Riding a new wave of popularity for Spider-Man after his latest live-action movie and ahead of a sequel to the hit animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Marvel Comics is launching a second ongoing, monthly Spider-Man book. Spider-Man (just Spider-Man - no adjectives) will be a new ongoing Marvel Comics series launching October 5 by writer Dan Slott and Mark Bagley.

If your Spider-Sense is tingling about those names, you're onto something: Dan Slott has written more Spider-Man comics than anyone ever (even co-creator Stan Lee), and Mark Bagley has drawn more Spider-Man comics than anyone ever.

"We are not going to let you down. We're going to take BIG swings in each and every issue!" Slott says in the announcement. "And the first thing we're doing, right out of the gate, is the Spider-Verse comic to END all Spider-Verse comics!"

Slott knows a thing about the Spider-Verse, since he coined the term and introduced it into Marvel Comics with 2014's Spider-Verse event series. Even before that, he also co-wrote a proto-idea of the Spider-Verse, with the 2010 game Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.

“Dan and I have been wanting to work together for years, and having the opportunity to be the artist that is there to wrap up his Spider-verse storyline is really exciting," Bagley said in the announcement. "Further, I'm thrilled to see where this book takes us from there."

So what could possibly bring about the end to the Spider-Verse? A mystery figure is coming to Marvel Comics to attempt to eradicate all the Spider-heroes, and to do that he's teaming up with the recently returned Spider-Man villain Morlun.

"It's going to have lots of action, surprises, but most of all, it's going to have a lot of heart!," says Slott. "Even though this story will be epic, it will also have a profound effect on Peter Parker. You are not going to want to miss this!”

Check out this unlettered preview of Spider-Man #1 by writer Dan Slott and artist Mark Bagley. Marvel Comics hasn't provided credits for an inker or colorist.

“Dan and I have been wanting to work together for years, and having the opportunity to be the artist that is there to wrap up his Spider-verse storyline is really exciting,” Bagley added. “Further, I'm thrilled to see where this book takes us from there.”

What is the Spider-Verse?

You might be asking yourself - 'what exactly is the Spider-Verse?' It's the name for the various Spider-heroes that propogate the Marvel multiverse. It's not its own multiverse, but a connected web (no pun intended of) of Spider-heroes across everything.

How is Marvel Comics' new Spider-Man comic connected to the upcoming Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse film?

If you recall, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was previously planned to be released on October 7, 2022 - and it wasn't until a few months ago that the studios pushed it back until 2023. It's likely Marvel Comics had this on the books to coincide by releasing this Spider-Man comic in October concurerent with the film. Although the release dates have been delayed, Marvel likely didn't want to hold off on a major new Spider-Man comic they had already commissioned (and believe me, Dan Slott and Mark Bagley aren't cheap), so they decided to keep with their current schedule - now being able to, if plans go well, to have at least one collected edition (and possibly more) out in time for the film's eventual release next year.

Dan Slott and Mark Bagley's new Spider-Man comic goes on sale October 5.

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