A Marvel TV series can’t exist for too long before its chronological placement in the tapestry of titles known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe is revealed. Weeks before Disney’s cel-shaded series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man makes its debut, executive producer Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt decided to put the latest entry in the Spider-Man canon in its place.
Appearing on The Official Marvel Podcast, Vasquez-Eberhardt explains how the upcoming series is different from the MCU Spider-Man films because, for the most part, it’s in a different timeline. According to her, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man begins with Peter Parker entering his freshman year of high school, which sets it apart from the live-action Tom Holland film franchise that starts with Parker in his sophomore year. However, the animated series does follow some of the same timeline as Holland’s films as the show is “starting at a point in the MCU where Civil War has happened, so the Sokovia Accords have been ratified.”
At a certain point, though, it sounds as if things break off from the chronology we’re familiar with due to some kind of inciting incident. According to Vasquez-Eberhardt, during Parker’s first day at school “a thing happens that—and there goes your branch.” From then on, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man charts its own path. It’ll be one without Parker ever going to Midtown Technical High School, or meeting Ned and MJ. Before you cry foul, Vasquez-Eberhardt promises this divergence from the typical Spidey arc allows the show to delve into some intriguing ensemble pairings with Spider-Man. Nico Minoru from the underrated Runaways show and Lonnie Lincoln, known to comic fans as the villain Tombstone, will be featured in the series, with the latter having a “parallel journey” to Parker’s.
It’s refreshing to be able to watch a Marvel TV series without half of the viewing experience being weighed down by MCU timeline incompatibilities. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man appears to be Marvel’s attempt at creating titles that fans can just jump into without having to watch, or be aware of, other Marvel properties, an endeavor Marvel execs stated they were embarking on. Let’s all be glad we’re getting some new Spider-Man storytelling to watch as we wait another year for Holland’s Spider-Man 4.
