Tag: Spider-Verse

  • Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 7: Power of the Sun

    Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 7: Power of the Sun

    When Spidey needs to acquire precious Tritium to recreate the power of the sun, he and OG turn to Otto Octavius. Unfortunately, the duo might get more tentacles than they signed up for!

    Easter Eggs

    Doctor Kafka

    Doctor Ashley Kafka is a psychiatrist at the Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane. She’s been a character in Spider-Man comics for years, and has had several on-screen appearances. So when I decided to throw Otto in Ravencroft for rehabilitation, it was none the than Dr. Kafka who was assigned to treat him. Voiced by my wonderful mother Kensala Smith-Westbrook, who is in school to get her psychology degree! Way to go mom!

    Olivia Octavius

    Gwen brings up the pain-in-the-butt Dr. Olivia Octavius, who True Believers will remember as the female Doc Ock from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse! Since she did construct the original Super Collider for Kingpin, it only makes sense that she’d have cliff notes on the schematics, right?

    Tritium

    Precious Tritium is the fuel that makes this project go. The rare element, of which Doc Ock states there is only 25 pounds of on the planet, is what he used to ignite his fusion reactor in Spider-Man 2.

    The Power of the Sun

    Hey, that’s the name of the episode! Yes, True Believers, you all remember the famous line from Doc Ock, that was repeated very recently in Spider-Man: No Way Home. “The power of the sun, in the palm of my hand.” Geez, that’s all Doc Ock really wants! Someone just give the man his sun power!

    Peter Speaks Spanish

    Scorpion seems quite puzzled when he discovers that Spidey can speak Spanish. If you think back to Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter catches Delmar’s comment about Aunt May, then replies with a snarky comeback about his daughter. He’s not perfect at it though, it’s stated multiple times in Homecoming that he’s still taking a Spanish class, and in a deleted scene in Far From Home, Delmar has to help him remember how to say ‘dual headphone adaptor’.

    OG lines

    Were you paying attention? OG drops some lines from Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man movies. “Where do all these guys come from?” Then there was “Trying to do better” and “No, not exactly.” Did you spot anymore? Let me know!

    Bully Maguire

    Tobey Maguire has basically become a meme across the internet known as “Bully Maguire”. Most of the dialogue in Bully Maguire videos comes from his time in the black suit, but there is an instance when poor Tobey was being harassed by some idiot paparazzi that were flashing cameras in his face and blocking his car in. Tobey, rightfully so, got upset and told them to get out of the way, that there were cars there and he couldn’t see. I just thought I’d squeeze that moment in the video as a little bit of Bully Maguire fun!

    You’ve got a Train to Catch

    Probably the most famous scene in Spider-Man 2 is when Spider-Man stopped that train. So how could I not pay homage to this moment in OG’s premiere episode! And honestly, what better way to stop a truck from falling off a bridge, am I right?

    Hello Peter

    As probably the most famous line in recent Spider-Man history, I feel like I don’t need to explain this one. I’m just really happy I got to include it in here!

    Superhero Landings

    I’m still not sure how much we want to fool with spoilers, but if these poses look familiar, that was intentional. That’s all I’ll say on that.

    Spider-Man 2: The Game

    There were plenty of lines to choose from Doc Ock’s dialogue in the Spider-Man 2 video game. I restrained myself and chose my favorite: “What? Hit him again? What an excellent idea!”

    Here are some I could have chosen: “This is fitting vengeance for my poor Rosie!”, “You! Will! Die!”, “I will laugh over your broken corpse!”, “Fight me! Stand! And! Fight me!”, “I’m gonna kill her you know.”, “Miserable creature!”

    Yeah… Doc Ock was pretty intense in that game…

    Blindfolded Fight

    Nobody can forget that horrific hospital scene from Spider-Man 2! (A lot of things in the Raimi Trilogy made more sense when I figured out he was a horror director). I thought it was insane that Doc Ock took out a room full of doctors not only unconscious, but blindfolded! So I had that moment where Spider-Man webs his glasses and Doc Ock still overpowers them! Also, you know, Spider-Man always webs Doc Ock’s glasses.

    The Chrysler Building

    As we know, OG likes to go to the Chrysler Building to clear his head. We saw it in Spider-Man 1, the movie and the game, and it was mentioned by him later on. So when figuring out how to end the video, I decided to use a beautiful shot (if I do say so myself) of him up on the eagle statue, over the traditional yellow-tinted city (Which is actually a Spider-Man movie poster I had). With that classic Danny Elfman score behind it, oh my goodness. I almost made myself cry with that one!

