For Spider-Man fans, Into The Spider-Verse was a non-stop parade of references all revolving
your favorite web slinger.
Here are even more small details and easter eggs you might have missed in Into The Spider-Verse.
And it should go without saying, but we're saying it anyway: swinging Spidey spoilers
ahead.
Brian Michael Bendis, Sarah Pichelli, and Steve Ditko aren't the only Spider-Man comic
book creators to get a shout-out in Into The Spider-Verse.
One of the other contacts in Miles' phone is D. Slott, referencing comic book writer
Dan Slott, the writer who came up with the concept of the Spider-Verse for the comic
books.
Meanwhile, Miles walks past a ramen shop called "Romita Ramen" partway through the film.
This is a double shout-out: John Romita Sr. was the artist who took over the art duties
on Amazing Spider-Man after original Spidey artist Steve Ditko left the title.
He's also the co-creator of Mary Jane Watson, who appears in the film, and the original
version of The Prowler, Hobie Brown.
His son, John Romita Jr., likewise had a long, successful run on Amazing Spider-Man.
Into the Spider-Verse is also loaded with visual references to classic comic arcs and
character designs.
Kingpin dominates the screen whenever he's shown, in an obvious reference to Bill Sienkiewicz's
famous portrayal.
And when Gwen Stacy's Spider-Woman appears, the cover of her comic makes sure to credit
her actual creators: Jason Latour, Robbi Rodriguez, and Rico Renzi.
It goes further than just a shout-out, too: Gwen's flashback sequences are washed over
in kinetic neon pinks and purples, a perfect replication of colorist Rico Renzi's color
scheme in the Spider-Gwen comic.
When the various Spider-people explore Aunt May's secret Spider-Bunker, you might have
noticed a quick shot of the Spider-Mobile on one of the platforms.
In the comics, the Spider-Mobile could drive along walls and shoot webbing.
It didn't last long as Spidey's vehicle of choice though: it was quickly thrashed, lost,
and, of course, repurposed by a supervillain to try and kill Spider-Man.
One of the most subtle Easter eggs in the film comes when Aunt May sees Olivia Octavius
and calls her "Liv."
As the villain told Spider-Man earlier in the film, her enemies call her Doc Ock, but
her friends call her "Liv."
The fact that Aunt May knows and uses Doc Ock's nickname hints at a previous relationship
between the two.
But what did that relationship look like?
Well, if Miles' universe is anything like the regular Marvel Universe, chances are that
Doc Ock and Aunt May may have had a pretty close relationship...like almost getting married.
It all happened in Amazing Spider-Man #131, which featured the eight-armed menace nearly
marrying Spidey's aunt in order to claim a nuclear power plant that May received from
a recent inheritance.
May does seem to have a thing for genius inventors.
"It's so hard for me to believe that she's someone's aunt."
"Well, we come in all shapes and sizes."
"This woman's meatloaf is exceptional."
"Let me just stop you there."
Fans were no doubt surprised to see Peter Parker bite the bullet early on in the film.
Fans might have been even more surprised when Peter takes off his mask and his hair is blond
instead of the expected brown.
That's because the filmmakers are paying tribute to the original duplicate Spider-Man, Ben
Reilly.
In the comics, Reilly was a clone of Peter Parker who dyed his hair and changed his name
to differentiate himself from the original Peter Parker.
While Shameik Moore does an excellent job voicing young Miles Morales in the film, many
fans had their hearts set on Donald Glover to portray the young web-slinger.
The Atlanta creator was pushed into the Spider-spotlight when he half-jokingly campaigned to play the
role of Spider-Man in 2010.
While the role ultimately went to Andrew Garfield, Glover did voice Miles Morales in the Ultimate
Spider-Man cartoon, and he even appeared in Spider-Man: Homecoming as Miles' uncle, Aaron
Davis.
"The other night you told those guys if you're gonna shoot somebody, shoot me.
Pretty ballsy.
I don't want those weapons in the neighborhood, I got a nephew that lives here."
Although Mahershala Ali provides the voice for Uncle Aaron in Into The Spider-Verse,
the filmmakers found time to acknowledge Glover's various roles in a quick Easter egg.
When Miles goes to visit his uncle, eagle-eyed fans can spot Aaron watching a few seconds
of Community.
Specifically, "Anthropology 101," an episode that features Glover's Troy Barnes waking
up in Spider-Man pajamas.
Throughout Into The Spider-Verse, Peter B. Parker struggles with the mess he's made of
his life.
He's sleepwalking through his days and marking the hours with pizza boxes and dirty laundry.
His downturn is partly because of his split from Mary Jane, for reasons that aren't explicitly
revealed in the film.
However, if you pay attention, one reason as to why they broke up becomes apparent:
he didn't want kids.
It's once again a storyline slightly adjusted from the comic book source material.
In the '90s, Peter and MJ almost had a baby before separating for a few years.
In the movie, it seems like Peter's pretty staunchly anti-spider-baby.
However, by the end of the film, Peter takes a moment to wonder if he actually does want
kids.
In one comics timeline, he eventually has a daughter with MJ who he names May Parker,
and she naturally grows up to be Spider-Girl.
If Peter and MJ do get back together following the events of Into the Spider-Verse, we wouldn't
be surprised to see May Parker pop up in the sequel, or even in the upcoming Gwen Stacy
Spider-Woman spinoff.