Is Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Set to Explore the Hero's Most Intense Storyline Yet?

Spider-Man has a rich comic book history dating back to its debut in 1962. Over the last 40 years, there have been countless comic runs featuring the beloved superhero, which have included both exceptional and lackluster narrative arcs. Despite having a vast number of comic book runs, Spider-Man continues to uncover new stories to tell. However, these stories are heavily influenced by other works, with Marvel's Spider-Man 2 drawing inspiration from some classic comic book runs. Although Insomniac's previous Marvel's Spider-Man and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales told original tales set in their own Marvel universe, they still incorporated key elements from Peter Parker and Miles Morales' past stories. While fans have only seen one gameplay trailer for Marvel's Spider-Man 2, it appears that it will continue to follow this pattern, drawing inspiration from a surprisingly dark comic run.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Could Be Borrowing From Kraven's Last Hunt

Kraven's Last Hunt, a five-part comic run written by J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck in 1987, has had a significant influence on Marvel's Spider-Man 2's version of Kraven the Hunter. The comic plot revolves around Kraven's plan to defeat Spider-Man once and for all and prove himself as the superior hunter. Interestingly, Kraven's plan succeeds early on in the storyline when he injects Spider-Man with powerful tranquilizer darts and buries him, believing him to be dead. Kraven then dons Spidey's suit, modeled after the Symbiote suit of the time, and takes to the streets of New York as an imposter Spider-Man. He brutally beats up criminals and manages to single-handedly take down the villain Vermin, a foe that even Spider-Man had struggled to defeat.

Spider-Man awakens from the tranquilizer's effects after several weeks underground. Despite feeling weak, he immediately seeks out Kraven and attacks him. However, Kraven doesn't fight back and instead claims victory, stating that he has proven himself to be the stronger of the two adversaries in the long run. Kraven releases Vermin and declares an end to his days of hunting Spider-Man. Spidey goes after Vermin while Kraven is left to ponder his life of competition. As he reflects on his thoughts, Kraven declares himself finally happy and at peace before taking his own life with a shotgun.

Kraven's Last Hunt is renowned for its dark and gritty storyline, and while Marvel's Spider-Man 2 may not delve as deep into the darkness, there are some similarities between the two. Kraven is set to be a major antagonist in the upcoming game, with hints that he wants to rid New York City of all its villains, including The Lizard. Additionally, the Symbiote suit will have a significant impact on the plot, just as it did in the comic, affecting Peter's behavior. Even if the game doesn't directly borrow from Kraven's Last Hunt, these similarities are enough to create a connection, and the sequel's overall tone appears to be darker than its predecessors.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 launches on October 20, exclusively for PlayStation 5.