Spider - Man ’s Bad connexion — the sequel toMarvel Universenovel Spider - Man ’s Social Dilemma , part of Preeti Chhibber ’s mediate - degree serial — is out in September . To celebrate the cover reveal for book two , io9 caught up with the writer to discuss her breathing in for the novel , including what medicine she listened to while writing . She also shared an excerption you could read here first .
The Marvel Press release continuesPeter Parker ’s journey as he steps into earlySpider - Man adventures , all while trying to figure out life as a teen and spending time with his partner in crime fighting and passion , MJ .
Sabina Graves , io9 : What are your favourite things about tapping into Spider - Man and friends ’ teenaged world ?
Image: Marvel
Preeti Chhibber : One of my favorite things about write for unseasoned readers is reaffirm that it ’s o.k. to mess up . It ’s o.k. to make the wrong call , sometimes . So , when Marvel approach me about indite this Spidey trilogy , I knew I want to write about Peter when he ’s still figure out — he ’s still trying to figure out what it means to be Spider - Man , and what it means to do that well . And he might mess up up . Okay , he does mess up . And for Mary Jane , it ’s the same thing — she might not have superpowers , but she ’s a teenager who is judge to do good in the world , but she does n’t need to have all the answers right away .
io9 : How do you balance showing Peter ’s coming of age tale with how he teach about the importance of military service through being Spider - Man ?
Chhibber : I think the two things are enlace — Pete ’s the kid whose come of years is learn about the importance of inspection and repair . Because the series starts off with him already being Spider - Man , Peter ’s heard “ with nifty power come keen responsibility , ” and now it ’s just a matter of figuring out how to last that while also produce up . It ’s not that I have to have him choosing between a day of the month with MJ or saving the solar day — he’ll always attempt to save the day — but , he has that little vox in the back of his chief call for : what if this is n’t the proper room to lay aside the day , what if you make the wrong selection and people get hurt , what if you fail , what if — what if — what if . That thing that I think a draw of us had growing up ( and possibly still do ) , and it ’s about growing up and learning ( and relearn ) that that voice does n’t have to control you .
Image: Marvel
io9 : What were your cardinal influences for this volume ? Did you create a climate board , watch certain picture , or make a playlist for inspiration ?
Chhibber : Aside from the obvious : anything and everything Spider - Man ( including a replay of Spider - Man : PS4 , the beneficial Spidey picture show ever made ) … the second I make up one’s mind book two was going to feature the Spot back in 2020 , I record all the Spot hooey I could get my hands on — so , plain Al Milgram ’s proceeds of The Spectacular Spider - Man are in there , especially # 99 , with that iconic concealment . And because these Holy Writ are for Kyd , I think a heap about my favourite kid lit al-Qur’an featuring untested people in extraordinary consideration , whether it ’s Rick Riordan ’s Percy Jackson series , Madeleine L’Engle ’s Time quintet , or more of late , Daniel José Older ’s Dactyl Hill books or Roshani Choksi ’s Aru Shah serial .
I ’m a self-aggrandizing fan of writing to movie soundtracks — and the one I snuff it back to time and time again while writing was How to Train Your Dragon . John Powell did not have to go that firmly , but I am glad he did ! And because I ’m an early aught scene minor at heart who wanted her main character to play into some of that teenage stiffness , there were a flock of bands like Taking Back Sunday , Finch , Steel Train , or Something Corporate on the music - with - lyric play list . There may be a few tilt - your - head - and - strabismus - to - find - them references in the book to some of these bands .
Read an selection from Spider - Man ’s Bad Connection by Preeti Chhibber below !
CHAPTER ONE
Spider - Man is swinging through the streets of New York City , grin under his mask . It ’s a new year , and he has to take , he ’s feeling fine . The tooth - chattering cold atmospheric condition is n’t even bothering him because over his wooing he ’s got on a twinned woollen scarf and wintertime hat good manners of his girl , Mary Jane Watson . She show them to him over the holidays .
“ You screw , for your night job , ” she said , and grin prettily when she handed over the box .
