‘Spiderverse’s Spider-Punk Explained: Hobie Brown Was This Cool the Whole Time
If Across the Spiderverse made you love Hobie Brown you’re not alone. But who is Spider-Punk and what’s his universe like?
Hobie Brown, aka Spider-Punk, is one of the spider variants introduced in last week’s Across the Spiderverse. He’s quickly become one of the most popular new characters, and he deserves it. But if you’re new to Spider-Punk I’m happy to say that he has been this cool the whole time.
Spider-Punk’s Comic Book Origins
First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #10 (2015)
Creators: Dan Slott & Olivier Coipel
Spider-Punk first appeared in 2015’s The Amazing Spider-Man #10. And when he was first designed he was meant by Coipel to be Spider-UK. This didn’t work though because this Spider-Man was a little too punk while Spider-UK was a member of the Captain Britain Corps. But the design was good and Spider-Punk was a compelling character with potential. So Hobie Brown became his own punk spider-person.
Hobart (Hobie) Brown was first introduced as a teenage squatter living in a version of New York City in President Norman Osborn’s fascist regime. Illegal waste dumping irradiated a spider that bit Hobie and, like many other Spider-Folk, gave him spider powers.
Spider-Punk used his new powers to stand up for and lead the downtrodden against President Osborn’s V.E.N.O.M Troops, disable some symbiotes, and eventually kill Osborn with his guitar. Hobie was later scouted by Superior Spider-Man from Earth 616 into the Superior Spider-Army.
Spider-Punk’s Powers & Abilities
Hobie’s powers aren’t that much different from many other Spiders-Man. Superhuman speed, strength, reflexes, and endurance, are all a given. As are his wall-crawling, spider sense, and the superhuman equilibrium required to do all of that web-slinging without getting too dizzy to function.
While it probably doesn’t help him much in battles, Spider-Punk is a talented musician and plays both the guitar and drums. His guitar has acted as a weapon at least once. Most notably when he used it to kill Norman Osborn.
Hobie Brown in the Spiderverse
In Across the Spiderverse, we get very little of Hobie Brown’s background outside of the background we know is universal among all Spider-Folk. But it’s probably a pretty safe bet that while the origin of the Spiderverse in general is different on screen than in the comics, his personal backstory would be by and large the same.
One of the most obvious changes to the character is that he finally is from the UK and has an English accent. Likely a nod to his original character creation but also because the UK is known for its old-school punk scene. This in turn opens the door to all sorts of small character choices for Hobie in Spiderverse. For example, the cockney slang that any of us on this side of the pond may have found borderline incomprehensible but still endearing.
Spider-Punk is also one of the first to befriend Miles, and a character who proves time and again that he’d rather follow his own moral compass than any hard and fast rules.
Have you seen Across the Spiderverse yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Similarly, have you read any Spider-Punk comics yet, and if not are you just waiting for them to be in stock or get delivered to you? Let us know in the comments!
Happy adventuring!
