Comic books and superheroes have become an integral part of pop culture today. There is no lack of variety in the genre, especially with comic adaptations going stronger than ever. Out of all of the superheroes famous today, Spider-Man is still one of the most, if not the most, beloved superhero of fans all over the world. He has charmed everyone with his sarcastic and witty personality and a heart of gold. Though that is not the only version of the Spider-Man we all know and love, today, we will be taking a look at the Top 10 amazing versions of Spider-Man from the Multiverse.
Top 10 Amazing Versions of Spider-Man from the Multi-verse:
Peter Parker
Peter Parker happens to be the most infamous version of Spider-Man that most people are familiar with. He is known for his weirdly endearing nerdy charisma and sarcastic persona, which he flawlessly blends into his role as Spider-Man.
He was raised by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben after his parents’ death. At a science expo, when bitten by a radioactive spider, Peter gains superhuman strength and spider-like abilities. After his Uncle Ben’s murder, Peter vows to find the murderer and bring him to justice. All throughout his story, he always keeps his uncle’s saying “With great power, comes great responsibility” in mind and tries to always honour it.
Spider-Gwen
In this alternate universe, Peter Parker’s friend Gwen Stacy is the one who is bitten by a genetically-engineered spider. This resulted in Gwen developing spider-sense and other arachnid powers and accepting the mantle of Spider-Woman.
Gwen’s journey in this universe is full of tumultuous ups and downs, which makes it all the more interesting. She has to prove herself worthy of the title of Spider-Woman and all that it implies over the course of her story. A recent version of Spider-Woman was seen in the Academy Award-winning film, ‘Into the Spider-Verse’.
Miles Morales
Miles Morales, much like Peter Parker, is a young kid living in New York, trying to lead a normal life. Once, while visiting his uncle, Aaron Davis, Miles gets bitten by a spider enhanced by the Oz formula. This resulted in Miles gaining abilities that allow him to become invisible, and conduct electricity, along with the usual spider-like abilities.
But seeing as Peter Parker’s Spider-Man in Miles’ world is still alive, he chooses to not let this affect his goal of being a normal teenager. However, in a cruel turn of fate, Spider-Man is killed. Out of guilt at not being able to save him, Miles takes on the mantle of Spider-Man and tries his best to live up to his legacy. Miles Morales was featured as the main character in the Oscar-winning animated movie, ‘Into the Spider-Verse (2018)’.
Spider-Man Noir
This version of Peter Parker belongs to Earth 90214, a noir universe, set in New York during the Great Depression. Peter works as an investigative and holds righteous beliefs cultivated in him by his aunt and uncle.
After the death of his uncle, Peter sets out to investigate his murder and find justice. During this very investigation, Peter gets bitten by an incredibly venomous spider unleashed from the idol of a Spider God who then appears in Peter’s vision and promises him powers. This incident leaves Peter with superhuman strength, arachnid superpowers and a new-found will to punish the people responsible for his uncle’s death.
Spider-Man Noir later also went on to fight Nazi Germany and was a part of some crossovers. The Spider-Man Noir comics are ripe with mystery and intrigue along with a healthy dosage of action. We also got the chance to see this version of Spider-Man in the 2018 hit animated movie, ‘Into The Spider-Verse’.
Spider-Ham
What sets Spider-Ham from all the other Spider-Men is the fact that he is not a man at all. Also unlike the other versions of Spider-Man, Peter was a spider first and was transformed into a pig after being bitten by May Porker, a scientist pig.
After his transformation, Peter still retained the abilities of a spider, gained super-strength and used these to become a hero who fought for justice. This version of Spider-Man is a bit of a parody and also appeared in the film, ‘Into The Spider-Verse (2018)
Superior Spider-Man
While we may all know Dr. Otto Ocatvius as one of the most formidable villains that Spider-Man has had to face, there is an alternate universe where this villain actually becomes the hero. In a strange turn of events, Dr. Otto Octavius and Peter Parker switch bodies and minds. As a result, Peter’s mind dies with Dr. Otto’s body while he lives on in Peter Parker’s body.
Though this switch does come with an epiphany on Dr. Otto Octavius’ part and allows him to understand the true meaning of the notion of “With great power, comes great responsibility”. This version of Spider-Man provides an interesting perspective on his character.
Pavitr Prabhakar
This version of Spider-Man from Earth 50101 may not be as famous as his western counterparts, but Pavitr Prabhakar is just as amazing. Pavitr’s story follows Peter with one major difference – it is set in India. After his parent’s death, Pavitr moves in with his Aunt Maya and Uncle Bhim. Pavitr’s source of power also differs from the other Spider-Men, as it does not come from a spider but from a yogi.
Pavitr’s story is the same as Peter’s, just with some interesting desi twists. He fought the villains, Nalin Oberoi (a counterpart of Norman Osborne) and Dr. Octopus, and was also a part of the iconic crossover.
Silk
Silk is a Korean-American superhero, an alternate version of Spider-Man from the main universe. Even though her origin began along with Peter as Cindy Moon was bitten by the same spider that was responsible for Peter’s becoming Spider-man, her powers did not manifest until later.
Silk’s super-strength may not be on par with Peter’s Spider-Man, but her remarkably sensitive spider-sense more than makes up for it. Moreover, Silk is able to produce spider-webs from her fingertips without any assistance from technology.
Spider-Ma’am
We all know May Parker as Peter’s lovable and doting aunt. However, many people do not know that, in an alternate universe, she carried out the responsibility often carried by her nephew.
When May Parker visited Peter’s science demonstration to drop off the lunch he forgot, she was bitten by a radioactive, immediately developing spider-like abilities. May Parker used her new-found powers to keep her family safe from any kind of danger and was once a part of a crossover as well.
Patton Parnel
Patton Parnel’s Spider-Man follows an unusually dark story. A disturbed young boy, Patton, lived with his abusive uncle and conducted experiments on helpless animals. When his neighbour, Sara Jane, asks him for help in freeing the animals trapped in a laboratory, Patton becomes fascinated by a giant, grotesque red spider. The spider then bites Patton and his spider-like tendencies come out over time.
Instead of donning on a Spider-Suit like all his other counterparts, Patton turned into a giant spider with pincers. This version of Spider-Man is not like others and doesn’t really follow their philosophy of justice. The stories of all these versions of Spider-Man from the multi-verse are equal parts thrilling and equal parts inspiring. It is amazing to see how the people’s beloved hero exists in other universes and how their story goes under different circumstances.
Also Read: James Matthew Barrie and His Greatest Work of Fiction ‘Peter Pan’
