The Universes Of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions

Posted in Gaming, Previews by Aaron, August 27, 2010 at 3:50 pm | 1,938 views, 2 comments

Soon, we will see the release of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, which will bring together four different versions of our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.

Each will also be based on a different series of comic books. With the game right around the corner, we thought it would be a good idea to get some back story on each dimension, so you know your stuff when the game hits.

The Amazing Spider-Man

This is the Spider-Man we’re all familiar with – the one we know and love.

First appearing in 1962, this is the guy that learned ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ when his uncle died. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, his red and blue costume has become iconic and turned the character into an icon recognized world wide.

Trailers have shown Amazing Spider-Man fighting Kraven the Hunter and Juggernaut.

He will be voice by Neil-Patrick Harris, of How I Met Your Mother fame. He also voiced Spider-Man in 2003’s Spider-Man: The New Animated series.

Spider-Man Noir

The Marvel Noir series are very pulp, old-feel comics. Spider-Man Noir is set during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Norman Osborne, operating under the alias of The Goblin, is an underworld Kingpin. Ben Urich, a reporter at the Daily Bugle, has a network of informants (called the Spider network) feeding him information about The Goblin. Instead of printing it however, he blackmails the Goblin for money, so he can feed his drug-addiction.

When Peter Parker recieves a tip meant for someone in the Spider network, he ends up at a warehouse of The Goblins. An ancient Spider statue breaks open and Peter is bit by a spider. He wakes up to find himself strung upside down with webbing.

This Spider-Man has organic webbing and his costume is the furthest from the original. Black leather and goggles really fit the theme however. This Spider-Man also carried a gun at one point (and even used to kill The Vulture). His enemies also tend to be grotesque and disfigured circus freaks. Many of his enemies end up dying throughout the comics.

Spider-Man Noir will be voiced by Christopher Daniel Barnes, who voiced the character in Spider-man: The Animated Series from 1994 – 1998.

Spider-Man 2099

A Spider-Man of a possible future, of the four Spider-mans this is the only one that is not Peter Parker. Instead, Miguel O’Hara is a geneticist in the year 2099 who tries to recreate the abilities of the original Spider-Man. A lab accident leaves his DNA altered with the genetic code of a Spider.

The 2099 comics, similar to the Noir comics, re-imagined Marvel heroes in the future. Printed in 1992, the world is filled with corrupt corporations and a cyberpunk art style filled the pages.

He has many of the same abilities as Spider-Man, although he lacks a spider-sense. Instead he has a heightened sense of vision and hearing, so it’s basically the same thing. He also has a sort-of organic webbing, although he can only stick to walls using his hands and feet (unlike the original Spider-Man, who can use any part of his body). He has talons on his hands and feet and sharp teeth that can release a venom when he bites people. His costume is one he wore during the Mexican Day of the Dead ceremony.

Spider-Man 2099 has made it his mission to free the world from these megacompanies, after seeing the oppression and poor quality of life they’ve created for people.

Specifically, he is attacked a corporation called Alchemax, which employed his and blackmailed him into trying to recreate Spider-Man’s powers, even though he wanted to resign after a test subjext died.

In the comics he fought enemies such as Goblin 2099 and the original Venom, as the symbiote found a way to survive years into the future.

He will be voiced by Dan Gilvezan, who voiced Spidey in the 1980s animated show Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends.

Ultimate Spider-Man

Ultimate Spider-man is a different take on the original Spider-Man stories. Peter Parker is a highschool kid who gets bit by a radioactive spider and get Spider-powers (still uses web-shooters though!). There are key differences – like the fact that the Green Goblin is an actual Green Goblin, not just a man in a costume. The villains have seen many changes, and certain characters have been changed (Gwen Stacy is around, lives with Peter at one point during the comics and was actually introduced after Mary Jane).

For a complete list of reasons why we like Ultimate Spider-Man, check out our previous story on it.

At this point, this Spider-Man is bonded with the black suit. So he can call out tentacles and cause a lot of mayhem.

This Spider-Man is young – only 15 – and goes back to the reasons Spider-Man became such a popular character in the first place. He’s relatable, has a lot of issues and tries to balance his Superhero life with his regular life and relationships.

Ultimate Spider-Man will be voiced by Josh Keaton, who voiced Spider-Man in the recently cancelled Spectacular Spider-Man animated show.

September 7

In vein of Batman: Arkham Asylum, Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions looks like it’s for the fans. Pulling from different universes gives a lot of room for trivia and winks to the comics, and the fact that the voice cast is culled from actors that have previously played Peter Parker/Spider-Man (As well as a few actors reprising their roles as Spidey’s enemies) it looks like the game Spider-Man fans have been waiting for.

But, we can’t know for sure until it’s release. Stay tuned for our review after it’s out.

To contact the author of this post: aaron.chatha@wildgunmen.com