Two Hated Spider-Man Comics Might Be The Key To Brand New Day
One fan's trash might just be the MCU's treasure.
With the exception of Superman and Batman, no comic book character has had the kind of recurring cinematic success that Spider-Man has. In just 24 years, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s most famous creation has appeared in eight live-action films (plus MCU guest appearances) and gone through three reboots, not to mention a host of animated projects and TV shows. Part of that success is due to Spider-Man’s longevity on the page, which has given him 65 years of intricate comic book canon to explore on-screen.
So far, the MCU has strayed away from direct adaptations of specific storylines (except for loosely introducing the concept of the Spider-Verse), instead preferring to remix them or go with original plotlines featuring classic villains tailored for Marvel’s cinematic universe. The Vulture ended up being an aggrieved blue-collar cleanup worker, Mysterio sold himself to Peter as a reality-hopping hero, and the villains of No Way Home aren’t multiversal vampires but an interdimensional version of the Sinister Six.
There’s not one specific text being adapted, but rather a variety of concepts being cut into puzzle pieces that can fit within the larger jigsaw of the MCU. Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the start of Tom Holland’s next trilogy, looks like it’s breaking that trend, though, very obviously taking inspiration from two major 2000s storylines that weren’t exactly acclaimed when they first released.
While the biggest point of speculation regarding Brand New Day remains the identity of Sadie Sink’s mysterious antagonist, other mysteries abound, too, and arguably the second most discussed is the nature of the transformation Peter is undergoing. The updated synopsis for the movie hints at a “change in Peter he may not have the power to control,” one spurred on by the stress of being Spider-Man and losing his friends after No Way Home. The most popular assumption is that the movie will see Peter temporarily transform into Man-Spider, a feral, mutated state that sees him grow an additional four arms. But based on what we see in the trailer, it’s more likely that his transformation will pay homage to the 2005-2006 12-issue arc known as “The Other.”
A status quo reset for the character, “The Other” throws Peter through a brutal crucible that sees him shot by a robotic villain named Tracer and mortally wounded by the interdimensional vampire Morlun, all the while reeling from a mysterious radiation-based illness that’s slowly destroying him. Ultimately, Peter succumbs to his ailments and dies, only to be resurrected by an ancient spider-deity known as the Great Weaver, who encourages Peter not to neglect his animalistic spider instincts.
This revelation prompts a drastic change in Peter, one that sees him cocoon himself on the Brooklyn Bridge and emerge completely rejuvenated with new powers, including retractable stingers, night-vision, and, in an attempt to build synergy with the Raimi films, organic webbing.
Brand New Day’s trailer all but confirms that Peter will get organic webbing — hopefully without all the trauma 616 Peter had to go through.
“The Other” was controversial for a few reasons, notably as part of a concentrated effort by Marvel Comics to retcon Spider-Man’s origin into a cosmically predetermined affair, which many fans believe defeated the point of Peter Parker being randomly given his powers. There are also many readers who simply dislike the convenience of organic webbing, a reliable alternative to the fallible quality of mechanical web-shooters. However, that storyline is a masterpiece compared to the reception of the other arc that the upcoming movie seems to be pulling from: 2007’s widely hated four-part crossover “One More Day.”
Technically, “One More Day” was already loosely adapted in Spider-Man: No Way Home — the central thrust involves Peter Parker making a deal with the demon Mephisto, sacrificing his decades-long marriage to Mary-Jane Watson in exchange for saving Aunt May’s life from a fatal gunshot wound. Instead of a demonic pact that literally changes canon history, No Way Home’s climax opts to have Peter and Dr. Strange cast a spell that causes everyone on Earth to forget Peter’s secret identity, including his girlfriend, Michelle, and his best friend, Ned Leeds. Brand New Day will mostly engage with the aftermath of that spell, and the social and emotional toll weighing on a Peter Parker who once again finds himself completely alone.
Spider-Man’s decision to make a deal with the literal Devil is widely considered one of the worst bits of writing in the character’s 60+ year history.
While neither storyline was well-received, the way the MCU is borrowing from both could be a perfect reset for Tom Holland’s version of the character. From the moment he debuted in Spider-Man: Homecoming, a common criticism of his depiction was his overreliance on advanced technology. In a way, organic webbing and new powers would be the perfect solution to this issue, giving Peter a level-up to compensate for no longer being able to depend on Stark tech.
There’s also the character drama that stems from an adaptation of “One More Day.” Unlike erasing 20 years' worth of comic book canon in an extremely out-of-character way, having Peter suffer through the consequences of his own selflessness is a clever way to engage with the classic “Parker luck,” and also add some pathos to a version of Spider-Man that’s spent most of his time cleaning up other people’s messes. There’s always a chance that Brand New Day could end with Michelle rediscovering his identity or any mutated powers being reversed, but if the MCU truly wants this to be the start of both a new trilogy and a new approach to the character, then they’ll stick to their guns and use these less-than-stellar storylines as a way to do something drastic with Spidey on-screen.
