Summary
Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Ultimate Spider-Man #8!Spider-Manfans - especially modern ones who primarily follow his exploits in the MCU - know that Peter Parker andTony Starkare close. The movies gave them something of a father/son dynamic, while they are more of friends and colleagues in the comics, going back decades. And now, a new connection between Peter and Tony has just been formed, as the origin ofSpider-Man’s new picotech costumelinks the two like never before.
InUltimate Spider-Man#8 by Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto, Spider-Man and the Green Goblin are training in one of Harry Osborn’s Oscorp warehouses while Otto Octavius - Osborn’s top scientist - monitors them, working to upgrade their suits. And then, seemingly out of nowhere, Tony Stark aka Iron Lad appears in front of them.
Stark is there to see if Peter Parker has successfully made the transition into Spider-Man, asking Peter if he’s a superhero yet. During this time, Stark has formed the Ultimates (Ultimate Universe version of the Avengers), and it seems he’s come to recruit Spider-Man. However, Stark sees that Spider-Man is doing more good as a protector of New York City alongside his new ally, the Green Goblin. So, instead of recruitment, Tony offers Peter and Harry some insight into their Stark Tech suits - which is especially significant for Spider-Man, as his costume is the last thing Howard Stark ever created.
Spider-Man’s 1967 Animated Continuity Officially Returns, Giving Peter Parker an Official Sidekick
Spider-Man’s 1967 animated series continuity has officially made its return to Marvel Comics canon, but with a twist, as this time, he has a sidekick!
Spider-Man’s Picotech Suit was the Last Thing Howard Stark Ever Invented
Both Tony Stark & Peter Parker Carry Howard Stark’s Ultimate Universe Legacy, Making Them Like Brothers
Tony Stark tells Spider-Man that the picotech suit (which is essentially more advanced nanotech) he gave him is the last thing his father, Howard Stark, ever invented. Stark says that he didn’t wear the suit himself because of how important Spider-Man is to their world. Spider-Man was one of the main heroes the Maker made sure to eliminate before launching his plot to take over the world, so when Stark and the other Ultimates were undoing the damage the Maker had done, Spider-Man was a top priority.
Stark knew that Spider-Man needed every available resource to ensure that he was the best hero he could be, as quickly as possible. By giving Peter the radioactive spider the Maker stole, along with the picotech suit of his father’s creation, Tony Stark effectively created Spider-Man, and he did everything in his power to make sure that this Spider-Man was the ultimate Spider-Man. Plus, by giving him his father’s last invention, the two heroes became connected like brothers, destined to carry on Howard Stark’s heroic legacy.
The Ultimate Universe Gave Iron Man & Spider-Man the Most Interesting Connection Yet
As previously mentioned, Tony Stark and Peter Parker always have a connection, no matter the continuity, universe, or medium. In the MCU, Tony is Peter’s mentor and surrogate father, and Peter finds himself continuing Tony’s legacy when he’s gone. In Earth-616, Spider-Man and Iron Man are long-time friends and allies, whose relationship was arguably the closest duringCivil War, when Peter wore the Iron Spider and even exposed his identity at Tony’s request. But now, in the Ultimate Universe, their connection is far more interesting than it’s ever been.
Tony Stark isn’t just a mentor or an ally to Spider-Man in the Ultimate Universe, he’s a major part of his origin. But more than that, the connection these two share in the Ultimate Universe is way more subtle and infinitely more impactful, asSpider-Man’s new picotech costume connects him toTony Starklike never before.
Ultimate Spider-Man #8by Marvel Comics is available now.
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is the name given to several individuals who have employed a spider-moniker throughout Marvel Comics. Typically gaining their powers through a bite from a radioactive spider, the different Spider-Man heroes employ super-strength, agility, and intellect while utilizing webbing to swing and tangle up their foes. The most notable of these Spider-Men is Peter Parker, who remains one of the most popular superheroes throughout the world.
