verse inside out and fueled fan speculation for months, Spider-Girl has a story to share that will keep readers guessing and make Spider-Man, Spider-Boy, and all the rest question EVERYTHING!"

The original Spider-Girl was an alt-universe hero from Marvel's MC2 line, which focused on a future generation of Marvel heroes. In this timeline, her secret identity is May 'Mayday' Parker, Peter Parker's own daughter. Could this new Spider-Girl have a connection to those Multiversal origins? We'll find out.

Spider-Boy #12 goes on sale October 12.

Learn all about the weirdest versions of Spider-Man from around the Spider-Verse.

The Spider-Verse is an ever-growing web of Spider-heroes from all across the Marvel Multiverse, and now, that network is coalescing into a Spider-Society in which all Spiders everywhere are members by default.

Writer Alex Segura and artist Scott Godlewski are bringing the Spider-Society together later this summer to take on an equally impressive foe - the Sinister Squadron, a conglomerate of multiversal foes of Spider-Man.

We caught up with Segura ahead of Spider-Society #1's August 14 release to talk about what it's like writing a team that has nearly infinite potential members, who his personal favorite Spiders are, and how this all fits into the Spider-Verse we've seen so far. 

And along the way, we've got some new interior pages from Spider-Society #1 that introduce the villainous Sinister Squadron.

Newsarama: Alex, you've been playing in the Spider-Verse for a little while now, but this is even bigger. How did Spider-Society come about, and how does it relate to what we've seen so far?

Alex Segura: Editor Nick Lowe reached out to me with the idea a while back and I immediately said yes. I've done a few Spider-Verse stories before this, specifically two Araña adventures in Edge of Spider-Verse and my novel, Araña/Spider-Man 2099: Dark Tomorrow, so Nick knew I had an affinity for the characters. 

We talked about it being a team book pulling from the vast collection of Spider-Heroes and really leaning into the character drama that comes with that, which immediately got my wheels spinning. The added bonus was we had a little runway to plant some seeds in three Edge of Spider-Verse stories, drawn by the legendary Salvador Larroca, so that helped us get things ramped up so we could just dive into the first issue come August. 

While those first three "prequel" stories aren't mandatory reading to understand Spider-Society #1, they do set the table for the adventure, and give readers some meaningful clues about who will end up on the team roster.

Spider-Society has been billed as bringing together every Spider hero in the Spider-Verse, and the covers we've seen certainly play that up. How do you manage a cast that big while also trying to give each character their due?

I think the big challenge is giving every hero their due and not shortchanging any of them, within reason. Every Spider-Hero is someone's favorite. The first issue is a huge dose of Spider-Heroes and then we'll see the roster of the actual team tighten a bit, so we know who we're following, but it is a society - and every Spider-Hero is a member by default, so we'll see a lot of characters pop in and out as the adventure rolls out. 

Part of the fun of writing the series has been revisiting some of the great work other creators have done with these heroes, like Steve Orlando's work on Spider-Man 2099, Cody Ziglar's Spider-Punk, or Steve Foxe's Web-Weaver stories, and try to help nudge those bigger narratives along to honor what's come before. But the top goal is to tell a fun adventure, with drama, stakes, and some major surprises.

On that note, which Spiders have you found yourself connecting with most strongly as Spider-Society has progressed?

I would be lying if I didn't say I loved Araña and Spider-Man 2099. I came in as a big fan of both, and was honored to have written them in prose and comics. I was not expecting to come out of the first few scripts really rooting for Weapon VIII, a relatively new Spider-Hero, and Madame Web, but that's been the fun part of the creative process - tapping into each character's emotional journey and seeing what resonates most.

You've described the threat at hand in Spider-Society as "eerily familiar." What can you tell us about what that is, and what's at stake here?

The Sinister Squadron is unlike any iteration of the Sinister Six/Syndicate we've ever seen before - readers will feel some familiar echoes, but the plan and goals of the team will be very different, and it's unlike any attack the heroes have experienced. I don't want to say much more because we have a few fun twists along the way, but I would suggest readers don't assume too much out of the gate - this team of villains catches the Spider-Society completely off guard, and it takes a good, long minute for them to get their bearings.

You're working with artist Scott Godlewski on Spider-Society. How has it been working with him? How is he handling all the Spiders swinging around?

Scott is a treat, and such a talent - he brings an energy and style to the story that matches up perfectly with the kind of character-driven, high-flying adventure story I want to tell. I saw him in person at a con in Phoenix and made a point to personally apologize for the sheer number of characters I'd been asking him to draw, but he seemed totally fine with it! Which is great - because there are plenty more coming. 

He does something that's very rare - he gives each character their own, unique body language and vibe while still not skimping on the big action moments. Each page really flows well, and Matt Milla's colors are just a delight. Every time I see new pages in my inbox I have to sit and appreciate them.

Bottom line, what do you want readers to know going into Spider-Society #1?

My theme for this book has been simple - what happens when the Spider-Verse is pushed to the brink, and the unlikeliest heroes have to team up to save the multiverse? 

