Marvel Revives Classic Villains in 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' — But Does It Work?
📷 Image source: gizmodo.com
The Comeback No One Saw Coming
Hulk and Scorpion Return to Haunt Spider-Man
Marvel’s latest move feels like a nostalgia bomb dropped straight from the early 2000s. 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day,' the storyline that once rebooted Peter Parker’s life with a controversial reset, is now bringing back two heavy hitters: Hulk and Scorpion. Not as allies, not as reformed antiheroes, but as the kind of villains that made Spider-Man’s life hell in the first place.
Dan Slott, the writer behind this arc, isn’t shy about leaning into the chaos. 'These characters aren’t just back for fan service,' he told Gizmodo. 'They’re here to break Peter Parker in ways he hasn’t been broken before.' Bold words, especially for a storyline that already divided fans when it erased Peter’s marriage to Mary Jane Watson. Now, with Scorpion’s venom and Hulk’s brute force in the mix, the stakes feel higher—and messier.
Why Now?
Marvel’s Love Affair With Legacy Villains
Marvel’s been on a kick lately, digging up old foes and giving them fresh coats of paint. But Hulk and Scorpion aren’t just any villains. Scorpion, aka Mac Gargan, was once Venom—a role that’s since been passed around like a hot potato. Hulk, meanwhile, has been everything from a world-smashing menace to a reluctant hero. Tossing them back into Spider-Man’s orbit isn’t just a creative choice; it’s a statement.
Some fans are thrilled. 'Scorpion’s always been underrated,' tweeted @ComicBookTrueBeliever. 'Give me more of that unhinged energy.' Others are skeptical. 'Hulk feels like overkill,' argued longtime Spider-Man podcaster Allyson Gronowitz. 'Peter’s got enough problems without a gamma-powered wrecking ball.'
Marvel’s editorial team, though, seems convinced. 'These characters have history,' said editor Nick Lowe. 'And history has a way of repeating itself—usually with more punches.'
The Stakes for Peter Parker
Can Spider-Man Survive Another 'Brand New Day'?
Let’s not forget: 'Brand New Day' was originally a soft reboot, a way to undo years of continuity and give Peter a 'fresh start.' That fresh start came at a cost—fans still gripe about the erasure of his marriage—and now, Marvel’s doubling down by bringing back villains who embody the chaos of that era.
Hulk’s involvement is especially intriguing. This isn’t the Jade Giant fans know today; this is a throwback to the angrier, less stable version. Pair that with Scorpion, whose vendetta against Spider-Man is personal, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Or, depending on who you ask, a recipe for must-read comics.
Artist Mark Bagley, who’s lending his pencils to the arc, teased a 'brutal, no-holds-barred' showdown. 'Peter’s not just fighting for his life,' Bagley said. 'He’s fighting to prove he’s still the Spider-Man everyone roots for.'
The bigger question, though, is whether fans will root for this direction—or if it’ll feel like Marvel’s retreading old ground instead of breaking new ones.
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