The Avengers and X-Men are undoubtedly the most iconic teams in Marvel lore, but now they’re about to have competition. Marvel just debuted a new team, with the explicit aim of equaling Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
The Avengers and X-Men are Marvel’s most famous teams, but they’re arguably not the most powerful. The Eternals boast a hundred-strong army of godlike beings, while the Defenders boast four of the most powerful Marvel heroes – Hulk, Doctor Strange, Silver Surfer and Namor – as core members.
Despite that fact, it’s the Avengers and X-Men who save the world time after time. That’s due to a number of factors, and makes rising to their level an immense challenge. However, if anyone is going to do it, it’s going to be the team Marvel just assembled…
Marvel Is Turning the Spider-Versity into the Next Avengers
In yesterday’s The Amazing Spider-Man: Spider-Versity #1 – from Joe Kelly, Jordan Morris, Pere Pérez, Guru-eFX and Joe Sabino – various Spider-Man spin-off characters gather together into a new team. Having founded this ‘Spider-Versity’ team, Miles explains, “if we trained together, we could be on the same level as the Avengers or the X-Men.”
Marvel’s various Spider-Heroes aren’t known for working in concert outside massive, Spider-Verse-wide conflicts that threaten reality itself. However, as Miles points out, they have more than enough members for an Avengers-style team. The only problem is that they’re not ready for the responsibility.
As recent adventures – and a surprise training exercise by Osborn – have proved, Earth-616’s Spider-Heroes are incredibly powerful, but they suck at acting as a unit. Miles and Osborn’s Spider-Versity aims to change that. The team are based out of an actual university, operating out of Harry Osborn Hall – constructed by Norman to honor his fallen son.
In the Spider-Versity, these heroes will learn to hone their powers, pushing their abilities to new levels and training together as a team.
Do Spider-Man’s Spin-Off Heroes Have the Firepower to Justify an Avengers Comparison?
So could the Spider-Versity heroes ever actually measure up to the Avengers or X-Men? In terms of popularity, it’s possible. Spider-Man is Marvel’s flagship character, and the number of spider-themed spin-off characters is a result of relentless fan interest in the franchise. A Spider-Hero-based team could indeed have legs if Marvel actually supports this new series longterm.
But what about their powers? One of the big advantages the Avengers and X-Men have is the variation in their members. The Avengers come from drastically different corners of the Marvel Universe, while the X-Men have wildly different powers. How do the Spider-Versity heroes compare?
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The Amazing Spider-Man: Spider-Versity Team Members |
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Codename |
Real Name |
Powers |
Additional Abilities/Details |
First Appearance |
Role |
|
N/A (Formerly the Green Goblin and recently the Resolute Spider-Man) |
Norman Osborn |
Enhanced physiology and superstrength |
Genius scientist, utilizes inventions including Goblin Bombs and Goblin Glider |
1964’s Amazing Spider-Man #14 |
Teacher/Founder |
|
Spider-Woman |
Jessica Drew |
Enhanced physiology, pheromone control and powerful ‘venom’ blasts |
Trained spy and fighter |
1976’s Marvel Spotlight #32 |
Teacher |
|
Spider-Man |
Miles Morales |
Classic Spider-Powers + ‘venom’ energy blasts and camouflage/invisibility |
Recently learned to forge ‘venom’ energy into a sword. Can focus spider-sense to see through walls. |
2011’s Ultimate Fallout #4 |
Student/Founder |
|
Silk |
Cindy Moon |
Classic Spider-Powers + organic webbing |
Can sense Peter Parker anywhere in the world, due to being bitten by the same spider |
2014’s Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 3 #1 |
Student |
|
Aña Corazón |
Araña |
Classic Spider-Powers + magic |
Skilled hacker, utilizes unique grappling hooks/bolas |
2004’s Amazing Fantasy Vol. 2 #1 |
Student |
|
Ghost-Spider (aka Spider-Gwen) |
Gwen Stacy |
Classic Spider-Powers |
Experienced at traveling the multiverse |
2014’s Edge of Spider-Verse #2 |
Student |
|
Spider-Boy |
Bailey Briggs |
Classic Spider-Powers + venomous fangs, spider-like physiology, control over spiders, precognitive spider-sense |
Spider-Boy’s spider-sense is so advanced, he can sense who will need help before danger occurs |
2023’s Spider-Man Vol. 4 #7 |
Student |
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Spider-Girl |
Makawalu Akana |
Classic Spider-Powers + can mimic powers and knowledge of anyone she makes eye contact with |
Trained as an assassin by Bullseye |
2024’s Spider-Boy Vol. 2 #11 |
Student |
This is likely to be the big problem faced by this new team – their powers are very similar, with Peter Parker having acted as a blueprint for most of the characters on the roster. However, there is still some significant variation among them.
As Norman Osborn points out, Spider-Girl is “the most powerful person in this place.” Spider-Girl is a mutant character who can mimic the skills and powers of any superhuman. On top of that, she permanently possesses Spider-Powers after imprinting on Spider-Boy. That makes her an immense source of variety all by herself.
Similarly, Araña is a gifted magic user, with Osborn criticizing her for not studying the discipline more. If she delves more into mysticism, that would again set her apart from the powers of the other team members. Even outside actual superpowers, Osborn has the resources and know-how to equip different members with custom gadgets suited to their powers, similar to Spider-Woman’s motorbike.
While the Spider-Heroes may all connect their powers back to the idea of being a ‘Spider-Totem’ in the wider multiverse, that’s similar to all mutants gaining their powers from the X-Gene. Indeed, it gives them some common enemies like the Inheritors and the wasp goddess Shathra to fill out their lore.
It’s also worth noting that there’s a spread of personalities already present – deadly antihero Spider-Girl, naive rookie Spider-Boy, cynical mentor Spider-Woman and dedicated leader Miles Morales. On top of that, Marvel can tap any of a hundred pre-existing Spider-Heroes to build out the team and change their dynamic, from the Wolverine-esque Weapon VIII to the stylish Web-Weaver to the mech-suited Peni Parker.
Can This Spider-Man Spin-Off Team Really Become the New Avengers?
Many fans have been quick to dismiss the potential of the Spider-Versity team, especially with Marvel’s recent habit of canceling new series at the first sign of trouble. However, every big franchise started somewhere, and the existing appeal of the Spider-Man franchise is more of an advantage than the X-Men ever had in making it big.
With an iconic (former) villain leading them, a compelling balance of personalities, and the ability to quickly diversify powers, Spider-Versity really does have the potential to produce a team to rival the Avengers and X-Men… if Marvel can commit to supporting the title long enough for the Spider-Man spin-off to bloom.
The Amazing Spider-Man: Spider-Versity #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.
- First Appearance
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Amazing Fantasy
- Alias
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Peter Parker, Ben Reilly, Otto Octavius, Yu Komori, Kaine Parker, Pavitr Prabhakar, William Braddock, Miles Morales, Kurt Wagner
- Alliance
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Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Secret Defenders, Future Foundation, Heroes for Hire, Mighty Avengers, New Avengers, Web-Warriors
- Race
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Human
