Your cart is currently empty!
Category: Face Front Originals
-
Face Front 2025 Showcase
Hey there True Believers and welcome to the Face Front 2025 Showcase! This show is full of updates, sneak peeks, and announcements for some of the things you can expect from Face Front in the year 2025!
The End of the Marvel Universe Part 4: Devourer of Worlds
We’re starting out with the next immediate Face Front Original: The End of the Marvel Universe Part 4: Devourer of Worlds. Ever since fans discovered that Peter’s world, Earth-84061, the original Face Front Universe, had been destroyed, the question on everyone’s mind was: How? The End of the Marvel Universe series set out to explain not only major differences between the Face Front Universe and the MCU, but to answer this question that has puzzled viewers for years. Though it’s been referenced here and there, we will finally see the climactic battle between the last Avenger, Captain Marvel, and the world-eating threat to the entire Marvel Universe, Galactus! The End of the Marvel Universe Part 4: Devourer of Worlds is in development now and coming soon to Face Front.
Rise of the X-Men
Next, I want to address what’s going on with Rise of the X-Men. This was meant to be my next project, but due to the nature of the story, I was running into timeline issues, primarily where to fit it into the Face Front Universe without screwing up the established canon. I’ve since fixed the problem, but it requires a rework of the script to fit the video within the new context. It hasn’t gone completely back to the drawing board, I am still able to keep most of what I had planned, but it will take some time to rework the story.
That said, I would like to reveal this new image above from the project, featuring the team I plan to use. Yes, the X-Men from the 90’s animated series will the primary team in Rise of the X-Men. They are the ones I grew up and had always planned the story for. But this does not mean that some other mutant won’t show up in the video, or in the future of the Face Front Universe! Thank you for being patient, and I promise, Rise of the X-Men is coming this year!
The Secret Wars
Now, I want to talk about a new/old project, The Secret Wars. Longtime Face Front viewers may have seen the motion comics on the channel tying into Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Secret War against Red Skull and HYDRA. The Secret Wars videos are pivitol story points in the grand scheme of the Face Front Universe. However, upon reviewing the videos, I find that they are outdated, somewhat unengaging, and framed to connect to an interactive event that no longer exists here on the website. With the importance of these videos to the overall story, I’ve decided to revisit and remaster all of the original Secret Wars videos. This will include removing the elements linking back to Blog, improving the sound design, the cadence, updating the visuals, and most of all, adding voiceover, a step I’ve regretted leaving out since the beginning.
Old and New art direction for The Secret Wars The Secret Wars will be a compilation that tells the entirety of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s war with HYDRA, putting one of the most important stories in the Face Front Universe together in on one place with a fresh new coat of paint that will entertain new and old viewers alike. The Secret Wars will drop later this year, and will be followed by The Secret Wars: Dark Dimension getting the same treatment.
Commentary Content
Let’s get into the commentary content on Face Front. Last year I launched Merry Marvel Mayhem, which I used here and there to talk about relevant moments in Marvel pop culture. The thing is, it’s really no fun for me if no one is talking back. When I first pitched this idea to my friend Johnathan, Merry Marvel Mayhem was supposed to be a rant show where I get all my hot takes off my chest about things I’m very, very passionate and opinionated about. I hesitated to do that because I’m generally a guy that doesn’t rock the boat, but more and more I see people online with, let’s face it, stupid takes, and I’m done keeping quiet. Merry Marvel Mayhem will return, this time, with more emphasis on the mayhem!
Then there’s the Face Front Show. I value nothing more than talking with you guys about Marvel. That said, every time I have a topic for the show, we talk discuss it for about 32 seconds before the show goes off the rails. Which is great! It’s fun! I love it! But from now on, I’m not going to choose a set topic. I’ll go live, and we’ll just talk, like buddies in the comic shop.
Marvel 616: Retold
Another project I launched last year was Marvel 616: Retold, which I believe was a thundering success! It gets more action figure videos out to you guys while putting a comedic spin on some classic Marvel stories. Marvel 616: Retold will continue with new stories throughout the year to keep you guys entertained between the big Face Front Originals. Here’s a sneak peek at one of the upcoming episodes of Marvel 616: Retold:
Click Here to watch all episodes of Marvel 616: Retold!
Marvel Vs.
Another comedy series I have going is Marvel Vs. Marvel Vs. pits two characters against each other in a hilarious 1v1 encounter. There’s already episodes for Spider-Man vs. Lizard, Iron Man vs. Captain America, Cyclops vs. Mr Sinister, Thor vs. Ulik, and Dr Strange vs. Dormammu. Go check those out if you haven’t and prepare for more Marvel Vs., including the next one later this month, which will be Daredevil vs Bullseye, just in time for Born Again! Click Here to view all episodes of Marvel Vs.
Shorts
Now, I want to talk about my YouTube Shorts content. Mostly I was using shorts to post clips from my videos, memes, and gameplay, but last year I started experimenting with dedicated Shorts content, and I have to say, I’m quite happy with the results. Marvel Hero Adventures are hilarious short stories featuring Marvel characters in all kinds of wild situations. I love the challenge of telling a story with a beginning, middle, and end in a minute or less. I know that the algorithm is weird about who it shows Shorts to, I’ve had some subscribers say they never see my shorts! So make sure you Click Here to find all of these videos in the Marvel Hero Adventures Playlist!
Another one of my Shorts series that is truly short is Marvel Nemesis, named after the old video game. It has two characters with a history clash and exchange lines, like Mortal Kombat or Injustice. There’s a playlist for Marvel Nemesis videos as well, so Click Here if you haven’t seen them!
Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse One More Day
Lastly, I want to give you guys an update on what I know you’ve been waiting for. Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse One More Day, The Return to the Spider-Verse finale. I’m going to be completely honest with you guys, this is the big one. This everything and the kitchen sink. My hope for releasing this is honestly just, before the end of the year. It’s going to take time. But I know you guys. I know you love your Spider-Verse content. Web-Warriors was meant to fill the gaps between Spider-Verse episodes, but with The Superior Spider-Man episode and the Turning Point epilogue, Web-Warriors came to its planned end. So what’s next in the Spider-Verse? Well, let me just show you.
Spider-Man: Edge of Spider-Verse
Based on the comic of the same name, Spider-Man: Edge of Spider-Verse is an anthology series, each story focusing on one of the Amazing Friends, taking place between different episodes of Return to the Spider-Verse. These are all-new stories that will feature new and returning characters, fleshing out what the Spidey team is up to when you don’t see them in an episode of Spider-Verse. Length-wise, they’ll be similar the Christmas special episodes, and they’ll release at a steady pace while I work on One More Day. Edge of Spider-Verse is an exciting new Spider-Man project, and I can’t wait for you guys to see the episodes!
Thank you for joining me today, and thank you for watching Face Front. Honestly, I always say this, but I do this for you guys. Keep watching the channel, keep commenting and tuning into the lives, keep being fans. 2025 is an exciting year for Face Front, and I hope you all are ready for what’s to come! Face Front True Believers, and I’ll see you in the Multiverse!
-
Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 12
Whatever happened to Gwen Stacy? Watch below, and find out. But ONLY if you’ve seen every other episode of Return to the Spider-Verse! If not, please Click Here to watch those first. If you have, then proceed…
Well, that was a lot, wasn’t it? The twists, the turns, the reveals, the heartbreak! Oh my, it was nearly too much to bear! I hope this was as worth the wait for you as it was for me!
A lot of dots have finally been connected. All of those post credits scenes (you have been sticking around for those, right?) have been tied together. Gwen’s rise, or rather fall, to become the Master Planner revealed at last.
Bringing Gwen to life is the always incredible Eileen Nestman. Have I praised her enough? The answer is a big NO! I haven’t! Because I literally can’t for the heavy lifting she did in this episode. My goodness, Eileen always comes to play but I’ll tell you, True Believers, I think this was her BEST performance to date. She really sold Gwen’s descent into the Master Planner. Such raw emotion, I am so grateful every day that she’s my friend.
And a few months ago, you all helped thank her for her contributions to Face Front by voting her for Super Mom! She unfortunately didn’t win, but we helped get her up to 11th place! And as promised, I put the names of everyone who voted in the credits of this video. Let’s see them again:
The_Graytforever
Wars the Marvel
MrMisterMelon
The Amazing Gamer Djmc
Anselmo Gutierrez Pérez/SemISkUIZ
King VA ProductionsThanks again guys! Eileen and I really appreciate your support.