I think a lot of people are going to come into this book with expectations of what it's going to be, and I hope we pleasantly surprise them - it's a story of overcoming huge obstacles and defining yourself as a hero and a teammate, with tons of interpersonal drama and action in the classic Marvel style.

Every issue has what I hope readers will see as a big jaw-dropping surprise, and we are so excited for folks to read the first issue in August. Load your web-shooters, folks, it's gonna be a wild ride.

Even the weirdest versions of Spider-Man from across the Multiverse are part of the Spider-Society.

The next creative team for Amazing Spider-Man has been announced, and rather than just a sole writer and artist hopping on the ongoing title, a whole team of writers and artists will take over for a 10-issue story starting later this year.

Titled 'The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man,' the story is written by Spidey vet Joe Kelly and up-and-comer Justina Ireland, who is currently shepherding Spider-Man through his own Blood Hunt tie-in comic. On art, Marvel has named Ed McGuiness (who carries over from parts of outgoing writer Zeb Wells' run) and Gleb Melnikov, who has lately been known primarily for his work at DC on Robin and other characters. The publisher also promises the involvement of more creators yet to be named.

"Following Zeb Wells’ landmark run, writer Joe Kelly and Justina Ireland alongside artists Ed McGuinness and Gleb Melnikov bring you a new Spidey epic titled The 8 Deaths Of Spider-Man," reads Marvel's announcement. "Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more information on this 10-issue arc launching this fall! And to discover what comes next for John Romita Jr. and Amazing Spider-Man, KEEP READING, TRUE BELIEVER!"

It's interesting that Marvel is still tying John Romita Jr. to the announcement of the new Spider-Man team, but doesn't mention Zeb Wells. Could this mean Romita is sticking around on Spidey in some capacity? 

It also seems like Marvel is signaling that the new Amazing Spider-Man run won't constitute a relaunch, and will continue the title's current numbering, a rarity for Marvel when changing creative teams these days. But there's still time for the publisher to announce a new Amazing Spider-Man #1 with the changeover.

As for current writer Zeb Wells, he and Romita will make their departure some time later this year, with the next era of Amazing Spider-Man set to kick off "this fall."

Stay tuned for more information as it develops.

Check out the best Spider-Man stories of all time.

The return of the Superior Spider-Man reaches its conclusion in Superior Spider-Man #8, with the final showdown between Peter Parker and Otto Octavius, who has used his mind transfer technology to mentally dominate people all through Peter's life.

With Peter nearly on his own against the so-called "Superior Spider-Colony," he's got his hands full dealing with J. Jonah Jameson, who has a pair of Otto's old arms, in addition to being mind-controlled, as well as Aunt May, and Robbie Robertson, all of whom are trying to turn Peter into another Superior Spider-Man.

We've got an early preview of pages from Superior Spider-Man #8 by writer Dan Slott, artist Mark Bagley, inker John Dell, colorist Edgar Delgado, and letterer Joe Caramanga, in which Peter comes face-to-face with his friends turned superior foes.

Check it out:

"SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN NO MORE! This issue contains more Superior Spiders than you'd expect," reads Marvel's official description of Superior Spider-Man #8. "But by the end, only one Spider-Man will be left standing. Dan Slott and Mark Bagley's entire run from Spider-Man to Superior has led up to this!"

Dan Slott has written more issues of Spider-Man than anyone, including Spidey's co-creator Stan Lee. Slott and artist Ryan Stegman initially introduced the Superior Spider-Man back in 2015, with Doctor Octopus having taken over Peter Parker's body. Slott and artist Mark Bagley, who has his own long pedigree with the wall-crawler, have since brought back the concept of the Superior Spider-Man, culminating in the current limited series.

Superior Spider-Man #8 goes on sale June 26.

Check out our picks for the best Spider-Man stories of all time.

Writer Zeb Wells and artist John Romita, Jr. will be concluding their run on Amazing Spider-Man with one final arc in which Peter Parker will take on Tombstone in a brawl to win it all, which Marvel is billing as "Spidey's most brutal battle."

Though Marvel's announcement doesn't specify how long the final arc will last, but we do know that it'll follow up on Spider-Man and Tombstone's upcoming battle in Amazing Spider-Man #56/#850, and that Amazing Spider-Man #58 is being billed as the true kick off of Wells and Romita's final arc.

The rekindled rivalry between Tombstone and Spider-Man has been a long running subplot in Wells' Amazing Spider-Man, which has also enlisted artists Ed McGuinness and Patrick Gleason throughout its run, which began way back in 2021 with the arc 'Spider-Man Beyond.'

With the current arc of the title tying off some of Wells' other big plotlines, including the evolution of the Living Brain, the return of the Sinister Six, and Norman Osborn's fall from grace as the reborn Green Goblin, and even Ben Reilly's transformation into the villainous Chasm it makes sense to tie off his time on the title this way.

That said, there's one other big running plotline in Wells' Amazing Spider-Man - the relationship between Mary Jane and her new boyfriend Paul, and her separation from Peter Parker. It's a safe bet Wells won't end his run without at least putting some kind of resolution on the love triangle - though it's also likely it won't be what fans expect.

