Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is one of 2023’s most anticipated films. The long-awaited sequel to 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the movie will see Miles Morales jump through the multiverse, meeting many more Spider-Man variants.

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When it was announced that Oscar Isaac would return as Spider-Man 2099, fans’ excitement grew more intense. Spider-Man 2099 has long been a fan-favorite Spider-Man variant. But just who is this character, and where else have they appeared? Here is everything you need to know.

Who is Spider-Man 2099?

Under the Spider-Man 2099 mask is Miguel O’Hara. Miguel is a resident of Earth-928 – a futuristic and technologically advanced version of Earth, way beyond the tech level of the modern Marvel universe. However, this world was ravaged by a series of wars, and most heroes are no more, leading to mega corporations taking control of most major cities, giving everywhere a dystopian vibe. 

Miguel works for megacorp Alchemax as a geneticist. He is tasked with creating “corporate raiders” – genetically modified supersoldiers who corporations could easily command and manipulate to do their dirty work. However, when a test subject dies, Miguel has a crisis of conscience. He tries to quit Alchemax, only to be drugged with a hallucinogenic that only Alchemax distributes, forcing him to stay unless he wants to suffer the consequences of going off it cold turkey. 

Miguel, realizing that he previously gave one of his machines a copy of his DNA, decides to try and overwrite his DNA with the old copy, forcing the drug out of his system. But, a jealous co-worker sabotages the machine, leading to 50% of Miguel’s DNA getting replaced with spider DNA. This gives Miguel powers, and he decides to use these powers to fight back against the corporation that wanted him dead, and he dons an old mask, makes a costume out of Unstable Molecule Fabric, and becomes the new Spider-Man.

What powers does Spider-Man 2099 have? 

Spider-Man 2099 has powers similar to the original Spider-Man, but with some key differences. Like the original Spider-Man, Miguel can fire an organic, web-like substance from his wrists. Also, his strength, speed, endurance, and flexibility have been increased due to his genetic modifications. 

The most noticeable difference is that while Miguel has massively improved senses, he doesn’t have Spider-Sense and thus can’t sense danger coming. Also, unlike the original Spider-Man, Miguel can only stick to walls with his hands and feet using a series of tiny, angled talons on these parts of his body. 

What is Spider-Man 2099’s publication history?

Spider-Man 2099 was created by Marvel legends Peter David and Rick Leonardi. He was designed as part of the often-overlooked Marvel 2099 comic line, which presented a vision of a future dystopian Marvel universe. The character made his full debut in Spider-Man 2099 #1, which landed on newsstands in 1992. Since then, the character has become very popular. Despite the Marvel 2099 line ending, he has appeared in many other comics and has been frequently included as an alternative costume in Spider-Man video games.