Rounding out the cast was Emily Tatsumi who never fails me as Peni Parker, and my sister Jaelen Westbrook, who gave me Lyla’s lines literally the night before the episode went live. Lyla’s role was so small I forgot she was in the video and had no one to voice her! Thank goodness Jaelen always comes through for me in a pinch.
Now, this video had a ton of references, homages, and Easter Eggs, so let’s not waste anymore time and get right to them.
Let Her Go
The video begins with some eerily familiar dialogue during the logo which then transitions into a recreation of the death of Gwen Stacy from The Amazing Spider-Man 2, everything down to the score. A cold open to be sure, but, I feel like from even the video thumbnail, you guys knew what you were in for.
The New Goblin
I put up a Friend or Foe poll a while ago and you guys voted to reveal a friend, after which I revealed Harry Osborn, the New Goblin, would be making his debut in the Face Front Universe. Harry arrives in Loomworld referencing the events of Spider-Man 3. From confusing Gwen with Bryce Dallas Howard’s version to the final battle of the movie, Harry makes it evident that he remembers everything up to his death. And look, his face is fine too! (I always personally believed the Goblin serum would fix that eventually.)
Unfortunately he freaks Gwen out, so he has to take off. But that just means that he’s out there somewhere in Loomworld. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll see him again…
The Rose
While Gwen is wondering through the Noir portion of Loomworld, she bumps into a rather polite masked man in a suit, who gifts her with a rose before leaving. Spidey fans know this man as Wilson Fisk’s son, Richard Fisk, aka, the Rose. What was he doing there, though? Who knows? Well, I do. Maybe you will too. Eventually…
Lyla
As mentioned earlier, Miguel O’Hara’s AI assistant Lyla makes an appearance in this episode. She collects a Spider-Bot that appears to be gathering data and reports to Miguel that there are quantum anomalies everywhere. A mysterious little cameo, that perhaps holds something further? Only time will tell.
Loomworld
Gwen names this new patchwork world she’s found herself in “Loomworld”. Fans with a sharp ear will have heard this before in Spider-Man: Web-Warriors episodes 3, 10, and Turning Point. But what exactly is Loomworld? Well, in the comics, it’s Earth-001, and HQ for the Inheritors, made up of worlds they conquered and pieced together. It was the location of quite a few battles in the original Spider-Verse comic, way back in 2014, and was at one time an access point to the Web of Life and Destiny. It’s been home to the Inheritor-turned-Master Weaver Karn, and the Web-Warriors from the comics.
In my series, Loomworld is this new world that’s been created out of pieces of different Spider-Man universes, apparently pulled together by our one and only MCU Peter. There are still many mysteries behind this world’s conception, but that is, at least for now, the gist of it.
Sandman
Flint Marko, aka Sandman, appears in Loomworld, confused and using familiar lines (No Way Home anyone?) This is indeed the Spider-Man 3 version of Sandman, as noted by his demanding where his daughter Penny is. Yes, that also means that Marko is hiding out there somewhere as well! By the way, Sandman was the Foe option for the Friend or Foe poll, in case you were wondering.
Daughter of Captain Stacy
Gwen mentions that she studied Captain Stacy’s suspects boards and knew how to get into the minds of criminals. This was a little tidbit I got from the Giant-Size Gwen Stacy comic book, which tells the story of Gwen before she meets Peter Parker. Surprisingly, that hadn’t been explored until that 2022 comic. Technically it began in 2020, but COVID paused it 2 issues in and they put out the Giant-Size two years later, finishing it. Which I was very grateful for, because I really wanted to know how that story ended. Doubly grateful, actually, because it was reading this comic that got me past a serious writer’s block I had writing this episode. Seriously guys, if you ever need inspiration for your stories, read the comics!
The Prowler
Prowler’s been working for the Master Planner since literally the post credits scene of episode 1. Now we finally see how that team-up came to be. Having just died saving Miles, Prowler’s now unemployed, and back in an unfamiliar world. Gwen’s offering him a chance to not only return to normalcy, but to save the nephew he gave his life to protect. Harry Osborn’s black card doesn’t hurt either.
The Web of Life and Destiny
When attempting to explain how Loomworld will inevitably be destroyed, Gwen uses a metaphor, a web that controls the life and destiny of all living beings in the multiverse. A not-so-subtle reference to the Web of Life and Destiny, the great web that connects all the Spider Totems in the Spider-Verse!
Amazing Spider-Man #121
When running failed Super Collider trials, Gwen gives up after 129. But the first number I have listed up there is 121, which is a reference to the issue of Amazing Spider-Man where Gwen Stacy was killed by the Green Goblin.
The Sinister Six
The “Special Projects” file on Oscorp’s computers is from The Amazing Spider-Man 2. The mystery man in the end of the movie who approached Harry in his cell was Gustav Fiers, someone called “The Gentelman”, as I subtly have Gwen state. They talk about turning a small group of men in to super criminals, stating everything they need is already at Oscorp. It doesn’t seem like their plan ever came to fruition, but Gwen dug it up, and reactivated it to form the Sinister Six.
Also note that a lot of the members, when being recruited, use lines from the previous movies. Mysterio’s capes and lasers rant from Far From Home. Electro’s “I got my body back” from No Way Home. Vulture’s comment about the food from Morbius (yeah, I know). And Doc Ock’s “NOOOOOO” from Spider-Man 2. Remember how in episode 7 Doc Ock said he heard the Master Planner’s voice on repeat, telling him to destroy Spider-Man? Yeah, now you know what that’s about. In addition to that, the same alarm sound was used in episode 2 to flip Connors into the Lizard, who Gwen finally got revenge on for killing her father.
Another callback, when recruiting the Spectacular Green Goblin, is from the Christmas episode, where he tells Spectacular Spider-Man he was approached by the Master Planner but refused, stating it would be “The end of everything”. The Dafoe Goblin, on the other hand, uses a line from the Spider-Man movie video game. When he kidnaps Mary Jane in a cutscene, he tells her “Put your heart into the screams my lovely girl! The better to bait my trap!” Of course, this is because he kidnapped Mary Jane to lure Spider-Man.
The Master Planner
Now in the comics, the Master Planner was an alias Doc Ock used to lure Spider-Man to his doom. I of course made it clear from early on that the Master Planner was someone completely different in this series. We finally got the reveal last episode, but now we know how she came upon the name! Granted, it was more or less an accident, but she owned it. Especially later in the video…
What the Heck was That!?
Okay, so Gwen definitely saw something here. What is it? Zoom and enhance! Turn up the brightness! Look closely.
Got a Minute?
Now, in Across the Spider-Verse, they recreated this moment where Gwen comes to get Miles. He’s listening to Hummingbird, she’s got a pink sweater, they’re both a bit older. But in Into the Spider-Verse, he’s clearly listening to Sunflower, and it’s not much longer after the first movie ends. And even back in 2020 when I made Return of the Sinister Six, I had always imagined that this is where Gwen picked up Miles before they arrived to help. So that’s when my version of the “Got a minute?” scene takes place.
Vanessa67
The Kingpin’s password to access the encrypted Collider file (which we never actually discovered in episode 4) is Vanessa67. This is a reference to his wife, Vanessa Fisk, and the year of Kingpin’s first appearance, 1967.
Christmas Records
When Prowler mentions he has some Christmas records from his brother, this is actually a reference from the Insomniac game Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. At one point in Miles’ apartment, you can play his father’s Christmas records. In the next game, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Miles hears the records playing downstairs and rushes down to find that Uncle Aaron is now in possession of them. While it’s technically a different version of Aaron Davis, we know from Into the Spider-Verse that he does own a record player, so it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility he got some Christmas record from Jefferson!
One More Day
When Prowler asks how close they are to completion, Gwen states that she needs one more day. This is a direct reference to the (universally hated) comic One More Day, where Peter infamously makes a deal with Mephisto and dissolves his marriage to Mary Jane, a decision that’s affecting Spider-Man comics nearly two decades later. Unfortunately. It’s also revealed after the credits of this video that the finale of Return to the Spider-Verse will be called One More Day! Now I’m not arrogant enough to state that I’m gonna do a better job than the House of Ideas, but I promise my One More Day at the very least won’t be universally hated!
