To add to this year’s ensemble one-shot and Pride variant illustrations, Marvel has unveiled its first homosexual Spider-Man: Web-Weaver! The new character will be introduced in the next issue #5 of Dan Slott and Steve Fox’s Edge of Spider-Verse, which also has art by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Bob MacLeod, and others. This new Spider-Man, co-created by Steven Foxe and Kris Anka, is one of several being introduced to comics readers this autumn in anticipation of Dan Slott’s The End of Spider-Verse action series.
Illustration Reveal
In a Twitter post, writer Steve Foxe teased readers with an image of the book’s cover and a brief description of the book’s protagonist, a homosexual spider named Web-Weaver. Web Weaver is described as “A not-so-mild mannered fashion designer at Van Dyne gets spider-powers and shows us a very different kind of Spider-Slayer,” in the solicit for Edge of Spider-Verse #5.
Foxe retweeted an artist’s post in which he expressed delight at having Foxe as a co-creator of the homosexual spider, Web-Weaver, in case the character’s civilian profession and clever wordplay weren’t enough to clue viewers in on the hero being a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Artist Josemaria Casanovas’s cover for Foxe’s announcement of Edge of Spider-Verse #5 gives readers their first glimpse at Web-Weaver in his yellow and black suit, which also features the new character Hunter-Spider.
SURPRISE: I had the huge gay honor of helping to co-create WEB-WEAVER, who'll make his debut in EDGE OF THE SPIDER-VERSE #5 this September!
Designed by the one and only @kristaferanka, cover by Josemaria Casanovas, with our interior artist to be revealed soon! pic.twitter.com/d3qaN4nBBJ
— Steve Fo🅧e (@steve_foxe) June 16, 2022
The Much Needed LGBTQ+ Representation In The Comics
It’s about time that there was greater visibility for the LGBTQ+ community. That’s why the announcement of Web-Weaver’s release is so thrilling. What makes Marvel’s first openly homosexual Spider-Man even more significant is that he was conceived by and developed by members of the LGBTQ+ community, writers Steve Foxe and Kris Anka.
The release of Marvel’s first openly gay Spider-Man isn’t scheduled until September, but the character’s reveal itself is a pleasant surprise for Pride Month. Edge of Spider-Verse #1 hits shelves in August 2022 and features Web-Weaver and her colleagues Spider-Men and Spider-Women. Web-Weaver may be the first LGBTQ+ Spider-Man, but maybe he won’t be the last if The End of Spider-Verse is approaching.
