With Tom Holland’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day hitting theaters on July 31, 2026, and the third CG animated Spider-Verse film, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, confirmed for June 18 next year, Spider-Man fever is at an all-time high. But for fans of the web-slinger’s comic origins, there’s bittersweet news: Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions ended its publishing contract with Marvel Comics on March 31, 2026, meaning all translated digital Marvel comics will be removed from all ebook stores by September 30, 2026. (Purchased copies will remain readable.)
To celebrate the wild, multiverse-spanning stories that the translated American comics brought us, this edition of our recommended manga notebook dives into the Spider-Verse series — a perfect entry point for anyone who wants to see the Toei Spider-Man stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the original Peter Parker.
Toei Spider-Man Joins the Spider War!
The original American comic Spider-Verse (2014–2015) was a massive crossover event. When mysterious attackers begin hunting and killing Spider-People across the multiverse, Earth-616’s Peter Parker and his allies must cross dimensional barriers to fight together. And that means all the Spiders — including the Toei Spider-Man (Yamashiro Takuya) and his giant robot, Leopardon.
This was the first time the Toei version was fully integrated into mainstream Marvel canon as a major character. The crossover also featured the manga Spider-Man by Ryoichi Ikegami (serialized in 1970 in Monthly Bessatsu Shonen Magazine), nods to Sam Raimi’s and Marc Webb’s film versions, and even Peni Parker — a different take from the anime film, inspired by Neon Genesis Evangelion. Later, in End of the Spider-Verse, a cameo by Sakura Spider from Deadpool: Samurai appeared. The PS4 game’s Spider-Man also became a semi-regular in Spider-Geddon.
The success of the comic led to sequels Spider-Geddon and End of the Spider-Verse, plus spin-offs like Venomverse and Spider-Verse vs. Venomverse featuring a new-costumed Toei Spider-Man alongside a Sentai-style Venom.
Translated series available:
- Spider-Verse (main story)
- World of Spider-Verse (filler stories)
- Edge of Spider-Verse (prequels)
- Spider-Geddon (main story)
- Edge of Spider-Geddon (prequels and related episodes)
- End of the Spider-Verse (main story)
- Spider-Verse: Spider-Zero (bridging story between Spider-Geddon and End of the Spider-Verse)
The Other Protagonist: Doctor Octopus as Spider-Man
The first Spider-Verse story kicks off with a shock: Doctor Octopus (Otto Octavius) as the Superior Spider-Man. Before the crossover, a dying Otto had taken over Peter Parker’s body and become a new, more ruthless Spider-Man. Though he later returned the body, in Spider-Verse, a past version of Otto from that era joins the fight. He senses the Inheritors — a family of spider-hunting vampires — and forms the Spider-Army, gathering Spider-People from across dimensions.
The army includes various Peter Parkers, Ben Reilly, Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O’Hara), Spider-Girl, Spider-Woman, and Spider-Gwen (who debuted in this series). Miles Morales from the Ultimate Universe also appears, though briefly. The Ultimate Universe was launched in the early 2000s to reboot Marvel heroes for new readers, and Miles became the second Spider-Man after the Ultimate Peter Parker’s death.
Toei Spider-Man enters mid-story with Leopardon. The Inheritors, wary of his power, destroy Leopardon just as he’s about to unleash his finishing move, the Sword Vigor. Despite that, Leopardon remains a recurring trump card in later reversals. In Spider-Geddon, Toei Spider-Man gets his own solo episode, and in End of the Spider-Verse, even the Machine Bem villain group appears. Fans who joked “Where’s Leopardon?” were thrilled to see it become reality.
Translated American comics are full-color and pricey per volume, but with distribution ending, now is the time to grab them while you can.
◆ Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Now playing in theaters nationwide from July 31. Sony Pictures Entertainment. (C) & TM 2026 MARVEL
— Kigasawa Masashi
