User blog:Jmcdavid/Spider-Men Who Are NOT Peter Parker

Okay, this time I'm going to be talking about a couple of people besides Peter Parker who gained the power of Spider-Man, and their origins.



First up, we're going to actually be leaving the world of comic books and exploring a deal that Marvel made with Toei Studios. Back in 1978, the two corporations made a deal to use each other's properties in any way they wanted. So while Marvel adapted two of Toei's anime programs for their Shogun Warriors series. Toei came up with their own creative spin on Spider-Man. Instead of nerdy high-school student Peter Parker, they used motorcycle racer Takuya Yamashiro. Instead of a bite from a radioactive spider, they used powers granted by Garia, the last surviving alien of the Planet Spider. And instead of your typical rogues gallery, they used a group called the Iron Cross Army, an alien army that has destroyed numerous galaxies and is setting their sights on Earth, and uses Machine BEMs that can grow to giant size.

In terms of his powers, Takuya had all of the standard spider-based powers that you would expect from a Spider-Man. What's more, in order to fight against the Machine BEMs that the Iron Cross Army used, he would use Garia's spaceship, the Marveller, which could actually transform into a giant robot called the Leopardon.

While his series might have seemed to be a one-hit wonder, it actually proved to be very influential for Toei, as they took the formula of a Monster of the Week that grows to giant size and is fought by a giant robot and actually used it for their Super Sentai shows. So the next time you are watching an episode of Power Rangers, remember that a major part of the current formula actually comes from Spider-Man.



Next up, we're going to be visiting a realm of the Marvel Universe known as Earth-1610, which took the classic Marvel superheroes and explored what their origins would be like in a more modern setting. Now, at first this universe had Peter Parker acting as Spider-Man, but during his career another spider that had also gained the ability to transfer its powers to a human found its way to a boy named Miles Morales.

After Miles was bitten and discovered his spider powers, he initially wanted nothing to due with them. But then, tragedy struck when Peter Parker was killed in battle. While Peter had died a hero's death, Miles felt like he could have saved him if he hadn't been scared of losing the ability to live a normal life. So from that point on, he took over as Spider-Man. He had several adventures, including one where he actually met the Peter Parker from the main Earth-616 universe. And during an event in 2015 known as Secret Wars, which led to multiple universes, including Earth-1610, being erased, Miles and his family were spared and allowed to live in the Earth-616 universe.

In terms of powers, Miles has the same powers as you might expect, but also has some new powers. He can utilize venom blasts, a form of bio-electrokinesis where he unleashes blasts of energy from his hands as he strikes an enemy. This ability has repeatedly been very helpful in his battles, especially against enemies who have been genetically altered, allowing him to end fights quickly and with little collateral damage. What's more, he also can use a form of camouflage, allowing him to blend in with the area around him, making it possible for him to make quick getaways if necessary, or to ambush his enemies.