Spider-Verse Field Guide: Know Your Spiders

Spider-Man

Miles Morales, Earth-1610

You can also call him Ultimate Spider-Man, though Miles wouldn’t refer to himself that way, especially since we see him for the first time in Spider-Verse wondering aloud if he’s the worst Spider-Man ever.

Morales was bitten by a spider that was hopped up on the blood of the Ultimate Universe’s (deceased) Peter Parker, giving him powers similar to the original but with a less useful Spider-Sense and the addition of both camouflage and an electrical venom strike.

Despite his occasional bouts of self-doubt, Miles has made the role of Spider-Man his own, helping to defend his Earth from several world-threatening calamities, including the mainstream Marvel universe’s Galactus. He’s had his share of loss, losing both his mom and uncle and straining his relationship with his dad, but he appears determined to carry on doing the right thing.

Spider-Woman

Jessica Drew, Earth-1610

Because a guy can never have too many clones, the Ultimate Universe version of Jessica Drew is a clone of Peter Parker. How can a male have a female clone without it being an oxymoron? It has something to do with keeping the cells the same and just changing the chromosomes. Would that work in real life? You’d have to ask someone more up on biology than me.

Anyway, this Jess did work for the CIA before using her world’s Parker as inspiration and doing the costumed hero thing. She’s a friend to Miles Morales, helping convince him to return to his role as Spider-Man after giving it up for a year.

Quick Bites – Other Spiders We’ve Seen:

• Spider-Man Noir (Peter Parker, Earth-90214) – This Peter grew up in the 1930s and is inspired by pulp heroes. His powers are also mystical in nature instead of scientific. His first official Spider-Verse appearance comes assisting a six-armed Spider-Man from an unknown Earth.
• Mangaverse Spider-Man (Peter Parker, Earth-2301) – The last surviving member of a clan of ninjas, we see him don his mask after a year out of the life to confront his world’s Venom before getting recruited to help in the battle against the Inheritors.
• Lady Spider (May Reilly, Earth-803) – May keeps her world safe from steampunk villains gathered together as the Six Men of Sinestry in the year 1895. She uses an exoskeleton that she’s apparently built herself.
• Spider-Girl (Penelope Parker, Earth-11) – A luckless, self-described weirdo student, Penny is bitten by a spider in a world of adorably cute art. Morlun better leave her world alone!