Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s Biggest Marvel Easter Eggs (So Far)

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One of the things Marvel Comics has done with Disney+’s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is modernize it for a new generation. While there are aspects that pay homage to the classic comics from Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, there are also Easter eggs from the 1990s onwards as well.

By making references to Spider-Man’s various media, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man invites both old and new fans to the fore. With that in mind, here is a breakdown of the Marvel nods made to Spider-Man’s previous adaptations and iconic comic storylines from Season 1.

20

Peter Parker Uses the Proto-Suit

Peter’s Suit Homages Tom Holland’s Spider-Man Costume

Tom Holland’s Spider-Man used the proto-suit when he debuted in Spider-Man: Homecoming. He stitched it up at home, and this DIY essence made him relatable.

Hudson Thames’ Peter Parker has a similar suit. He stitches his costume and has to design web shooters. It syncs up with how this cartoon was once supposed to be an origin story for Holland’s Spider-Man, only for the show to fall into a different reality to tell more expansive stories.

19

Peter Parker’s Avengers Worship

Spider-Man Likes Iron Man But Loves Captain America

Peter is a huge fan of the Avengers. There is even an Iron Man toy in Aunt May’s car, which shows why Peter wants to do robotics. However, Peter likes Captain America a lot more. He has a poster of the Star-Spangled Avenger, too.

When Peter fights the Russian gangsters in Episode 5, he does his own version of a Steve Rogers line. When Mila/Unicorn asks if he has had enough, he puts his fists up and says, “I’m just getting started!” It’s a clever reworking of Steve when he throws his hands up and says, “I can do this all day!”

18

Uncle Ben Is a Major Influence on Peter Parker

Peter Parker Gets Ben’s Camera

In the premiere, Peter and May talk about Uncle Ben’s death, which shockingly occurs off-screen and before Peter gets his powers. In Episode 4, he and May discuss selling Ben’s things. There is even a family picture of Pete and Ben hiking.

Peter eventually takes Ben’s camera. He takes photos on his New York route as he web-slings around. It creates a more personal connection in the event that becomes a photojournalist for the Big Apple’s Daily Bugle.

17

Doctor Strange Has an MCU Aesthetic

Strange’s Powers Mimic Marvel Studios’ Style

In Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Episode 1, Doctor Strange fights an alien. The portal he comes though nods to the ones that sorcerers use via sling-rings. Strange also warps reality in a similar fashion to Christopher Nolan’s Inception inside the school.

Strange has his whips, green shields, and uses the cape separately to rescue people. It’s very much what Benedict Cumberbatch’s Strange has done in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Strange has his vintage look, but his fighting style matches Marvel Studios’ version.

16

Norman Osborn Is an Inverted Tony Stark

Norman Becomes Peter’s Less Arrogant Mentor

Colman Domingo’s Norman Osborn is essentially the Iron Man of this reality. When the animated series’ Peter strolls home, everything from the Queens title card to Peter meeting May and Norman at home nods to Captain America: Civil War. It mimics the scene with Tony offering Peter a job.

Norman doesn’t have a big a ego, however, as he offers Peter an internship. In Episodes 4 and 5, Norman runs points to help Peter the way Tony used his artificial intelligence in the field. In addition, Peter mentions making something like an “arc reactor” at the internship, which is what Iron Man built as his energy source in the MCU.

15

Strange’s Alien Enemy Is a Symbiote

This Homages Venom and the Klyntar

The creature that Strange fights has a symbiote on it. The mage takes it back to another dimension. But it has an appearance that points towards Venom.

It also homages the other symbiotes that fans saw in the Sony Spider-Man Universe. While those movies seem to be over, this new approach could bring Knull back into play. The MCU could rework the Klyntar species this way.

14

Peter Parker Uses the Brick Throw

Spider-Man Shows His Bravery As a Human

Peter chucks a rock at the symbiote during the Strange fight. He’s an innocent civilian trying to save Nico Minoru, which nods to the Sony movies.

In Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, many citizens in New York tried to help him in various instances when he fought villains. This did include chucking debris at them. The sequence in the series’ premiere would lead to Peter being bitten when a spider drops through the portal.

