10 other Spider-Man protagonists for spin-off games

The Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man is a superhero beloved by fans old and young. The Marvel superhero first appeared in Final Fantasy issue #15 back in 1962 and has been a part of pop culture history ever since. Written and conceptualized by comic book legend Stan Lee, Spider-Man has featured in countless movies, Christmas specials, TV shows, music, and video games. The superhero's witty banter, superhuman strength, and vast intellect make him/her one of the most iconic characters ever.

Ever since the webslinger was introduced to the world, there have been many iterations and variants of the popular superhero. From Peter Parker to Miguel O'Hara, there exists a version of Spidey for every fan. With movies like Across the Spider-Verse and Insomniac Games' new title, Spider-Man 2, fans are spoilt for choice when it comes to picking a favorite version of the iconic web-slinger.

With the release of Spider-Man 2 for the PS5, fans are beginning to speculate and ponder if there will be more iterations of Spidey in video games. This article takes a look at some Spider-People we think will greatly benefit from having their own spin-off Spider-Man game.

Note: This article is entirely speculative and features the author's own views and opinions.

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10 great Spider-Man protagonists for spin-off games

1) Spider-Man Noir (Peter Parker)

Peter Benjamin Parker, c. 1933 (Image by Marvel Comics)

This dark, brooding version of Spidey first appeared in 'Spider-Man Noir #1' released in 2009 and features a vastly different take on the popular wall-crawler. Using only black and white for their comic book, Marvel transported this character to 1933 New York City, and like his namesake, the 'Noir' theme is in full effect.

This version of Peter Parker has a bleak outlook on life and is almost cynical—the polar opposite of what fans are used to. A Spider-Man Noir game could lean heavily into the black-and-white theme and can have an L.A. Noire type of approach. It could feature Spidey going around solving crimes as a proper detective, which would make a great spin-off title.

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2) Spider-Gwen (Gwen Stacy)

Shadows don't lie... (Image by Marvel Comics)

This next entry is a female version of Spidey, who first made her debut on the big screen in the animated hit Into the Spider-Verse. Spider-Gwen or Spider-Woman is the alter ego of Gwen Stacy and is one of the more iconic variants of Spider-Man. She dons a white and black suit with pink accents that really stands out from the rest of the Spider crowd.

A Spider-Gwen game can be like the current generation of Insomniac game titles. Much like Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy has her own unique story to tell, and this would fit Insomniac's narrative style quite well. Spider-Gwen, in a fully fleshed-out video game would be an excellent protagonist to play.

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3) Spider-Ham (Peter Porker)

Pigs can swing (Image by Sony Pictures)

This hilarious take on Spidey is easily one of the best iterations of the character yet. It first appeared as part of a group of talking animal versions of classic Marvel heroes. The comic Marvel Tails released in 1983 had just one issue, but Peter Porker, aka, the Spider-Ham, has become a classic in Spidey history.

Fans did get to see a modern iteration of this hero in Into the Spider-Verse, but a game version would have to be entirely different from Insomniac's formula for Spidey games. A Spider-Ham game would be great as a Metroidvania that could even borrow elements from Cuphead. 2D platforming, puzzle-like levels, and tight controls would definitely be a priority. The game should lean heavily into its comic roots, and if considered for development, it could definitely excite fans.

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4) Spider-Punk (Hobart Brown)

The Spider-Punk (Image by Sony Pictures)

Hobart Brown was first introduced as Spider-Punk in Marvel's 2015 issue of The Amazing Spider-Man #10 and is from the UK. With an almost identical backstory to Peter Parker, Brown has something that truly sets him apart: his 'Rocker' persona.

Never seen without his iconic guitar, Hobie is an excellent musician and paired with his innate Spidey powers, is also an expert superhero. Assuming Insomniac Games brings Spider-Punk into its game universe, fans can expect to see a version of Spider-Man that has swagger and the skills to back it up.

