How Spider-Man PS4 Recreates One Of Marvel's Greatest Experiments
1. How Insomniac Have Recaptured The Ultimate Universe's Magic
Part of the reason why Insomniac's depiction of Peter Parker resonates so well is because he's now an adult. He's trying to grow up in a world fraught with peril, and as is the case with a lot of things about adulthood, it's not always easy.
Of course we've seen Peter as an adult before - he's been one for decades in mainstream continuity - but never quite the way Insomniac have depicted him here. There's still that element of relatability inherent to the character, but it feels different - revitalised, even - embodied visually by the update to Steve Ditko's iconic costume, which looks stunning in-game.
But what has this all got to do with Ultimate Spider-Man? Well, like that comic, Insomniac's game has had to reposition Spidey's world in a brand new context. Gone are the days of J. Jonah Jameson barking orders in the offices of the Daily Bugle - today, he's an online 'influencer' with his own InfoWars-esque podcast shifting the conversation (evidently for the worse) in contemporary fashion. MJ too has undergone a key and important change, working as a reporter for the Daily Bugle and doing so with the kind of agency the character has sorely lacked in previous depictions - be they on the page, or off it entirely.
Then there is the presence of Miles Morales, one of the Ultimate Universe's most enduring legacies and a character who's likely to match Parker in terms of renown before the decade's over. He's clearly positioned to take on an even bigger role in the sequel, and it's yet another element of the game where the influence of the Ultimate Universe can be felt.
This modernising mantra is pervasive throughout the medium today, but it was Ultimate Spider-Man that set it all in motion. In their efforts to recontextualise Spidey's universe once again, Insomniac have - intentionally or not - followed in the footsteps of one of Marvel's most important comics.