Though Wells' run has been polarizing (as, let's face it, most modern Spider-Man runs tend to be), I've enjoyed its broad strokes, especially his handling of the relationship between Peter Parker and Norman Osborn. It will be interesting to see who comes next.

On that note, it may not be a coincidence that A-list DC writer Joshua Williamson announced his departure from DC titles Green Arrow and Batman & Robin on the same day Marvel announced the end of Wells' Spider-Man run - with a similar timeframe for both big changes. And though it's purely speculation, Williamson making his return to Marvel as the new writer of Amazing Spider-Man would certainly be a big enough name to set off some sparks.

For now, we'll have to wait and see. Amazing Spider-Man #58, the beginning of Wells' final arc, goes on sale September 11.

Check out the best Spider-Man stories of all time.

Amazing Spider-Man has just launched into a new arc in which Norman Osborn returns to his Green Goblin roots, while also setting the stage for Peter Parker's tragic and violent transformation into the Spider-Goblin. And with the original Sinister Six about to enter the fray, Marvel is marking the momentous occasion with a pair of interconnecting covers by superstar artist Gabrielle Dell'Otto which will appear as variants for Amazing Spider-Man #53 and #54.

Here's the full image of the connected covers, depicting Spidey taking on the full roster of the original Sinister Six:

That classic villain team is made up of leader Doctor Octopus and fellow A-list Spidey enemies Kraven the Hunter, Electro, Vulture, Mysterio, and Sandman. But they're not just taking on Spider-Man, they'll have to take on the Spider-Goblin, with Osborn having brainwashed Peter into having his own Goblin persona.

"SECRET REVEALED — MEET SPIDER-GOBLIN! Following the shocking events of #50, PETER PARKER is a changed man," reads Marvel's full solicitation text for Amazing Spider-Man #53. "He's now SPIDER-GOBLIN, the most dangerous superhuman in the world. And his chaos is DEADLY! Meanwhile, who will stop Norman Osborn?!"

The story wraps up in Amazing Spider-Man #54, in which the Sinister Six will have to take on a fully unleashed Peter Parker who apparently won't be holding anything back.

"THE MIND-BLAZING CONCLUSION OF 'EASY BEING GREEN!' The SINISTER SIX will try to fight. But they should have run," reads Marvel's official solicitation text for Amazing Spider-Man #54. "Who can possibly put a stop to Peter Parker's spree of mayhem and destruction? (Hint: No one)."

Amazing Spider-Man #53 goes on sale July 10, followed by Amazing Spider-Man #54 on July 31.

The Sinister Six is one of the best supervillain teams of all time. 

Amazing Spider-Man #50 is now officially released, and as promised, it marks the all too tragic return of Norman Osborn's Green Goblin persona - and it also sets the stage for Peter Parker's transformation into the so-called Spider-Goblin that's been teased by Marvel.

But how does it all go down? What tragic twist does fate hold for both Peter and Norman as they both take on the terrifying mantle of the Goblin? We'll reveal all right now.

Spoilers ahead for Amazing Spider-Man #50

Amazing Spider-Man #50 marks a rare milestone for Marvel these days (an ongoing series hitting 50 issues, that is). And to mark the occasion, writer Zeb Wells, artist Ed McGuinness, inker Mark Farmer, colorists Marcio Menyz and Erick Arciniega, and letterer Joe Caramagna are pulling out all the stops with a massive throwdown between Spider-Man and the rebirthed Green Goblin.

For several years now, Norman has been a kind and repentant ally to Peter Parker/Spider-Man, since the purging of his metaphysical dark side (AKA the Green Goblin) from his psyche. But as Peter finds out in Amazing Spider-Man #50, those days are seemingly over. 

For while the Norman part seems to be just as terrified of his villainous alter ego as Peter, the Goblin side is back, and ready to enact his latest twisted scheme on Spider-Man.

Norman's latest transformation all goes back to the spear which once held the essence of his "sins," which was once wielded by Queen Goblin and Kraven the Hunter. Peter was stabbed by the spear, infecting him with Norman's dark side and causing him to go on a violent rampage.

But he was eventually saved by Osborn, who put it all back in the spear before burying it in Kraven's empty grave.

As it turns out, Norman went back and dug up the spear, and presumably stabbed himself with it to reabsorb his "sins" - reviving the Green Goblin in the process. However, Norman has mostly had the Goblin under lockdown in his psyche. That is, until Peter utters a secret code phrase given to him by the Living Brain, which, unbeknownst to Peter, will unlock Norman's Green Goblin side.

With the Goblin unleashed, Norman dons his Green Goblin gear and chases Peter through OsCorp, all the way to Peter's lab, where he's prepared a contingency plan for exactly this turn of events, the return of the Green Goblin. There, the Goblin falls right into Peter's trap, getting dosed with a gas that Peter says will neutralize the effects of Osborn's Goblin Serum, taking away his super strength. 