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5) Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O'Hara)

Vampiric Aura (Image by Sony Pictures)

Fans will remember Miguel as one of the antagonists from Across the Spiderverse. His character is rooted in dark undertones, and he is seen more like an anti-hero compared to the other web slingers mentioned on this list.

An open-world game with Miguel O'Hara as the protagonist would look amazing on modern devices. A futuristic imagining of New York City using Insomniac's patented game design could have a lot of potential.

With Miguel O'Hara being less inclined to 'hold back' his rage, a game starring him would definitely be R-rated. The game would obviously tap into his vampiric abilities, which sound like a plus in our book. Spider-Man 2099 would make for an excellent Cyberpunk-esque game.

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6) Spider-Man (Pavitr Prabhakar)

Mumbattan in the backdrop (Image by Sony Pictures)

First introduced in 2004, this Indian take on the classic web-slinger is refreshingly original. With classic Indian tropes that are done tastefully, Pavitr stands out from his peers by being one of the only Asian representations on this list. His backstory and overall arc is similar to the other Spider-People, but he has an undeniable charm that delights fan across the Indian subcontinent and the world.

An open-world game set in the bustling streets of a fictional Mumbai would be amazing to play. While open-world games tend to stick to modern mega-metropolises, Mumbai would serve as an excellent backdrop to a Spider-Man game. This game title might be a longshot, but fans would not be disappointed should Insomniac pick this one up.

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7) The Scarlet Spider (Ben Reilly)

The Scarlet Spider (Image by Marvel Comics)

The next entry on this list would make for an interesting antagonist turned hero. Ben Reilly, aka the Scarlet Spider, is a clone of Peter Parker who was made by the supervillain Jackal. Ben Reilly's character is filled with conflict, and he can be a good antithesis to the current version of Insomniac's Peter Parker.

The Scarlet Spider is also donned by several other characters, one being Peter himself. While the suit is available in the Spider-Man games, a well-rounded protagonist in Ben Reilly would be a welcome addition to the Insomniac Games Universe.

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8) Peni Parker

Peni and sd//Pa (Image by Marvel Comics)

This next Spidey is a lot less conventional than the others on this list. Inspired by the popular anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion, Peni Parker and her radioactive spider power a mech to take on classic Spider-Man villains in an anime-esque setting. Peni Parker is also a character in the 2018 Into the Spider-Verse and pilots a relatively smaller mech suit.

With Insomniac's games having incredible traversal, it would be really interesting to see how Peni and her mech could swing across New York. The Mech suit is very similar to the Evangelion mech, and if added to the universe, she would be a fan-favorite among anime enthusiasts.

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9) Japanese Spider-Man (Takuya Yamashiro)

After Spidey's rights were sold for a brief moment to Toei Company in the 80s, it spawned arguably one of the best iterations of the web-slinger to date. This Power Ranger-esque take on Spidey uses everything at his disposal to get the job done, which includes guns and mechs.

A Spidey game set in modern-day Japan sounds incredibly exciting, and with how good Insomniac's storytelling has gotten, Takuya can be an interesting take on the web-slinger. The implementation of the mech (like the previous entry) would be interesting to see, but for now, we can only speculate about Takuya as Spidey.

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10) Superior Spider-Man (Doc Ock)

Doc Ock or Peter Parker? (Image by Marvel Comics)

This last entry is one with an incredibly dark plot. After the events of Peter Parker's demise. His nemesis, Doc Ock, then proceeds to take over Peter's body, which leads to a whole bunch of cascading events that eventually turn Doc Ock to the good side.

While this protagonist seems too dark and more of an oddball pick for Insomniac, Superior Spidey does have some unique traits that differentiate him from the rest of the Spider-Verse. We don't really count on this one being a protagonist, but it would be a more left-field approach to a spin-off.

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The above article covers some of the best Spider-People in popular media and comics. While Insomniacs won't likely drift away from their formula, we can only hope for more Spidey-inspired games to come.