Spider-Man's secret sidekick Spider-Boy is getting his own spin-off title

Spider-Boy #1 cover art
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Spider-Man's long lost sidekick Spider-Boy is getting his own ongoing title from his co-creator writer Dan Slott and artist Paco Medina.

Spider-Boy was recently introduced at the conclusion of the first arc of Slott's current Spider-Man title with artist Mark Bagley, as a forgotten hero who has a whole lost history with Peter Parker. 

Now, Marvel is giving Bailey Briggs (Spider-Boy's real name) his own spin-off ongoing title which will focus on his personal arch-enemy, Madame Monstrosity, and the secrets of his strange past. Along the way, he'll also team up with Squirrel Girl.

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

"Spider-Man isn't supposed to have a sidekick. That's just wrong on so many levels. And that is exactly why we are going to have so much fun with this," Slott states in the announcement. "Both this character - and this new title - are going to break all the rules. Bailey Briggs is going to have over-the-top adventures in the Spider-Man corner of the Marvel Universe."

"He'll be facing off against a mix of both all-new villains and fan-favorite Spidey bad guys. The one thing we can promise you, whenever you pick up a copy of Spider-Boy, we are going to take the weirdest and wildest swings with every single story!" he continues. "Our goal is to get every reader to ask two questions: 'What in the hell did I just read?!' and 'When is the NEXT one coming out?!'"

Slott has created a sidekick for Spider-Man before - the short-lived character Alpha, a teen who briefly became Spider-Man's sidekick after gaining incredible powers, until he was too annoying to Peter Parker for him to keep hanging around.

"When I found out that I was taking charge of Spider-Boy, I was GREATLY excited because of the possibilities of the character. Aesthetically, there's so much to do with him. Every character gets their action poses to be their personal signature," series artist Paco Medina states.

"This time I'm working on something cool and specific for Spider-Boy, something that gives him a light of his own," he continues. "On the other hand, I'll be working with Dan which is fantastic. His limitless imagery is what such a fresh character needs, it just makes me think of all the things we can do together and what I can bring to the table."

Spider-Boy #1 goes on sale November 1 with a cover from Humberto Ramos.

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

George Marston

I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011. 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)