    That’s it for this episode! Man, this one took a lot! A midair fight!? Come on! What did you think? What was Spider-Man 2099 trying to tell Peter? And why is Dr. Kafka working for the Master Planner! So many questions! Stay tuned, you’ll get your answers! Maybe… And I know a lot of you have been looking forward to the next episode featuring Spider-Man’s arch-nemesis: Venom! I can’t wait! Face Front True Believers, and I’ll see you in the Multiverse!

  • Spider-Man: Web-Warriors Episode 2: Spider-Man Miles Morales

    Spider-Man: Web-Warriors Episode 2: Spider-Man Miles Morales

    Close out the 10th Anniversary of Miles Morales with the next installment of Web-Warriors! While Spidey is gone, Miles takes up the responsibility of finding the next candidate for the Web-Warriors. Little does he know that he’s about to come face-to-face with another Miles Morales!

    I wanted to close the year with a tribute to Miles since this is his 10th Anniversary. In a previous video, I laid out my history with the character. I feel close to him, and I was all too proud to make a video where Miles meets Miles! In a world where we’ve seen several versions of Peter Parker interact, I thought it would be unique to see what Miles thinks of himself from another universe!

    This being the Gamerverse Miles Morales, of course I included several little Easter eggs that anyone who has played the game will surely pick up on!

    Nuform

    Miles states that he saved the city from an unstable Nuform reactor. Fans of the game will recognize this as the dangerous substance being exploited by Simon Krieger to power Roxxon Plaza. Before that particular reactor exploded, Miles was able to absorb the energy and release it high above the city.

    The Tinkerer

    Miles’s friend Phin Mason was Insomniac Games’ version of the terrible Tinkerer. With high-tech weapons and an army of followers called the Underground at her disposal, the Tinkerer wrecked havoc on Harlem in an all-out war with Roxxon. Luckily, as stated in the video, Miles was able to stop her, though it cost him his friend.

    Chase of Goose

    In the first Marvel’s Spider-Man PS4 game, there were some levels where you played as Miles before he had his Spidey-powers. One of these was a terrifying game of hide-and-seek with the Rhino! Rhino, annoyed that he couldn’t find you (if you were good at the game) stated that he hated the “chase of goose”. So in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, I guess Miles remembered this because he brought it up to rile up Rhino, just like in the video!

    Harlem

    Yes, traditionally Miles is from Brooklyn. But in the game, after his father died in the events of Marvel’s Spider-Man, Rio moved herself and Miles back to her hometown of Harlem. Miles was a bit uncomfortable with the move at first, but as time went on, he came to love, and protect, his new home.

    Teo’s Bodega

    Along with Harlem came a supporting cast of residents that by the end of the game were referring to Miles as “our Spider-Man”, as he states in the video. Teo is one of these residents, and he has a cat. Named Spider-Man the Cat. Which made for a very fun alternate costume for those of you who have unlocked it in the game.

    Well, that’s it for me True Believers! More Web-Warriors will be coming in the new year, as well as new episodes of Return to the Spider-Verse. Until then, happy 10th Anniversary to Miles Morales! I can’t believe he’s been around for so long! It feels like just yesterday I picked up Ultimate Fallout #4 off the shelf! So what’d you guys think of the video? Who else do you want to see in Web-Warriors? Let me know below, and until next time, Face Front True Believers, and I’ll see you in the Multiverse!

  • Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 6: The Ghost

    Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 6: The Ghost

    Spidey and Ghost-Spider return to Gwen’s home to fix her dimension watch. But everything changes when Ghost-Spider’s past starts to haunt her!

    Voice Talent

    Eileen Nestman as Ghost-Spider

    As always, Eileen Nestman lent her voice to Ghost-Spider. But unlike every other episode, this one revolved around her character. I told her she needed to bring it. And she brought it. I actually felt tears well up when she was mourning the death of Peter. I felt the rage from her primal screams as an enraged Gwen attacked Doppelgänger. Her monologues left me with chills!

    I’ve known Eileen since we were 12, and I’m so glad we’ve remained friends. I find it hard to imagine anyone else doing the job with Ghost-Spider that Eileen has done, and she is a valued member of the Face Front team. Please make sure to check her out on YouTube or Instagram @eileen.wuthrich!

    Laura Henson as Mary Jane

    Gwen’s friend and leader of the Mary Janes, Em Jay (it’s spelled like that in the comics, back off) was essential to have in this episode. The problem I had is that, as we know, Eileen is in Idaho, and the conversations between Gwen and Em Jay had to feel authentic and natural. So I needed someone located where she is. Luckily, Eileen recruited Laura, and she was more than happy to oblige! With her help, I got the Gwen and Em Jay interactions I was looking for!

