Marvel’s Spider-Man makes sudden reference to iconic manga scene

Marvel’s Spider-Man might be a bit of a weeb, as his latest fight took a page out of the book of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure.

American comics and manga have long been interwoven, with a multitude of crossovers happening within the last couple of decades especially. The latest sees one of the greatest heroes in the MCU making reference to another iconic franchise.

Miles Morales, who takes on the Spider-Man mantle from Peter Parker, faces the Vulture in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #25. During the fight, there’s a large panel where they confront each other, and it uses similar stances and angles to Jotaro and Dio’s face-off in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Starlight Crusaders.

The moment marked a sea change for then-growing franchise. That season was where Stands got introduced – their version of superpowers – and this battle showed how Jojo’s was going to evolve.

Since then, it’s become a fan-favorite scene that gets nods across pop culture because it’s so iconic and recognizable. People at Marvel clearly feel the same way, and I’d like to think Miles and Peter would appreciate it too.

Shueisha

Fans are enjoying the crossover as well. “Lovely. The creativity and dynamic poses really bring a unique twist to Miles’ world,” says one reader, another sharing a meme that states, “It’s so fucking peak.”

Some have pointed out the Vulture is doing a Jujutsu Kaisen pose as well. Artist Federico Vicentini knows his stuff when it comes to major Japanese franchises, and he knows how to get people talking across different regions of the comic book medium. Hopefully this’ll inspire curiosity for both Spidey and Jojo.

The issue is available now, if you want some American heroism with a tinge of manga as well. Meanwhile we have a guide to My Hero Academia Season 8 if you want more anime heroism in your life.