He flies forward , up past the Empire State Building , fist tight around a web - line . The skyscraper is still perch up red and green despite the fact that it ’s been the new yr for a few mean solar day already . He should fuck , consider he rang it in right on top of that building with MJ by his side . As he thinks back to it , Spidey can almost feel the reverberations of the fireworks .
It was viciously inhuman while they were sitting there , just the two of them . But they ’d land extra blankets and very buddy-buddy winter coats ; MJ had even managed to bring up two thermos of hot chocolate . Peter had his mask off , and the green - gloomy - and - yellow lid was doing a great caper of keep his ear warm . MJ was flush against his side , and her head was tilted down and tend on his shoulder joint while they both expect out at the fireworks going off over Times Square . They were only minutes into the novel twelvemonth , and Peter was glad that he was spending it here . He hoped it was a salutary sign for the year to come , if you believed in that sort of matter . Which he would , if it meant his year would have manner more MJ time . He turned to take care at her ; she was still facing the fireworks , and her face glowed in the bright , tiered lighting around them . Her eyes were actually sparkling . Peter had to stop himself from top his own hand to make trusted he was n’t daydream .
“ We have to do this every year , you see . ” MJ ’s representative had a laughter in it . “ Nothing else is going to compare to this thought , sorry to say , Spider - Man . ”
Peter grinned and put his weapon system around her .
“ Mary Jane Watson , I foretell you that we will come back here to see the fireworks for as long as we both shall live . ”
dead , a tingling at the base of his skull reveal through the store , and Spidey swings to a stop , settle into a crouch atop a deli sign . His spider - sense vibrates at a thudding frequency and then pass away mute . He wait down at the sidewalk below him . There ’s nothing that he can see ; it ’s a tranquil side street . Someone ’s walk toward the product at the end of the block , and all the window are dark . A movement across the way catches his oculus , though . It was too quick to see , but it looked like someone was there and then they were n’t . He drops to the land to cross the street . There ’s an ATM with its screen bright blue outside of a darken storefront . There ’s an alert message on the CRT screen that tell NO CASH HERE in big block letter . He see a few bills dropping from the cash dispenser , floating softly down to the concrete below . His lenses narrow as he takes it in . There ’s a thick metal chemical chain circulate the machine , presumptively so no one can run out with it while the owner are away . But he ca n’t see anything else . Spidey steps closer and see it — There !
A small , filled - in black circle seat on the side of the machine . He groan , a warm puff of air come out through his masque as a tiny cloud in the frigidness . The circle is exactly the same as the others , about four or five inches in diameter and square calamitous . But with some sort of paint he ’s never seen before . It search like it ’s part of the plastic encasing the ATM , not like someone drew it there . He takes out his phone and texts MJ .
FOUND ANOTHER ONE
Three dots pop up . Spidey retrieve that she must have been await for him to retard in and ca n’t facilitate the smile breaking out across his face . It was decent to have a collaborator in offense . Well , not criminal offence . Vigilantism ? That does not roll off the tongue . . . .
Then her reply pops up .
SHOW ME !
He takes a characterization and transport it her way . She answer quickly again , recite him she ’ll lend it to their brochure . She sends one more follow - up .
I DON’T KNOW HOW THIS PERSON IS DOING IT , BUT THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET CAUGHT AT SOME POINT . AT LEAST ON SOMEONE ’S CAMERA OR SOMETHING ? MAYBE THE CIRCLE ’S THE RESULT OF SOME KIND OF TOOL . . . BUT NOTHING I CAN FIND . I EVEN WENT TO THE ironware STORE TO DO SOME DIGGING ! THERE IS NOTHING THAT LEAVES THAT form OF RESIDUE .
Spider - Man stops to face at the ATM again . It ’s so unknown . His gut is tell him there ’s something go on , but none of the clues add up to anything . There have been some nonaged stories in the paper about a slew of ATM robbery , but so far no one has been capable to figure out who might be creditworthy . There ’s a loud honking down the street , and Spidey starts . He looks around one more time and finally lock his hands behind his neck and suspire in thwarting . That ’s that . My wanderer - sense is quiet ; there are no discernible clues around . I must have just missed the bozo . His phone unhorse up with another text , and it ’s MJ asking him when he ’s going to be heading back home . He type out Now ! and bang send .
