Spider-Man 2099 Remembered

Regardless of what you may think, Spider-Man 2099 was kind of cool.

Being a newcomer to comic stores in the early 90s, I was all-in with the 2099 univese. Doom, Ravage, Punisher… I found a new Marvel Universe was starting up right there in 1992 and I could get in on the ground floor. I’ve got this problem with not wanting to get into a book in the middle of a story that goes on to this day (still having trouble with DC after Crisis, and Civil War scares me), but with new characters, I could know everything about them as it happened.

Spiderman 2099 was the first book to come out, and lasted the longest, well in 1996 with 46 issues. Read all about him on his Wikipedia entry. He was without a doubt the coolest of 2099, because his powers were more spider-like, and even as a lad his origins of being screwed over by corporate America resonated with me. He was truly the champion of the working man! Since getting to know Miguel O’Hara, I’ve become a lot more comfortable with generational roles in comics and other tales, and rather like the idea that there will be a Spider-Man 2099 or a Batman Beyond long after today’s heroes are gone. It further humanizes Peter Parker today to know that he won’t always be there and someday someone will take his place.

I bring all this up because ToyBiz/Marvel are about to release a new toy of him in the Spiderman Origins line. This appears to be a long awaited proper release, as ToyBiz previously made a toy of Spidey 2099, but it was a K*B Toys exclusive recolor of the “black suit” Spiderman Figure at the time. This was around December 2000, if I recall correctly, and predated a lot of the Marvel Legends we so love today. The new toy is shy on molded details, but has a lot of the movement we’ve grown accustomed to and a great paint deco.

I of course, am holding out hope for an all 2099 Marvel Legends series, but thats another one for the Marvel Legends Wishlist.