    Emily Tatsumi as Peni Parker

    In Episode 1: Amazing Friends, Peni had a line of dialogue. I used Google translate and recorded the voice. I did what I could, and it was passable, but I knew that if Peni was going to continue to be a part of the team, especially with her upcoming episode, I’d need a better solution. Enter Emily Tatsumi.

    Emily is a friend that not only speaks fluent Japanese, but also did voice acting as a child! I’m honored that she accepted my request to bring Peni Parker to life. Make sure to check Emily out on Instagram @emi_tsumi!

    Props and Sets

    And as if Eileen doesn’t do enough for Face Front, she very recently had the idea to build sets for the show! This includes Peter B.’s comfy new couch, and the tech lab at Midtown High! I love how intricate and detailed they are. And Eileen including a green screen in the lab makes it so that I can add more dynamic screens, and I will defiantly be using this technique in future videos. Look for everything she sent me in an upcoming TikTok video. I’m on TikTok now. In case you didn’t know, @facefrontblog.

    Easter Eggs

    Let’s Start at the Beginning

    The intro to the video is word for word what Gwen says in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse when she introduces herself to Peter and Miles. I just put my own images on it, including this comic cover!

    Amazing Fantasy

    And speaking of the intro, does the picture of Gwen saving Captain Stacy look familiar? Look at it. Look at it real close.

    Rent?

    Yes, I included a scene where OG is having trouble fixing a door. I think this one goes without much explaining.

    Private Donor

    Many Marvel fans know Cindy Moon as the web-slinging superhero Silk! But on Gwen’s world, Earth-65, she’s much more sinister. She never got spider powers, but almost did. Envious at what she was potentially missing, she founded a secret organization, S.I.L.K., and spent years researching how to give herself powers. There was a whole story involving Gwen, 616 Silk, and Jessica Drew that ultimately ended with Gwen losing her powers! So it’s safe to assume that, in this video, the research Cindy requested that Gwen forgot, has to do with her ultimate goal: Becoming a spider-powered menace!

    Corn Dogs

    To cheer up her best friend, Gwen suggests that the two get corn dogs. Peter notes that she has a weird thing for them, which comes directly from the comics. For whatever reason Gwen simply LOVES corn dogs!

    A blog dedicated to all your favorite moments — Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #10 - “You Can't Stop...

    Bodega Bandit

    Ghost-Spider’s arch-nemesis is the Bodega Bandit! He constantly robs the Dollar Dog of their corn dog collection with his pet hamster Pine Cone! Ghost-Spider is no match for the persistent Bodega Bandit!

    bodega bandit | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs | Tumgir

    The Mary Janes

    The Mary Janes is the band Gwen drums for named after their leader Em Jay (again, it’s spelled like that in the comics, back off). The “Betty and Glory” that Gwen mentions are the Earth-65 versions of Betty Brant and Glory Grant, who are also members of the band. The song that Gwen and Em Jay are singing, Face it Tiger, is actually a song they sang in the comics that Marvel made real! More about that in the soundtrack portion.

    You Can’t Trick Me Anymore

    As we saw in Spider-Man: Far From Home, when Peter confronts Mysterio on the Tower Bridge, he finally regains his Peter Tingle (though Spectacular has since convinced him to call it “Spider-Sense”) and fights through Beck’s illusions, stating that he can’t trick him anymore. I kept Peter’s immunity to Beck’s tricks for this fight, to make it more dynamic, basically taking place in the real world from Peter’s point of view, and Mysterio’s world from Gwen’s.

    Doppelgänger

    An evil, mindless duplicate of Spider-Man infused with supernatural energy by the Demogoblin. Aka, a really scary version of Spider-Man that would fit in Mysterio’s backwards nightmare world. Honestly, I’m glad I found a way to integrate this rather unique character into my video!

    What’s Up With Madripoor?

    Gwen states that she learned to speak Japanese by spending some time in Madripoor. Marvel fans know that the iconic location has recently appeared in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which is why Peter notes that Sam told him about it. But in the Spider-Gwen comics (not Ghost-Spider, I know what I’m talking about) Gwen spent a significant amount of time there fighting ninjas. And Wolverine. Is it that far fetched to assume that she picked up some Japanese while she was there?

    Goblin Gas

    Did you know that the Green Goblin once invented a gas that suppressed Spider-Man’s Spider-Sense? Well, he did. It was not fun for Peter. And if you stayed for the post-credits scene, which you definitely should have, then you’ll know that he’s done just that at the end of this video. Needless to say, it probably won’t be fun for Peter. But I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

    The Soundtrack

    For this video, I chose to use more vocal songs than I usually do, but that’s because the Marvel Rising cartoon, which Gwen was quite heavily associated with, had such a great selection! Also To the End and Face it Tiger were must-haves! More info below!