The Night Gwen Stacy Died
Notice how this episode doesn’t have a title? That was intentional! In Amazing Spider-Man #121, they don’t have the title at the beginning of the book like they usually do because the story was called “The Night Gwen Stacy Died”, which was obviously a spoiler. So, as an homage to that, I gave episode 12 the same name, and revealed the title at the very end!
So there we have it. Answers, at long last! But more questions yet have arisen from this chapter in our tale. Why was Spidey in that void? What the heck happened around the 34:30 timestamp? What will happen to Loomworld now that the Master Plan has been initiated? Will the Amazing Friends be able to reconcile before it all goes boom!? All good questions. And they will be answered in Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 13: One More Day. The finale. The end. Man, it’s frightening and exciting! I’ve had this planned for years, and to be so close… Thank you all for coming on this journey with me. Thank you all for watching, for supporting Face Front, I do this for you guys. I hope you enjoyed this episode, and I can’t wait for the next. Face Front True Believers, and I’ll see you in the Multiverse!
-
Nick Fury: The New Initiative
Faced with a dark future, Nick Fury rallies his allies to confront this new threat, and fight in a Secret War!
The Story so Far…
Nick Fury: The New Initiative was pitched all the way back in 2019 as a prequel to the Infinity Showdown. While Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, and Loki were all supposed to deal with the fallout of Falcon’s snap, Nick Fury was supposed to set the stage for how it all happened. Though some changes have been made since then, the base story is still the same at its core as it was all those years ago.
The New Initiative sees Fury in the aftermath of the Infinity War, which in the Face Front Universe played out a bit differently. Falcon never blipped, and as a result Thanos was killed in Wakanda and Thor was able to reverse his snap in 5 minutes instead of 5 years. Determined to make sure an extinction-level event like that never happens again, Fury tasks Captain Marvel with finding someone that can guard the Infinity Gauntlet full time, which as we saw led her to Adam Warlock.
Unfortunately, a simple mistake was made just after the Infinity War, with grave consequences. The Infinity Gauntlet was of course taken into S.H.I.E.L.D.’s possession, and Captain America was tasked with locking it away. Brining along Black Widow and Falcon, Commander Maria Hill led them to a top secret vault that only he and Widow had access to, per Fury’s orders. But Steve felt that Sam should be able to get into the vault as well, convincing Hill to give the Falcon full unfettered access. The simple mistake I mentioned earlier.
As we all know, that decision backfired in a major way when Sam abused his privileges to gain access to the Infinity Gauntlet in order to get Episode 3 of his Face Front show, Sam Says, which had been cancelled due to lack of funds. We still don’t know exactly why Sam went straight to the Infinity Gauntlet, but that may be revealed in time…
With the Gauntlet missing, and being thrust into the throes of a Secret War for the Cosmic Cube against the long believed to be dead Red Skull, Nick Fury decides that a new initiative is necessary. He creates a new team: The Secret Avengers. To fight the battles that only they can.
The Talent
I would like to welcome Face Front first-timer Leslie Schwan to the team! She brought her A-game to voice the most powerful hero in the Marvel Universe: Captain Marvel! Leslie is an experienced D&D player, so I knew she could do characters and voices. On top of that, she sounds just a little like Brie Larson herself! Leslie was so excited to be a part of the project, and I’m glad she came aboard.
I would also like to welcome back Rhema Thom as the voice of Commander Maria Hill! Rhema previously did a spectacular job as Mary Jane Watson-Parker in Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 11: For the Love of MJ. Now Rhema’s back, and in almost a complete 180 to the character she was before, is playing the no-nonsense Commander of S.H.I.E.L.D. And I must say, she CRUSHED the role!
Face Front veteran Eileen Nestman pulls double duty in this video as Black Widow and Minerva! Known mostly for her role as Ghost-Spider in the Spider-Verse videos, Eileen has done countless voices for the channel and I’m glad she’s always down to do more for me. And let’s not forget the beautiful sets and props she’s built for the channel, several of which I use in this very video! Thank you Eileen! And make sure to Click Here to check out her YouTube channel!
Xavier Hernandez comes back as Nova, a character he previously did in Spider-Man: Web-Warriors Episode 7: Ultimate Spider-Man Part 1! Xavier is a big fan of Sam Alexander, and he captures the role so well. He’s also not afraid to improvise a line or two, which is where Nova’s vow to get the Infinity Gauntlet somehow came from!
And lastly, my sister Jaelen, who whenever I’m in a pinch and need a quick female voice, or just flat out forgot about one, she always comes through for me! She picked up additional voices for Gamora and the one female HYDRA agent in the bunch this time around. Thank you Jaelen!
Secret Wars Prequel Comic
Now, to longtime Face Front fans, the S.H.I.E.L.D. vs. HYDRA sequence may have looked familiar. Maybe a tickle in the back of your mind, some images unlocking core memories you didn’t know you had? Well, that’s because literal years ago, I told that story in a prequel comic detailing the beginning of the Secret War!
So why did I retell it in video form? Well, it’s because the Secret War is a big part of the Face Front canon, and I’m not sure how many people read that comic from years ago. So I decided to make it a part of Nick Fury: The New Initiative, and bring it to life nearly panel for panel! Check it out below if you feel so inclined, and see the source material that part of the video was based on.
With all that covered, you know what time it is now. All of the hints, homages, and little surprises I’ve sprinkled throughout the video! It’s time for Easter Eggs!
Easter Eggs
The Blip
That’s right! I recreated the post credits scene for Avengers: Infinity War shot for shot (ish)! If you didn’t realize, the video opens with what is probably the most traumatic experience of Nick Fury’s life. But just before all hope was lost, he was sure to page his most trusted Avenger, Captain Marvel!
Links to the Tesseract
When Coulson informs Fury of the Cosmic Cube construction, he mentions several things you should note:
-It is being created by A.I.M., who were the original creators of the Cosmic Cube in the comics.
-Project Pegasus in the MCU was the department dedicated to studying the Tesseract, spearheaded by Mar-Vell and her light-speed engine, and continued by Dr. Selvig in The Avengers movie.
-Stuttgart, Germany is the location in the first Avengers movie where Loki arrives and makes his big “You will always kneel” speech.
Return of the Red Skull
Red Skull returns in The New Initiative, but I didn’t take bringing back one of the biggest Marvel villains lightly! I recreated the final battle between him and Captain America from Captain America: The First Avenger. He also addressed his stay on the “desolate void in space known as Vormir”. This, you’ll recall, is the planet where Red Skull was exiled after that fated battle to become the keeper of the Soul Stone.
If you do recall these scenes from Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, you’ll also know he greeted Soul Stone hopefuls with their full names and the name of their father. That is why in my video, I kept it consistent, with him addressing Fury as Nicholas Joseph Fury, Son of Jack.
We’re the Line
I had a few Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. references in here. From mentioning Agent May, to Quake joining the Secret Avengers. One you may have missed was pretty subtle, but when Fury is giving his speech, he says: “We’re the line between the world, and the battles they could never fight. We are S.H.I.E.L.D.”
This was actually inspired by a line from Grant Ward (yeah, the HYDRA scum!) during his interview with Maria Hill in the first episode of the show. During this, Hill asks Ward what S.H.I.E.L.D. means to him, and after a snide remark about the acronym, he says “It means we’re the line. Between the world and the much weirder world.” That line stuck with me, and so I used it here!
Even When I’m Out, I’m In
Aside from that quote (which, by the way, I believe is Nick Fury’s hardest line in the MCU) Nick Fury references that Skrulls have been involved in US politics since the 90’s. Both of these references are from the Secret Invasion TV show, where it was revealed that since the Captain Marvel movie, Fury had Skrulls in key positions in government, which also helped him rise through the ranks. This also is an example of how the Face Front Universe diverges from the MCU. We know that Fury went up to S.A.B.E.R. in the MCU, which is why Tales had to take his place, but in my universe, it’s the Secret War that draws Fury’s attention away from S.H.I.E.L.D.
Destroyer Rifle
We all know the big weapon Coulson used on Loki when he famously told him he lacked conviction. The weapon was used again against John Garret in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. But did you know it was officially called the Destroyer Rifle? Since it was built off the remains of the Destroyer from Odin’s treasure vault. It’s also been known as the ‘Coulson’s Revenge’!
