byJordan King|Published on26th July 2026 at 3.16am
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Spider-Man, Spider-Man, less than one week ‘til Spider-Man… Yes, true believers, Destin Daniel Cretton’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day is only a few short days away. But even as the MCU movie’s press tour kicks into overdrive, with Tom Holland, Zendaya, and co flying around the world to promote their street-level Spidey movie, it’s kind of wild just how little we actually know for certain about what’s coming in Peter Parker’s big-screen return.
Trailers have teased enough to leave us all tangled up in Brand New Day’s web of intrigue, flashing glimpses of a crazy caper involving some rogue’s gallery deep cuts, a potential Jean Grey, a possible Savage Hulk, and, er, ‘Spider-Puberty’. When it comes to how everything ties together and what it all might mean however, Brand New Day’s mysteries remain, well, a mystery.
So, Team Empire has hit the books — comic books, that is — to try and find some clues as to what Spider-Man: Brand New Day may have in store for us on 29 July. From title-based teases to thematic through-lines to character-specific key books, we’ve dug into Marvel Comics’ back-catalogue to pull seven stories that may offer a taste of what Cretton’s been cooking.
And so, whether you’re a comics superfan or hardly know your Hand from your elbow, scroll on and prepare to bulk up your pre-BND reading list…
1) Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2008)
The Amazing Spider-Man #546 — 564
Writers(s): Dan Slott, Marc Guggenheim, Bob Gale, and Zeb Wells
On 27 December, 2007, the world of Marvel Comics was changed forever by the final instalment of J. Michael Straczynski’s ‘One More Day’. A divisive yet hugely consequential run of The Amazing Spider-Man, JMS’ dramatic storyline climaxed with Peter Parker making a deal with the actual devil, Mephisto, to spare Aunt May’s life in exchange for his marriage to MJ, erasing their entire history as husband and wife in the process.
When Spidey swung back onto the scene in the Dan Slott spearheaded ‘Brand New Day’, he reemerged in a world that didn’t know his true identity, to an MJ he still loved but couldn’t be with, and essentially found himself getting back to basics — a real Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man mostly tackling gangsters, goons, and otherwise non-superpowered folk. All of which is to say that if you’re looking to catch the vibe Destin Daniel Cretton’s movie is going for, to see the ‘classic elements’ of Spider-Man Kevin Feige’s been talking about bringing into the MCU, then there’s a very good chance that you’ll find it within these comics’ pages. (Also, for comic book newcomers, this is a pretty solid place to start.)
2. The Other (2005 — 2006)
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1-4; Marvel Knights Spider-Man #19 — 22; The Amazing Spider-Man #525–528
Writer(s): Peter David, Reginald Hudlin, J. Michael Straczynski
If you’ve been watching the most recent Brand New Day trailers and wondering just what the hell is actually happening to Peter Parker in this movie then, honestly, fair enough. Blacked out eyes, organic webbing, and heightened aggression in our lovable, dorky webslinger is hugely foreign territory for the MCU. But these alarming new developments in Pete’s powerset have strong roots in the comics. Enter ‘The Other’.
To cut a long and strange story short, ‘The Other’ is a four-act comic arc that sees Peter Parker die, shed his skin (yes, literally), and re-emerge from a cocoon having learned to embrace both the ‘Spider’ and ‘Man’ parts of himself. Both spiritually and literally reborn (seriously, this has to be read to be believed), Pete finds himself newly powered up with night vision, hypersensitivity to his webbing’s vibrations, and also like a super sticky back. So if you want to chart a possible route we’re about to head down as Pete tackles ‘Spider-Puberty’ in Brand New Day, give this fascinating, freaky, lore-heavy arc a swizz. There could however be an altogether stranger yet explanation for Pete’s seeming BND transformation…
3. Man-Spider’s Marvel Debut (1982)
Writers: Chris Claremont, Roger Mckenzie
If you’re looking for an out there but not entirely implausible explanation for Peter Parker’s extra spidery characteristics in Brand New Day, then we have to consider the possibility that the MCU is heading into Man-Spider territory. No, that isn’t an alternate universe where a spider gets bitten by a radioactive man and takes on all of his human abilities. Rather, this is a full-on humanoid spider – pincers, extra limbs, and all – as first seen in Spider-Man/Angel team-up series Marvel Fanfare.
In the comics, Man-Spider is brought about by an unidentified machine transforming Spidey into the above-mentioned humanoid spider, a pitiful beast fully aware of — and able to articulate — his humanity slipping away. Perhaps more notable however is Man-Spider’s appearance in Spider-Man: The Animated Series’ ‘Neogenic Nightmare’ arc, where we learn that this arachnoid evolution is actually the final part of Peter Parker’s post-spider-bite genetic mutation. When Tramell Tillman talks about the life cycles of a spider in Brand New Day’s trailers, could he be teasing a more monstrous change in store for Peter? Perhaps that’s why everyone and their nan seems to be out for Spidey in this film…
4. The Punisher Strikes Twice! (1973)
The prospect of seeing Tom Holland’s Peter Parker and Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle — aka The Punisher — sharing the screen at long last is easily one of Brand New Day’s biggest draws. (Especially since Holland himself promised us we’re getting “the Frank Castle we know” here.) And if you’re looking for a sense of the chalk-and-cheese duo’s dynamic before heading into the multiplex, there’s really only one place to start: The Punisher’s Marvel Comics debut in The Amazing Spider-Man #129.
