Entertainment
Spider-Man Joining The Marvel Cinematic Universe Is Our Chance To See These Great, Classic Team-Ups On Screen
At long last, after much prayer and a resilient thoroughfare of fandom-infused hope, the Sony Pictures-owned character Spider-Man is joining Disney's vast Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Now that Spider-Man is finding his way into the company of the Avengers, we can look back on those old favorite comics that saw these characters first unite. Which Spidey team-ups with Iron Man, Cap, Thor, Hulk, and the rest would work best on the big screen? What plots can they now explore for the solo Spider-Man films to come?
Hopefully they've got some good ideas in store, because we're already hearing tell of delays of existing Marvel movies thanks to this merger...
Images: Sony Pictures
Spider-Man and Iron Man
The most memorable recent print union of Peter Parker and Tony Stark might, in fact, have been the impetus for the joining of Sony Pictures’ forces with Walt Disney’s.
As fans know, the 2006-‘07 Civil War story will be a focal piece of Marvel Studios’ upcoming Phase III, taking form as the next Captain America movie (though with Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark playing just as substantial a role).
The arc features a young Peter Parker falling under the wing of his science hero Stark during the latter’s institution of the Superhero Registration Act, but emancipating therefrom after he recognizes the true nature of Stark’s involvement with the program.
As such (and with this timing considered), 2016’s Captain America: Civil War seems like the perfect chapter in which to first showcase a collaboration between Sony’s most beloved superhero property and Disney’s legions of moneymakers.
Additional Spider-Man/Iron Man unions can be found in the Marvel Team Ups series: #9 (Spider-Man and Iron Man vs. Zarrko the Tomorrow Man and Kang the Conqueror), #48/49/51 (vs. The Wraith), #72 (vs. Whiplash), #110 (vs. Magma), #145 (vs. Backlash).
Images: Disney
Spider-Man and Captain America
A particularly noteworthy, albeit ill-fated, union of Peter Parker and Steve Rogers occurred in the tellingly titled The Death of Spider-Man, in which Parker takes a bullet (shot by The Punisher) that was intended for Cap.
Additional Spider-Man/Captain America unions can be found in the Marvel Team Ups series: #13 (Spider-Man and Captain America vs. the Grey Gargoyle and A.I.M.), #52 (vs. the Batroc the Leaper), #106 (vs. the Scorpion), #128 (vs. Vermin).
Image: Disney
Spider-Man and Thor
Neither Peter Parker nor Thor were in prime form in World War Hulks: Spider-Man & Thor, a two-issue story that saw both characters transformed into Hulk-like beings bent on destroying Washington D.C.
Additional Spider-Man/Thor unions can be found in the Marvel Team Ups series: #7 (Spider-Man and Thor vs. Kryllk the Cruel), #70 (vs. the Living Monolith), #115 (vs. the Mind-Bender), #148 (vs. Black Abbot)
Image: Disney
Spider-Man and the Hulk
As The Incredible Hulk does tend, from time to time, to fall on the wrong side of the battle, a 1973 issue of The Amazing Spider-Man faced the giant green monster against nimble Peter Parker.
Additional Spider-Man/Hulk unions can be found in the Marvel Team Ups series: #27 (Spider-Man and the Hulk vs. Chameleon), #53/54 (Spider-Man and the Hulk), #126 (Spider-Man and the Hulk vs. Power Man and Son of Satan).
Images: Disney
Spider-Man and Black Widow
Black Widow’s adventures with Spider-Man have been numerous; a particularly memorable outing occurred in the 2012 Amazing Spider-Man story “Ends of the Earth,” in which she teams with Spider-Man and Silver Sable to defeat the Sinister Six.
Additional Spider-Man/Black Widow unions can be found in the Marvel Team Ups series: #57 (Spider-Man and the Black Widow vs. the Silver Samurai), #82 (vs. S.H.I.E.LD.), #85 (Spider-Man, Shang-Chi, Black Widow, and Nick Fury vs. the Silver Samurai), #98 (Spider-Man and the Black Widow vs. the Owl), #140/141 (Spider-Man, Black Widow, and Daredevil vs. The Gang).
Images: Disney
Spider-Man and Hawkeye
Peter Parker has enjoyed fewer memorable outings with Clint Barton, but the two have crossed paths on occasion. Spider-Man/Hawkeye unions can be found in the Marvel Team Ups series: #22 (Spider-Man and Hawkeye vs. Quasimodo), #92 (vs. Mister Fear).
Images: Disney
Spider-Man and the Guardians of the Galaxy
Most of Spider-Man’s interactions with the space-bound Guardians of the Galaxy have occurred in various animated series, rather than in print. However, one issue of the Marvel Team Ups series did bind the properties together: #86 (Spider-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy vs. Hammer and Anvil).
Images: Disney
Spider-Man and Falcon
Through Avengers: Age of Ultron and the MCU’s Phase III, Anthony Mackie’s Falcon character will be seeing a good deal more screen time. Cap sidekick Falcon has teamed with Spider-Man a few times in his own right, principally through the Marvel Team Ups series: #30 (Spider-Man and the Falcon vs. Midas), #71 (vs. the Plantman), #114 (vs. Stone-Face and the Young Watchers).
Images: Disney
Spider-Man and Scarlet Witch
A good deal of Spidey’s interactions with Scarlet Witch might not fly as canon, since they occurred under the What If? comics banner. Most of these stories had Spider-Man saving Scarlet Witch from one form of peril or another. That said, Spider-Man/Scarlet Witch unions can also be found in the Marvel Team Ups series: #41 (Spider-Man and the Scarlet Witch vs. Cotton Mather and the Witchslayer), #125 (Spider-Man and Tigra vs. Zabo Doctor Strange and the Scarlet Witch), #130 (Spider-Man and the Scarlet Witch vs. Necrodamus).
Images: Disney
Spider-Man and Ant-Man
Although you’d think their “species” would make them mortal enemies, Spider-Man and Ant-Man have teamed up before: Marvel Team Ups #103 (Spider-Man and Ant-Man vs. the Taskmaster).
Images: Disney
Spider-Man and Howard the Duck
Yes, this did happen: Marvel Team Ups #96 (Spider-Man and Howard the Duck vs. Status Quo). Don’t count on a screen adaptation, though. (Or maybe if we want it badly enough, Disney will eventually give in?)
Images: Disney
