Spider-Man is one of the most iconic characters in comic history. Created in the 60s by Stan Lee, the hero is still popular and beloved even to this day. Movies, TV Shows, and of course video games have all tried to capture the magic of the web-swinging hero. With that level of iconography comes a wide variety of design reinterpretations. Spider-Man PS4 captured that perfectly, with many costumes that the player could wear that span over sixty years of history. But there was one costume that was strangely absent from the 2018 release: the black suit. Bryan Intihar, creative director for Spider-Man PS4, teased that the reason for its absence was due to a desire to do the costume and its accompanying story justice. And at the most recent PlayStation Showcase, Intihar’s words finally paid off, as the black suit was officially revealed to play a key role in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
However, this just raises an important question: why is the black suit so iconic? What makes it so interesting and why are so many people thrilled to see its return? Here is a retrospective on everything you need to know about why the black suit is so important.
Secret Wars
The history of the black suit begins in an unlikely situation. Back in 1982, Marvel was holding a competition for fan-created stories and art ideas. The winner ended up being 22-year-old Randy Schueller, who pitched a black and red suit for Spider-Man that would be created by Reed Richards. Marvel bought the idea for 220 dollars, and they ended up introducing it in their flagship crossover story, Secret Wars.
Secret Wars introduced the black suit as an alien fabric that Peter found while trying to replace his old suit. As the years passed and the suit continued to be a new main fixture of the comics, Marvel evolved the suit to be an alien parasite from another world. The suit sought to bond to Peter’s body and take over his mind. In an iconic scene, he used church bells to tear the suit off of him, getting rid of it forever.
Of course, the alien would eventually bond with a reporter by the name of Eddie Brock, which would give way to Venom, one of Spider-Man’s most iconic villains. However, that’s not the point of this retrospective.
Movies and Shows
Over the years, popular media changed the way that the suit worked. The 90s Spider-Man: The Animated Series show coined the idea that the suit, or symbiote as it was also called, turned Peter into someone far more aggressive and brutal. This is captured perfectly by a now infamous scene from the show, where Peter chases down Shocker while screaming that he would “chase him to the ends of the Earth.”
The Ultimate Spider-Man comics changed the lore of the costume. They introduced the concept that the suit wasn’t alien, and was, in fact, a man-made substance designed to cure cancer. Of course, the most iconic use of the suit was in Spider-Man 3, released in 2007. The movie version was based primarily on Spider-Man: The Animated Series. Not a lot was changed from that interpretation, but the movie version helped to bring the suit into popular culture.
However, despite the many versions of the black suit in four TV shows, one movie, and several comic books, the many video game interpretations helped the black suit reach further iconography.
The Many Versions of the Black Suit Before Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
In every single Spider-Man game except Spider-Man on PS4, the black suit was an unlockable costume that the player could switch to. Even in Spider-Man on the PS1, the suit had the ability to generate unlimited webs for Peter, much like in the comics. Later, Spider-Man 3, released alongside the movie in 2007, allowed players to take full advantage of the black suit and its capabilities. It gave Peter far more enhancements in combat, allowing for far more damage potential. It also allowed the player to go faster than ever before in traversal.
A few months later, Spider-Man Friend or Foe was released on the Nintendo Wii. Designed to be a co-op adventure starring many of Spider-Man’s allies and villains, the black suit played a major role in the game’s climax. There weren’t a lot of gameplay changes, unlike Spider-Man 3. But like with Spider-Man 3, the player was given the suit through the game’s story.
Power Corrupts
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows released a year later. The game introduced the most iconic gaming version of the black suit to date. It was given to the player right at the beginning of the game after a boss battle with Venom. People were allowed to change between the symbiote and Peter’s normal suit at will. Each suit had its own utility that separated it from its alternatives. The black suit though was easily the better choice.
It allowed the player to use enemies as skateboards and swing around tendrils with immense damage potential. Spider-Man could even throw cars with the black suit. When people look at the upcoming Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, this is what they hope the combat will look like.
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions was released two years later, in 2010. Shattered Dimensions gave the player the opportunity to play as four different Spider-Men. From the futuristic Spider-Man 2099 to the stealth-based Spider-Man Noir to the web-based combat of The Amazing Spider-Man. The Ultimate Spider-Man got the black suit and had the trademark tendrils and enhanced combat, as well as a God Of War-Esque rage mode.
Finally, there are many forms of alternate costumes for Spider-Man in other games. From Marvel vs Capcom to the 2022 Midnight Suns, each game gives the player the option to choose the black suit as an alternate costume for Spider-Man.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
This brings us to the present. The May 2023 PlayStation Showcase officially confirmed that the black suit would be a main player in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. The suit would be coming with the trademark tendrils, as well as increased combat potential. Like with Spider-Man 3 and Web of Shadows before it, the black suit would also be linked to the game’s story. The gameplay trailer is already teasing the way that the suit is corrupting Peter. Plus, Venom will play a major role in the game’s narrative.
It will be interesting to see how this new interpretation of the black suit will compare to previous versions. After all, it’s been almost thirteen years since the last time the black suit played a major role in a video game. Time will only tell if it’ll live up to the hype that fans have placed on it. But considering how well Insomniac has handled their last few games, chances are good that it will be an entry to remember.
Final Weapon’s Coverage of Spider-Man 2
Stay tuned to Final Weapon for more of our coverage of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2!