13

Crusher Hogan Makes a Cameo

Peter’s Wrestling Nemesis Makes a Notable Appearance

Crusher Hogan is the wrestler that Peter beat up when he tested his powers. He’d win notoriety and money. This superstardom led to Peter ignoring a villain who would go on to kill Ben in the comics.

Crusher is seen on a newscast at Oscorp’s lab. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment. The Your Friendly Spider-Man comics actually shed more light on this brawl, and Crusher also appears in the opening credits.

12

Roxxon Oil Gets a Mention

Nico Minoru Paints Roxxon As Evil

In the comics, Roxxon Corporation made dangerous weapons, explored terrifying power sources and even caused interdimensional chaos. Nico Minoru mentions Roxxon Oil to Peter in a conversation in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Episode 2.

She doesn’t want him to be evil by signing up for corporations like Roxxon or Oscorp. It plays into the cartoon’s grounded idea of capitalism. It portends Roxxon and Peter going to war, which would be lore-accurate as many Avengers had issues with Roxxon in the comics.

11

Peter Parker’s Fighting Style Honors Sam Raimi’s Vision

Spider-Man Has a Super Reaction Time

In the first Sam Raimi movie, Tobey Maguire’s Peter fought Flash Thompson at school. Peter ducked, weaved and dodged before taking Flash down. It felt like The Matrix, as he saw every move beforehand.

In Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Peter has a similar style when he fights bullies. He saves Zeno Robinson’s Harry Osborn and looks cool in the process. It shows how fast Peter is compared to everyone else.

10

Peter’s Inner-Circle Isn’t Necessarily Made Up of Normal People

Many Marvel Heroes and Villains Appear as Peter’s Supporting Cast

Peter makes many friends and acquaintances in the first slate of episodes. His crush, Pearl Pangan, is the aquatic hero, Wave, in the comics. Her boyfriend, Lonnie Lincoln, ends up in a gang. He helps the mob boss out and gains the “Tombstone” nickname for how he tackled an enemy. Amadeus Cho is an intern at Oscorp. Comic fans know him as the Totally Awesome Hulk in the comics.

Asha is there, too. She is a Wakandan genius and hero in the comics. Jeanne is another scientist in this group, and she is known as Finesse in the comics. Of course, fans are waiting to see if Norman or Harry will use company technology to become a Green Goblin. As for Peter’s teachers, Dr. Carla Connors is a new take on Curt Connors, while the arrogant Bentley Wittman is a retooled version of the Wizard.

9

Peter Has a Spiritual Avengers Connection

Peter’s Journey Calls Back to Two Key Heroes

Bentley chides Peter at the microscope station. He doesn’t approve how Peter tries to view material at the site and condescendingly calls him “Hawkeye,” which homages Clint Barton.

Later in his studies, Peter doesn’t like a Spider-Man suit that Norman designs once he learns Peter’s secret. Peter says he isn’t Thor, and he isn’t “worthy.” Eventually, Norman scraps this costume, as it’s inefficient in the field.

8

Civil War and the Sokovia Accords Are Referenced

Norman Wants To Abide By the Superhero Registration Act

When Norman convinces Peter to let him make him suits, the MCU’s Civil War comes into play. The fallout of the Sokovia Accords is mentioned on the news. Scenes from Civil War are seen, minus Spider-Man. The broadcast also says Steve and Bucky Barnes are on the lam.

Norman mentions heroes do need to fall in line with the Accords. He even points out the collateral damage with the Hulk and Ultron, which the Avengers are indirectly responsible for. He says he’ll get Peter ratified as part of his vision to create legal heroes. It feels like a tribute to when Norman ran the Thunderbolts and Dark Avengers in the comics.

7

Peter Parker Has a Russian Problem

Spider-Man Could Have More Dangerous Foes En Route

Peter ends up brawling with Russian thieves in Episode 5. Mila Masaryk is a gender-swap of Unicorn. She has a helmet that fires energy blasts. Dmitri Smerdyakov is another. He doesn’t have any tech or powers, but avid Marvel fans would know him as Chameleon.

