Web of Spider-Man is a superhero comic series by Marvel Comics, the first volume of which was a Long Runner published between 1985 and 1995, with an equally long list of writers, including Louise Simonson, Danny Fingeroth, David Michelinie, Peter David, Larry Lieber, Dwight Jon Zimmerman, Bob Layton, Jim Owsley, J. M. DeMatteis, Ann Nocenti, Jim Shooter, Gerry Conway, Fabian Nicieza, Steve Gerber, Maddie Blaustein, Richard Howell, John Byrne, Tony Isabella, Terry Kavanagh, Kurt Busiek, Howard Mackie, and Todd DeZago. Taking place alongside the events of The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1), the book has Spider-Man face off against a variety of old and new opponents.
A second volume was published from 2009 to 2010.
In 2024, a third volume was released.
Web of Spider-Man provides examples of the following tropes:
Web of Spider-Man (Vol. 1)
- Alas, Poor Yorick: In Web of Spider-Man Annual #1, Spidey holds the head of a robot he just defeated, purportedly because he's impressed with the advanced technology and design.
- Another Side, Another Story: Issue #29 occurs almost concurrently with "Amazing Spider-Man" #289, after Ned Leeds's death.
- Bedlam House: Post-Maximum Carnage, a recurring subplot was Dr. Ashley Kafka cooperating with an US politician to reestablish Ravencroft. The politician agrees and places her at its director, and Kafka takes the chance to hire John Jameson as her future head of security.
- Blob Monster: The villain Skinhead; a neo-nazi who can turn into a giant, flesh-eating blob (and he really does eat flesh; the first thing he does after his transformation is devour his fellow gang members). Fortunately, his skeleton remains intact and vulnerable.
- Blow Gun: In Web of Spider-Man #1-3, the Vulturions (four criminals who learned to copy Vulture's wings) use those. The curare is fatal for humans — Spider-Man is too tough to die, but gets stiffer with every dart and actually comes close to succumbing.
- Crossover: The book crossed over with many times with other Spider-books. Some examples:
- Secret Wars II (issue #6).
- Kraven's Last Hunt (issues #31-32).
- Inferno (1988) (issues #47-48).
- Acts of Vengeance (issues #59-61).
- Ghost Rider / Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance (issues #95-96).
- Maximum Carnage (issues #101-103).
- The Infinity Crusade (issues #104-106).
- The Clone Saga (issues #117-129).
- Crossover Finale: The book was cancelled during the 90s Clone Saga, with issue #129, with the last part of the arc "Time Bomb".
- Cult: In issues #40-43, Peter tries to rescue his former lover, now friend, Betty Brant, from "The Cult of Love", after she joined them following Ned Leeds's death and unmasking as the Hobgoblin.
- Dark Is Not Evil: Nightwatch wears an all-black costume, but is otherwise heroic.
- Dark Age of Supernames:
- During the "Name of the Rose" (issues #84-89) and "My Enemy's Enemy" (issues #97-100) arcs, a more gun-toting version of New York crime lord Rose appeared, calling himself Blood Rose. The Rose was previously Richard Fisk, and Blood Rose was also Richard Fisk.
- In a series of back-up stories featured in Web of Spider-Man during the 1990s, recently introduced hero Nightwatch faces one of his first enemies, a man with a "Macedonian death-mask" who calls himself Deathgrin.
- Dream Episode: Web of Spider-Man #7 is an issue-long dream where Peter Parker relives past traumas while being chased by an enraged Hulk. Turns out it isn't a natural dream; the dream-Hulk is actually after Doctor Strange's foe Nightmare, who has drawn Spider-Man into his realm in a last-ditch effort to protect himself from being smashed.
- Early-Bird Cameo: In issue #18, Peter is shoved into the train tracks by a person that did not trigger his spider-sense. This is Eddie Brock, a.k.a, Venom, who would be introduced on-panel in 1988 with "Amazing Spider-Man" #299. Both titles were written by David Michelinie, Venom's creator.
