The character of Peter Parker has been on a wild ride for the last few years. After bouncing from one film adaptation to another, and one disappointing video game adaptation after another, one of Marvel's biggest moneymakers is really hitting his stride lately. Marvel's Spider-Man from Insomniac marked the return of Spider-Man to the video game world, and the MCU's interpretation has finally given film fans something to hold on to for more than a couple of films. It's a good time to be a Spidey fan, and recent news on the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home has greatly contributed to the excitement.
Following some leaks and official Spider-Man merchandise announcements, the suits to be featured in No Way Home have been shown off for fans to gawk at and speculate over. There's been a mix of criticism and praise for the new suits, particularly for what's being called the 'Integrated Suit.' While the suit may be somewhat controversial, there are a number of comparisons that can be made to another suit that started out in a similar place. Spider-Man's Advanced Suit from Marvel's Spider-Man had similar origins to the Integrated Suit, and it's worth taking a look at how the two suits share some things in common.
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The controversy over both Spider-Man suits is largely centered on one thing: the spider logo located on the chest and back of the suit. This spider is often viewed as an iconic part of the suit to many fans, so any tampering with it can be a risky move. Sure enough, with Spider-Man's Advanced Suit, the large white spider was met with some criticism for how it changed the color of the traditionally black logo. The controversy around No Way Home's Integrated Suit is mostly concentrated on the same thing, as some fans don't like the large gold spider mixed with the red and black that was introduced with the Upgraded Suit.
While it may seem like an innocent enough cosmetic change, there are many fans that hold the original style of the spider logo dear to their hearts. If the Advanced Suit is any indication though, it's possible that some detractors could warm up to the spider style on the Integrated Suit after some time.
Something that the Advanced Suit and the Integrated Suit also have in common is that they were not made by Peter Parker himself. One of Peter's defining traits is that his suits are most often homemade, combining his scientific ability with his affinity for sewing. Marvel's Spider-Man turned this tradition on its head by not only having someone else make his suit but having that particular person be Otto Octavius before becoming the villain Doc Ock.
Although it hasn't been explicitly revealed, merchandise from No Way Home strongly suggests that Peter isn't completely responsible for the construction of the Integrated Suit either. Evidence would suggest that Doctor Strange has a large part to play in developing this uniform, considering some toys have shown the suit to emit magical symbols similar to Doctor Strange's. It's unclear what the suit will do with this power, but if Strange did lend a hand then it's probably for a compelling reason.
Both suits give Spider-Man some kind of special edge over his foes. In the case of the Advanced Suit, it has light armoring to it that usually isn't found on other Spidey suits, and it has integrated tech that helps out in combat situations. The Integrated Suit seems to give the MCU Spider-Man a similar advantage, and it remains to be seen how Doctor Strange's magic will factor into it. However it comes into play, it will likely give Spidey an advantage he's never had before.
The reveal of the Integrated Suit has certainly gotten Spider-Man fans excited, and that speculation is going to continue to grow until the No Way Home trailer comes out. For those that may be worried about the changes being introduced with the Integrated Suit, there should be some solace found in the success of Insomniac's Advanced Suit.
Marvel's Spider-Man is available now for PS4 and PS5.