Mikhail Sytsevich is another member of the gang. He’s the Rhino’s father in comics. Peter takes him and Unicorn down, but Mikhail does promise the vendetta will continue against the wall-crawler. They do have someone to provide weaponry. Interestingly, they mention the Tracksuit Mafia from Hawkeye as another gang running around.

6

Otto Octavius and Leap-Frog Make an Appearance

Doctor Octopus Wants Respect

The Russians’ arms provider is Otto Octavius. He is jealous of scientists like Stark and Bruce Banner. He sells weapons to make money to build his ultimate arsenal.

He has an assistant, Vincent, who nods to Vincent Patilio from the comics. The latter donned a super-suit to become Leap-Frog in the source material. It foreshadows both men wearing technology and warring with Spider-Man for bringing down their customers.

5

Spider-Man’s Story Unleashes More Gangsters

Big Don, Speed Demon and Tarantula Enter the Fray

The mob boss that Lonnie falls in with is Benjamin “Big Don” Donovan. In the comics, he was a Harlem gangster who’d end up working for Tombstone. This show flips that dynamic as he offers Lonnie money and safety from other gangs. This deal finds Big Don promising to leave Lonnie’s brother, Dre, alone and not trying to indoctrinate him.

Don has rivals: the Scorpion gang. Mac Gargan doesn’t have his armor here — instead, he is tattooed and rocking stinger-like blades. Mac’s general is Carmilla Black, who donned a suit and became a killer in the comics. It hints that she and Mac could use Otto for serums and/or armors as they plan to enhance themselves for the fight to come.

Other villains seen include Butane, who now has fire gauntlets, as opposed to being a Human Torch Pastiche. Speed Demon is given boots that make him a Flash versus being a speedster due to chemicals. Lastly, Maria/Taranatula has gauntlets that create laser blades, which, in her case, is accurate to the comics. Spider-Man locks them up, but if they escape, they’ll likely want revenge.

4

Harry Osborn Homages Ned Leeds

Harry Is Peter’s Second-in Command

In the MCU, Ned said he wanted to help Peter by being the “guy in the chair.” This version of Harry pokes fun at this. Once he learns Peter is Spider-Man, he wants to be the “dude by the desk.”

Oddly enough, the way Peter swings into Norman’s office and unmasks, not knowing Harry is there, nods to when he did the same in the MCU. That scene in Peter’s bedroom led to Ned seeing he was the wall-crawler. Harry has the same facial expression.

Spider-Man Calls Back to the Messages of Old

In the classic Spider-Man comics, Peter left notes when he arrested people and left them for the cops. It’s something the Spider-Man comic strips played up.

Holland’s Spider-Man did this with the Vulture. When Harry runs point, Thames’ Peter jokes about leaving a note on a bicycle that he recovers during an incident in New York. It’s a deep cut that nostalgics and diehards would adore.

2

Peter Parker’s Various Suits Show Up

Spider-Man Has a Bevy of Suits

The opening credits remix the old Spider-Man theme song. This time, it’s the Math Lab adding a hip-hop vibe. But, more importantly, fans see various suits in this crawl. Outside the aforementioned cape suit, Spider-Man’s green “stealth suit” is seen, as well as a Scarlet Spider suit. In Episode 4, Norman ends up giving Peter a suit that nods to Marvel’s Hornet.

Peter also discards a black suit, hinting maybe someday the Venom suit could factor in. That could be possible given the symbiote has been in this reality. After all these costumes are axed, Peter is given the Future Foundation suit by Norman. Reed Richards provided this suit in Earth-616, but Norman has that Reed-like role here.

1

Peter Parker’s Opening Scene Homages Amazing Fantasy #15

Peter Rescues Harry In Tribute to His Marvel Bow

In the premiere, the opening credits has a snapshot of Peter swinging with Harry. It’s a makeover of the Amazing Fantasy #15 cover. That’s the Marvel debut of Spider-Man.

It foreshadows how close Harry and Peter will be. It’s a nice touch for fans who love the Lee and Ditko era. This shows that the showrunner, Jeff Trammell, and his team are indeed big fans of the character’s past.

The first five episodes of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man are now streaming on Disney+. New episodes debut on Wednesdays.

“}]] The first five episodes of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man feature several Marvel references bot both the old comics and movies.  Read More