Norman Osborn and Spider-Woman Train the Next Generation of Spider-Heroes in ‘Amazing Spider-Man: Spider-Versity’ Preview

Roll call for: Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Spider-Gwen, Silk, Araña, Spider-Boy, and Spider-Girl!

This April, class is in session! Pack your bags, put on your spider-suits, and head on over to AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: SPIDER-VERSITY written by Jordan Morris (Predator: Bloodshed) and Joe Kelly (Amazing Spider-Man), with art by Pere Perez (Amazing Spider-Man: Torn). The five-issue limited series assembles an assortment of Spider-Heroes and brings them under Norman Osborn and Spider-Woman’s webbed wings as they prepare for a threat unlike any other: the Green Goblin himself!

Series scribes Joe Kelly and Jordan Morris discuss what’s in store for our Spider-Heroes as they come together in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: SPIDER-VERSITY #1.

MARVEL.com: Over the past couple of years, Norman Osborn has gone on quite the redemption journey. How does that story continue in SPIDER-VERSITY?

MORRIS: From a fan’s P.O.V., I love what Joe and co. have been doing with Norman in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man. It’s always fun to see heroes and villains team up, but it’s rarely done with this kind of focus on emotional stakes. Our goal is to keep that going in Spider-Versity and bring you all the fun and action of this unlikely partnership, while also digging into the long and complicated history these characters have with each other. Norman has been playing hero lately, but is afraid that the Goblin could return at any moment. One of his motives for setting up the other Spider-Heroes with a training facility is making sure they’re equipped to deal with him, should he ever break bad again.

KELLY: When I came on [Amazing Spider-Man], Norman had been "expunged of his sins" and really wanted to make the best of a "clean start," but is that even possible? Norman's done a lot of bad, some under the influence of the Goblin Serum, some just because he's egotistical, quick to anger, impatient, and deeply, deeply damaged as a human. This is the sort of juicy stuff I like to dig into: character conflict with the potential to tear Norman apart and yield a lot of collateral damage at the same time. For example, when Peter disappeared, Norman's first thought was "He'll probably be fine - I should keep the webs warm while he's gone." Not entirely the plan of a rational fellow, though I believe his heart was in the right place... and it taught him a lesson. He's no Spider-Man... but the effort is making him better. So now, somewhat humbled, he's taking a new approach: train the young Spiders to battle a monster like himself in the way that Peter never would. More ego or a brilliant idea? Time will tell!

MARVEL.com: Spider-Woman joins the reformed villain to train the next generation of Spider-Heroes. What can you tell us about their dynamic as co-mentors?

KELLY: I don't think this will go well, just a hunch. Jordan?

MORRIS: Jess has the (very reasonable) concern that Norman could go Goblin-mode at any moment. She agrees the Spider-Heroes could be a killer team on par with the Avengers or X-Men, so she sees the benefit of this training program, but is always keeping an eye on Norman. As we see in the first issue, she won’t hesitate to break out her most brutal moves if she thinks things are going sideways.

KELLY: Absolutely not. Jessica has a motorcycle, and a motorcycle beats a glider every time. Sorry, I don't make the rules.

MARVEL.com: SPIDER-VERSITY assembles quite the ensemble of Spider-Heroes. How do they react to having the Green Goblin as their mentor?

MORRIS: The Spider-Heroes are all on board with the idea of teaming up to train together, but they all feel differently about doing it with Norman. Obviously, Gwen has the most baggage with the Green Goblin and is the most skeptical of this arrangement. Miles has Pete’s big heart and propensity towards forgiveness, so he’s trying to see the best in Norman at all times. Maka and Bailey, the youngest Spiders, are stoked to be playing with the “big kids” and love getting to kick butt alongside heroes they look up to. One of my favorite stories in this series belongs to Cindy, who is using their university-based training center to live the college experience she never had.

KELLY: I love the dynamics at play here. The young Spiders know that the Green Goblin is one of the worst of the worst. At the same time, they all look up to Peter, who is all about second chances and faith in the power of people to redeem themselves. So the kids are torn between trusting their guts, looking back at history, or trusting Spider-Man's faith in Norman. That's good stuff, especially for a bunch of kids to wrangle!

MARVEL.com: What can you tease about the kinds of threats our heroes will face in SPIDER-VERSITY?

KELLY: Nothing, or Nick will leave pumpkin bombs in my bed. Seriously, he's done it before, and he'll do it again... be careful, Jordan!

MORRIS: We have some really fun villains lurking in the shadows to test the Spider-team. I don’t want to say too much, but I’ll mention that we have a really exciting A-list big bad but also plenty of appearances from deeper-bench Spidey villains. I have a deep love for the weirder “Bar With No Name,” bad guys, and I’m excited that some of them will be joining the fight as well.

KELLY: Oh, sorry! Nick will give us both swirlies if I say that the big bad is the ghost of Stilt-Man... just kidding! OR AM I?!?!

One particular villain the young Spiders will have to face is none other than the terrifying Carnage! Watch them duke it out with the lethal symbiote on the cover for AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: SPIDER-VERSITY #3, exclusively revealed below.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: SPIDER-VERSITY #3
Written by JORDAN MORRIS & JOE KELLY
Art by PERE PÉREZ
Cover by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI
On Sale 6/24

The tutelage of the younger Spider-Men and Spider-Women of the Marvel Universe by Norman Osborn and Jessica Drew continues! The Spiders have learned a lot, but both Norman and Jessica would never pit them up against Carnage. Fresh out of the hit "Death Spiral," Carnage has changed and is on a collision course that might make this the deadliest book in Spider-History!

Pick up AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: SPIDER-VERSITY #1 at your local comic shop on April 22!

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