Spider Man 2199

[Beverly Zielonko]

SpiderMan 2099 is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Peter David and Rick Leonardi in 1992 for the Marvel 2099 comic book line, and he is a futuristic re-imagining of the original Spider-Man created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. His true identity is Miguel O'Hara, an Irish-Mexican geneticist living in Nueva York (a renamed New York City) in the year 2099 who attempts to re-create the abilities of the original Spider-Man in other people and later suffers a related accident that causes half of his DNA to be rewritten with a spider's genetic code.[1]

Spider-Man 2099 was one of the many Marvel characters to be re-imagined for the Marvel 2099 comic book line that showed future versions of classic Marvel characters living in the year 2099, approximately 107 years after the then-current Marvel Universe time period. Spider-Man 2099 was first featured in a five-page sneak preview of the first issue of his then-upcoming series in the 30th-anniversary issue of The Amazing Spider-Man. The Spider-Man 2099 series' first issue appeared shortly afterward. When originally published, the Marvel 2099 stories were meant to depict the official future of the Marvel Universe: a dystopian America governed by corrupt megacorporations with a number of cyberpunk elements.

The character was originally designed by artist Rick Leonardi, with Peter David brought onto the series as writer to flesh out the character's alter ego, Miguel O'Hara, and supporting characters. Spider-Man 2099 #1 was written by Peter David, pencilled by Rick Leonardi, inked by Al Williamson, and lettered by Rick Parker.[2] David named the character after his friend, actor Miguel Ferrer.[3] Spider-Man 2099 #1 is the highest-selling single issue of any comic written by Peter David.[4]

Although the book was continuously selling more than 100,000 copies per issue, the book and entire 2099 comic line underwent a drastic shift, in early 1996, with the firing of the 2099 series editor Joey Cavalieri. At this time, Marvel's finances and future were unstable, and sudden firings were quite common. Like virtually all of the other writers in the line, Peter David chose to show solidarity with his editor, and he resigned from the book with issue #44.[5] Marvel turned the 2099 titles over to fill-in writers and editors. The last two issues of Spider-Man 2099 were done without Peter David's input and the series ended with issue #46. A few months later, Marvel announced they would publish a new 2099 title, 2099: World of Tomorrow, immediately following the last issues of the original titles, under the new staff. The new bi-monthly title lasted eight issues and was meant to serve as a finale for the 2099 line and the end of its regular publication.

In the 2013 "Necessary Evil" storyline in The Superior Spider-Man, the character is stranded in the present.[11] In July 2014 Marvel launched a second Spider-Man 2099 series, with Peter David returning as writer, Will Sliney as artist, and Simone Bianchi illustrating the first issue's cover. The character appears in the 2014 "Spider-Verse" crossover storyline that involves different versions of Spider-Man, including Peter Parker.[12] After 12 issues, the comic was re-launched in December 2015 as Spider-Man 2099 Volume 3. The new series ends with Spider-Man 2099 (vol. 3) #25 (September 2017), in which Miguel O'Hara returns to 2099. The final story arc also introduces a second character using the Spider-Man 2099 identity.[13]

Miguel O'Hara was born in New York City (futuristically called Nueva York), many years after the end of what his people's history calls the "Heroic Age", which is the modern-day era of Marvel heroes, he was born after his mother Conchata had an affair with his father's boss. He grows up with his mother Conchata, his younger brother Gabriel, and his abusive father George O'Hara. A rebellious boy with prodigy-level intelligence, Miguel is an adolescent when he is awarded enrollment into the Alchemax School for Gifted Youngsters (heavily implied to be a renovated version of the X-Men's headquarters) in Westchester, owned by the powerful Alchemax megacorporation which also controls local law enforcement agencies. Here, he befriends Xina Kwan, a girl of similar intelligence who specializes in computers. Xina helps Miguel defend himself against the bully Kron Stone, son of Tyler Stone: Vice President of R&D for Alchemax.[14] As adults, Miguel and Xina date seriously until Miguel cheats on her with Dana D'Angelo, who originally is the girlfriend of Miguel's brother Gabe.[15] Later on, Miguel and Dana are engaged. Though seemingly arrogant and confident in all walks of life, Miguel is a very private man and trusts almost no one except for his apartment's holographic aide Lyla, an artificial intelligence programmed by Xina.[volume & issue needed]

