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Greetings Popversians, and welcome to Lore Corner! Each week, video producer Ashley V. Robinson and staff writer Grant DeArmitt are going to take you deep into the preexisting lore behind some of pop culture's most exciting adaptations, such as Marvel's latest take on its most enduring character,Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Enjoy! 

As of this writing, we are less than a week away from the debut of Disney+'s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, the latest reimagining of the Spider-Man mythos as well as the latest project from the ever-growing Marvel Animation division of Marvel Studios. We here at Lore Corner are thrilled to take you deep into the history behind the characters and plot points featured in each episode of the upcoming series, but first, we wanted to make sure that we all knew what we were getting into.

Yes, with over 60 years of lore to the character, we wanted to get a jump on what was going on with Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man even before the series debuted. To do so, we've scoured the internet for the most Frequently Asked Questions regarding the series, then after answering those, added a couple more points we personally thought you should know before the show airs.

So before we climb that skyscraper of comic book knowledge assuredly packed into each episode of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, here's what you need to know at the ground floor.

What will Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man be about?

Unlike much of what we've seen during the character's cinematic turns, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will put its focus on the very early days of Peter Parker as Marvel's wall-crawling wonder. How early? Well, the show's original title was Spider-Man: Freshman Year, and despite the name change, the show is intent on keeping Peter as a 15-year-old.

The series will see Peter enter the already-active world of New York vigilantism (both Daredevil and Kingpin are confirmed to be a part of the show) and will spend time with young Parker as he learns to use his powers/brains under the mentorship of Norman Osborn.

Wait, what? 

Yes, Peter's mentor in this particular iteration is not Tony Stark, as we've seen in certain films before, but the CEO of Oscorp himself, Norman Osborn. Besides the fact that two are classic comic book rivals, that should stand out to MCU fans because it is absolutely not what we've seen in Marvel Studios' connected universe before. Which leads us to our next FAQ:

Is Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man MCU canon?

If you had asked that question when this show was first being developed, the answer would have been 'yes.' Spider-Man: Freshman Year was indeed intended to chronicle the time between Peter Parker receiving powers/crafting his homemade suit to when we met him in Captain America: Civil War. However, in a recent interview with Phase Hero, executive producer Brad Winderbaum went on record to confirm that Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man was not canon to the MCU.

Then, speaking to The Official Marvel Podcast, other executive producer Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt further explained that the show would take place in a "sister timeline" to the MCU, saying, "We’re starting at a point in the MCU where Civil War has happened, so the Sokovia Accords have been ratified. It’s modern day, and then Peter gets to his first day at Midtown [...] Then a thing happens, which I’m going to try and dance around, and there goes our branch. It’s a world where he never met Ned, he never met MJ."

Yeah, sorry gang. We won't be getting the same Spidey-crew that we do in the MCU films, even alternate versions of Peter's best pal and love interest, respectively. And since we're on the subject of cast members, let's go ahead and ask...

Who is voicing Spider-Man in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man cast?

I'm really not trying to bring down the enthusiasm MCU fans might've had for this series, but don't expect to see a familiar name credited as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. In this animated series, Peter Parker will be voiced by Hudson Thames. However, that doesn't mean we don't see a few recognizable names in the cast list, playing parts we know them for in the MCU.

Check out a full cast-list rundown here:

• Colman Domingo as Norman Osborn
• Charlie Cox as Daredevil 
• Hugh Dancy as Otto Octavius 
• Kari Wahlgren as Aunt May 
• Eugene Byrd as Lonnie Lincoln 
• Paul F. Tompkins as Bentley Witman 
• Hudson Thames as Peter Parker 
• Zeno Robinson as Harry Osborn 
• Cathy Ang as Pearl Pangan 
• Grace Song as Nico Minoru 
• Vincent D'Onofrio as Kingpin

Yep! As I mentioned above, both Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk are back in this series, played by their MCU actors. I bet that enthusiam's back up now, eh fanboy?

