There are a lot of Spider-Men (and women) in the animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which deals with the collision of multiple realities. Miles Morales is inspired by the Peter Parker Spider-Man, but in his world, that Spidey just died, and his world gets shaken up when a new, slightly out-of-shape and middle-aged Peter Parker shows up, followed by Gwen Stacy as Spider-Gwen. But there’s more. Peni Parker and her SP//dr robot. Nicolas Cage as the dark trench-coated Spider-Man Noir. And finally…Peter Porker, the Amazing Spider-Ham! Who has of course drooled on his hands and is pretending he just washed them.
Porker’s reveal came at the end of a not-entirely-finished but still visually cool sizzle reel, with Miles Morales’ thoughts appearing in actual caption boxes, his spider powers making his hand stick to Gwen’s hair and the slapstick attempt at separation that ensues (note in the picture above that part of her head is shaved–that’s why), and frames interspersed of impact effects not unlike the old Batman 1966 TV show’s “Pow!” and “Zap!”
It’s similar when he meets middle-aged Parker, knocks him out, and then has to escape from cops who think he’s grave-robbing by activating Peter’s web-slingers and swinging on them. He ties Peter up, and figures out the multiverse theory before Peter escapes and they encounter Gwen. Before it ends, spider-senses are tingling and other spider-folks have arrived.
The only reservation I have as a viewer is that one of the comic-book style effects used creates a kind of blurry ghosting whichm in 3D, could possibly be mistaken for misaligned 3D. But like comics that occasionally had the blue layer off by just a milimeter or two, it’s supposed to be there.
Did you ever think you’d see Peter Porker in a movie? Let us know in comments.
Images: Hasbro, Sony
