With Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse set to bring a myriad of arachnid-themed heroes to the silver screen, fans have been left anxiously awaiting the arrival of their favorites. While there is plenty to be excited for, few have drummed up quite the same fervor as Spider-Punk. As such, there has never been a better time to look back at Spider-Punk’s history in comics.
First seen in 2014’s Amazing Spider-Man #10 (by Dan Slott and Olivier Coipel), the anarchist known as Hobie Brown grew up on the downtrodden world of Earth-138. There, Norman “Ozzy” Osborn’s Oscorp regime saw him take over the country’s capitalist structure before catapulting him to the Office of the President. With his Variable Engagement Neuro-sensitive Organic Mesh or V.E.N.O.M. giving powers to his Thunderbolt police, Osborn’s grip over the world is unopposed.
Marvel’s Spider-Punk Can Do More Than Just Websling
In spite of his meteoric rise, it wasn’t long before the effects of Osborn’s leadership brought about someone who could genuinely pose a threat to him. In fact, it was his own actions that irradiated the very spider that bit Hobie and imbued him with his powers. And, when given the opportunity to be a real force for change in his world, Hobie wasted no time doing just that.
Being bitten may have given him superhuman strength, reflexes, and the impossible Spider-Sense that has graced so many other Spider-Totems across the multiverse, but those are far from all that make Hobie who he is. Much like the Hobie Brown of the primary Marvel Universe, Spider-Punk is also a genius. This is particularly true when it comes to technology.
As seen in Spider-Verse #2 (by Jed MacKay and Sheldon Vella), Hobie used a veritable army of amps to overload his enemies’ V.E.N.O.M. system. While this called back to the primary Marvel Universe’s version of the symbiote and its sonic weaknesses, it also gave Hobie the chance he needed to take Osborn’s head off with his guitar. Unsurprisingly, this wasn’t the last time he would face off against his oozing nemesis, although just like the first time around, their next encounter didn’t end any better for Norman or his regime.
Spider-Punk Stands Out From Marvel’s Other Spider-Heroes
Between all the powers and punk rock accouterments, there is an unrelenting charisma about Spider-Punk that draws people to him just as frequently as it pushes him past his own limits. Bringing together the Spider Army that dethroned Osborn the first time around was a surefire sign of what Hobie is capable of as a leader, yet doing it all over again on an even grander scale with a vastly smaller crew proved that nothing could ever stand in his way for long.
Whereas other Spider Totems have been largely defined by tragedies, Spider-Punk has been defined only by being utterly incapable of backing down in the face of oppression. In his world, it doesn’t matter how much anyone has lost, only how far they are willing to go to take back the power that was wrenched away from them. And, as far as Hobie is concerned, there is simply no length he isn’t willing to go to.