But the Goblin has a contingency plan of his own. As it turns out, he apparently used the brainwashing Winkler Device on Peter back in Amazing Spider-Man #48/#942, secretly implanting a villainous, Goblin-style persona in Peter's mind. 

And with yet another code phrase, the Green Goblin turns Peter from Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man into citywide menace the Spider-Goblin, as foretold in teasers for upcoming issues.

But fear not, for the Living Brain, who gave Peter the codeword to expose Norman's Goblin side also apparently knows about Peter's Spider-Goblin problem, and has assembled itself a new physical body to lead the charge to set things right.

And that's where things leave off going into June 5's Amazing Spider-Man #51, with the threat of the reassembled Sinister Six still also looming on the horizon.

Norman Osborn/Green Goblin is one of the best Spider-Man villains of all time.

Marvel's new Ultimate Universe is rapidly filling out the ranks of its new versions of classic Marvel characters, and with the release of advance solicitations for August's Ultimate Universe titles, several more prominent heroes and villains are popping up.

In August 14's Ultimates #3 starts bringing in more characters to the new Ultimates team (the Ultimate Universe's equivalent of the Avengers) with the addition of She-Hulk, who has her own army of Hulks at her disposal. But with the main Ultimate Hulk serving as one of the villainous Maker's chief lieutenants, that might mean big trouble for the Ultimates.

Here's the official solicit text and cover:

"The Ultimates search for a means of destroying the Maker’s most powerful pawn, the Hulk! And in the process they uncover an army of Hulks hidden away from the world… with She-Hulk at the helm!"

Then, in August 21's Ultimate Spider-Man #8, the new Ultimate Universe's flagship hero will go up against the new Ultimate Sinister Six, led by Kingpin. While we don't know who's on the Ultimate Sinister Six just yet, the cover shows someone in Iron Man armor, and the solicitation text also mentions Ultimate Doc Ock.

Check out the official solicit text and cover:

"Kingpin gathers a team to deal with his masked-vigilante problem… But a group of super villains isn’t the only challenge Spider-Man will face! Meanwhile, Green Goblin joins forces with…Doc Ock?"

Meanwhile, the solicitation text for August 28's Ultimate X-Men #6 is teasing the final member of the new Ultimate X-Men with the conclusion of the title's first arc, though it's still not been revealed who it is. That's fine though, because so far we've actually only met two X-Men, Armor and Maystorm.

Here's the official solicitation and cover:

"Armor, Maystorm and the rest of the team hunt down the mysterious shadow! But is this group of scrappy teens prepared to face true darkness? And don’t miss the reveal of the final member of the group on the last page!"

And finally, in August 7's Ultimate Black Panther #7, Marvel isn't teasing a new Ultimate character, but instead a new resource of power for Ra and Khonshu, seemingly akin to Wakanda's vaunted Vibranium, as the pair set forth to invade Wakanda itself.

Here's the solicitation text and cover:

"While T’Challa has sought to grow his power, so too have the forces of Moon Knight… And with access to a unique new resource, Ra and Khonshu are stronger than ever! How will Wakanda stand in its resistance against the kings of the Upper and Lower Kingdoms? And is T’Challa prepared to bear the consequences of tapping into such dangerous wells of power?"

The new Ultimates line initially launched with Ultimate Spider-Man, which was followed by Ultimate Black Panther, and then Ultimate X-Men. Ultimates #1 rounds out the current line, launching on June 5.

Check out the best Marvel Comics stories of all time.

Everybody loves the Spider-Verse, at least judging by the popularity of the beloved Spider-Verse films, and the ongoing success of Marvel's Edge of Spider-Verse comics. But now, Marvel Comics is promising the "final evolution" of its Spider-Verse saga with the announcement of Spider-Society, a comic limited series that teams up every Spider-Man ever to take on an equally menacing force of Spidey villains from across the Multiverse.

The four-issue Spider-Society limited series is written by Alex Segura with art from Scott Godlewski. It picks up from the Edge of Spider-Verse titles, which have been introducing new Variants of Spidey from all across the Multiverse (and checking in with a few favorites) for several years. All those Spider-Man Variants and more will come together in Spider-Society to fight the Sinister Squadron, a force of Multiversal villains that takes its name from Spidey's classic enemies the Sinister Six.

Segura is no stranger to the Spider-Verse as the writer of several stories across multiple volumes of the Edge of Spider-Verse comic. As for Godlewski, he's recently been making his name as the artist of Ms. Marvel: Mutant Menace, which catches up with newly christened mutant Kamala Khan in a comic co-written by Iman Vellani, who plays Kamala in the MCU.

"We've had such a blast building toward and teasing SPIDER-SOCIETY in the pages of Web of Spider-Man and Edge of Spider-Verse. I hope readers enjoy the amazing roster of Spider-Heroes we're bringing together to face off a new, but eerily familiar threat," Segura says. "Scott Godlewski's the perfect choice to bring our Spider-Verse adventure to life, and his take on the Spider-Heroes, from Spider-Man 2099 to Spider-Ramen, is spot-on. Readers can expect a wild multiversal ride full of surprises and fun character moments, evoking the Spider-Verse tales they love. August can't come fast enough!"