    To the End- Elliphant

    This epic song played in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse during Gwen’s intro. And since I mimicked it word-for-word here in my video, it only made sense to include the actual song that played! Points for authenticity!

    Roaring Thunder- Navia Robinson

    I played this when Gwen and Peter were hanging out together because it’s about the strength of friends when they stick together, as powerful as roaring thunder. This made it perfect for the scene where Gwen promises Peter they’ll be friends forever. A great selection from Marvel Rising!

    Face it Tiger- The Mary Janes

    As I mentioned earlier, in an incredible feat of cross promotional prowess, Marvel actually created the song that had only been printed on paper. Being that this is the only Mary Janes hit in the real world, it was a no-brainer to include it as the song Gwen and Em Jay were singing for band practice.

    Team- Tova

    I put this song here because Gwen and Peter are finally on the same page and can now work even better as a team! Another Marvel Rising hit!

    Watch Me Rise- Photronique, Shari Short

    This episode was always going to end with this song. It was used in Marvel Rising, but has such a perfect message about rising above adversity. Seeing Gwen sitting on the roof, as opposed to earlier where Ghost-Spider had to climb up to it, was meant to represent how much she’s grown now that she has accepted her friends as her strength. And this song was perfect.

    That’s it for now True Believers! This episode is basically 30 minutes long! Wow! And to think I initially intended this to be a series of short 10-minute-long videos lol! The more of these I make, the more I improve, and the better stories I can bring to you guys. Once again, I do this for you. Thank you so much for all of your support.

    The next episode is one I’m sure many people have been waiting for, OG is stepping into the spotlight to battle Doc Ock! Now I know No Way Home is literally days away, but just know that I’m gonna stick to my intended story, no matter how the movie shakes out. I might use a quote or two if I think they’re cool though. I’m looking forward to it, but first, let me know what you guys think of this one! Sound off below, until then, Face Front True Believers, and I’ll see you in the Multiverse!

  • Spider-Man: Web-Warriors Episode 1: Kaine/Scarlet Spider

    Spider-Man: Web-Warriors Episode 1: Kaine/Scarlet Spider

    With the Master Planner only getting stronger, it’s time for the Amazing Spider-Friends to expand the team! Starting the new Web-Warriors Initiative, Spidey seeks out the first candidate from the Spider-Verse to add their ranks: Kaine, aka the Scarlet Spider!

    Of course, as with all of my videos, I’ve shoved a Spiders-Nest full of Easter Eggs in here! Even though it’s significantly shorter! That just means have to less time to make as many references and callbacks as possible! I will never not overdo it with Easter Eggs! So without further delay, here’s some fun facts you may have missed!

    The Jackal

    Professor Miles Warren taught Peter and Gwen Stacy in college, but moonlighted as a fuzzy Yoda in a speedo called the Jackal and spent his spare time making clones of Peter (including Kaine and Ben Reilly) and Gwen, whom he had an unhealthy obsession with. Talk about your creeps, he was twice he age!

    Special Suit

    Though they don’t have a Marvel Legend figure of this version of Kaine, thus why it wasn’t in the video, I still wanted to reference the terrifying black suit that Kaine wore for the first half of his life. As mentioned, it kept him from degenerating, and it also made him, like, ten times more menacing.

    Mark of Kaine

    Kaine’s face is… not pretty. So, he made sure that when he left his victims in the early days of his career, they had a face to match. I mean, pretty rude, but Kaine isn’t known for his politeness.

    Inheritors

    The Inheritors are a race of energy vampires that feed off of the essences of basically anyone in the Spider-Verse, or Spider-Totems. This puts every Spider-Man, woman, and pig at risk! The Inheritors were the reason for the initial Spider-Verse storyline in 2014, though the one of them featured in this video, Morlun, has been around in comics much longer than that. He mentions in the video that he will ‘never truly die’ because it was discovered, by Kaine and some friends, actually, that when an Inheritor dies, they are replaced with a clone, all memories intact, and thus they live again!

    The Other

    The Other is a Spider-Totem that has inhabited both Peter Parker and Kaine. It bestows great power amongst the inhabitant, including the ability to transform into a ferocious spider creature. Kaine used this ability to kill Solus, the leader of the Inheritors! A totem this powerful is of course a very enticing snack to Inheritors!

    All of the Power, None of the Responsibility

    This was literally the tagline for the 2012 Scarlet Spider run. It said that on top of all of the comics. Which explains why Kaine is an unruly menace willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done! Unlike Ben Reilly, Kaine doesn’t really feel the need to be beholden to the teachings of Uncle Ben. I guess being the reject clone does that to a guy…

    That’s all for this first installment of Spider-Man: Web-Warriors! I’m really happy that I have this new spinoff series of shorts, because now I can shine a light on other interesting characters from the Spider-Verse that don’t play into the main storyline. Are there any personal favorite Web-Warriors you’d like to see? Let me know below and I’ll see what I can do! Until the next episode, Face Front True Believers, and I’ll see you in the Multiverse!