- Expy: A black-wearing hero/antihero with a red cape, who is an African-American in his civilian identity, and whose first enemy is a man with a clown mask named "Deathgrin"? Hmmm...
- Groin Attack: This happens to Spidey in issues #74-76, courtesy of the female member
◊ of a rather lame team of villains called the Avant Guard, causing him to groan and briefly unable to use his Spider-Sense, "Not even Venom hit me there! Hurt so bad, can barely feel my... Spider-Sense?" - Immediate Sequel:
- The very first issue of the series acts as one to The Spectacular Spider-Man #100: after a bout with the Kingpin and breaking things off with his then girlfriend the Black Cat, Peter comes back to his apartment and goes through his closet for something to wear, unaware of the symbiote inside it.
- Issue #117, the very first chapter of the Clone Saga, continues from the very last panel of Spectacular Spider-Man #216 (1994), with Peter Parker and Ben Reilly meeting each other at the rooftop of the hospital where Aunt May is.
- Mad Artist: In Web of Spider-Man #73–76, Wilhelm van Vile used his paints to awaken the latent mutant powers of two unsuccessful performance artists, then enhance them, and form a team called the Avant Guard, with the goal of plunging New York into an ice age as their insane version of a "masterpiece". They were defeated by the combined efforts of Spidey and the Torch.
- The Masquerade Will Kill Your Dating Life: Mary Jane reflects on this in issue #6.Mary Jane: "Sometimes being a swinging bachelorette isn't all it's cracked up to be. Sometimes it's so hard to keep on my happy-go-lucky face all day...it seems like a hubby, a house, and 2 to 3 kids would be just the ticket. But you had a shot at that didn't you, M. J.—and you couldn't have asked for a better catch than Peter Parker. There was only one problem: I figured out that Peter was really Spider-Man—and once I realized that, I knew I could never marry someone who I never knew for sure would come home from work alive!...Oh, why does he have to have such a darn high sense of responsibility?...If only he were less altruistic — I would've accepted his proposal on the spot. But if he was different...he wouldn't be the same guy you loved, would he, M. J,? Face it, lady: Peter Parker and Spider-Man—two sides of the same coin."
- Misaimed Fandom: In-Universe. Howard Beale from Network gets referenced in issue #13, where Peter, tired of putting up with the universe constantly dumping on him has this phone conversation with Mary Jane:Spider-Man: Calm down? Why? Every time I calm down, someone steps on my face! For once I'm not going to calm down! I'm going with how I feel! Remember when you took me to see the movie "Network?" Remember what the crazy T.V. newscaster said? Words to live by, MJ. I'll see you. (slams down the receiver)
Mary Jane: (to herself) Yes, Peter. I remember what the crazy newscaster said. He said, "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore." And he got killed at the end. - Mythology Gag: Issue #75 includes multiple cameos as various heroes deal with the villain causing a snow storm in New York, but makes a point of having Spidey interact with Iceman and Firestar, as a reference to the animated series Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends.
- The Omniscient Council of Vagueness: In an epilogue in issue #100, an assembly of B- and C-list villains (Fixer, Controller, Mentallo and Mr. Fear) comment with a glasses-wearing fifth member (referred to as "Menace") that the "Outer Circle" of the New Enforcers has taken the brunt of the blame. The group never appears again during the run.
- Poorly Disguised Pilot: During the "My Enemy's Enemy" arc (issues #97-100), the fake Richard Fisk meets a recluse named Trench, steals a power gauntlet and makes his way to New York. Trench reveals himself as the hero Nightwatch, who helps Spider-Man against the New Enforcers at the end of the arc, then goes to star in short backup stories for the next few issues before launching his own (short-lived) series.
- Power Armor: Issue #100 introduces the "Spider-Armor", Spider-Man's black and white/silver armor. It is destroyed in the same issue.
- Prison Rape: During the "Missing in Action" arc (in issue #18), Peter is thrown in prison for vagrancy and stealing a blueberry pie. Some cellmates try to make a move on him, but he crushes an iron bar from the beds and they backpedal really fast.
