Spider-Verse

Superhero comic fans love alternate universes and the doppelgangers that reside within, which is part of the reason that Dan Slott and Olivier Coipel's "Spider-Verse" was such a hit. To celebrate the many incarnations of the webhead, Mondo have just released two limited edition prints by DKNG, along with a set of Spider-Verse themed enamel pins by Tom Whalen featuring Peter, Miles and Gwen.

We Love Fine has launched a new collection of Spider-Verse-inspired apparel, featuring a selection of cardigans, leggings, a Spider-Gwen hoodie, and even a Spider-Woman moto jacket in the style of Kris Anka's redesign for Jessica Drew's Spidey alter-ego. Created by costume designer Catherine Elhoffer, the We Love Fine x Spider-Verse collaboration combines wearable design with the iconic stylings of Spider-Man, Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Woman, and Silk. Although Spider-Men are featured in a couple pieces of apparel, the Spider-Verse collection focuses on the current costume designs worn by Spider-Gwen, Spider-Woman, and Silk, which is no surprise considering the popularity of these characters and their distinctive looks.

If there's one thing we've learned from our years on the Internet, it's that there's no aspect of comics that can't be broken down and quantified in a single definitive list, preferably in amounts of five or ten. And since there's no more definitive authority than ComicsAlliance, we're taking it upon ourselves to compile lists of everything you could ever want to know about comics. This week, as Marvel's Spider-Verse crossover rolls on, we sift through the mountains of radioactive spider bites to pick the five best alternate versions of the Amazing Spider-Man, from the pig that brought us Captain Americat to a shockingly popula

Gwen Stacy was meant to stay dead. Her death back in 1973 in Amazing Spider-Man #121, by Gerry Conway and Gil Kane, was a mark of maturation for the genre, a sign that superhero comics were ready to embrace more sophisticated storytelling. Her death became as defining to Spider-Man's story as that of his Uncle Ben. It could never be undone. But there's no such thing as "never" in superhero fiction. Gwen Stacy is back -- sort of. The character's debut as another reality's Spider-Woman in Edge of Spider-Verse #2 by writer Jason Latour, artist Robbi Rodriguez, and colorist Rico Renzi was so well received that the character will spin off into her own ongoing series, Spider-Gwen -- created by the same team, and set in a world where Peter Parker is just as dead as Gwen Stacy is in the main Marvel Universe. ComicsAlliance spoke to Latour, Rodriguez, and Renzi, to find out more about their plans -- and their response to Spider-Gwen's new-found popularity.

We live in a time of awesome superhero costumes in comics. The rise and rise of cosplay culture, the emergence of comic artists with a savvy understanding of fashion, and the slow diversification that's making heroes palatable to a broader audience, have all contributed to a costuming culture with more to offer than capes and pants. Superhero costumes have always been an asset to the industry, because iconography helps establish character and create a brand. But the value of costumes in reaching audiences and reinventing characters seems to be recognized now as never before, leading to the rise of artist-designers like Jamie McKelvie and Kris Anka, who don't even need to be on a particular book in order to be called in to make-over the characters. This is a great leap forward in understanding just what a good costume can do -- and the special skills required to do it.

If you weren't already sold on writer Jason Latour (Southern Bastards) and artist Robbi Rodriguez (FBP) doing a re-imagining of Gwen Stacy in which she is a new version of Spider-Woman in Edge of Spider-Verse #2, what if I offered you this to sweeten the deal: Gwen is the drummer in a band, they're called the Mary Janes, and they have a song that ruminates on Mary Jane Watson's classic "Face it tiger, you just hit the jackpot" line from Amazing Spider-Man #42. Wait, you thought Gwen Stacy was dead, right? Edge of Spider-Verse is a prelude to Marvel's Spider-Verse event, which brings in "every Spider-Man ever," including versions from alternate universes, to fight a common threat. This version of Gwen Stacy is one of those alternate universe characters. Possessing her own spider-powers and a rad costume, she's already been a hit with Spidey fans based on the few images seen so far.

The annual Women Of Marvel panel at San Diego Comic-Con is always one of the most positive places to spend Sunday morning at the show. This year it plays host to Marvel's final Spider-Verse announcement of the weekend, with the news that writer Dennis Hopeless and artist Greg Land will oversee a new Spider-Woman ongoing series launching out of the Spider-Verse event in November.

Marvel's Spider-Verse panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday saw the announcement of two new mini series spinning out of the multi-dimensional event. In Scarlet Spiders, a trio of spider-clones come together for a potential suicide mission, while Spider-Verse Team Up features multiple Spider-Men from multiple Spider-Man creators.

Next month, Otto Octavius will once again don the red-and-black tights and highly reflective lenses of his Spider-Man costume in Superior Spider-Man #32 by Dan Slott, Christos Gage, Giuseppe Camunicoli and Adam Kubert. There's just one major problem with that: Octavius was inhabiting Peter Parker's body when he was Spider-Man, and Peter has that back now. He is the sole owner of his own body. So how in the world could the Doc Ock Spider-Man's title come back? The easy answer, of course, is simply "comics," but let's explore some of the possible explanations, shall we?

One of the things I love most about Spider-Man (and let me tell you, there's a lot I love about Spider-Man) is how adaptable the character is to different situations, settings, and even different characters taking on the role. Amazing Spider-Man writer Dan Slott and an assembled team of writers and artists are picking up that ball and running with it in the upcoming "Spider-Verse" event, and they're getting a little bit of a head start with what they're calling "Edge of Spider-Verse," a series of one-issue stories that introduce readers to the various iterations of Spider Men and Women. Marvel has released solicitations for the first three issues of the five-issue series, which feature Spider-Man Noir, a new spin on Spider-Woman, and a futuristic Spider-Man who wears a helmet (and who probably isn't from 2099).