10 Spider-Man Costumes More Effective Than The Original

This July, everyone's favorite arachnid themed superhero (sorry, Tarantula) will be swinging back onto the silver screen to star in his sixth feature film “Spider-Man: Homecoming”. His familiar red and blue threads are also making a reappearance but with a few tweaks. This time the suit has some tech upgrades courtesy of the MCU’s resident genius billionaire playboy philanthropist, Tony Stark.

We’ve already gotten a close look at Spidey’s new suit in last years “Captain America: Civil War” and the “Homecoming” trailers. The web-head’s new duds boast upgraded web-shooters, underarm webbing for gliding, camera-like lenses in the mask to improve focus, a parachute, a spider-drone, and an AI similar to Ironman’s F.R.I.D.A.Y system. As cool as all these enhancements are, in the comics, Spider-Man changes costumes pretty regularly.

An aspect of Peter Parker that's often overlooked in the movies is that he’s one of the smartest characters in the Marvel Universe. He’s perfectly capable of making his own super-tech suits without Tony’s help (except that one time) and has more times than you're probably aware.

There have been multiple occasions when Spidey’s spectacular abilities weren't quite spectacular enough for the job at hand. At times like these, Parker uses his scientific acumen to give himself an advantage over his foes. Other times he's just happens upon an upgrade. Some of these suits seem so much more effective than the traditional one, you can’t help but wonder why he ever goes back to it.

Even though Peter only wore this chromed out number for one issue in “Web of Spider-Man” #100, it seems to have made an impact. It’s still referenced in various videogames and comics decades after its brief appearance.

This disco-ball-esque variant is likely remembered so well because its prominent appearance on the milestone issue’s cover. So prominent, Spidey web swinging in it in front of a web background is the entire thing. The only accompanying image is large, colorful, stylized lettering advertising the “all-new, all-daring, SPIDER-ARMOR.”

Other than the purpose of being newsstand era click-bait, the in-story reason for the costume change seems like a no-brainer. As it turns out criminals have a tendency to carry guns and even if Spider-Man is more durable than most, he isn’t invulnerable.

So why hadn’t Peter made a suit like this before? The comic doesn’t address that but we are told that the bad guys are equipped with high caliber enhanced ammunition. Regular gunfire just wasn’t deadly enough to warrant any kind of protection we suppose.

The suit only lasts for about eight pages until is gets destroyed with acid, never to be seen again in the main continuity Marvel Universe. This is just the beginning in a series of progressively more impressive Spider-Armors.