  • Spider-Man: Web-Warriors Announcement!

    Spider-Man: Web-Warriors Announcement!

    One comment I see a lot of in my Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse videos is “Ooh! Can you do (Insert Spider-Verse character here) in a future video?”

    Well, sometimes I can. But unfortunately, other times, I can’t. I have a very specific plan for the arc of Return to the Spider-Verse, and there’s a lot of Spiders that just don’t factor into the story. And throwing them in for a cameo or fan service wouldn’t be right to the people who requested them.

    So, as always, I’ve come up with an idea to please my fans! Introducing Spider-Man: Web-Warriors! These will be a series of short videos showcasing other Spiders that I don’t have plans for in the main storyline! Whoever said you can’t make everyone happy?

    The first video is going to center around Peter Parker’s botched clone, Kaine, aka Scarlet Spider. A fan on YouTube by the name ‘Scarlet Spider’ with Kaine as his profile picture has been asking, and has been patient, so that’s why Kaine is up first! And after him, there will be many more!

    This also serves as a sort of buffer between episodes of Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse. Those take quite a while to make, and I know my fans get hungry! So with these shorts coming out between videos, I can have more content for your viewing pleasure!

    So keep your eyes open True Believers! These shorts will start dropping very soon. And if you have any Spiders you want to see, just let me know below and I’ll see what I can do! That’s it for me, Face Front True Believers and I’ll see you in the Multiverse!

  • Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 5: Living on the Edge

    Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 5: Living on the Edge

    Spidey and Spectacular are on a mission to find the Master Planner! But when they venture into his old lair, they are suddenly thrust into the fight of their lives!

    The Theme Song

    Everyone knows it. Everyone sings it. Everyone loves it. The Spectacular Spider-Man theme song is probably the most memorable part of the show, and that’s saying a lot because it was an incredible show! So I would have been remise not to include it in my video featuring the Spectacular Spider-Man! Of course, I couldn’t just copy and paste the theme song, I had to make it my own to fit within the Face Front Universe. So I imitated it using a mix of previous scenes from Return to the Spider-Verse as well as new assets, like the character screens and the web collage.

    Easter Eggs

    This episode is chock full of Easter Eggs from the show, so let’s go over them in case you missed any!

    Older Ladies

    Spectacular teases Spidey about not being able to handle the ‘older ladies’ when he suggests asking Betty out would be weird. That’s because in the show, Betty was, and I’m gonna quote Peter here, “20 years old and hot”. So, yeah, not in High School with Peter like in the MCU.

    Amazing Spider-Man #33

    We all know the scene in Spider-Man: Homecoming where Peter summons all of his strength and lifts the debris that Vulture dropped on him. The same thing happened to Spectacular, when he confronted Doc Ock in the lair I painstakingly recreated in the video. When he lost, Doc Ock activated the self destruct and trapped Spectacular under a heap of metal. The version in the show is actually a lot closer to the first time Spider-Man got trapped under a large pile of debris, in the comics, Amazing Spider-Man #33!

    Sandman

    Spectacular notes that Sandman sacrificed himself when Rhino implies he wants revenge for what he ‘did to him’. This was a reference to the last time we saw Sandman in the series, the episode called “First Steps”. Sandman saved a group of sailors from an exploding oil tanker (that he caused to explode), stating that he never wanted all of that, and just wanted his big score (also referenced in the post-credits scene). The ship explodes and Sandman seemingly dies, but we find out he’s okay, which is why he’s back now!

    Montana

    Shocker in the TV show is actually the Enforcer known as Montana. Even Fancy Dan and Ox got upgrades later, Fancy Dan becoming Ricochet and Ox becoming… well… Ox. Montana did love to run around in a cowboy and wield a lasso. Also, fun fact, Montana’s real name is Jackson Brice, who was actually the first Shocker in Spider-Man: Homecoming, the one Vulture disintegrated!

    “Arachnid”

    In the show, Doc Ock always called Spider-Man “Arachnid”. Cute nickname or spiteful taunting? You decide! Either way, I made sure to incorporate that into my video.

    High Flying Falcon Action Figure

    Kids today probably don’t know what commercials are because they stream everything, but I watched this show when it aired live on TV (The first episode was actually on my 15th Birthday!) so I had to sit through commercials! And since I had to do it, so do you! Take that kids today that stream everything! You can skip over it if you’d like. Surely you have no need for a High Flying Falcon Action Figure. But, you know, if WandaVision taught us anything, it’s that you should probably pay attention to the commercials. Just saying.

