Spider-Man has been around since 1962, which means we've seen him fall into countless traps from countless villains before. Black Cat alone has tricked the hero more than he'd probably care to admit, and that's without bringing up Mysterio into the discussion. However, more often than not, the hero falls to the schemes of ruthless antagonists. So, what would happen if history were to repeat itself, except that the one to betray the wall-crawler was the one closest to him?
The Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) comic book series has reimagined its titular character in a way few other projects have done before. Peter is now married to Mary Jane and is the father of Mary and Richard Parker. But in a shocking twist of events, the former "bonded" with his father's advanced Picho tech suit, and has been swinging around New York City as the one and only Venom.
Granted, the similarities to the Lethal Protector haven't gone past the name and the evil-looking suit with creepy tendrils. In reality, Richard is a good guy who has been helping Peter keep the city in check and free from bad guys. However, all good things must come to an end, and this "collaboration" might be put to the test sooner than anticipated.
Spider-Man's son, Richard, might need to turn his father in to the Kingpin
The things we do for love. Richard Parker was living a happy and "normal" superhero life until he met Felicia Hardy. The two quickly became friends, and Richard was hoping that their relationship could eventually evolve into something bigger. However, his plan was momentarily halted after Kraven the Hunter discovered Spider-Man's true identity (along with that of the Green Goblin, who had been aiding the wall-crawler), and Peter's whole world collapsed.
See, Kraven wasn't working alone. He's part of the Ultimate Universe's version of the Sinister Six, so as soon as he learned Peter is behind the mask, the whole supervillain team had this information as well. Knowing that the bad guys suddenly knew who exactly to target, Peter took his wife and kids and ran away from New York City. Since that moment, Richard has been eager to see Black Cat again in person, without caring for the fact that she is also a member of the Sinister Six.
Back in New York, things haven't been going smoothly either. Remember how the Green Goblin was on Spidey's side? Well, he waged a war on the Kingpin and his whole sinister operation. But since the task proved to be too much for one person alone, he joined forces with his wife, Gwen Stacy (who also happens to be Mysterio). The dynamic duo directly attacked Mister Negative's operation, but the situation quickly went sideways, and a bomb exploded in the process — endangering hundreds of civilians.
Realizing that the wall-crawler is also needed to "safely" bring the fight against Wilson Fisk, Harry calls Peter and asks him to come out of hiding. The initial plan was for Spidey alone to go back to New York, while the rest of his family remained in hiding. However, Richard took this opportunity to use his suit's camouflage abilities, catch a flight back home, and meet with Felicia Hardy, who asked for her "boyfriend's help" with a serious matter.
Unfortunately for Richard, it all proved to be a setup. When he arrived at the location Felicia indicated, the Kingpin and Bullseye were there. Fisk then tells "Venom" that he shouldn't be worried, as long as he cooperates. And what does the supervillain want? For the son to turn his father in, of course. As simple as that, Richard is put in the middle of a big dilemma that will surely test his relationship with Peter.
So will Venom do the right thing and stand up against the Kingpin of crime? Or will he honor his code name and betray the spider? Well, there's only one way to find out.
Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) No. 19 will be released on Jul. 30, 2025.