Hey web-headers! We’ve been posting about our love for Spider-Boy since its release, and now that the first volume reached its end, we’re here to break it all down, because there’s a lot to love (and a few things you probably forgot)!

Spider-Boy
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Paco Medina
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Release date: November 2023 – June 2025

So, Bailey Briggs is technically a brand-new character in the Marvel Universe… but also? Not really. You just forgot him. Seriously. In Spider-Man #7 (2023), a villain named Shathra (from the Astral Plane) wants to wipe out every spider-connected hero. Using a mystical Totem Dagger, she can sever a hero from the Great Web of Life and Destiny. Once that connection is gone, people start to forget the hero even existed. Piece by piece. Memory by memory. Honestly? That’s a fate worse than death.

Shathra manages to cut Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman) from the Web, but our heroes remember her long enough to pull her back. Yay! Crisis averted. But plot twist: there’s someone else who got cut from the Web too, Spider-Boy! Created by the legendary Dan Slott and the sensational Humberto Ramos, Bailey Briggs is an 11-year-old redhead who insists he was once Spider-Man’s sidekick. No one remembers him, but he remembers everything.

Unlike most Spider-People, Bailey didn’t get bitten by a radioactive spider. He was a victim of a twisted experiment by Madame Monstrosity, who fused his DNA with a spider. The result? A whole new kind of spider-hero. He’s got some of the classic powers like wall-crawling, agility, spider-sense, but also some truly unique ones. He’s the Webless Wonder (because Peter won’t let him use web-shooters yet, which is hilarious). He’s got stinger fangs that inject stunning venom, but the coolest ability? When Bailey touches an object, he gets a premonition if the person who last handled it is about to be in danger. It’s like Spider-Sense 2.0. Imagine bumping into a lost glove and suddenly knowing you need to sprint across town to save someone? That’s his life.

From his very first appearance, I was hooked. And clearly, I wasn’t alone, Bailey’s debut was so well-received that he immediately got his own ongoing series, that lasted 20 issues (and an annual!) That’s rare, especially in a universe full of Spider-variants (not complaining, just saying).

What I really loved about the series is that Bailey just feels real. He’s not perfect, he’s literally a kid trying to figure things out, and people around him don’t always get him. And I just found myself really rooting for him. Like, I wanted things to go right for this kid. But at the same time, the series never gets too heavy, there’s always a great mix of fun, action, and some awesome cameos that make every issue a blast to read.

But now… Spider-Boy! Since Bailey was erased, he’s completely alone. His friends? Gone. His mom? Doesn’t know him. People are hesitant to trust him. He talks about major Marvel events like he was there, but no one remembers that. So, he does what any good hero would do: keeps going. Makes new friends. Stays kind. Fights the good fight anyway. And then (long story short) BOOM, everyone remembers him again! His friends, family… and yes, his enemies too (cue ominous villain music).

And let’s talk about those villains. Bailey’s got a list of enemies that’s already shaping up to be awesome. One standout? Spider-Girl. No, not the classic one, this version is a mutant with some serious anger issues. She’s Bullseye’s apprentice (which speaks volumes about what kind of person she is…) and she’s got her own series now too!

Spider-Boy #8 is probably my all-time favorite comic book. The entire issue is a maze of riddles, clues, and mystery. Introducing the villain Puzzle Man, it’s clever, fun, and genuinely intense. A perfect showcase of what makes this series so special. Because at its heart, Spider-Boy is about more than powers and cool costumes. It’s about identity, belonging, and starting over when no one remembers you, but doing good anyway. 

Spider-Boy has something really special: a new character who somehow feels like he’s always been there. And the best part? Dan Slott already confirmed that Spider-Boy has a new series in the works and we just can’t wait! You may not have remembered Bailey Briggs before, but trust me, you won’t forget him again.