Other characters confirmed to be in the series but as of yet uncredited are:

• Doctor Strange
• Iron Man
• The Lizard
• Chameleon
• Scorpion
• Rhino
• Amadeus Cho
• Finesse
• Asha
• Tarantula
• Butane
• Speed Demon
• Carmela Black
• Unicorn
• White Rabbit

Oh yeah, and there's one Spider-character we almost forgot. But apparently you haven't, since a ton of people online are asking:

Will Venom be in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man?

Yes, Venom has been confirmed to be a part of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. In fact, the character seems to be playing a pretty huge part in the series. You may recall that Popverse reported recently on footage of the series from the D23 Expo 2024, which seemed to indicate both Venom and Doctor Strange will play a role in this Spider-Man's origin. Click that link to learn more.

Is Tom Holland in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man?

And before we move on from casting, I want to put one question regarding the series to bed - no, Tom Holland is not announced to be a part of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. That's obviously subject to change should the writers find a reason to bring the MCU's Spider-Man into this sister-continuity (multiverse hopping is one of Spider-Man's most prominent superpowers, at this point), but they'll have to convince Tom Holland the story is worth it in order for him to return. As the actor has said multiple times before the announcement of Spider-Man 4, Holland only wants to do Spider-Man stories that are "worth the while of the character."

So if Holland feels like his version of the character won't benefit from a turn in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, the answer to the above question may very well be 'no' for good.

How many Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man episodes will there be?

Ah, we don't have to guess with this one at all. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will consist of ten episodes, each one with a 25-30 minute runtime. So that's just under 5 hours of quality Spidey-time by the time the season wraps, roughly the time it takes to watch through both of the Andrew Garfield Amazing Spider-Man movies.

(Unless they make that third one the internet keeps predicting.)

Where did the phrase 'Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man' come from? 

Ooh! Great question. Of all the things about this series that harken back to the very first comic book appearances of The Amazing Spider-Man (Peter Parker civilian ensemble maybe being the best example), perhaps the most classic reference is its title. As a congenial, playfully arrogant way of referring to himself, Peter Parker has been referring to his alternate identity as the titular YFNSM in little messages and quips since the days that he was written by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.

Back then, it wasn't a surprise for NYC cops to discover a band of would-be muggers strung up by webbing, with a tiny note reading "Just another service from your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!" attached. It's pretty necessary marketing, if you think about it, since The Daily Bugle wouldn't quit calling him a menace.

What neighborhood does Spider-Man live in?

Another amazing question! You really came to this article prepared, didn't you?

Peter Parker hails from the NYC borough of Queens, just like celebrities Al Roker, Jesse Eisenberg, Ray Romano, 50 Cent, and... oh no, Donald Trump.

So if you think about it, there are technically worse mentors for Peter than Norman Osborn.

What is Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man rated?

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man is rated TV-G, as confirmed by executive producer Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt in the Official Marvel Podcast episode we referenced earlier. To get specific about it, the Federal Communications Commission defines TV-G by saying:

"Most parents would find this program suitable for all ages. Although this rating does not signify a program designed specifically for children, most parents may let younger children watch this program unattended. It contains little or no violence, no strong language and little or no sexual dialogue or situations."

So don't expect Aunt May to use the F word in these episodes, I guess. Though you know she's thinking it.

When is the Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man release date?

And last but not least, the most important question you need to have answered in order to get your Spider-Binge on: Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man debuts January 29 on Disney+. Rumor has it that the show will debut with the first two episodes on that date, and then will put out a new one every Wednesday from that point on. If we're doing our math right, that means that Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man will conclude

The first season, anyway. Word's still out on whether or not it'll be back for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 2, but hey, call us hopeful.

Stream Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man on Disney+ January 29.

Marvel's most reliable superhero has proven he can do a whole lot more than just 'whatever a spider can.' Swing into Spidey's history with Popverse's 10 best Spider-Man comic books, our Spider-Man movie watch order, and if you want our opinions on the subject, read our articles ranking Spider-Man's actors and Spider-Man's girlfriends.