    Power Source

    Doc Ock had a power source that kept his tentacles active and alive. Whenever it was removed, Doc Ock was usually incapacitated, since his arms are so heavy. He did have Electro power him up when the Sinister Six formed, but after they were beaten he returned to the normal power source, as seen in my favorite episode of the show “Gangland”. That’s what Spectacular rips out near the end, if you didn’t know.

    Spidey Face in the Sky

    I’m not sure why, but every episode of Spectacular Spider-Man ended with Spidey’s face or a web appearing in the sky or on a dance floor, usually in the sky. It even turned black when he got the black suit! So I just thought it’d be a fun callback to the show.

    Well True Believers, that’s all for this one! It took a while, but I had to make sure it was perfect for you guys! How’d you like it? Tell me below, and tune in for Episode 6: The Ghost! The ever talented Eileen Nestman will lend her voice talent once more to Ghost-Spider, as Spidey teams up with her to fix her dimension watch, and find out about the strange quantum anomalies that occur every time he gets hit. What’s that about? Might be important. Anyways, thanks again for watching, your guys’ support means everything to me! (I mean, 1,000 subscribers on YouTube! Awesome!) Face Front True Believers, and I’ll see you in the Multiverse!

  • Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 4: Be Greater

    Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 4: Be Greater

    The next chapter in Spidey’s adventure back into the Spider-Verse has arrived! After Gwen comes upon an encrypted file in the Super Collider schematics, Spidey must team up with the Advanced Spider-Man to face down against one of his oldest and fiercest foes: The Kingpin. It’s time to Be Greater!

    Bringing the Game to Life

    When adapting Advanced’s world, I wanted to bring the look and feel of the game to life. That includes a title screen and loading screens that imitate what’s seen in the game. The title screen was a fun new way to drop the “Return to the Spider-Verse” title card. And the loading screens add just the right amount of anxious anticipation that we all felt when we popped the game in our PS4’s for the first time!

    I also wanted to display the two main mission types from the game, stealth and combat. I knew immediately I needed an HUD, which I created from scratch. Monitoring health and web gadgets was a vital part of playing the game, and I really wanted to make sure it came across here!

    The one other element I was sure I wanted in there was the gadget wheel! Creating that from scratch was a daunting task that I wasn’t sure I could pull off, so I took some in-game photos with the gadgets I needed highlighted, and cut it out! A nice little shortcut for a feature that added a little more authenticity to the mix.

    Speaking of in-game photos, the scenes where we’re panning by the city were all shot by me! Using the PlayStation 5 capture feature, I loaded up Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered and got some epic 4K shots of Advanced’s world! I was sure to include iconic locations, like Oscorp, F.E.A.S.T., and Avengers Tower!

    Easter Eggs!

    Of course, this being a Face Front video, I’m gonna fill it to the brim with Easter eggs! Let me list a few you might have missed:

    Fisk is Back

    -When Advanced looks up Wilson Fisk, he finds a newspaper article that says he’s back out of prison! This article was actually on the official website for the PS4 game!

    Just the Facts

    -The controversial podcast by J. Jonah Jameson makes an appearance in the video! I created the rant to be something Jameson would probably say if he found out that the amount of Spider-Men in the world literally multiplied overnight! They were so much fun in the game, it would be criminal to exclude from my video!

    Another Miles

    -Advanced mentions that he has a Miles in his world, who we all know was the star of last year’s hit PS5 game Spider-Man: Miles Morales. When he mentions that he was undercover at Fisk Tower, this is a direct reference to the level in the game where Miles convinces Phin to take him to the Underground’s HQ, which is a… redecorated Fisk Tower!

    Yuri Watanabe

    -A charter from the comics that made her way into the game, Yuri Watanabe was Spider-Man’s main contact on the NYPD. But during the City That Never Sleeps DLC missions, she went rogue and started taking out bad guys with prejudiced, which is what Advanced meant when he says “She’s been a little off the rails lately”.

    Hostile Takeover

    -JJ does flat out say the words “Hostile Takeover”, which for those who don’t know is the official prequel novel to the game. When Advanced references Maya Lopez’s father, that’s a direct pull from the book, where Fisk murdered her father, framed Spider-Man for it, and raised her to be the deadly assassin Echo. In fact, you can check out Face Front’s review of the book right here!

    Marvel’s Avengers

    -When Spidey figures out that Advanced knows the Avengers, he gets excited only to learn that they’re often never around, which is a line from the game. He says that they’re on the West Coast fighting AIM, which is a direct reference to the plot of the Marvel’s Avengers video game! When the Avengers actually turn out to be there, Iron Man gets some strange quantum readings which Cap guesses is AIM’s Scientist Supreme Monica Rappaccini and her Cosmic Cube. Maybe it is. Then again, maybe it isn’t.