Spider-Society #1 goes on sale August 14 with a main cover by Pete Woods and a Spider-Gwen variant by Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau, both seen above.

Here's hoping Spider-Society includes some of the weirdest versions of Spider-Man from across the Multiverse.

Amazing Spider-Man #50 is a milestone issue that brings back the Green Goblin, and Marvel is indicating that it is indeed current Gold Goblin Norman Osborn. But even the publisher is hinting that things aren't as simple as a big fall from grace for the reformed villain.

We've got an early preview of pages from Amazing Spider-Man #50 by writer Zeb Wells, artist Ed McGuiness, inker Mark Farmer, colorists Marcio Menyz and Erick Arciniega, and letterer Joe Caramagna, in which Spider-Man deals with a very different kind of crisis - the housing crisis - as he argues over rent and home ownership with Norman Osborn. And oh yeah, something big is going on with the Living Brain, which is shaping up to be an important part of the story.

Check it out:

"GUESS WHO'S BACK?! THE GREEN GOBLIN RETURNS in this landmark and massive issue of ASM that boasts not only a double-sized main story but some instant Spider-Man classics by legends and legends to be!" reads Marvel's official synopsis for Amazing Spider-Man #50. "The Sins of Norman Osborn have found their way home and Norman shows his true color - green. But is it truly that simple? Spidey and Gobby's brutal fight is one for the ages and you don't want to miss this ending."

Along with the main story by Wells and McGuiness, Amazing Spider-Man #50 also features a story by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Terry Dodson, and more, all rounding out the oversized issue.

The story of the Goblin will also continue into the foreseeable future, with Peter Parker himself becoming the Spider-Goblin a few issues later.

Amazing Spider-Man #50 goes on sale May 22.

Check out the best Spider-Man stories of all time.

Every great hero needs great villains, and when it comes to superhero comics, the supervillains that go up against the likes of Batman, Spider-Man, the Avengers, the Justice League, and more are often just as popular as the heroes themselves.

The best supervillains of all time transcend their individual nemeses as great characters in their own right, many of whom have been elevated into starring roles over the years. Villains such as Doctor Doom, Lex Luthor, the Joker, and many more are as iconic as their heroic enemies, and that's just scratching the surface.

We here at Newsarama love a good supervillain, so we've taken it upon ourselves to make our picks for the 25 best comic book supervillains of all time. Who's your favorite? Let us know in the comments.

25. Parallax

Most classic villains are perfectly formed nemeses for their heroic counterparts, with powers and personalities that test the hero's abilities to their limits. But in the case of Parallax, the villain is the hero, a corrupted version of Green Lantern Hal Jordan who was turned into a bloodthirsty being of fear, slaying the entirety of the Green Lantern Corps before dying himself. 

Later, after Hal was resurrected as a hero and the Corps was revived, Parallax was revealed as a possessing entity that was responsible for the Green Lantern ring's inability to affect things that were the color yellow. Parallax then became an ongoing villain in its own right, serving as the patron entity of the fear-based Sinestro Corps of Yellow Lanterns. 

24. Ultron

The concept of AI as an existential threat has been a topic of both real world conversation and science fiction for decades, but nowhere in comics is that idea expressed with such terrifying dispassion and physical menace as through Ultron, the evil, sentient artificial intelligence created in comics by Hank Pym of the Avengers. 

In the time since Ultron's first appearance in 1968's Avengers #55, he's evolved from a fairly straightforward evil robot to the rawest embodiment of what could happen if an AI ever had a genocidal hatred of organic life and the raw power - and rage - to carry it out. Though his profile has diminished slightly since a somewhat off-kilter portrayal in the MCU, there's a reason every hero in the Marvel Universe still shudders at the name Ultron.

23. Ozymandias

That Adrian Veidt - better known as Ozymandias - turns out to be the villain of Watchmen is one of the comic's most devastating gut-punches. Throughout Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' masterpiece Veidt appears to be an ally to the washed up heroes trying to prevent doomsday. Alas, it's all part of an ambitious play by "the smartest man in the world" who, by the book's end, will be responsible for the deaths of over 3 million people as he attempts to enforce an uneasy kind of world peace. 

What makes Veidt such an interesting character is that, while his actions are monstrous, he genuinely believes that he is working for a greater good - albeit one filtered through his own arrogance. Watchmen, tantalizingly, ends at a point where it's ambiguous just how successful he's been.

22. Doomsday

Few villains have managed to punch a hole not just in arguably the greatest superhero ever but also the entire superhero comic book market, but Doomsday managed to do both as the big, brawny threat at the heart of The Death and Return of Superman. As the title implies, the landmark 1993 story killed the Man of Steel at Doomsday's hand, launching one of the biggest selling, most hyped comic book stories of all time, with fans and speculators alike buying numerous copies of the issues involved.

This spiked the comic book buying market and helped contribute to a massive boom in the industry throughout the '90s. Doomsday hasn't had quite that impact since, but it's impossible to ignore how important he is to both Superman and to superhero comics in general.

