Spider-Man gets a new sidekick

Fans will see a new cinematic Spidey (Andrew Garfield) on the big screen with the release of “The Amazing Spider-Man.” But, fans of the superhero will also see a big change in the comic book.

A web of intrigue started spinning recently when Marvel Comics asked “Who Is Alpha?” in a mysterious tease online. This month, Marvel.com revealed the answer: Spidey is getting a sidekick as part of his 50th Anniversary.

This August in Amazing Spider-Man #692 Writer Dan Slott and Artist Humberto Ramos give Peter Parker a new partner. Teenager Andy McGuire will become Alpha when he’s in the wrong place at the wrong time…in a lab with Peter Parker.

Spidey is an avenger, works with the Future Foundation and has co-starred in his own team-up book, but the superhero has never had a sidekick. Marvel Entertainment Editor-In-Chief Axel Alonso told Fox why it’s the perfect time to introduce a new partner to the Spider-Man saga.

“Part of it is that Spider-Man is grown up,” Alonso said. “He’s older, more seasoned, but young at heart. He’s still a young man, but he’s been around. It’s interesting because it flips the paradigm.”
Alonso said teen hero Spider-Man is now responsible for this teen hero sidekick.

“He’s responsible because one of his inventions caused this kid to get his powers. He’s directly responsible for the responsibility this kid now has with his new powers. He feels he has a responsibility to make sure this kid walks the right path, which won’t prove easy.”

Amazing Spider-Man Dan Slott says don’t expect this team-up to be like another famous comic book dynamic duo.

“If you put Spider-Man and Batman in the same situation, you’re going to have way more fun with Spider-Man,” Slott said. “With Batman, he never really screws up the way Spider-Man does; he always seems to make the right decision. But with Spider-Man, he always screws up. He’s “us” as a superhero. Batman is a paragon of what we’d like to be, but in reality, we’re more like Spider-Man. He makes all the mistakes we make.”

Read the entire interview at Fox news. Get a look of the new superhero at Marvel.com.

What do you think of Spidey getting a partner? It’s easy to compare Alpha to Batman’s Robin. And the obvious question: will Alpha will a sidekick like Dick Grayson, Jason Todd or Tim Drake?