    Goon Conversations

    -Goons like to talk a lot during stealth missions. Listen closely to their conversations in the video! You’ll hear them reference events and villains from the games, like Mr. Negative and the Tinkerer! FYI, the goon says working for Tinkerer was terrible, and when the original Tinkerer was introduced in the comics, he was known as the Terrible Tinkerer!

    The Score

    Of course I used John Paesano’s soundtrack for the game! I’ve used songs from this album before, but I made sure to entirely score this video with it! The only exception being the scene with The Avengers, where we briefly hear the Every Hero Has to Start Somewhere track from that game. Other than that, I matched scenes from the video to songs from the game. The stealth mission overlaid with Webbed from the Shadows, the combat mission featuring All the King’s Men, and of course the Kingpin fight with Eight Years in the Making! Check out the soundtrack, it really is the best!

    And that wraps up this Face Front Original! I really hope you guys liked this one, I did my best to make sure it captured the spirit of the game and advanced the overarching plot of Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse! Who is the Master Planner? Does Spectacular Spider-Man really know? Find out in the next video when he and Spidey team up, Episode 5: Living on the Edge! Thank you guys so much for your support, I only make these videos because you love them so much. Face Front True Believers, and I’ll see you in the Spider-Verse!

  • Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 3: Peter Parker, PI

    Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 3: Peter Parker, PI

    The next chapter in Spidey’s adventure is here! In order to complete the Super Collider, Spidey must team up with Spider-Man Noir and the cunning Black Cat (voiced by Sara Pezel) to acquire Adamantium from the most ruthless gangster New York has ever seen: Hammerhead! Check out the video below, then keep scrolling for some exclusive behind the scenes content!

    Sara Pezel is… Black Cat!

    As mentioned above, the ever talented Sara Pezel lent her voice to the Noir version of Felicia Hardy. I had nearly given up my search for a voice actress, but one day I came across a post from Sara on Twitter talking about Black Cat in the latest issue of her solo ongoing. We got to talking about Felicia, and then bells started dinging in my head. Not only is Sara a fellow True Believer, but she has a rich knowledge of the source material and is particularly fond of Black Cat. So I decided to offer her the role, and lucky for me, she accepted! Sara truly brings life to Black Cat, and I couldn’t have asked for a better actress! And make sure you check out Sara’s awesome stuff on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube!

    From Comics to Screen

    Of course I read through all the Spider-Man Noir comics I could get my hands on when I decided to partner Peter up with his Noir counterpart for this adventure. Thanks Marvel Unlimited. Of course I took liberties with the material to fit my universe, but there are some Easter eggs I sprinkled in the video. Here’s a list in case you didn’t catch them!

    -Adamantium: We all know the famous metal fused to Wolverine’s bones to make him indestructible. Now Hammerhead’s head plate is usually some form of steel, but I decided to take a page out of the 90’s animated Spider-Man show (my favorite!) and make it Adamantium. That way getting the stuff would be a challenge for the Spidey gang!

    -When Hammerhead says Montana told him that Man Mountain Marko spotted Jonsey singing to DeWolff: That’s Montana from the Enforcers, who worked for Goblin in the books. Man Mountain Marko is just a tall strong guy, but he usually throws in with mobsters like Hammerhead. And DeWolff is a detective in the Noir world. He’s a version of Jean DeWolff, who infamously got killed by the Sin Eater in the 616 Universe.

    -Ben Urich: The Daily Bugle Reporter Ben Urich took a liking to Peter and a radical version of Aunt May. He took Peter under his wing, and taught him the ropes about crime, where to find it, who’s who in the underworld. But Urich was no saint. However, Peter inspired him to turn his life around. Unfortunately he was too little too late, and was killed before he could flip on the Goblin, the biggest crime boss in town.

    -The Black Cat Club: When Felicia says that Hammerhead raided The Black Cat, she’s actually talking about the night club she runs in the comics called The Black Cat. It was a speakeasy where anyone from criminals to politicians met up and hung out. But it was off limits to being attacked, kind of like an unspoken truce, and everyone knew it. So Hammerhead raiding it is a big deal!

    The Idol: In the Noir universe, Peter wasn’t bitten by a radioactive spider. He got his powers from a strange spider idol, with a connection to a spider god. When the army of spiders that came out of it didn’t devour Peter, it deemed him worthy and gave him powers. There was no cat idol in the comics, but I created one to give Felicia abilities!

    -Black Cat’s face: In the books, Felicia would… fool around… with folks who would patron her club. Sometimes with Spider-Man Noir (he’ll tell you when you’re older) and sometimes with less savory guys, like the mob boss Crime-Master! But when Crime-Master found out she was fooling around with Spider-Man Noir, he smashed her into a mirror, and then cut her face up with a blade! Yikes! Felicia wore a mask from that point on, never letting the world see what had become of her face.