21. Apocalypse

One of the most iconic X-villains of the '90s, Apocalypse is the embodiment of the eternal adversary, dedicated to his philosophy of "survival of the fittest," no matter what brutality is necessary to force mutants to grow stronger and, in his eyes, more worthy of inheriting the Earth alongside him, corrupting numerous mutants in his thousands of years of existence.

For a villain who is named after a word that has come to be synonymous with the end of the world - and a reputation to match - Apocalypse is a remarkably complex character, whose motivations have often shifted over the years. Even into the Krakoa era, in which Apocalypse took his place alongside Magneto and Xavier as a more neutral mutant leader, he retained his predilection for tempering mutants in his brutal crucible.

20. Captain Cold

Some villains want to conquer the world, and others just want to make a living, as dishonest as their chosen profession may be. The latter is the case with Captain Cold, the leader of the Rogues, a kind of twisted labor union for Flash villains. Armed with a freeze ray, a parka, and a scowl, Leonard Snart has been menacing Central City since 1957's Showcase #8, making him one of the oldest villains on this list. 

And with that age comes refinement, as Cold has gone from being a simple gimmick villain to one of DC's most interesting characters - a thief with a heart of tarnished gold and a code of dubious honor, who forms a perfect foil for the Flash's reputation as an everyman hero.

19. Shredder

Not many supervillains are as instantly recognizable to people who have never even picked up a comic book as the Shredder, the ultimate enemy of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles who slashed his way off the comic book page and onto TV screens every Saturday morning as one of the most iconic villains of the '80s and '90s.

But like other unlikely icons such as the Joker, the Shredder initially wasn't planned to continue on after his apparent death in his first comic book story. However, it quickly became clear that Shredder is an indispensable part of the Turtles' mythos who stands toe-to-toe with other major villains of the era, leading to a renewed presence in the TMNT comics that looms large to this day.

18. Loki

Thanks to the MCU, these days Loki is unquestionably known best as a reformed villain, more of an antihero with a tarnished heart of gold than an out-and-out menace. But for decades - millennia, if you count their mythological counterpart - Loki was one of the most mischievously merciless villains in Marvel Comics, as a primary antagonist not just for Thor, but for the entire Marvel Universe, even serving as the villain who brought together the original Avengers.

Loki's anti-hero renaissance started in comics before carrying over into the MCU thanks to the immense popularity of Tom Hiddleston's winning performance. And now, in the current Immortal Thor ongoing title, Loki has reclaimed their mantle as the God of Lies, acting once again as a villain for Thor with still evolving motives.

17. Mystique

Mystique is truly the ultimate femme fatale, a highly skilled operative with the power to become anyone she wants - and the will to use her abilities in pursuit of her own complex goals. Like many of the best modern supervillains, Mystique's motives, and even her allegiances, have often been entangled and complicated. But at her core, Mystique always moves with her own best interests and those of her many-layered plans at heart.

Thanks in large part to her role in the live-action X-Men films, Mystique is often regarded as an anti-hero, but for decades she was a primary antagonist for the X-Men and their allies, even inheriting leadership of the Brotherhood of Mutants from Magneto (she did admittedly drop the "evil" part of the team's name - though not from their villainous ethos).

16. Bane

There has to be something to be said for stepping up for your first at-bat and knocking a massive grand slam out of the park. In the case of Batman's super-strong foe Bane, it's that rookie-of-the-year spirit that earns him a place on the list of the best supervillains of all time. See, Bane didn't just beat Batman way back in his first story, he broke Batman - literally.

Though his track record since has been a bit so-so, Bane nearly retired Batman in their first big clash, breaking the Caped Crusader's back and forcing him to bring in a replacement to take his place while he healed. That alone puts a villain in the upper echelon of bad guys.

15. Kingpin

It may have taken him nearly 50 years to become a household name outside of comics, but Marvel's Kingpin of Crime Wilson Fisk has risen to become a favorite villain for Marvel fans of all media. That's thanks in large part to Vincent D'Onofrio's admittedly pitch-perfect performance as the character in the MCU, but longtime comic readers have known just how brutally menacing the Kingpin is for years and years.

Though he started as an enemy of Spider-Man - and has remained a thorn in the wall-crawler's side - Kingpin solidified his rep as someone heroes truly don't want to mess with through his battles with Daredevil. In his dogged pursuit of destroying the Man Without Fear, Kingpin has shown himself to be one of the most violently ruthless and malevolently manipulative villains in the Marvel Universe.

14. Eobard Thawne

On a list of the world's creepiest supervillains, Eobard Thawne - AKA Professor Zoom or the Reverse-Flash - would surely rank very highly indeed. A genetically-engineered genius from the 25th century, Thawne was a fan of Barry Allen who became obsessed with opposing and replacing his idol. But while most supervillains' schemes are unhinged in a fun way, there's something genuinely unsettling about Eobard Thawne's penchant for time-traveling sadism. He famously killed Barry's girlfriend Iris West in the pre-Crisis continuity. 