Go Take a Lunch Break
You’ll notice Talos told Coulson and Hill to go take a lunch break when they took down Grim Reaper and Crossbones respectively. This is a nod to the post credits scene in Spider-Man: Return of the Sinister Six, where Coulson reports that they found Peter Parker, and Face Front viewers are first introduced to Talos as Fury when he responds with a very out-of-character “Good job Coulson, go take a lunch break!”
His Callsign is Taskmaster
You all may remember that Taskmaster was revealed to be Antonia Dreykov in the Black Widow movie. But when I was first doing the Black Widow themed Secret Wars chapter back in 2020 to tie in with the movie, well, unfortunate world events postponed the movie by like, a year. So I moved forward with no knowledge, using Taskmaster’s comic persona to base his Face Front appearance. Making him, canonically, a talkative man. Whoops.
So! Since Black Widow took place in 2016 and Antonia’s version of Taskmaster was stopped, I worked some classic Marvel retcon magic. I made the official Face Front Taskmaster a new one, since it was stated that the Taskmaster was part of a program. And this one is more akin to the comic Taskmaster, that way, the MCU canon before 2018 (when Face Front diverged) is still in tact, and Antonia’s Taskmaster is free to join the Thunderbolts! When that movie rolls around. I promise, I’ll wait this time!
Age of Miracles
Eagle-eyed Marvel fans will recognize the conversation between Zola and Red Skull as a direct reference to the one between Baron Strucker and Dr. List in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. When they were referring to Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch with the “Nothing more frightening than a miracle” line. Even more eagle-eyed fans will recognize Zola’s line about the land of opportunity coming from Zola himself in the season 1 post credits scene of Agent Carter!
Captain Marvel and the Kree
Okay, so a few things here. Yes, Ronan the Accuser is alive. If you’ll remember The End of the Marvel Universe Part 1: The Unknown, Thor wished to bring back not only all snapped away by the Infinity Gauntlet, but everyone lost to Thanos’ quest as well. This carries some implications, as most Phase 1-3 MCU deaths tied back to Thanos or an Infinity Stone in one way or another. Ronan’s was very clearly because he was pursuing the Power Stone for Thanos, so he definitely got revived.
Then there’s the differences in the plot for The Marvels. Captain Marvel is still the Annihilator, since she took down the Supreme Intelligence between movies. But since Ronan returned, he stopped the Kree civil war that started because of Carol’s actions. He mentioned ‘self-appointed’ Supremer Dar-Benn, the villain of The Marvels, speaking of myths such as Quantum Bands. Recall in The Marvels, Dar-Benn’s plan was to use the Bands, the one she found and the one possessed by Ms. Marvel, to restore Hala. But in this world, because of Ronan’s return, she never got a chance to carry her plan to fruition.
Genis-Vell, as mentioned in the video, is the son of Mar-Vell. He’s actually an aged up clone in the comics, but I took some liberties in the Face Front Universe, especially since the MCU version of Mar-Vell is quite different from her comic counterpart. Also, fun fact, Kree Sentry 459 is the most popular Kree Sentry. Why 459 in particular? I have no idea, but he’s always the one they use whenever a Kree Sentry shows up!
The Ravagers
As mentioned earlier, a lot of folks came back due to Thor’s wish while he had the Gauntlet. This includes the Ravager, Yondu Udonta! Having taken control back over his old group, he’s teamed up with Minerva, who despite Korath the Pursuer’s disgust of Ravagers, has joined up as a side hustle, and his former right hand Kraglin, who still wields a version of Yondu’s Yakka Arrow-controlling fin! But alas Brigadiers, there’s a new member of the Ravagers that joins the fray…
Adam Warlock
As mentioned, I planned this video back in 2019, when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 had yet to come out. I made some changes here and there, but the majority of the video’s premise remained the same, and one part that was alway there was Adam Warlock. I was going to simply use the comic version of the figure, but since I took so dang long that Adam eventually made his MCU debut, I used that version, and slightly adjusted his personality, to keep it inline with the rest of my universe.
One big liberty I took was the gem in his head. In the MCU, I don’t believe it had any specific purpose, while Vision’s was made to be the Mind Stone. In the comics, Vision’s gem is the one with no significance, and Adam Warlock’s is actually the Soul Stone! I wanted to have that aspect to connect him to the Infinity Gauntlet so that he could sense Sam was taking it, but the Stone itself was supposed to be locked away with the Gauntlet! So instead, I made it so that his gem has access to Soulworld, which is actually where the Soul Stone takes you in the comics, and the place in the MCU where Thanos spoke to Gamora (What did it cost?) as mentioned in the video. I liked using the movie Warlock while keeping true to some of his comic roots!
Also, I couldn’t resist the “Wait, you guys are getting paid?” meme, since Will Poulter is also the actor that portrays Warlock in the movie!
Mitchell Carson
After he’s busted by Woo and Fury, Ant-Man spills that he was stealing back Pym Particles from the former S.H.I.E.L.D. Head of Defense Mitchell Carson. For those of you who don’t remember, that’s the man in the beginning of the Ant-Man movie that got his head slammed into the desk by Hank for bringing up Janet, and later tried to buy the Yellowjacket off of Darren Cross. In the confusion of the final battle, he nabbed a vial of Pym Particles and slipped away. The MCU is usually good about circling back and paying off small moments like this, but this one seems to have slipped through the cracks. So I decided to tie up that loose end myself!
The New Initiative
In an homage to Fury coming up with the original Avengers Initiative in the end of the Captain Marvel movie, he sits alone at a desk pens a new initiative. One that seeks to fight the battles only they can. This leads to the Secret Avengers Initiative.
The Secret Avengers
A new team has been introduced into the Face Front Universe! They’re called, The Secret Avengers. So let’s go over each member one by one, and see exactly where they are and how they fit in to this new version of the Marvel Universe!
Ant-Man (Scott Lang)
After the Infinity War, having completed the terms of his house arrest, Ant-Man was recruited by the Avengers to help clean up the mess left after Thanos snapped. This included fighting the dragon Fin Fang Foom, where his assistance was personally requested by Captain America, much to Sam Wilson’s dismay (Sam Says Episode 1: That Blue Feeling).
Ant-Man now finds himself recruited to Nick Fury’s Secret Avengers. Having not been in contact with the Avengers proper since his last mission with them puts Scott in a perfect position to fight the battles that only they can.
Quake (Daisy Johnson)
Quake has been through a lot. From her hacker days in the Rising Tide as Skye, to finding her mother in the Inhuman city of Afterlife, and her deranged father Mr. Hyde. Becoming an Inhuman with earthquake powers, fighting against foes such as Lash, LMDs, Ghost Rider, Madame Hydra, and Graviton. Her last mission saw her traveling through space with her time displaced sister Kora and sweetheart SSR Agent Daniel Sousa.
However, she’s been summoned back to Earth with the emergence of the Red Skull and the Secret War. Daisy’s no stranger to covert teams, having been part of the Secret Warriors herself. But Nick Fury now calls upon her to become something more: A Secret Avenger.
Monica Rambeau
Monica is the daughter of trailblazer, and friend of Captain Marvel, Maria Rambeau. In the Face Front Universe, being that the Blip only lasted 5 minutes as opposed to 5 years, Monica was able to be there for her mother when she passed away of cancer. This led to her becoming the director of S.W.O.R.D. (Sentient Weapon Observation and Response Division) instead of the crooked Tyler Hayward.
Monica’s experience makes her a prime candidate for Nick Fury’s Secret Avengers. But the events of WandaVision never happened in this world, so how she obtained her powers, remains to be seen…
White Vision
During the Infinity War, the Vision fought valiantly against the forces of Thanos, but was unfortunately destroyed, once by his beloved Wanda attempting to keep the Mind Stone away from Thanos, and then again when Thanos revived him and ripped it from his head. Luckily, Thor stopped Thanos and reversed his snap, but without the Mind Stone, Vision could not be revived in Thor’s wish.
Tony Stark, along with Peter Parker and a restored JARVIS AI, worked around the clock to restore the Vision, stripping him down to brass tacks, meaning no color, to initiate repairs (The End of the Marvel Universe Part 2: True Believers). White Vision has not necessarily completed his repairs, but he functions well enough for Nick Fury and his Secret Avengers.
Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff)
Quicksilver sacrificed his life to save Hawkeye during the Age of Ultron, leaving his sister Wanda with immense grief and pain. But, being that he was killed by Ultron, a product of the Mind Stone as he himself was, Pietro was brought back to life after Thor’s wish.
