ComicsMarvel ComicsSpider-Society writer talks bringing together every Spider-Man from across the Spider-Verse, from Spider-Rex to Spider-Ham and moreWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
ComicsMarvel ComicsSpider-Society writer talks bringing together every Spider-Man from across the Spider-Verse, from Spider-Rex to Spider-Ham and moreWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
Writer Alex Segura and artist Scott Godlewski are bringing the Spider-Society together later this summer to take on an equally impressive foe - the Sinister Squadron, a conglomerate of multiversal foes of Spider-Man.
We caught up with Segura ahead of Spider-Society #1’s August 14 release to talk about what it’s like writing a team that has nearly infinite potential members, who his personal favorite Spiders are, and how this all fits into the Spider-Verse we’ve seen so far.
And along the way, we’ve got some new interior pages from Spider-Society #1 that introduce the villainous Sinister Squadron.
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
Newsarama: Alex, you’ve been playing in the Spider-Verse for a little while now, but this is even bigger. How did Spider-Society come about, and how does it relate to what we’ve seen so far?
Alex Segura:Editor Nick Lowe reached out to me with the idea a while back and I immediately said yes. I’ve done a few Spider-Verse stories before this, specifically two Araña adventures in Edge of Spider-Verse and my novel, Araña/Spider-Man 2099: Dark Tomorrow, so Nick knew I had an affinity for the characters.
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While those first three “prequel” stories aren’t mandatory reading to understand Spider-Society #1, they do set the table for the adventure, and give readers some meaningful clues about who will end up on the team roster.
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
Spider-Society has been billed as bringing together every Spider hero in the Spider-Verse, and the covers we’ve seen certainly play that up. How do you manage a cast that big while also trying to give each character their due?
Part of the fun of writing the series has been revisiting some of the great work other creators have done with these heroes, like Steve Orlando’s work on Spider-Man 2099, Cody Ziglar’s Spider-Punk, or Steve Foxe’s Web-Weaver stories, and try to help nudge those bigger narratives along to honor what’s come before. But the top goal is to tell a fun adventure, with drama, stakes, and some major surprises.
On that note, which Spiders have you found yourself connecting with most strongly as Spider-Society has progressed?
I would be lying if I didn’t say I loved Araña and Spider-Man 2099. I came in as a big fan of both, and was honored to have written them in prose and comics. I was not expecting to come out of the first few scripts really rooting for Weapon VIII, a relatively new Spider-Hero, and Madame Web, but that’s been the fun part of the creative process - tapping into each character’s emotional journey and seeing what resonates most.
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
You’ve described the threat at hand in Spider-Society as “eerily familiar.” What can you tell us about what that is, and what’s at stake here?
The Sinister Squadron is unlike any iteration of the Sinister Six/Syndicate we’ve ever seen before - readers will feel some familiar echoes, but the plan and goals of the team will be very different, and it’s unlike any attack the heroes have experienced. I don’t want to say much more because we have a few fun twists along the way, but I would suggest readers don’t assume too much out of the gate - this team of villains catches the Spider-Society completely off guard, and it takes a good, long minute for them to get their bearings.
You’re working with artist Scott Godlewski on Spider-Society. How has it been working with him? How is he handling all the Spiders swinging around?
Scott is a treat, and such a talent - he brings an energy and style to the story that matches up perfectly with the kind of character-driven, high-flying adventure story I want to tell. I saw him in person at a con in Phoenix and made a point to personally apologize for the sheer number of characters I’d been asking him to draw, but he seemed totally fine with it! Which is great - because there are plenty more coming.
He does something that’s very rare - he gives each character their own, unique body language and vibe while still not skimping on the big action moments. Each page really flows well, and Matt Milla’s colors are just a delight. Every time I see new pages in my inbox I have to sit and appreciate them.
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)
Bottom line, what do you want readers to know going into Spider-Society #1?
My theme for this book has been simple - what happens when the Spider-Verse is pushed to the brink, and the unlikeliest heroes have to team up to save the multiverse?
I think a lot of people are going to come into this book with expectations of what it’s going to be, and I hope we pleasantly surprise them - it’s a story of overcoming huge obstacles and defining yourself as a hero and a teammate, with tons of interpersonal drama and action in the classic Marvel style.
Every issue has what I hope readers will see as a big jaw-dropping surprise, and we are so excited for folks to read the first issue in August. Load your web-shooters, folks, it’s gonna be a wild ride.
Even theweirdest versions of Spider-Manfrom across the Multiverse are part of the Spider-Society.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
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2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
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The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
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Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
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