While that event has since been undone, he's followed it up with a string of other crimes including erasing his brother entirely from existence, killing his own parents and, in 2011's Flashpoint, traveling back in time and murdering Barry Allen's mother. He's the Flash's arch-nemesis and a truly chilling villain.

13. Doctor Octopus

Though he may not be the first villain some fans think of as Spider-Man's ultimate arch-nemesis, there's a case to be made that the title could in fact belong to Doctor Octopus. Otto Octavius has been a thorn in the wall-crawler's side since 1963's Amazing Spider-Man #3, making him one of Peter Parker's earliest foes.

Through the years, Doc Ock has remained one of Spidey's most menacing villains across comics, movies, and games, both on his own and as the founder of the Sinister Six. In 2013, Doctor Octopus had his biggest moment ever when he managed to swap bodies with Peter Parker to become the Superior Spider-Man. Though Peter eventually returned, Doc Ock made an indelible mark on Spider-Man's history, and on the Marvel Universe.

12. Galactus

There's a somewhat apocryphal story that Fantastic Four's world-eating nemesis Galactus was created after Stan Lee and Jack Kirby discussed what might happen if the FF met a god. And whether that's exactly how he was created, that's the sense of gravitas and moment that was given to the first meeting of Galactus and the FF way back in 1967. 

Galactus is a massive being who devours the life-force of planets - an incredibly cool concept. But even more than that, in the years since his creation, Galactus' existence has become a platform for some of the most interesting philosophical stories ever told in Marvel Comics, raising questions of why a being of such destructive power is also a necessary part of Marvel's cosmic order.

11. Ra's al-Ghul

Of all the villains in Batman's rogue's gallery, Ra's al Ghul is surely the one with whom Batman has the most complex relationship. An immortal (thanks to the existence of Lazarus Pits) eco-terrorist, tactical genius, and leader of the League of Assassins, Ra's' concerns are far wider-ranging than the likes of the Penguin, Two-Face, or the Joker. 

But despite the threat that he poses - given the chance, Ra's would cheerfully wipe out most of humanity, allegedly for the sake of saving the planet - there's a sense in his conflicts with Bruce Wayne (who he has already successfully identified as being the Batman) of mutual respect, not to mention a familial connection in the form of Damian Wayne, the son of Bruce and Ra's' daughter, Talia. Batman and Ra's remain bitter enemies but, well, it's complicated.

10. Omni-Man

The idea of an evil Superman isn't exclusive to Invincible's Omni-Man, even in our current pop culture landscape (we're looking at you, Homelander). But of all the inversions of Superman's archetype, Invincible's Omni-Man may be the most physically brutal and emotionally crushing, with a story that almost makes you want to root for the ultra-powerful Viltrumite conqueror.

Sent to Earth by his warlike conqueror society to take over the world and add it to their empire, Omni-Man's only weakness - and the only thing that stops him - is his strange, twisted love for his son. Of all the characters inspired by the Man of Steel who don't share his core morality, Omni-Man may be the most frightening and shocking.

9. Norman Osborn

A true villain finds a way to work his schemes and master plans no matter what conditions he's under, and that's what has made Norman Osborn rise through the ranks as not just arguably Spider-Man's top villain, but also one of the most daunting foes of the entire Marvel Universe, even able to go toe-to-toe with the Avengers at one point. 

Whether he's the Green Goblin, the director of HAMMER, or the leader of the Dark Avengers, Osborn looms large over the Marvel Universe. He's currently undergoing some rehab to the side of the angels as an ally and mentor to Peter Parker, but Marvel has been teasing the return of his maniacal dark side very soon - perhaps too soon for comfort.

8. Amanda Waller

Very much DC's big villain of the moment in the comics, Amanda Waller has also broken through into the mainstream in recent years thanks to appearances in the Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League game, and Viola Davis' commanding performance in the DCEU movies. "The Wall" isn't a straightforward baddy - over the years she's been both an enemy and an ally to DC's heroes - but as the head of Task Force X she's by nature a ruthless figure. 

Waller's ultimate aim is to rid the world of metahumans once and for all and she's increasingly driven to brutal and manipulative extremes in pursuit of that goal. Her schemes appear to be reaching something of a head at the moment with the upcoming Absolute Power event promising to push her villainy to new heights.

7. Red Skull

The Red Skull originated all the way back in the '40s as a symbol not just of comic book villainy, but of the real world evil of the Nazis during World War II. Created by France Herron, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, all of whom actually served in the war, as a nemesis for Captain America, the grinning death mask of the Red Skull represents a legacy far more sinister than most supervillains. 

And while multiple people have become the Skull aside from the original, Johann Schmidt, they all have in common a hatred for those they deem lesser and different, and a diabolical will to carry on the violent machinations of the Third Reich in the present day. It's hard to be more villainous than that.