He wants nothing more than to reunite with his sister, but having been returned to his home nation of Sokovia, he finds that it has now been taken over by the tyrannical Victor Von Doom, and renamed Latveria (The End of the Marvel Universe Part 2: True Believers). Before he and Wanda can return to their home, Quicksilver must free it from the shadow of Doom. But that doesn’t stop Nick Fury from bringing him into the Secret Avengers.
Namor (K’uk’ulkan)
Born as the first Mutant of Talokan, Ch’ah Toh Almehen quickly became the K’uk’ulkan of his people, their Feather Serpent God. However, after being branded El Niño sin Amor (the child without love) by Conquistadors, he took on a new name to his enemies on the surface world: Namor.
Namor’s solitary goal is to keep the underwater nation of Talokan hidden and protected from the violent natives of the surface, going as far as to kill anyone that discovers their existence. So one would imagine that could be problematic for Nick Fury, who boldly approaches Namor in the arctic. Whatever Fury’s sales pitch for the Secret Avengers was seems to have been enough to get Namor to join the team. But Fury feels this alliance will be tentative at best.
And there you have it! This video was so much fun, and now I’m finally done with the 4 tie-ins for the Avengers: Infinity Showdown video! It only took 5 years! But I’m glad it’s here, and I truly hope you all enjoyed it. Next project is Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 12, which I know you’re all looking forward to after the shocking ending of Episode 11! But until then, that’s it for me. Face Front True Believers, and I’ll see you in the Multiverse!
-
Spider-Man: Web-Warriors – Turning Point
Happy Spider-Man Day True Believers! Every year Face Front does something to celebrate the Web-Head’s special day, and 2024 is no different! This year, I’ve made a special video in the Return to the Spider-Verse canon, Spider-Man: Web-Warriors – Turning Point.
As the 90’s Spider-Man reaches his lowest point, he is approached from the shadows by the Superior Spider-Man…
Turning Point, a name referencing the episode of the 90’s animated series where Spider-Man lost Mary Jane, is a continuation of the story that began in Web-Warriors Episode 10, and a culmination of the series as a whole.
After Episode 10 of Web-Warriors, which ended with Otto, the Superior Spider-Man, accessing the Web-Warriors initiative, the biggest question I was asked was how Otto was going to assemble the Web-Warriors when Peter and the Amazing Friends couldn’t. This video is meant to show you how he’s going about it.
Otto is tactical, he studies his opponents, and potential allies, and targets their weaknesses. In assembling the Web-Warriors, Otto realizes that he needs to address the reasons each candidate initially refused, couldn’t join, or were turned away.
In Episode 3 of Web-Warriors, the 90’s Spider-Man made it clear that he wouldn’t join until after he’d found Mary Jane, with the help of Madame Web. In Turning Point, we discover that, while Madame Web has found her, MJ is tangled up in the Web of Life and Destiny. Otto sees his chance, and develops his Quantum Extractor, freeing Mary Jane and reuniting her with the 90’s Spider-Man.
Feeling like he now owed him a great debt, the 90’s Spider-Man offered himself in any way the Superior Spider-Man needed, which is exactly what Otto had planned. He has now taken his first step to usurp the Web-Warriors from under the Amazing Friends’ noses. And nothing will stand in his way.
So that’s it for Face Front Spider-Man Day 2024! Did you enjoy Turning Point? What else are you doing to celebrate Spider-Man today? Let me know below! Until next time, Face Front True Believers, and I’ll see you in the Spider-Verse!
-
Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 11: For the Love of MJ
It’s Peter B. Parker’s anniversary with his ex-wife Mary Jane! He’s trying to set things right, but the Master Planner’s forces will do anything to stop true love!
What an episode! Don’t worry, we’ll save THAT part for the end, make sure you watch the ENTIRE EPISODE before you scroll any further True Believers. You don’t want to be spoiled, do you?
Firstly I’d like to thank Face Front newcomer Rhema Thom for providing her voice to the iconic Mary Jane Watson! Rhema seemed like a natural, and delivered me a robust performance unlike any I’ve seen before!
Also for the first time on Face Front is my brother, Justin, who voiced Ned Leeds, with my mom and sister returning as Dr. Kafka and Michelle Jones respectively. Thanks fam!
Xavier Hernandez returns as Spider-Man 2099, and for the first time since episode 3, is actually able to have a conversation with Peter! Imagine that!
And then there’s Eileen Nestman. Not only did she once again provide the voice of Ghost-Spider to perfection, but she (with the help of sculpting artist Ashley Cazier) created the entirety of Aunt May’s house. More on that below. Eileen also pulled double duty in this episode, in a role we’ll discuss later…
But of course, what’s an episode of Spider-Verse without the Easter Eggs? So let’s go over them!
The Handshake
If you’ve seen any MCU Spider-Man movies, then you know Peter and Ned have a special handshake! I did the best I could to recreate it in figure form, it was actually kind of difficult if you can believe it.
The CEO
Um, Ned Leeds is the CEO of… well, if you know, you know. This is a family website!
A Good Dream
Small Easter egg here, but Peter telling Miles this time he was having a good dream is the last line from the comic Spider-Man: Life Story. And yes, the panel makes me cry every single time I read it.
The Photo
The Marvel Legends VHS line Wolverine came with a picture frame that had Scott and Jean in it so fans could recreate the now memed moment from the classic X-Men show. Fortunately, they made the frame so that you can stick any appropriately sized picture in there. So I swapped one redhead for another and recreated the meme with Peter B. Parker!
May Parker’s House
The aforementioned Eileen Nestman provided this episode with way more than just her voice. She and Face Front’s sculpting artist Ashley Cazier worked meticulously to recreate the version of Aunt May’s house seen in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which you all know is above the Spider’s Nest.
Everything from the retro TV to the pictures on the wall, this near 1:1 creation elevated this set to the next level, providing a wonderful centerpiece for the episode!
Jackpot!
For those who don’t know, Mary Jane’s first line to Peter in the comics (and last when their marriage was destroyed by Mephisto) was “Face it Tiger, you just hit the Jackpot!” Also, a fun coincidence, the Mary Jane figure used for this episode is basically in the same outfit she was wearing in the comic. A near perfect recreation of Peter and MJ’s first meeting! Well, with the exception of the door being slammed in her face…
Birthday!
When Tony gives Peter the Spider-Mobile and wishes him a happy birthday, Peter corrects him, stating that his birthday is August 10th. This is Peter’s birthday in the MCU, as seen in a deleted scene in Far From Home, and it’s also the day in 1962 that Spider-Man first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15.
Underoos
Did you notice that when Peter is on Tony’s HUD he’s listed as Underoos? A nod to the nickname Tony gave him in Captain America: Civil War.
Ezekiel Stane
While never appearing in the MCU, Ezekiel Stane in the comics is the son of Obadiah. Ezekiel is a genius, rivaling even Tony, and an enemy of Iron Man. He makes his debut on Earth-84061, taking up the mantle of Iron Monger to avenge the death of his father at the hands of Tony Stark!
Upgrades
Ezekiel mentions he solved several problems on the Iron Monger suit, all of which Tony used to beat Obadiah in the first Iron Man movie, most notably the icing problem. He mentions he picked up an Arc Reactor from Coney Island, which was a result of a plane full of Stark tech crashing there during Peter’s climactic battle with the Vulture at the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Watching You
MJ sneaks into the fight against Iron Monger to observe Spider-Man. At this point, she’s suspicious that Peter is Spider-Man (at least 70% sure) but just needs that last bit of confirmation.
Really Old Movie
Thanks to AV club, Peter has seen a lot of really old movies, which has led to the defeat of foes such as Giant-Man, Ebony Maw, and now Iron Monger! In Robocop, the titular hero is faced with this menacing, unstoppable death machine. However, when he flees down the stairs, the robot trips, falls, gets stuck on its back, and is ultimately defeated.
Goblin Gas
The line about the “odorless, billowing gas” is exactly how Spider-Man described the gas Green Goblin uses to take his Spider-Sense in the comics. The gas that Peter’s been doused with since Episode 9!
The World Will be Yours and Mine
This line Goblin says to Norman is a deep cut. He never said it in the movie, but the old Toybiz chair with the Goblin mask utter the line, along with “Can Spider-Man come out to play?” and the classic Goblin laugh.