Miguel eventually becomes head of the genetics program of Alchemax, intended to create new controlled super-powered soldiers called "corporate raiders." Miguel is specifically inspired by surviving records concerning Spider-Man and hopes to one day create a similarly powered person. But after a human test subject dies during an early experiment, Miguel tells Tyler Stone he wishes to resign from Alchemax and discontinue his genetics research. Rather than let Miguel leave, Tyler Stone tricks him into taking Rapture, an addictive drug that genetically bonds to the user.[16] Tyler reminds Miguel that only Alchemax is allowed to legally distribute this drug, so if O'Hara does not remain with the corporation then Tyler must assume he is getting the drug from the black market and will be forced to tell the police. Not wishing to be a blackmailed addict, Miguel recalls that he entered his own genetic code into his machine's databanks during initial experiments, using it as a human DNA test sample. Intending to use this older template of his pure genetic code to write over his current biology and free himself from the Rapture, Miguel sneaks into Alchemax and uses the gene alteration machines on himself.[2]

After Miguel turns on the machine to rewrite his DNA, his jealous subordinate Aaron Delgado sabotages the machines, causing them to alter Miguel's genetic code to be "50% spider DNA." Miguel survives the process, but realizes he now has spider-abilities.[17] Realizing that there is now a person with abilities similar to Spider-Man, Tyler Stone sends agents to hunt this person. To conceal his identity while he fights his pursuers, Miguel dons a bodysuit with a mask that he once wore for the Mexican Day of the Dead festival. Miguel chooses this costume in particular because it is the only clothing he has that is made from "UMF" (Unstable Molecule Fabric), meaning it is the only clothing he owns that will not be torn or shred by the spider-talons that now occupy his hands and feet. After seeing him operate in public, a group of Thorites (worshippers of the Marvel hero Thor) come to believe that Miguel is the legendary Spider-Man back from the dead, and that he is the harbinger of Thor's eventual return.[18]

Originally focused on finding a cure for his condition, Miguel's further adventures as Spider-Man 2099 cause him to realize how ignorant of the world he was and how he had turned a blind eye to the oppression and pain the corporations of the world have caused. He is also surprised at the effect his presence has on the people who have been oppressed for so long, particularly his own mother, who ironically also hates the man her eldest son has become yet admires the exploits of Spider-Man 2099. After this, Miguel decides to embrace his identity as Spider-Man. Donning his costume, he publicly proclaims himself to be an enemy to all the megacorps, saying he will use his powers to fight for ordinary people against those in power who abuse their influence and authority.[19]

Later on, Miguel discovers that an arrogant scientist at Alchemax called Jordan Boone is conducting "Virtual Unreality" experiments to create a doorway into another dimension. These experiments lead to the release of two mysterious figures: the Net Prophet, called "the prophet of Thor" by the Thorites, and a powerful megalomaniac called Thanatos. The Net Prophet becomes a new ally to Miguel. Since the Net Prophet is believed to be Thor's prophet, his association with Spider-Man 2099 leads more people to believe that Miguel's alter ego is the harbinger of Thor.[20] In the "Time Flies Saga" that occurs years later in Peter David's Captain Marvel series, it is revealed that the Net Prophet is actually the hero Justice (John Roger Tensen) and that Thanatos is a corrupt version of Rick Jones from Earth-9309.[21]

The first major crossover of Marvel 2099 happens when Miguel and Dana visit Alchemax's floating city "Valhalla" and are startled by the sudden appearance of two men claiming to be Thor and Heimdall, respectively. It is later discovered that Alchemax CEO Avatarr has transformed ordinary people into duplicates of the Asgardians to eliminate the rising influence of new superheroes over the public. By joining forces, Doom, Ravage, the Punisher (Jake Gallows), the X-Men, and Spider-Man 2099 are able to defeat the fake Aesir, and Valhalla falls.[22] Miguel later learns that Gabe is aware of his dual identity, having recognized Spider-Man's costume from what Miguel wore to the Day of the Dead festival years earlier. Gabe has grown a bit resentful of Miguel's new heroic career, particularly since his girlfriend Kasey seems enamored with the costumed Spider-Man 2099.[23] After his holographic aide Lyla suffers a serious malfunction, Miguel asks for repairs from his ex-girlfriend Xina. Dana later accuses Miguel of cheating on her with Xina. Miguel becomes angry about this and about Dana's noticeably increasing interest in Tyler Stone. The two dissolve their romantic relationship, and Xina and Miguel become companions again.[24]

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