Marvel and Fortnite pay homage to Secret Wars with a new Spider-Man costume

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'The first Venom costume' is what your brain is looking for if you didn't recognize it immediately

Fortnite X Marvel: Zero War promo art
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Marvel and Fortnite's Zero War crossover comic launches on June 8, and those who pick up a copy will be introduced to a new Fortnite Spider-Man Zero costume which they'll then be able to wear in-game while playing Fortnite thanks to a special code included with Fortnite X Marvel: Zero War #1. 

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

And speaking of that new costume, it makes its debut in a newly released promo image from Ron Lim and Israel Silva which pays homage to Mike Zeck's famous cover to Secret Wars #8, the issue which introduced Spider-Man's black costume which turned out to be the symbiote that would eventually become Venom.

Fortnite X Marvel: Zero War will run for five issues, and is written by well-known Marvel writer Christos Gage along with Fortnite developer Epic Games' chief creative officer Donald Mustard, with art from Sergio Davila. 

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The story crosses between the Fortnite X Marvel: Zero War comic as well as the Fortnite video game, with each side of the story complementing the other to form a full picture - though Marvel assures readers and gamers that each side of the story exists as its own narrative. 

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

There's more to Fortnite X Marvel: Zero War's Secret Wars-themed promo art than just Spider-Man getting a new costume. The original Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars limited series from 1985 was one of Marvel Comics' first successful efforts at creating a comic that would tie into other consumer products and media from its inception. 

Secret Wars was co-created by then Marvel editor-in-chief Jim Shooter and executives from the Mattel toy company, who also produced a line of toys based specifically on the concept of Secret Wars, the same way other popular toys of the day, such as Masters of the Universe and Thundercats were based on cartoons that effectively advertised the toys.

Fortnite X Marvel: Zero War continues that tradition with its crossover story, and even more specifically with Spider-Man's new costume which will debut in both the comic book and the video game at the same time.

Fortnite X Marvel: Zero War #1 goes on sale June 8.

Fortnite X Marvel: Zero War brings together comics and video games - a longstanding tradition. These are the best video game comics of all time.

George Marston
George Marston
Entertainment Writer

I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011, and now I'm the Entertainment Writer at GamesRadar+. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)