For starters, this issue perfectly tees up the ideological conflict between the merciful Pete and the merciless Frank as The Punisher finds himself hunting Spidey down. Further, it also comes just a few issues after ‘The Night Gwen Stacy Died’, and sees Peter Parker trying to find a way forward after losing his first love — a familiar headspace to the MCU’s own heartbroken webhead. And — AND! — TASM #129 introduces Brand New Day’s rumoured secret big-bad Jackal, a biochemist and geneticist with a special interest in cloning… who just so happens to work at Empire State University. (Yes, that is the same ESU Bruce Banner is seen lecturing at in BND’s promos.)
5. X-Men Origins: Jean Grey (2008)
X-Men: Origins Jean Grey One-Shot
We’re just a month out from Brand New Day’s release now, and we still haven’t had confirmation who Sadie Sink is playing in this movie. But c’mon, she’s wearing a Jean-coded green and yellow hoodie in the trailers, clearly has telepathic/telekinetic powers, and is being introduced in the same movie that’s bringing anti-mutant baddie William ‘Bill’ Metzger (Tramell Tillman) into the MCU. Surely that can’t all just be a coincidence, right?
If you’re unfamiliar with Jean Grey/Phoenix/Marvel Girl’s work, then our pick for the best place to start with Marvel’s most powerful mutant would be Sean Mckeever’s 2008 Origins one-shot. While Chris Claremont’s iconic Dark Phoenix Saga may be the definitive Jean Grey story, it’s not exactly a straightforward jumping-on point for the character. Mckeever’s book however, gorgeously drawn by Mike Mayhew, is a quick read that covers all bases — from traumatic origins, to the extent of her powers, to the gift and the threat her abilities represent. If — and it’s still a big if — Sadie Sink is playing Jean, then let’s just say the balance of power in the MCU is about to change…
6. Hulk: Gray (2003 — 2004)
Here’s a mad thought: by the time Brand New Day comes out, it will have been eight years since we last saw Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner go full Savage Hulk mode, and fourteen years since the Green Goliath last transformed on-screen. But with cast members teasing a potential appearance from Banner’s alter alter-ego Grey Hulk in Cretton’s film, and the trailers teasing Savage Hulk’s return, we reckon now’s the time to revisit Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s seminal Hulk: Gray, in which Hulk is both grey and savage.
A key inspiration for Louis Leterrier’s The Incredible Hulk, this all-timer limited comic series offers a borderline Universal Monsters style redux of Hulk’s origin story, indelibly capturing both the Hulk’s savagery and Bruce Banner’s vulnerability. For more on Grey Hulk specifically, Peter David’s fun 2023 miniseries Joe Fixit — which actually features Spidey swinging into action to deal with a mob enforcer Hulk — will serve you well. Whether Brand New Day’s Hulk winds up being Savage or Grey, suffice it to say that Smart Hulk’s days seem well and truly numbered. For some wildly speculative further reading, maybe try Tom Taylor’s The Immortal Hulk: Great Power. Bruce Banner may not remember Peter Parker, but how about Hulk?
7. Frank Miller’s Daredevil (1981)
The last time we saw The Hand in the MCU, the mystical troupe of ninjas seemed to have been dismantled for good — digit by digit — by New York’s Defenders. But following the Defenders’ return in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, The Hand are also back back back in Brand New Day, tangling with Spider-Man in what looks to be some sort of high-security prison. If the MCU’s Netflix era somehow passed you by however, then A) rectify that immediately, and B) get on Frank Miller’s legendary Daredevil run.
The Hand first surface in Daredevil #174, where they’re hired by Wilson ‘Kingpin’ Fisk to take down Matt Murdock’s Daredevil — and find themselves fighting both The Man Without Fear and his twin-sai wielding ex Elektra. Straight away, The Hand’s, er, hand-to-hand combat prowess is clear to see, and if you continue with Miller’s stellar run then you’ll leave with a more-than-solid primer on Marvel’s agile assassins. As for their Brand New Day involvement, our best guess is that there’s a really good lawyer who needs busting out of jail, and Spidey’s gonna have to go through The Hand to free him. But don’t quote us on that!
So there you have it, a solid comics starting point to tide you over until Spider-Man: Brand New Day thwips its way into cinemas on 29 July. In the meantime, if you’re still craving more Marvel and more Spidey, then why not check out our ranked list of every MCU movie? Or our ranking of all the Spider-Man movies so far? A Brand New Day is coming, webheads… and our alarms are set!
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