6. Darkseid

There are more definitive Superman villains than Darkseid - Lex Luthor is a perennial thorn in Kal-El's side, while Doomsday succeeded in killing him (at least for a while). And yet no other foe strikes as much fear into the Man of Steel and his comrades in the Justice League than the Dread Lord of Apokolips. Darkseid - or Uxas, his given name - is incredibly powerful, fearsomely intelligent, and utterly ruthless in his quest to bend all of reality to his will. 

Created by the great Jack Kirby, Darkseid quickly established himself as a formidable foe in the writer/artist's legendary run on New Gods. Since then he's returned again and again, often delivering a serious ass-kicking to any heroes unlucky enough to cross his path, as seen recently in Batman/Superman: World's Finest.

5. Magneto

Calling Magneto simply a "villain" is a bit of a simplification. Over the years, Magneto's role in the Marvel Universe has varied significantly over the decades since his 1963 debut in X-Men #1, to the point where he's even been an out-and-out hero and member of the X-Men team. 

But most of Magneto's biggest moments, both in comics and in other media such as the classic X-Men animated series and the beloved original film franchise, have come when the mutant Master of Magnetism was acting specifically as a villain. Even in the times Magneto has joined the X-Men or shared their mission, he's carried an air of gravitas and menace that comes from his many years as the team's most ardent foe.

4. Thanos

In the Marvel Universe, the very utterance of the name Thanos is enough to send shivers up even the strongest superhero's spine - and the Mad Titan's sense of ominous terror has even seeped its way off the comic page and into wider pop culture thanks to his role in the Avengers movies. 

Strong enough to challenge all of Earth's Mightiest Heroes and all of their allies, with enough actual villainous follow through to successfully wipe out half of all life in the universe, Thanos is one of the few villains that has shown what it's like when the good guys actually lose. Not many bad guys can lay claim to a victory over the heroes that's so unequivocal it becomes a real world meme for years afterward.

3. The Joker

The Joker is one of those rare comic book characters who has gained a life and popularity so far outside his initial conception as a supervillain that he's practically become a symbol for a certain kind of madcap desperation with an all-too-serious society that forces us to resort to laughter to cope with the non-stop tragedy unfolding around us.

But long before he was the clown prince of memes, the Joker was a legitimately horrifying villain who developed into the perfect opposite number for Batman, embodying a sort of colorful chaos that makes him a true nemesis for the Dark Knight's stoic determination. And much like Batman himself, the Joker has been a malleable canvas for numerous interpretations over the years, all built around his tragically terrifying core concept.

2. Doctor Doom

Marvel's masked menace Doctor Doom is many things, in many guises: ruthless dictator, brilliant scientist, gifted magician, and all around villain par excellence. In many ways a leading man just as much as a nemesis to the Fantastic Four, Doom is something of an inversion of the pre-superhero pulp adventurer archetype, who turns the grinning "man of bronze" trope into a grimacing man of molten iron.

Part of what makes Doom such an appealing villain is that his sheer ability, his actual competence and skill, makes him exciting and engaging to readers even beyond his iconic visuals. But every time we get too close to Doom, he does something so unequivocally evil that it reminds us why he's a bad guy to begin with.

1. Lex Luthor

If there's one character that springs to mind the moment you read the word "supervillain," it's very likely Lex Luthor. Though his history is a bit more complex than many fans may realize, Superman's arch-enemy is almost as famous as the Man of Steel himself, even for people who aren't into superheroes at all, and he has been a key part of nearly every modern adaptation of the hero.

Part evil corporate overlord, part sinister super-scientist, and all arrogance, Luthor's character has come to be a poetic expression of humanity's modern day ills wrapped in a package of smug superiority. Luthor is not just a great foil for Superman, he's a perfect villain, even above and beyond his heroic counterpart.

Marvel's summer event Blood Hunt is now officially underway, and the crossover's many, many tie-ins are kicking off too, including Amazing Spider-Man #49 which sets up Spidey's role in Blood Hunt while also moving us closer to the fateful return of the Green Goblin in the much-anticipated #50.

But before that, Spider-Man has to deal with the vampires running amok in New York City, including a newly minted bloodsucker in his long time enemy White Rabbit, who has been one of Tombstone's enforcers and a member of the Sinister Syndicate in recent issues.

Check out a preview of interior pages from Amazing Spider-Man #49, written by Zeb Wells with art from John Romita, Jr., inker Scott Hanna, colorist Marcio Menyz, and letterer Joe Caramagna:

"A BLOOD HUNT TIE-IN! Vampires are running rampant through New York City and while the Avengers are caught in the middle, someone has to take care of the citizens of the Big Apple. That person? Yep, Spider-Man," reads Marvel's official description of Amazing Spider-Man #49. "But if only it were that simple. Things never are and this issue leads directly into Spider-Man's larger role in BLOOD HUNT!"

That last bit is referring to the upcoming Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt three issue limited series, which continues Spidey's part in the crossover in his own spin-off while leaving Amazing Spider-Man #50 and beyond to deal with the return of the Green Goblin, and Peter Parker's own apparent transformation into the so-called Spider-Goblin.

Amazing Spider-Man #50 goes on sale May 8.

Stay up to date on all the new Spider-Man comics Marvel has planned for release.