USA TODAY PLAY and Marvel debut new 'Spider-Man TODAY' comic

Brian Truitt, USA TODAY Tue, June 16, 2026 at 1:28 PM UTC

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The Daily Bugle isn't the only newspaper that'll give you a fill of Spider-Man on a regular basis.

USA TODAY and Marvel Comics have partnered to provide USA TODAY's PLAY digital entertainment hub with access to the most popular comic-book characters in the Marvel universe. PLAY will be the exclusive home for the new vertically formatted "Spider-Man TODAY" Infinity Comic series, which runs for 48 weeks beginning June 16 – with new issues dropping every Wednesday. Readers also will be able to dig into 1,000 curated archival Marvel comics ranging from old-school classics to modern favorites.

"USA TODAY is the largest news publisher in the country, and so that's always exciting," says Marvel's Spider-Man editor Nick Lowe. "And then you pair them with the greatest comic-book company in the world, Marvel Comics. I mean, that's chocolate and peanut butter, right? It's the best."

An all-new Spider-Man adventure is swinging into USA TODAY PLAY.

Lowe sees "Spider-Man TODAY" as "the new incarnation of the Spider-Man funnies" by Spidey cocreator Stan Lee and artist John Romita Sr. that ran in newspapers starting back in the 1970s. "This is us trying to take up that baton and run the next part of the race."

The new series features a "dream team" of artists Al Ewing ("Venom") and Todd Nauck ("Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man") bringing to life a story that "will span the entire Marvel universe and is good for fans of all ages," Lowe says. "This is just the coolest comic delivered to you in the coolest way possible."

Marvel's Spider-Man editor Nick Lowe poses for a portrait at USA TODAY headquarters in Manhattan on June 1, 2026.

The first cover for "Spider-Man TODAY" features not only the iconic web slinger but also several familiar faces for Marvel lovers. The incredible Hulk guest stars in the first arc, while Hell's Kitchen's favorite blind superhero Daredevil stops by in the second arc. The series will also feature Wakanda and its heroine Shuri, plus X-Men such as Cyclops, Jean Grey and Storm.

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"We wanted to make sure that we were reaching out to the entire country – really, the world – and bringing in characters that everyone knows and loves," Lowe says. "And there's no better foil for all these characters than Spider-Man. He brings out the best in everyone. And yet why does everyone hate him so much? I don't know. He's the best!"

Nick Lowe shows off his cool "Spider-Man" jacket to celebrate the launch of "Spider-Man TODAY" on USA TODAY PLAY.

It was also important to Lowe that "Spider-Man TODAY" be "the easiest springboard" possible for comics-curious new readers. Because Marvel has been publishing Spidey comics since 1962 – "Amazing Spider-Man" No. 1000 is coming this September – Lowe is frequently asked where newbies should begin.

"It can be intimidating to a new reader," Lowe says. "With 'Spider-Man TODAY,' we wanted to make sure that a new reader could pick this up, start here, and not feel left out. So we hold your hand through it. In fact, you see parts of Spider-Man's origin in each issue as we go through there, and then other characters' origins as we get beyond just this first arc. We wanted to make sure that this entry-level comic was a welcome mat saying, 'Come on in, the water's fine.'"

And best of all, once people get hooked, the next chapter is just around the corner.

"Most comics come out once a month. 'Amazing Spider-Man' comes out every two weeks. But that's too long a wait for 'Spider-Man TODAY' – we're on every week for 48 weeks," Lowe says. "It's the best way to get your Spider-Man action."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Spider-Man TODAY' comic debuts exclusively at USA TODAY PLAY

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”