To celebrate the upcoming release of Across the Spider-Verse, a new manga spin-off titled Spider-Man: Octopus Girl has been announced, and it is coming to Shonen Jump+ this June.
This spin-off is interesting as it stars the ever-popular Spidey villain Doctor Octopus, though he wakes up one day as a Japanese schoolgirl.
Aside from this unique premise, the manga is also an exciting one for fans as it is made by Hideyuki Furuhashi and Betten Court – the duo behind the My Hero Academia: Vigilantes spin-off manga.
Not the First Spider-Man Manga
While some might think that this is the first Spider-Man manga, that is far from the case as the iconic Marvel superhero has appeared in his own manga decades ago. This is no surprise given Spidey’s popularity in Japan.
Titled Spider-Man: The Manga, this series was serialized in Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Magazine way back in 1970. Though it was also released in the US by Marvel Comics.
Interestingly, this series started as a translation of the original American Spider-Man stories. But it soon became its own story, complete with an original Spidey in Yu Komori.
Aside from this, there’s also Spider-Man J, another manga that was serialized from 2004 to 2005 in Comic BomBom.
Unlike the original Spider-Man manga, this one is set in its own universe, and its story and character design are made for kids.
Of course, when it comes to Japanese Spideys, no fan can forget Kosuke Kayama aka the Japanese Spider-Man from the live-action TV series.
Given his popularity, he will make an appearance in Across the Spider-Verse.
RELATED: When Will Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Come Out?
Doc Ock Is a Schoolgirl in New Spider-Verse Manga
As for Spider-Man: Octopus Girl, this new manga was announced recently by Shueisha and Marvel Comics, and it will be released on Shonen Jump+ later in June.
In this manga, Doc Ock falls into a coma, and he soon wakes up as a Japanese middle school student named Otoha Okutamiya.
Based on the key visual for the manga, the series will not just follow Doc Ock, but it will also feature a Spider-Man. Though it’s not clear who this Spidey is.
This storyline for Doc Ock is reminiscent of The Superior Spider-Man comic, which sees Otto Octavius who swapped bodies with Peter Parker.
Spider-Man: Octopus Girl will be released on Shonen Jump+ on June 20.
There’s no word yet on whether the manga will be released outside Japan, though there’s a chance that there will be a Manga Plus release soon.
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