Okay, now I’m only going to say this once: SPOILERS AHEAD! DO NOT KEEP READING IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED THE EPISODE! TURN AROUND, AND COME BACK LATER!!!!
Still here?
And you saw the episode, right?
You’re sure?
Don’t lie to me!
You know what, just scroll back up and watch it again, just to be sure.
Okay, we good?
You watched it twice?
Alright, here we go:
The Amazing Spider-Man first found a hint that his Gwen Stacy was alive way back in Episode 2, and has been searching for her ever since. He finally found her, but much to his surprise, it turns out that the love of his life, Gwen Stacy, is the Master Planner.
Screenshot That felt so weird to type, I’ve been keeping it a secret for years! Finally, the truth revealed! Not only that, but Peter now knows his world is gone! Yeah, sorry if I stopped your heart several times in the end there.
Things are getting real, and with all of the Amazing team-ups done, the Master Planner, aka Gwen Stacy, is preparing to initiate her Master Plan.
But how is she alive? Why did she become the Master Planner? What is her master plan? All in due time. But this is certainly a twist that (I hope) no one saw coming!
Hats off to Eileen for playing the Master Planner reveal to perfection. And in case you’re wondering, no, she had no idea she would be voicing the big villain of the show! That was a fun script read. She was simply floored, and I hope you all are too!
The next episode is 12. I usually reveal the titles of the episodes, but this one is different. Guess you’re just gonna have to wait and see! Thank you for sticking with me on Spidey’s journey through the Spider-Verse. Needless to say the show is reaching its climax. I just hope you’re ready!
Until then, Face Front True Believers, and I’ll see you in the Spider-Verse!
-
The Irredeemable Spider-Man
Spider-Man finally crosses the line. There may be no redemption for Peter Parker after this…
-
Spider-Man: Web-Warriors Episode 10: The Superior Spider-Man
The last Web-Warriors candidate is one that calls himself the Superior Spider-Man. But he has a sinister secret, that threatens the every last hero in the Spider-Verse.
Well True Believers, that was it! The finale to Spider-Man: Web-Warriors! A journey that was born from you guys wanting to see adventures with more heroes from across the Spider-Verse. That’s right, Web-Warriors was only a thing because of the fans. And I am grateful, because I’ve honestly had a lot of fun making these videos.
Now, it’s no secret that I can’t stand the Superior Spider-Man. Like, at all. Doc Ock traipsing around in and committing unspeakable acts in Spider-Man’s body was enough to make me almost stop reading comics! (It’s true!) But I know that there are a ton of Superior fans out there, and no shortage of them frequent my channel. So I made sure to do the character justice in my video, and I hope you all saw it that way.
Talent
Thank you, as always, to Eileen Nestman for providing her endless talent to Gwen Stacy’s voice, our one and only Ghost-Spider! Make sure to throw her a sub on her YouTube channel!
Also, that epic version of Gwen’s Across the Spider-Verse theme you heard when she shows up is the doing of YouTuber Krutikov Music! Spot him a sub too on YouTube.
Now then, I shoved a whole bunch of Easter Eggs in here, as usual, so let’s get into it, shall we?
Easter Eggs
Life Story
The story of this episode revolves around Octavius trying to transfer bodies from Peter to Miles. This was inspired by the final issue of Spider-Man: Life Story by Chip Zdarsky. In this issue, Otto put himself in cryogenic stasis and took over Miles’ body, attempting to fool an older Peter Parker. But a few things here and there gave Otto up and Peter was able to save Miles.
Avengers Academy
Years ago, there was a mobile game called Avengers Academy. It was a fun little game where you unlocked heroes and villains from all over the Marvel Universe and set them to tasks for certain amounts of time (Captain America did the Charleston for 8 hours. 8. Hours.) One of the villains they eventually added was Doc Ock himself, who did have a Superior Spider-Man alternate costume. This is the version of Doc Ock I patterned my voice for Superior Spider-Man after, and I even borrowed my favorite line of his from the game: “Don’t speak. You’re embarrassing yourself.” Listen to it below!
Battle on Avengers Tower
Superior Spider-Man’s recount of how he took Peter Parker’s body is basically shot for shot from Amazing Spider-Man #700 (a comic I swore back in 2012 I’d never read again… oh, the things I do for my fans!) Peter teamed up with Scorpion and Hydro-Man to battle Octavius in Avengers Tower and get his body back. It ended with them falling, Peter’s repurposed Octobot failing, and Doc Ock emerging victorious, as the Superior Spider-Man. Some pictures, you’ll notice are nearly exact recreations of comic panels.
Improving Peter’s Life
Superior Spider-Man mentions making improvements to Peter’s life, which was technically true. He went back to school and got Peter’s PhD. He also started Parker Industries, a company Peter took over when he got his body back. Unfortunately, Peter’s PhD got revoked when it was discovered that he ‘plagiarized’ the work of Otto Octavius and Parker Industries basically imploded. Because what does a nerdy kid from Queens know about running a company! So, yeah, none of that lasted too long, good old Parker Luck.
Doc Ock-isms
Doc had a colorful and very super villain-y vocabulary that he couldn’t help but carry over into his career as Superior Spider-Man. That includes saying things such as “Victory is mine!” and calling people “Dolt!” One line I also took word for word is “I’ve studied him for years. I know everything there is to know about Spider-Man.” You know what they say, you can take the tentacles off of the Doc, but… yada, yada, yada.
Be The Superior Spider-Man!
Are you a fan of Superior Spider-Man? I have… no idea why… but since you are, you may as well let everyone know it! I’ve got some superior new merch just for you in the merch shop! A new T-Shirt, a mug, and a poster, all showcasing the Superior Spider-Man, and the villain he once was! Go Thwip your merch now, and remember, that automatically enters you for a chance to with Marvel Legends Spider-Man Now Way 3-Pack!
So there you have it. That’s it for Web-Warriors! Or… is it? People always ask in my comments if Ultimate Spider-Man’s coming back, will we see the 90’s Spider-Man again, will Kaine ever return? And I always reply the same way: You haven’t seen the last of the Web-Warriors! I mean… you saw the end of this episode right? With Superior Spider-Man… and the computer… and the “Intriguing” line, while playing the Sinister Six theme from the Spider-Man game, after telling Miles he didn’t know how to properly convince people to join a cause? I think I hammered it home pretty hard. Just saying.
But for now, that’s all! So go back and enjoy all 10 episodes of Spider-Hero action, and look forward to more from Face Front in the Spider-Verse, and the Marvel Universe at large! Thank you all for coming along on this Web-Warriors journey with me. Again, without my fans, this series wouldn’t even exist. So thank you. Face Front True Believers, and I’ll see you in the Multiverse!
-
A Very Spidey Christmas!
It’s the happiest time of the year in the Spider-Verse, and the Amazing Friends are celebrating! But unfortunately, there’s a Grinch, or rather, a Goblin that seeks to stop this whole thing! Even if that means he has to steal Christmas! Can Spidey and the team save Christmas? Well check out the 9-Part Spider-Verse Holiday Special below, and see for yourself! And while you’re at it, read about all of the Easter eggs I sprinkled throughout!
Prelude: How the Goblin Stole Christmas!
It’s Christmas time, and the Amazing Friends are here to spread holiday cheer! Unfortunately, the Green Goblin will do anything to make sure that doesn’t happen… even if he has to steal Christmas!
Well, none of that seems good. But let’s revisit it real quick to scope out all the details you may have missed!
-Notice J. Jonah Jameson and Captain Stacy were blindfolded in the beginning. Well that’s so they can attend the Web-tacular without learning the location of the Spider’s Nest.
-Spectacular Spider-Man was the first to sense the Green Goblin, because of their history. However, Spidey’s never went off because it’s still lost from the gas the other Goblin hit him with back in Episode 9!
-Tobey meme alert: “No, please, don’t say that…” The words of crushing defeat after MJ dumped him in Central Park in Spider-Man 3. Sorry OG!
Part 1: All I Webbed for Christmas
OG and Amazing find a way to replace all of the Christmas gifts that Green Goblin destroyed, but getting them back to the Spider’s Nest might not be so easy…
-Eagle-eyed fans of Insomniac’s Marvel’s Spider-Man games will recognize the woman who came in clutch with those gifts! Gloria, the homeless woman Spidey save who ended up at F.E.A.S.T., and turned her life around so much she wound up getting the run of the place. So she was more than happy to help the Amazing Friends save Christmas. Her handle, SoyGloria, is even the same from the social media feature in the games.
