The Marvel Animated Multiverse expanded with new looks at “Spider-Man: Freshman Year,” “Marvel Zombies” and “What If…?” Season 2 at San Diego Comic Con on Friday.
“What If…?” Season 2 will arrive in early 2023 and already has a third season ordered. “Spider-Man: Freshman Year” will come in 2024, and a “Sophomore Year” follow-up is on the way.
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“Spider-Man: Freshman Year” will follow the early days of Peter Parker learning to become the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Stills from the series, which was described as “bringing the heart and charm of Peter Parker,” were shown, including a new Peter, who is young and looks comic book-inspired with bright colors and a homemade Spidey suit with a backpack, goggles, sneakers and a jacket on.
His school classmates will include Nico Minoru, a comic character from the Runaways team; a new crush who isn’t Mary Jane or Gwen Stacey; Amadeus Cho, who becomes a new Hulk in the comics; a Wakandan student and Harry Osborn. The first looks showed off mostly new and obscure characters and villains, with no MJ, Gwen or Ned from the live-action movies. Also joining are baddies such as Unicorn, Chameleon, Scorpion, Speed Demon, Tarantula, Rhino, Butane and Doc Ock.
Charlie Cox will return to voice Daredevil, plus Doctor Strange will be around to help out Spidey. Norman Osborn, who’s normally the villainous Green Goblin, will serve as a mentor for Peter and Spidey. Paul F. Tompkins, who moderated the panel, will voice a new character named Bentley Witman. Also shown were new Spidey suits, including the classic red and blue duds, a white and blue Oscorp suit, and a black dusk suit.
A trailer for “What If…?” Season 2 showed that Captain Carter is back, with Black Widow and Steve Rodgers in his Season 1 Iron Man traveling with her. The series will feature a medieval episode taking place in 1602; an episode where characters from “Shang-Chi” fight Odin and other Asgardians; a racing episode with Valkyrie and Iron Man on the planet Sakaar from “Thor: Ragnorak;” plus old Peggy and Steve Rogers reuniting post-“Avengers: Endgame.”
One of the standout episode of “What If…?”Season 1 introduced a universe overrun by undead, super-powered Avengers, which leads directly to the spinoff “Marvel Zombies.” The first look of the series included zombie versions of Hawkeye, a cut-in-half Captain America, Abomination, Ghost from “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” Captain Marvel, Scarlet Witch, Okoye from “Black Panther” and Ikaris from “Eternals.” The human heroes taking on the zombie horde include Yelena Belova, Awkwafina’s Katy from “Shang-Chi,” Kate Bishop from “Hawkeye,” Red Guardian from “Black Widow,” Jimmy Woo from “WandaVision,” Death Dealer from “Shang-Chi,” plus Shang-Chi himself and Ms. Marvel.
There’s also a team of Widows from “Black Widow” and a biker gang of Skrulls from “Captain Marvel,” all decked out in post-apocalyptic looks. No release date for “Marvel Zombies” was given. The “Marvel Zombies” panelists also promised that the show isn’t going to shy away from the gore and grossness of the classic “Marvel Zombies” comic series.
The Comic Con panel also showed off a first look at “X-Men ’97,” coming in fall 2023, and “I am Groot,” releasing on Aug. 10.
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