    -Sandman: Wondering why Sandman didn’t use his powers? Because in the Noir world he didn’t have any! Similar to Man Mountain Marko (last name may or may not be a coincidence) Sandman was just a big strong guy. They called him Sandman because he put people to sleep… permanently! He nearly beat Spider-Man Noir to death before DeWolff and his squad emptied their clips into him, and he was still fighting after that! He did eventually die from his wounds, but as we know, a lot of villains have been mysteriously coming back to life after Falcon’s snap!

    -Iron Spider: Peter activates the Iron Spider by using Protocol 17A, which is actually what Tony tells Friday in Infinity War to activate the Iron Spider! And as we saw in Far From Home, the suit needs to charge on a dock to stay powered up. Since it is OP and bulletproof, I decided I’d give Peter enough juice to use it once, and this was it! Also, if you watch Episode 1 of Return to the Spider-Verse, you’ll notice the comic Iron Spider suit in the Hall of Armors, where it was in Into the Spider-Verse. At the end of this episode, they’ve replaced it with Peter’s Iron Spider suit, since it’s now a “High-tech paperweight”.

    -Shock: Spider-Man 2099 (voiced by Xavier Hernandez) shows up to tell Peter that the Master Planner isn’t who he thinks it is! Unfortunately he’s cut off before he can reveal the Master Planner’s identity, but before that he realizes he showed up too soon, and says “Shock, I’m too soon!” In the 2099 comics, “shock” is like a universal swear word. So you could say “Who the shock are you?” or “What the shock do you think you’re doing!” I know, Captain America would flip out at all the language! I’ll stop.

    The Score

    I always use music from various Spider-Man productions in my videos to keep it authentic. I mean, say goodbye to monetization, but worth it! Anyways, here’s the songs I had in this one:

    Quantum Physics- I used this tune from Into the Spider-Verse during the opening when Gwen (voiced effortlessly as always by Eileen Nestman) is explaining, well, quantum physics to Peter. Nice, right!

    Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions- I used one of the Noir level songs from this game in Peter Parker’s PI office. I’m so happy this game had 3 levels centered around Spider-Man Noir, make my life easy!

    Spider-Man 3 The Game- Remember Jean DeWolff? Well, in the Spider-Man 3 movie game, there were several levels where you had to help her take down some dirty cops. No, that did not happen in the Spider-Man 3 movie, but movie tie-in games always had a whole slew of comic content thrown into them. Anyways, the music in those levels always gave me a Noir/detective kind of vibe, so I used it during the stakeout, and the action version during the big fight in the end.

    Spider-Man 2 The Game- Black Cat was in that game. Not in the movie, but like I told you, these games add all kinds of fun stuff! Anyone that failed a million times to keep up with Felicia will be well familiar with the tune I used while she was talking to the Spiders on the roof. She was very hard to catch!

    Bad Luck- A John Paesano hit from Marvel’s Spider-Man PS4 game, I just love that opening little bit that played whenever Felicia showed up in the City That Never Sleeps DLC. So whenever she showed up here, I was sure to use it!

    Spider-Man: Edge of Time- The indirect sequel to Shattered Dimensions, this game focused on Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2099. So after he shows up with a dire warning about the Master Planner from the future, of course I slipped in some music from that game!

    Well, that’s it from me. I hope you all enjoyed the video, I put a lot into this one as usual. Look forward to Episode 4, which will team Peter up with the Advanced Spidey, aka the PS4 version from Marvel’s Spider-Man! Can’t wait to fill that one up with Eastern eggs. Let me know what you thought of the video below, or what you want to see in the next one! Face Front True Believers, and I’ll see you in the Multiverse!

  • Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 2: Oscorp Conspiracy

    Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 2: Oscorp Conspiracy

    Spidey and Amazing Spider-Man head to Oscorp to deliver the antidote to the Lizard. But nothing is ever as it seems with Oscorp, and a conspiracy that lurks behind the scenes may leads to the end of the Spider-Verse!

  • Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 1: Amazing Friends

    Spider-Man: Return to the Spider-Verse Episode 1: Amazing Friends

    The Sinister Six have been defeated, but Spidey is stuck in another dimension! While he figures out how to get back home, he’ll meet the other members of the Spider-Verse, and get acquainted with his new lair: The Spider’s Nest!

    Guest starring Eileen Nestman as Ghost-Spider!

    This episode also featured some fun comic covers featuring each member of the Spider-Verse. They went by pretty quick in the vid, so I’ve put them in a gallery below for your enjoyment!