-Tobey meme alert: That’s right! I squeezed two, count ’em, two Tobey classics into this one! The “Beat an old lady with a stick” and the ever so famous “My back!” Neither of which I’ve used up to this point, if you can believe it.
Part 2: Joy to the Spider-Verse
With the boom box busted, Miles and Gwen must find a way to restore fire beats to Christmas! But fear not, Brigadiers, for the Spider-Verse’s resident drummer has an idea!
-Insomniac’s Miles Morales returns! If you remember, at the end of Web-Warriors Episode 2, he told Miles that if they needed him, he’d be there. And they definitely needed him!
-The tune Insomniac Miles plays on his phone is the result of completing all of the Prowler missions in the game Spider-Man: Miles Morales. It reveals a mixtape from Uncle Aaron. Unfortunately, it’s a little too old school for the internet, and most people would prefer if Uncle Aaron were never allowed to cook again…
-This version of Joy to the World Miles sings is from the real-life Christmas album that came out of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which is actually titled A Very Spidey Christmas, same as this little holiday special of mine!
Part 3: I’ll be Ham for Christmas
Spider-Ham and Spider-Man Noir set out to replace the food and decorations that Green Goblin destroyed! But last-minute Christmas shopping is never easy, there’s always someone else after the same thing you are…
-Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil, is here to help! Fans will remember that he and Ham met in Episode 10 of Return to the Spider-Verse, and became sort of friends by the end!
-Several Kingpin Easter Eggs in here. I start him with his back turned because that’s how we were first introduced to him way back in that Netflix show. He also goes into this monologue about when he was a boy, which is something Fisk frequently did. Frequently. And I did flip a line he used in Hawkeye, where he says “The people need to be reminded that this city belongs to me.” Only, you know, turkey instead of city.
-And of course fans of Into the Spider-Verse will remember Spider-Man Noir being perplexed by the Rubrik’s Cube because he can’t really tell colors apart, which came into play in this episode.
Part 4: A Light That Won’t Light
Advanced and Peni need to turn off the dark and get the Christmas lights back on in the Spider’s Nest! Can two geniuses pull off the electric enigma?
-Firstly, I’d like to thank Emily Tatsumi for being the only woman I know that can speak Japanese. She once again lended her talent to Peni Parker’s voice, and I am grateful. Click Here to check her out on Instagram!
-Fans of the 2018 Marvel’s Spider-Man game will definitely spot the puzzle from Octavius Industries. I lifted it straight from the game using the PS5 capture feature. I almost didn’t get it because what I didn’t recall is that once you complete the puzzles, you can’t replay them! But luckily, I had another save file where I hadn’t done all the puzzles just yet. Close call!
Part 5: ‘Twas the Fight Before Christmas
Green Goblin is still on the loose and terrorizing Christmas! But lucky for us, the Spectacular Spider-Man is here to stop him!
-I mean, of course Spectacular Spider-Man was going to fight his Green Goblin! I know what my fans want! I actually used this version of the Green Goblin because honestly, of all the different adaptations, this one looks the most like an elf. I kind of intentionally misled people into thinking it’d be OG’s version of the Goblin, so I’m hoping this came as a happy surprise to the many fans of The Spectacular Spider-Man.
-Spectacular is able to confirm that this is indeed still his Norman Osborn under the mask when he confirms that he never apologizes. Since episode 1 of that show, Norman stated he’d never be forced into an apology (which got him into some trouble with the Vulture!) And it was even how Harry outed the Chameleon posing as his father in the last episode of the show.
Part 6: Secret Santa
Green Goblin has made sure that Santa Claus is not coming to town! Can Peter B. Parker help save Christmas for two kids before it’s too late?
-Remember Peter B’s “Let’s do this from the beginning one last time” spiel in Into the Spider-Verse where he mentions he made some dicey money choices and to never invest in a spider-themed restaurant? Yeah, he’s learned his lesson about frivolous spending, and a $300 hazard fee is a bridge too far!
-Peter B. had Mayday Parker in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, but did you know that’s not the only kid he’s had in the comics? He had a daughter in another universe named Annie Parker, in a series by Dan Scott call “Renew Your Vows”. So, since Mayday hasn’t happened yet in my universe, I named this little girl Annie (voiced by my awesome sister) to help nudge Peter B. over the edge on having kids. Let’s hope that spoiled little boy didn’t ruin it!
Part 7: Silent Nights
Spidey is on a quest to repair Aunt May’s broken angel! But he’d better bundle up, because this mission may take longer than expected! Unless he gets help from some new friends…
–In Fisk’s voice When I was a boy… I collected a comic series called “Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man”. It was the first comic series I collected on a regular basis. I sent off for it with a little slip inside of a Rhino action figure and then I started getting them in the mail monthly. Issue #46 was a story called “Silent Nights”. It was a Christmas issue about an angel Uncle Ben got for Aunt May shattering, and Peter searching for a way to fix it. Sound familiar?
Now, the sculpting artist for this special, Ashley Cazier (also the voice of Nico Minoru in Doctor Strange: Battle on Bleecker Street) sent me a whole bunch of goodies, but the angel arrived with the wing broken off. This was a while ago, and I was bummed about it, but serendipity is a funny thing. I was able to use the broken angel to adapt Issue #46 of Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man! Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better scenario.
-Alicia Masters. You know her? She’s not a Spider-Man character, but a Fantastic Four one! The Thing’s girlfriend, blind, but able to see past the superficial, and into one’s true heart. She literally singlehandedly convinced Silver Surfer that Earth was worth saving from Galactus. I based her more on Kerry Washington’s portrayal in the first two Fantastic Four films, just to make her that much more unique in my universe. Also, my mom voiced her (thanks mom!) Now she mentioned her father, Phillip Masters, was the ‘Puppet Master’. A villain to the Fantastic Four, to be sure. But in this universe, he was a simple man, who spent his life making toys for children and raising his daughter in a happy, and loving family.
Epilogue: So This is Christmas
The Spider-Verse has saved the holidays! It’s finally time to celebrate a very Spidey Christmas!
-Tobey meme alert: The “Oh boy, yeah” from his backyard conversation with MJ in Spider-Man 2!
-You’ll note that Advanced claims the Amazing Friends are simply greater together. This is a nod to the tagline for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, “Be Greater. Together.”
-“Merry Spidey Christmas” is a song by Patrick Stump from the Spidey and His Amazing Friends Disney Jr. show! Thanks to Eileen (whose son LOVES this show) for alerting me to its existence, it was the perfect song to close out the holiday special, copyright claim be darned!
-I mean… you all know me by now, right? You know to stay after the credits of a Face Front Original by now, right? RIGHT!?
That’s it for now! Man, I gotta say, this was so fun to make. I want to thank friend of Face Front and voice of Ghost-Spider Eileen Nestman for sitting down with me one night as we hashed out the outline of this story and made it possible. Please Click Here to go to her YouTube channel and show her some support! Last thing, if you want to watch A Very Spidey Christmas in its entirety, then I’ll drop it right below for you Marvelites!
Thank you all for watching, sharing, interacting, and just supporting Face Front through 2023. This is all for you guys, and none of it would be possible without you. Thank you, thank you, thank you all! Face Front True Believers, and I’ll see you in 2024!
-
Coming to Face Front in 2024
Hey there True Believers! 2023 is almost over and it’s been a heck of a year for Face Front! In March I had the 2023 Showcase and presented to you all what was to come this past year. And you know what? We hit most of it! And I’m super proud of that. It’s your support that keeps me going! As for what we still have for December and what’s happening next year, well, keep scrolling!
A Very Spidey Christmas!
First up is a perviously unannounced project that I’m actually super excited for: A Very Spidey Christmas! I’ve been wanting to do a Spider-Verse holiday special forever, but every year that passed I said I’ll do it next time, I’ll do it next time. Well, next time is here!
Titled after the tie-in Christmas album from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, A Very Spidey Christmas is a multi-part series that will release between December 24-25. My Christmas present to you guys! Eileen Nestman (voice of Ghost-Spider) and I got together one night and bashed out ideas for this video that are going to make it the greatest holiday special of all time! And the best part: It is completely canon! So not only are you getting a fun Christmas adventure, but we’re also advancing the story of Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse! It’s a Christmas miracle!
Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 11: For the Love of MJ
Return to the Spider-Verse, uh… returns… with an all-new episode! Peter B. Parker must face new challenges when the love of his life, Mary Jane Watson, shows up on his doorstep! The problem is, he hasn’t spoken to her since before the fight with the Sinister Six! Will Spidey be able to help his Amazing Friend mend this contentious relationship, or will he be facing frightening problems of his own?
The End of the Marvel Universe Part 4
The series that chronicles the destruction of Earth-84061 concludes in the explosive final part of The End of the Marvel Universe! In Part 1, we figured out where the Face Front Universe diverged from the MCU. Falcon survived the Blip and was able to stall Thanos long enough for Thor to eliminate him, and reverse the effects of his snap mere moments after it happened.
In Part 2, we discovered why the Avengers worked for Face Front. Young multimedia manager Joshua Westbrook (that’s me!) set out to show the world that the Avengers, and heroes in general, would always be needed. This resulted in Spider-Man hosting the Face Front News Flash (what he was about to do before being swept into the Spider-Verse) and the Falcon getting his own TV show, Sam Says…
… Which got canceled after 2 episodes, causing him to unleash the power of the Infinity Gauntlet. In Part 3, we finally answered the question fans have been asking since 2019: What happened after Falcon snapped? Turns out, he ended up in the year 2099. Tony Stark and Captain Rogers set out in a time machine to go retrieve Sam and the Gauntlet, but unfortunately, found themselves stuck in the future.
And at last, Part 4 will reveal the answer to the final question, the one everyone wants to know: How did the Marvel Universe end?
Rise of the X-Men
The X-Men have been hidden too long. Now, they finally rise. Not much I can say about this project, but Rise of the X-Men will be coming in 2024, and it will at last introduce the world-famous Marvel team to the Face Front Universe.
Nick Fury: The New Initiative
So remember waaaaay back when when I announced four new Face Front Originals? Well, I’ve completed 3 of them, those being Doctor Strange: Battle on Bleecker Street, Spider-Man: Return of the Sinister Six, and recently Loki: Realm of the Dishonored Dead. The final one was to be a Nick Fury video, and to take place before Falcon’s snap. Well, I’m finally doing it! And it’s got a new title too:
Nick Fury: The New Initiative. Following the devastation of Thanos, Director Nick Fury, Captain Marvel, General Talos, and all of S.H.I.E.L.D. must band together to ensure that something like that never occurs again. However, new challenges await the Director, as he’s faced with the return of a villain long thought dead, and the beginning of a Secret War… This video finally arrives next year!
Spider-Man: Web-Warriors Episode 10: The Superior Spider-Man
This is it, Marvelites. The titanic finale to the show that spun out of Return to the Spider-Verse. The 10th episode of Web-Warriors marks the most cunning and sinister one yet: The Superior Spider-Man. I won’t say much, but I’m definitely going into this episode of Web-Warriors with big finale energy!
Now does this mean that Web-Warriors is over forever? I can’t tell you that. But I know there’s a lot of Spideys you guys want to see, and I intend to make most of you happy, so do with that knowledge what you will. That’s why I do this, to make you guys happy. Because I personally cannot stand the Superior Spider-Man! But there’s a lot of you that love him, and I’m going to make sure you all get a kick out of this episode!
So there you have it! We’re ending big with the holiday special, and going into 2024 with a whole slew of new Face Front Originals for you all to sink your teeth into! Thank you, thank you, thank you for sticking with me through 2023! The channel crossed 4,000 subscribers! More and more people are discovering the Face Front community, and I only want it to get bigger! So keep watching! Keep sharing! Keep nerding out! Because this is a new Marvel Universe, and it’s here for you! Thank you all again, Face Front True Believers, and I’ll see you in 2024!
-
Spider-Man: Web-Warriors Episode 9: Zombie Hunter Spider-Man
Next on Spidey’s list of Web-Warriors is a Spider-Man who hunts the creatures that destroyed his world: ZOMBIES!
Well, much like the What If…? episode, that was heartbreaking! Poor Zombie Hunter Spider-Man ended the team-up the same he began it… alone. Unless you count a body-less Ant-Man making constant head puns and a sentient cloak, but I don’t think he does…
This episode was actually requested by a surprising number of people. And who am I to deny the fans? Web-Warriors, after all, was created to showcase the different Spidey’s that you all wanted to see! Now I chose to do this episode a bit differently. Instead of Zombie Hunter Spider-Man going in for an interview, I had Spidey go to him, like the gang did in Episode 4 of the series.
This allowed me to set the episode after the events of What If…? and create a brand new narrative for both Spiders to engage in! Of course, however, this didn’t come without my usual order of callbacks and references!
Easter Eggs
Zombie Hunter HQ
One of the coolest parts about the What If…? episode was the Zombie Hunter HQ! A bunch of subway cars suspended in the air by a giant spider web!? Ignoring the fact that Spider-Man’s web fluid dissolves in an hour, this is such a cool concept and I love it so much. So when it came to designing the inside for the set, I made sure to build longer instead of wider.
Comparing Notes
Zombie Hunter Spider-Man is the same as the MCU Spider-Man up until Infinity War. Which, if you’re watching the Face Front Original Series The End of the Marvel Universe, you know is where my universe also takes a different path. So when figuring out about his life, Spidey finds that he and Zombie Hunter Spider-Man are essentially the same person, who went through all of the same events in life! Except for, you know, the Zombie Apocalypse…
The Plan
Peter states that King T’Challa is in Wakanda lining up a satellite array to broadcast the Mind Stone cure worldwide. If you’ll remember, that’s how the episode ended. With the survivors of the team on the way to Wakanda. The second array at Stark Industries was made up by me, but I thought it would make for a good ultimate goal/challenge for our friendly neighborhood Zombie Hunter Spider-Man! Also… there was a zombie Thanos waiting for them, and that’s game over, so I definitely didn’t wanna go that route!
Return of the Marvel Zombies!
I had two wonderful zombie figures with Iron Man and Captain America! The two key Avengers! But they died, like, almost immediately and quite easily in the show. So to use them, I had to find a way to bring them back! Which led to the 3rd zombie…
The Hulk Couldn’t Stop Her
Wanda Maximoff! If we recall, she was probably the most powerful zombie, being fed by Vision, and destroying anyone that got in her way with her undead Chaos Magic! Last we saw her, she was fighting the Hulk, but since The Watcher pulled her out of the a portal to use against Infinity Ultron, I’m gonna assume she won that fight. If anyone can revive dead zombies, it’s an undead Scarlet Witch!
Remembering the Team
After Wanda revives Cap and Iron Man, Zombie Hunter Spider-Man realizes that it’s basically a lost cause. Looking at Peter ready to fight reminded him of his old team. Happy Hogan, Okoye, the Winter Soldier, Sharon Carter, and of course, Hope VanDyne. Zombie hunters that fought to the bitter end. Unable to stomach losing another friend, he sends Peter on his way, hoping he’ll got on to a better world.
Smile for Me
“If we don’t keep smiling when they can’t, then we might as well be gone too.” Something Zombie Hunter Spider-Man told Hope that Aunt May said to him. Which is why in the episode, when Hope sacrificed herself, she told Peter to smile for her. Wanting to carry on the feeling of, well, hope, Zombie Hunter tells Peter to smile for him. Even as he stays behind, mirroring Wasp’s sacrifice. Hope would be proud.
Merch
Is Zombie Hunter Spider-Man your favorite Web-Warrior? Do you want people to know that everywhere you go? Then don’t forget to stop by the Merch Store and grab this awesome Zombie Hunter Spider-Man T-Shirt! In cosmic purple or shadowy black!
Remember, once we hit 100 Merch sales, anyone that purchased even a single piece has a chance to win the Marvel Legends Spider-Man: No Way Home 3-Pack! Click Here for more details on that!
That’s a wrap on the Zombie Hunter Episode! This one was a lot of fun to make. From the destroyed Stark Industries lobby to the throat-destroying zombie grunts (yes, that was all me). It’s definitely probably the saddest ending to a Web-Warriors episode. But Peter made Zombie Hunter promise to stay alive, so he has to! Right? RIGHT!??
We’ll see. And the next episode is a big one. Bigger than the rest! Maybe even superior to all that came before it! But who is it? Well, you’ll have to wait and see! Anyways, that’s it for me, Face Front True Believers, and I’ll see you in the Multiverse!