- Psychic Link: In the crossover "Spirits of Venom" (issues #93-96), Demogoblin is shown to have developed a psychic connection with the Spider-Man Doppelganger from the Infinity War crossover.
- Pungeon Master: Spider-Man attacks with his quips... in a cover, no less! The cover to issue #99 introduces the "New Enforcers", and Spider-Man, mid-battle against Blitz, one of their members, asks "Enforce her? I don't even know her!".
- Retool: Web of Spider-Man was originally just another Spider-Man book. Writer David Michelinie and artist Marc Silvestri eventually came onto the book and gave it a new premise starting with issue #16, in which Peter Parker travels around the world with Joy Mercado on assignment from NOW Magazine. This premise didn't last long, because a two-issue storyline involving the Provisional Irish Republican Army resulted in a bomb threat in the building Marvel's offices were located in at the time. The second part was hastily edited to replace the IRA with generic terrorists wearing black hoods, and the creative team subsequently disbanded by issue #22.
- Riddle for the Ages: Issues #113-116 featured the infamous F.A.Ç.A.D.E, a type of cyborg/automaton that killed Peter's longtime rival Lance Bannon. The mystery of its identity was never solved.
- Saved by the Church Bell: Famously, Spider-Man used church bells to remove the corrupting Venom symbiote from himself in Web of Spider-Man #1. The process nearly killed him and he could only go through with it by reminding himself of the people he needed to make up to, like Aunt May, Mary-Jane, and Harry Osborn.
- Save the Villain: In Web of Spider-Man #3, Spider-Man has to save the lives of the Vulturions when the real Vulture comes to town.
- Story Arc:
- Issues #84-89 is the six-parter "The Name of the Rose": photojournalist Nick Katzenberger takes a picture of a criminal meeting, which is errouneously attributed to Peter Parker, putting him and his family in danger. Meanwhile, Richard Fisk and allies make his move to replace the New York Kingpin of Crime, who once again loses his position in this period.
- Took a Level in Badass: Betty Brant, former secretary, takes several levels in badass by becoming an investigative reporter. She also learned how to handle a machine gun, took karate and self-defense lessons, all to better prepare herself to take revenge on the man who killed her husband: international contract killer the Foreigner.
- Villainous Rescue: At the end of the famous scene of the church bell ringing the symbiote off, in its death throes the symbiote takes Peter away from the bell tower to protect him, then dissipates. The symbiote is later revealed to have survived, and attached itself to reporter Eddie Brock, becoming Venom.
Web of Spider-Man (Vol. 2)
- Black-and-White Insanity: The Extremist has a black-and-white view of the world and is opposed to what he refers to as "The Grey" which tries to confuse the lines between them. He sees heroes as entirely good and critics as existential threats to the former, and so uses his powers of Invisibility, Intangibility, and Aura Vision to assassinate them. He's eventually defeated when he gets a literal look in the mirror and sees with his aura reading that his motivations aren't altruistic but rather motivated by a selfish desire to be special.
- A Day in the Limelight: Issues #1-7 feature a mini story focused on a specific villain of the Spider-Man gallery, running concurrently with the arc "The Gauntlet", in Amazing Spider-Man book at the time.
- Heroic Russian Émigré: In issue #7, it is revealed that both Sergei Kravinoff (Kraven the Hunter) and his future wife Alexandra Nikolaevna belong to expatriate Russian noble families who fled Bolshevik Russia to Paris.
- Madwoman in the Attic: In issue #7, Sergei Kravinoff lives in his Parisian exile with his old, senile mother.
- Patricide: Issue #7 shows that Alexandra "Sasha" Nikolaevna, future wife to Sergei Kravinoff, killed her own father before her wedding.
- Pompous Political Pundit: In issue #8, a loud TV commentator named Mark Branden reveals his panic over the Marvel superheroes, presents a conspiracy theory, and wishes for a "normal America".
