I only just finished Marvel’s Spider-Man, but it’s already become one of my favourite games of the year. It’s faithfulness to, not just the original source material, but so many other aspects of the franchise is one of the many things that made me love the game.
This is no more prevalent than in the collection of costumes available to unlock and use throughout the game. Not just that, but this is the best these suits have ever looked by far. Using the photo mode, it’s possible to see a level of detail to lesser known costumes such as the Scarlet Spider outfit that I never knew was possible.
And while the variety already in game is substantial, it’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the long history of Spider-Man and different looks he’s had over the many years. With the news that more costumes are being added to the game in the future along with the upcoming DLC, I thought I’d compile a list of the ten Spider-Man costumes I’d like to see added to the game.
As well as the likelihood of them actually making the cut. So, in no order of real consequence, here are my ten:
#1: Spider Armor Mk. I
First Appearance: Web of Spider-Man #100, May 1993
While there was only real appearance of this armor used by our main Spider-Chap of Universe 616, it’s a look that has withstood the test of time and found its way into comic pages and video games ever since. The Chrome and Black is a striking combination that I think looks pretty good.
Honestly, I’m amazed Peter managed to cook this up in a single night in a college science lab. Although he does pretty much the same thing in this game with the Anti-Doc armor. The Mark I was short lived, not really making it through its first outing before getting destroyed. But we still remember it all the same.
Likelihood of appearing in game: Pretty likely. Every other incarnation of the “Spider Armor” has made its way into the game already, so why not the original one. It’s been in pretty much every other Spider-Man game with alternate costumes, I’d like to see a high rez version of this one.
#2: Original Iron Spider
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #529, April 2006
There is an Iron Spider suit in the game already. However, that suit is based on the costume worn by Peter in Avengers: Infinity War. While it’s a cool suit, it pales in comparison to the costume it was based on from the original Civil War crossover event back in 2006.
A striking, yet simple look. Peter was given this suit by Tony Stark when he took Tony’s side in the registration act crisis. The metallic red and gold that always seem to be gleaming from any light source it can catch. Predictably, it looks like a combination of Spider-Man and Iron Man’s suits
It’s a fan favourite to this day, and with good reason because it’s damn cool.
Likelihood of appearing in game: I am going to say very likely. This suit is too well known not to show up in the game in the future. I also adore how it looks and would snap it up in an instant.
#3: Future Foundation
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #658, June 2011
A costume made by Reed Richards during a period where the Fantastic Four were down onea Human Torch and had stopped going by their old name in favour of the “ Future Foundation”. They gave themselves a very different look, with starkly contrasting white and black matching costumes. In this process, Peter got himself one too.
A few fun facts: The suit can never get dirty and it allows Pete to change his appearance at will, including a black variant for stealth operations. One that looks dangerously close to another iconic costume of Spider-Man history that I’ll get to later on.
I just like the look of this costume. The white with black is a sleek design that I like for the all the same reasons I like the Iron Spider Costume.
Likelihood of appearing in game: Less than likely. I feel like Marvel is tentatively giving the Fantastic Four a wide berth. With this costume being heavily associated with them, I feel like they might give it a miss. Although, in the process of editing this, I found out that another costume is being added that straight up references them, so maybe it will find its away in. It’s not the most iconic of costumes Peter has ever worn though.
#4: Scarlet Spider (Kaine Parker)
First Appearance: Scarlet Spider Vol 2 #1, March 2012
The final result of a long a convoluted plot line of the 90s called the Clone Saga. One of Peter’s surviving clones after the whole event was Kaine Parker: A man made to be a super-charged version of Peter himself, and it worked. The downside was his body was being destroyed from the inside out thanks to the imperfect cloning process. So it drove him a little crazy.
Years later, thanks to some mystical mumbo jumbo, Kaine is all better and a more complete clone of Peter. Meaning he is free to don a costume, call himself the second Scarlet Spider and swing around Houston. I don’t think it lasted very long though and he ended up mutating into a half spider creature when he got mad on occasion. Plus, Ben Riley showed back up with threw all manner of spanners in the works.
This costume isn’t exactly iconic or a classic. I just think it looks cool. And would be another nice addition.
Likelihood of appearing in game: Unlikely. This is a pretty recent and not very well known version of Spider-Man. I would be pretty surprised if it was even in the running to be an upcoming costume.
#5: Spider-Gwen
First Appearance: Edge of Spider-Verse #2, November 2014
Another recent fan favourite. This costume belongs to the Gwen Stacy of another universe in which she was the one bitten by a radioactive Spider instead of Peter. While she actually goes by Spider-Woman in her own universe, the rest of us know her as Spider-Gwen.
Thanks to her popularity after the multiversal mash-up that introduced her, she ended up getting her own run of comics jumping between the mainline 616 universe and her own. As well as the added benefit of being a cute girl, her popularity is bolstered by her cool costume design. I seem to have a thing for stark, contrasting colours. The hood and glowey eyes are cool too.
Likelihood of appearing in game: Very unlikely. I feel like Insomniac care enough about doing this franchise justice that if they wanted to add this costume to the game, they’d want to do it properly, and that would require the need to create an entirely new, female character model. that’s probably more work than they’d be willing to do for something that’s purely cosmetic. Imagine how much clipping would happen in those cut scenes.
