Marvel's Pinay hero 'Wave' joins Spider-Man in new series

Spider-Man swings back into action in 2025, as Marvel Entertainment released the trailer for its animated series “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” on 30 December.

The series returns to Spider-Man's early comic book roots, following Peter Parker as he balances high school life with crime-fighting in New York City.

A unique twist in this adaptation is that Peter is mentored by Norman Osborn (a.k.a. the Green Goblin) instead of Tony Stark, as seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The series also includes iconic characters such as Aunt May (Kari Wahlgren), Otto Octavius (Hugh Dancy), Norman Osborn (Colman Domingo), and Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox).

Fans were excited by the teaser's reveal of Pearl Pangan, a.k.a. Wave, Marvel's first Filipino superhero. Pearl, who has the abilities to manipulate water and possess superhuman strength, is introduced in a lighthearted scene where she accidentally bumps into Peter at Midtown High.

“Petey's always been a bit clumsy,” she jokes, to which Peter awkwardly replies, “You know me, clumsy Petey Parkey. Erm, Parker.”

Wave, a swimmer from Mactan, Cebu, was created by Filipino comic artist Leinil Francis Yu and made her first appearance in War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas #1 in May 2019.

“Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” premieres on Disney+ on 29 January 2025, giving fans a nostalgic yet fresh take on the beloved web-slinger.