Marvel Comics has announced Spider-Versity, a five-issue miniseries by Joe Kelly, Jordan Morris, and Pere Pérez, starring Norman Osborn, Spider-Woman, Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen, and more. Spinning out of Kelly’s Amazing Spider-Man run, the book continues the original Green Goblin’s redemption arc with a story where he and Jessica Drew take on the role of mentors to the new generation of Spider-Heroes.
Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen, Silk, Araña, Spider-Boy and Spider-Girl have one thing in common – THEY AREN’T READY. According to former Resolute Spider-Man NORMAN OSBORN. So he and Spider-Woman are going to TRAIN THEM to meet the next threat – the only way the Green Goblin knows how. Because the next threat might well BE the Green Goblin!
In an IGN exclusive, Kelly explains, “Spider-Versity spins directly out of the events of Amazing Spider-Man, and Norman has a definitive threat in mind that he’s trying to protect the young Spiders against. One he knows intimately. But even for a master planner like Norman, things may perhaps go awry, and the kids will face some unexpected threats. Nothing like learning on the job!”
Morris says, “Norman is a fascinating character, truly one of the great comic book villains of all time. I’m trying to look at him like Pete[r Parker] would. Norman has done so many terrible things, many of them to Pete specifically, but Pete believes in people and their ability to be their best selves. When I’ve been writing for Norman, I’ve been trying to summon my inner Pete and view this guy not as one of the worst villains in history, but as someone who has made mistakes, identified them as mistakes and is actively trying to change. I think there’s something heroic about taking steps to be a better person and I want to give Norman credit for that.”
He adds he is “beyond stoked to be working with Pere [Pérez] on this book! I’m such a fan of his work on Marvel’s recent TVA miniseries. His team-up action is awesome and his characters are so wonderfully expressive. So far he’s nailing not only the thwip-heavy Spider fight scenes but the comedy and drama bits as well. I can’t wait for readers to see this gorgeous book!” For more, including Morris on Gwen Stacy and Jessica Drew’s roles in the book, head to IGN.
Spider-Versity will arrive during a lull for Miles, whose ongoing series is going on hiatus after Miles Morales: Spider-Man #42 on January 28. It is Morris’s second series at Marvel, following Predator: Bloodshed (starting February 25); he is also writing a new Web of Venom one-shot, which will reveal the new red-and-white Venom symbiote host’s on April 8.
Issue #1 will be released with covers by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Todd Nauck on April 22, the same day Kelly and Ed McGuinness’s Amazing Spider-Man #27 will conclude the “Death Spiral” crossover with Peter apparently succumbing to the darkness.
