If ever there’s a sign of love for a single character, it’s the number of people that packed into Room 409 at NYCC 2023 to celebrate Spider-Man: Gang War. There was not an empty seat in the house, as fans rushed to join Nick Lowe, C.B. Cebulski, Zeb Wells, Ellie Pyle, Erica Schultz, Greg Pak, and Tom Groneman as they revealed the future of Spider-Man and New York City’s other heroes.
The panel debuted a brand new trailer showing off various characters facing off. One specific shot involved Luke Cage punching a car. It’s a first glimpse at what was described as “some not necessarily mayoral behavior” from New York’s esteemed mayor.
Zeb Wells discussed the fact that they have been building to Gang War ever since Amazing Spider-Man #1 was released in April of 2022. It seems fitting, then, that issues #37-38 will build up to the war, while it officially kicks off in #39. Amazing Spider-Man: Gang War — First Strike #1 is “where we see the fuse be lit and explode,” but #39 is the essential issue. The panelists even emphasized that First Strike is not entirely essential to read, “but you’d be a fool not to.”
Amazing Spider-Man #39 features a dark new design for Beetle, while #41, #42, and #43 reveal the return of Typhoid Mary and Kingpin. Lowe teased the #44 cover reveal but eventually elected not to show it. Some mysteries need to be preserved.
Marvel Comics
Peter Parker isn’t the only Spider-Man involved, of course. There are some special threads in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #11 and #12 that will be paying off over the course of the next year. Spider-Woman, too, will be joining the Gang War, as she faces off against Hydra and her own past.
There was one funny note when the Luke Cage miniseries was discussed. When Luke Cage’s new costume was revealed, the panelists emphasized that his mask is protecting the mayor’s identity. While it was likely intended as a joke, it did spawn some audience scorn, as one listener joked, “Can’t tell who it is. No way.”
Not too much original news was revealed about Daredevil or Deadly Hands of Kung-fu, but it was announced that Spider-Man Unlimited #19 would reveal a new side of Spider-Boy.
Marvel Comics
In the Q&A lightning round, two separate fans asked about the status of Chasm, which prompted Wells to describe that Chasm is “a Peter Parker without Uncle Ben’s lessons or Aunt May’s nurturing,” giving readers the chance to see what Peter looks like “without the good side.” Wells and Cebulski also teased fans about the MJ and Peter Parker romance, while teasing potential plans for Kaine Parker.
Like the Avengers Assemble panel yesterday, this was a relatively quiet panel. It’s likely that Marvel is saving its biggest news for the aptly named Next Big Thing panel. That will be taking place on Saturday at 3:15 ET, so stay tuned for whatever Marvel has in store.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
You must be logged in to post a comment.