Top 10 Spider-Man: Homecoming Easter Eggs

Welcome home, Peter. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Spider-Man: Homecoming Easter Eggs. For this list, we’re taking a look at the various references littered throughout Spidey’s first solo outing in the MCU. In case you haven’t seen the movie yet, keep in mind we’ll be going into spoiler territory. #10: The Iron Spider In the comics, Tony Stark designs the Iron Spider armor for Peter during the Civil War. This high-tech outfit was missing from the 2016 film adaption of that classic Marvel storyline, but it did make an appearance in “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” After defeating the Vulture and learning the true meaning of heroism, Peter is given the opportunity to become an official Avenger. Tony even offers him an enhanced suit, which shares an undeniable resemblance to the Iron Spider costume from the comic book “Civil War” storyline. Peter ultimately decides to remain a friendly neighbor Spider-Man for the time being, but when it comes time to take on Thanos, Peter may want all the help he can get. #9: Midtown High, Since 1962 In many respects, “Homecoming” is one half superhero movie and one half coming-of-age comedy. Thus, a good deal of the film takes place at Midtown School of Science and Technology. Observant viewers will notice that the school’s crest reads, “established in 1962.” Midtown High School made its first appearance in “Amazing Fantasy” #15, which hit comic book store shelves in 1962. As if that’s not fitting enough, this milestone comic also marked the debut of a certain web-crawler. This was actually the last “Amazing Fantasy” issue to come out until a 1995 revival, but it was only the beginning for Spidey, who’s been a staple of Marvel since 1962. #8: Bagley Graffiti Comic book artist Mark Bagley is no stranger to Spider-Man. He not only worked on “The Amazing Spider-Man” comics, but also collaborated with writer Brian Michael Bendis on “Ultimate Spider-Man,” which introduced Peter to a new generation of readers. “Homecoming” borrowed several pages from this comic series, making Peter a 15-year-old high school student, introducing a younger Aunt May, and having Tony Stark as a mentor figure. Given the impact Bagley’s artwork had on the film, it’s only appropriate that he got a brief shout out in the form of graffiti. As Peter speaks to Happy on the phone by a brick wall, you can spot the name “Bagley” spray-painted in a loving homage. #7: Tinkerer We all know that Michael Keaton plays Adrian Toomes, aka Vulture, and is assisted by Bokeem Woodbine and Logan Marshall-Green, who star as Herman Schultz and Jackson Brice, respectively – each getting the chance to be the MCU’s version of the Shocker. But the film also features Michael Chernus as Phineas Mason, a salvager who uses alien tech to create weapons. Fans will recognize this character as the Tinkerer, who’s been whipping up gadgets in the comics since “The Amazing Spider-Man” #2 in 1963 – the same issue that introduced The Vulture. Expect the character to return in the next Spider-Man stand-alone film. #6: Principal Morita If Peter’s school principal looks familiar, that’s because he’s already appeared in the MCU… well, sort of. The actor who plays Principal Morita is Kenneth Choi, who previously starred as Jim Morita in “Captain America: The First Avenger.” This Japanese-American soldier was part of the Howling Commandos, who followed Steve Rogers during World War II. Sharing a resemblance and surname, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Principal Morita is a descendant of Jim’s. There are even some photos of Jim and his squad in the principal’s office. It’s good to know that the Morita legacy lives on while the Captain teaches kids about fitness and patience. #5: The Voice of Karen Of all the gadgets that make up Peter’s Spider-Man suit, A.I. Karen just might be the most useful. A natural-language user interface, Karen assists Peter just as J.A.R.V.I.S. aided Tony Stark before becoming Vision. English actor Paul Bettany portrays both J.A.R.V.I.S. and Vision in the MCU. The voice of Karen just so happens to be Bettany’s real life wife, Oscar-winner Jennifer Connelly. This isn’t the first Marvel production Connelly has taken part in, as she previously played Betty Ross in 2003’s “Hulk.” Where everyone recognized her in that movie, however, you’d have to be extremely attentive to catch Connelly here. #4: Cindy Moon Introduced in the 2014 relaunch of “The Amazing Spider-Man” comics, Cindy Moon is an Asian American student who is bitten by the same spider that gave Peter his abilities. After being locked up in a facility for years, she escapes and emerges as a vigilante known as Silk. Actress Tiffany Espensen plays Cindy in “Homecoming,” although the character doesn’t demonstrate any superpowers here. She’s given limited screen time with the academic decathlon being her primary focus. As of now, Cindy might just an ordinary girl that attends high school with Peter. Since the MCU has such a long road ahead of it, though, perhaps Cindy will gain Spidey Senses somewhere down the line. #3: “The Amazing Spider-Man” #33 A pinnacle moment in “Homecoming” finds Peter trapped underneath a mountain of rubble as water falls from above. Proving that he’s super even without a suit, our hero summons the strength to escape from the debris. This triumphant scene pays tribute to a similar sequence from “The Amazing Spider-Man” #33. In this 1966 comic, a heavy piece of machinery nearly crushes Spidey in an underwater base. His love for Aunt May gives him the motivation needed to power through, however. During an interview with Fandango, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige mentioned that had wanted to see this particular moment “in a movie for a long, long time.” The filmmakers truly did Steve Ditko’s illustrations justice. #2: Mac Gargan The Vulture isn’t the only enemy that Spider-Man makes throughout the course of this movie. When an arms deal goes south on the Staten Island Ferry, a criminal named Mac Gargan gets tangled in Spidey’s web. This character made his comic debut in “Amazing Spider-Man” #19, eventually giving Peter Parker a run for his money as the Scorpion. We don’t get to see Gargan suited up as his super villain alter ego in “Homecoming,” but the scorpion tattoo on his neck probably isn’t a coincidence. The ending of the film finds Gargan scarred, behind bars, and thirsty for revenge. So it wouldn’t be shocking if we saw the Scorpion sting a certain spider in the future. #1: Miles Morales This fan favorite character didn’t appear onscreen in “Homecoming,” but he was definitely alluded to. Donald Glover stars as Aaron Davis, a smalltime criminal who mentions that he has a nephew. Davis notably becomes the villainous Prowler in the Ultimate Marvel comic books. Davis also happens to be the uncle of Miles Morales, who takes over the role of Spider-Man in the Ultimate Universe after Peter’s death. What’s especially interesting is that Glover was an inspiration for Miles’ character, after the campaign for him to play Peter Parker in “The Amazing Spider-Man.” Glover has also voiced Miles in animation, making his presence here all the more awesome.