Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is set to hit theaters this weekend and fans of Marvel’s most beloved character couldn’t be happier. As we learned from the first film, Into the Spider-Verse there are many Spider-Men, and women for that matter, across all of the Marvel universes. While audiences were introduced to just a handful of them in the first film, this time around there will be no shortage of new Spider-Men on the screen. Of course, if you are familiar with the comics, you already know, but, in case you aren’t, here are Five Key Spider-Verse Comics to help you get ready for Across the Spider-Verse.
Spider-Man: India #1
In January 2005, Marvel tapped into Jeevan Kang and Suresh Seetharaman for the release of Spider-Man: India #1. This is served readers their first look at Pavitr Prabhaker, India’s Spider-Man, in a U.S. based comic. Pavitr was rumored for Across the Spider-Verse in early 2021 then later confirmed in late 2022. Collector’s can find the original cover for this book for around $35, but the variant cover, pictured below, is scarcer and you can expect to pay a premium for it.
Amazing Spider-Man #9
For what it’s worth, Amazing Spider-Man #9 is were the Spider-Verse event started. Thanks to Dan Slott and Olivier Coipel, readers were introduced to several “Spider” characters in cameos when this book hit shelves in January of 2015. Hulk, Uncle Ben, Wolverine, Deadpool, and Venom just to name a few. This book also serves as the first time Spider-Woman, Spider-Gwen, and Silk all appear together in the same scene. Collectors can find the original cover and three of its four variants for roughly $25 to $40. The fourth variant is a Gabriele Dell’Otto 1:25 incentive and can be had for about $75.
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #98
We’re going all the back to 1985 for this issue. That’s when Marvel and Al Milgrom introduced readers to The Spot. He’s the teleporting villain that will be voiced by Jason Schwartzman in Across the Spider-Verse. Rummor has it that he will also be appearing in third film as well. So, this may be a book to pick-up now ahead of that release. Again, this book should be in that $30 range, however, high-grade examples will easily be three figures.
Marvel Spotlight #32
We find the next book on our list in January of 1977. That’s when Archie Goodwin and Gil Kane put Spider-Woman on the page for the first time. Otto Vermis also makes his first appearance here as well, but dies in the same issue. Issa Rae has been tapped to voice Spider-Woman in Across the Spider-Verse and there is word that an animated Spider-Woman movie is being developed as well. The most expensive book on our list thus far, Marvel Spotlight #32 is easily a $150 to $200 book raw, and high-grades can command $1500 to $2000.
Edge of Spider-Verse 1
The final book on our Five Key Spider-Verse Comics list is Edge of Spider-Verse #1. Marvel pushed this book out in August of 2022. Josemaria Casonovas and Dan Slott gave readers the first appearance of Spider-Laird. If you’re keeping track at home, that’s a Scottish version of the webslinger. However, because deep down inside I’m still a five-year-old who’s loves dinosaurs, this book also gives readers the first appearance of Spider-Rex. It may be a fleeting moment, but Spider-Rex has been spotted in trailers, and that has me excited. This book can probably be found in a back-issues box at your LCS for a few bucks.
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