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The internet is abuzz about Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. In addition to stunning visuals and a wonderful cast of characters, the latest iteration of Spider-Man film (and perhaps its most innovative) also boasts a very inspirational message at its core: Anyone can be Spider-Man.
Last week, artists across Twitter decided to put this mantra in action, taking to their pens and tablets to create original characters — sometimes based on themselves, but not always! — as Spider-heroes. These characters have been dubbed Spidersonas, and with the hashtag trending, everyone wants to create their unique Spidersona.
COME ON AND SLAM AND WELCOME SPIDER-JAM. I wanted to make a precious bby spiderpal, SO MEET SPIDEYJAM, they emit a high frequency sound which they can funnel through their mask to the speakers on their chest and back! They're usually singing the latest musicals! #spidersona pic.twitter.com/1B2nOVWhJB
— ✨Morgan✨ (@Liein3) December 24, 2018
I uh.... made a thing. she's my #spidersona and she has retractable crutches that shoot webs because hey! I can be disabled and still also a superhero pic.twitter.com/vRVtOcx0H4
— ☠♿Hotwheels Broder♿☠ (@dayn_does_comix) December 24, 2018
#spidersona here to parkour hard and rescue cute girls ✨✨ pic.twitter.com/z7IIGinL4Q
— Misha✨ (@mishacak3s) December 24, 2018
Might as well jump on the bandwagon of #spidersona with my character, Patrick Parker, also known as Spider-Funk! pic.twitter.com/MTNinHof1L
— Jollydev (@legodev) December 24, 2018
Sometimes the designs take inspiration from actual spiders:
Still have not seen the spider-verse movie yet and I had to do something with all this excitement. SO made a #spidersona , but I'm based off a jumping spider. Can't shoot webs, I just make silk trampolines and shelters while I spastically hop at bad guys. pic.twitter.com/ApQg5r9e3M
— paige K (@pagupaige) December 22, 2018
Spiderlynx?! Made a quick spidersona based on Green Lynx Spiders! (the pink variety!) #Spidersona ️ pic.twitter.com/eYSrC7N4qj
— Alex-mas ⚔ XLLNN @Komiket'19 (@Xelalanana) December 24, 2018
Others take humorous approaches to the concept:
"My name is Peter Purrker! But from now on, I'll be known... as Spider-Nyan!" #spidersona pic.twitter.com/92Haxu8KJ1
— Lee (@scribblinglee) December 26, 2018
My superpower is carrying groceries #spidersona pic.twitter.com/o9PwerUQ1Z
— Patti™ @ play THE MISSING (@pattisigmon) December 21, 2018
It’s not just fans having fun. The movie’s official Twitter account has retweeted various Spidersonas, and Miles Morales’ creator, Brian Michael Bendis, gave a wholehearted endorsement of the Spidersona movement.
The #spidersona hashtag is my happy place https://t.co/hVIY7DCHZF
— BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (@BRIANMBENDIS) December 22, 2018
Spider-Gwen artist Jason Latour name shared a thread of his “official” Spidersonas, variations of the hero that have been published in comics.
Along with #spidergwen, here's a thread of some of the other published #spidersona I've had a hand in helping to design over the years. #spiderverse pic.twitter.com/YtDiFmHJN9
— Jason Latour (@jasonlatour) December 27, 2018
Want to create a Spidersona, but don’t have any drawing skills? One artist on Twitter created blank templates for people, with four different body options to print out, play around with and see their vision come to life.
I see folks sweating bc they want a #spidersona, but they can't draw. I gotchu fam. Print it out and go nuts with highlighters and office pens. pic.twitter.com/gPiyJwRv8n
— Dagny Phillips-Stumberger, as foretold. (@dagnificent) December 27, 2018
Creating original characters for popular movies and video games is nothing new, but Into the Spider-Verse is special, because the movie itself encourages this creativity of character design — and the idea that anyone can wear the mask and be a hero.
