Enter the Multiverse: Every Major Spider-Man Variant & Their History

GayNrd Editors October 12, 2021

Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in 1962, Spider-Man has become one of the most beloved superheroes in entertainment. But you may be surprised to learn that Peter Parker is not always the one under the mask. In the comics, there are numerous alternate realities known as the Multiverse. Each universe features their own Spider-Man variant with unique powers and twists on the radioactive spider origin.

The Multiverse format allows Marvel’s writers to test out interesting new storylines and iterations of Spider-Man without impacting the main continuity (Earth-616). Originally, these Spider-Man variants were depicted as separate from one another, but they have teamed up in the same universe before. This was seen most recently in the animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

The possibility of seeing multiple, live-action web-slingers team up together on the big screen for the first time has Marvel fans hyped to new levels. Thanks to a leak by Hollywood Reporter, we’ve learned that former villains Doc Ock (Spider-Man 2) and Electro (The Amazing Spider-Man 2) are appearing in the upcoming film ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’, despite existing in different cinematic universes. This leaves fans wondering, will the villain’s corresponding Spider-Man characters also appear on screen?

It’s the prevailing theory among Marvel fans, who are eager to possibly see former Spidey actors Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield reprise their roles alongside current Spider-Man, Tom Holland. The hype for multiple Spideys to share the screen has been further exacerbated by Sony and Marvel who withheld an official trailer for the film despite its fast-approaching December release.

There are plenty of other Spider-Men to choose from the comics as well, from Spider-Gwen to Spider-Man Noir. To help you get up to speed before the new movie, we’ve broken down the most iconic Spider-Man characters of all-time.