NetEase has revealed the next alternate version superhero that is joining Marvel Rivals.
As reported by Insider Gaming, NetEase revealed Spider-Punk 2099 as the next upcoming skin for Spider-Man. NetEase shared a teaser video with this announcement on Twitter:
“Unleash the Spider-Punk within you!
“The biggest leap we’ve made in decades? Putting synths back in punk music. And hey, punk was born from the raw strum of a guitar even the future can’t take that away. Wish Hobie could see this…”
Leap into the action as Spider-Man’s Spider-Punk 2099, making its debut in Marvel Rivals Season 1.
Available: March 20, 7 PM PDT
Bring mayhem to the battlefield and embrace the electrifying punk within you as Spider-Punk 2099!”
The announcement also came with a tease for another skin, called Iron Man Steam Power. We’re not entirely sure if this is just an original creation by NetEase, as it doesn’t quite resemble the steampunk incarnations of Iron Man from either Dark Ages or 1872.
But then again, Spider-Punk 2099 may not based on anyone we already know. Most fans know Spider-Punk from the Sony Pictures animated film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The character originally appeared nine years earlier, in 2015’s The Amazing Spider-Man comic issue # 15.
In both instances, Spider-Punk is Hobie Brown, AKA Hobart Brown. Now, the mainstream universe version of Hobie Brown fought with and alongside Peter as The Prowler. However Spider-Punk comes from alternate universes where Hobie picked up spider-based superpowers and became the Spider-Man of his universes. Also, as an odd twist, the comic book Spider-Punk is American, while the Sony animated Spider-Punk is British.
Neither of these Spider-Punks come from the universe of Marvel 2099. The Spider-Man of the year 2099, who also appeared in the Sony movie, is an Irish Mexican geneticist named Miguel O’Hara, who recreated Peter Parker’s spider-based powers years into the future. This Spider-Man existed in the same universe where Hobie was The Prowler.
And if you pay closer attention, you can see that NetEase’s Spider-Punk 2099 is an original creation. After all, both Spider-Punks still wear the same red mask that Peter has, with the addition of silvery metal spikes emanating across the back of the head, forming a neat row that evokes a faux hawk. This Spider-Punk 2099 wears a visor that covers their entire head, with red spikes that looks like an embellishment.
NetEase’s introduction may even suggest that Spider-Punk 2099 isn’t even a Hobie. Apparently, this punk wishes that Hobie was around to see them. So, it may be that this Spider-Punk comes from a future where there was already a Hobie Spider-Punk years ago, and they’re bringing back the Spider-Punk persona for themselves in 2099.
And yes, since they’re covered up, we won’t even be making any assumptions about Spider-Punk 2099’s identity. Wouldn’t it be interesting if this was an alternate Gwen Stacy, Peni Parker, even a Mayday Parker covering up their identity? But we assume that NetEase will let all their cards out after Spider-Punk 2099 becomes fully playable.
In the meantime, you can check out Spider-Punk 2099’s vertical teaser trailer on YouTube below.