#6: Poison
First Appearance: What if? Spider-Man: The Other #1, January 2007
This “costume’ comes from a one-off story. One which poses the question: What if Peter’s spirit had been separated from his body and refused to return during “the other” event. Long story short, the Venom symbiote re-bonded with Peter’s soulless body in a more perfect and permanent way.
The new being called itself Poison and wanted to run away with Mary Jane to be horrible monsters together. I mainly chose this one because it comes from from one of the books I owned when I was deep into collecting them. This particular one has stuck in my mind ever since. One could argue that it’s just a poor imitation of another, more popular costume. But hey, this is my list.
Plus, the costume’s appearance was very brief, only showing up in a handful of panels, hence the lack of images seen above.
Likelihood of appearing in game: Pretty much non existent. This was a result of a one-off story that I’m not sure anyone but me remembers. Plus, the thing has a visible mouth, one they’d have to animate in cut scenes, not to mention that tongue.
#7: Captain Universe
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man Vol 1, #329, February 1990
One of the more iconic Spider-Man costumes that somehow didn’t make it into the initial release of the game. This one comes form the brief period of time where the Uni-Power bonded with Peter Parker and granted him the power of Captain Universe: the manifestation of the universe itself.
While the insane power of this form has never really been represented in any of the video games, this costume has popped up in nearly every Spider-Man video game in which a costume change it an option. Captain Universe has since left Peter and bonded to a number of other people. Just for when you need an over powered deus ex machnia to get you out of a situation.
It’s one I could really see Insomniac having some fun with when redesigning it for the high graphical capabilities of this Spider-Man game.
Likelihood of appearing in game: I’m going to say incredibly likely. As I said before, this costume has shown up in nearly every Spider-Man game since the days of the original Playstation. I’d be shocked if this isn’t very high on Insomniac’s list for costumes to implement with their DLC.
#8: Spider-Man Unlimited
First Appearance: Spider-Man Unlimited Television series, October 1999
Would you be terribly surprised if I told you I sat looking at this list for a long time trying to scrape my brain for a 10th entry. This would be the unlucky recipient of that particular prize. An interpretation of the character from a short lived cartoon of the late 90s.
Only running for 13 episodes before getting cancelled, Spider-Man Unlimited takes place on an alternate Earth in which human animal hybrids are common and everything looks like it came from Batman Beyond. Truthfully, I get the impression that this series was heavily inspired by Spider-Man 2099, except the people making the show didn’t want to confuse the kids by making a Spider-Man show that didn’t star Peter Parker.
The costume looks surprisingly cool though, the web cape is a look you wouldn’t expect to work as well as it does.
Likelihood of appearing in game: Haha, no chance. Like I said, this show only lasted 13 episodes before getting cancelled. Plus, this costume takes a lot of inspiration from Spider-Man 2099, of which he has two costumes in the game already. Plus, what’s the point if they’re not going to model that cape. Still my biggest letdown about the game.
#9: The Bombastic Bagman
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #258, November 1984
One of the long running jokes of Spider-Man’s Past. This temporary costume came as a result of Peter needing to protect his identity after having an alien organism removed from his body that acted as a facsimile of his old costume. With it removed, he was basically naked.
Ever helpful, The Human Torch provided him with a spare Fantastic Four uniform as well as a paper bag to cover his shame/face. For good measure, he pinned a “kick me” sign to his back as he left.
Hilarity ensued.
The costume has been references and touched upon again for years ever since. It’s silly the thing has remained as popular as it has. And would it kill them to give him some shoes?
Likelihood of appearing in game: I would have said it was unlikely, considering the Fantastic Four iconography all over the costume. But low and behold, while doing some research for this article, I found that Insomniac teased this costume as a part of the upcoming DLC. So it’s pretty much confirmed at this point.
#10: The Black Costume (Venom Symbiote)
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man Vol 1, #252, May 1984
this is the glaring omission from the costume selection of the game. The black suit is unarguably Peter’s most iconic costume next to his red and blue one. An alien organism that eventually came to be known as the Klyntar, the symbiotic goo attached itself to Peter and became his black costume for five months before eventually being revealed to be parasitic in nature.
After getting rid of the symbiote, he still wore a fabric version of the costume for some time before the alien eventually joined with Eddie Brock and made his life even more of a living hell, stopping him from wearing it ever again. Until writers wanted to use it as a cheap way to get people picking up their comics.
I am curious as to what Insomniac would do with a design like this, would they give it the material look of many of the other costumes, or would they give it a liquid, almost living look. I guess we’ll never know.
Based on questions posed towards Insomniac about this suit, they’ve made statements saying that the time didn’t feel right to put the costume in the game. Which signals to me that they have plans for DLC or a sequel to this game in which Venom and the black suit are going to be a major factor. Which sounds great to me.
Likelihood of appearing in game: Like I just said, Insomniac must have narrative plans involving the symbiote in the future. So, the chances of it making it into the game purely as a cosmetic are low to not happening.
There’s my ten. I was going to mention the black suit worn my Miles Morales, but considering Miles is a character in the game. I’d imagine, like with the Venom symbiote, they have plans involving the kid as a Spider-Man in the future.
If anyone out there has any more suggestions, please feel free to mention them in the comments, I love seeing alternate takes on these iconic characters and I know there is a ton out there I haven’t touched upon.
A Richard Wood Text Adventure 