He kneel down to pick up the leftover Johnny Cash and shoves it under the locked door of the store before turning around to buck a web at a fire escape a few stories up and launch himself into the aviation in the direction of Forest Hills .
MJ is ride in her room with her desk lamp on . It ’s very lately . She ’s in her coziest gown and pajamas and might be scramble to keep her eyes open . How does Peter bide up so late all the time and not cave in in the midsection of the day ? she thinks . He should be back soon base on when he respond to her . She bring up the photo he get off on her phone and takes two fingers to the screenland , pinching out to whizz into it , hunt for any clues she might have miss the first five clock time she did it . But there ’s nothing — just a regular old ATM with that same strange circle graffiti .
Maybe it ’s a career card . . . .
An alert pops up on her phone reminding her about her compulsory reading , but MJ just makes an irritated strait and nobble it away . She stares intently at the figure of speech again before finally throw off her head , frustrated . There has to be another connection . No one is this good . Her visit to the hardware store was a complete bust — the shop assistant just prognosticate her “ little peeress ” and laugh at her inquiry . MJ is still furious about it . There ’s a tap at her windowpane , interrupting her thoughts . She jumps up to open it , and there ’s Peter grinning at her , sticking to the side of her theater . Am I ever break down to get used to this ? she wonders . He ’s taken the metre to shift out of his suit of clothes and into a warm jumper and thick sweat pants , but he ’s prevent on her endowment to him , the scarf joint wound fast around his neck and the chapeau pulled low over his ears . She steps back , and a rush of cold strain follows him into her room . She shivers and exit the windowpane before any more can get in . Then she turns and flings her branch around him , and he ’s squeeze her back .
“ Hi , ” she order . “ Hi , ” he replies .
MJ takes a measure back and sit down on her bed while Peter take his place on a beanbag near the bedchamber door .
They ’ve been doing this for weeks now , all through wintertime geological fault , and it ’s become a habit at this point .
“ So , this ATM guy is really plaguey , ” MJ says .
Peter laughs , and MJ stand up . He puts his hand up placatingly . “ I ’m just glad I am not doing this alone . I would have been repulse myself up the wall trying to figure it out , ” he says . “ I experience we ’ll get there , though . You ’re really unspoilt at the investigatory part . I ’m just the muscle , ” he joke , flexing an arm .
MJ fox a pillow at him , and even though she knows he could have hedge easily , he let it hit him before take it and rest it behind his pass . “ Peter , you better not be coasting just because I ’m here to help ! ”
“ I ’m not , I ’m not ! I just know we ’ll get there . I have faith in us . ” And he order it with such certainty that it ready MJ sense warm all over . She decides to modify the subject area before he discover her blushing .
“ Anyway , ” she tell , look at the wall to compose herself , “ can you believe school starts the day after tomorrow ? I have n’t even impact the meter reading we were supposed to do over break . ” Her oral sex twists back at Peter as he lease out a monster of a groan .
“ Do n’t remind me . I am not ready to start getting up so early again . And I have n’t even think about the meter reading . ” He scratch a hand over his facial expression , like he can already palpate how tired he ’s go to be on the first day back in classes .
“ I ’m glad we have that group field of study with Dr. Shah to work on our task first thing , though . The eternal rest of my sched ule is unsmooth . ” He slides the helping hand down his face . “ I ca n’t think we only have the one class together . ”
“ Sorry , ” MJ says apologetically . “ I had to work my agenda around my internship with Councilman Torres . But , ” she impart with a sly smile , “ at least class will be a lot easier without a weird alien affair taking over our entire living ? ”
“ verbalize of which , any luck on finding that last electric cell earphone ? I did some digging on my end , but you ’re . . . definitely better at this part , ” Peter says , voice hopeful .
MJ bites back a suspiration , thinking of their experience with the arc lamp , the alien meteor , and Sandman a few months ago . Part of figuring out how the exotic matter had cultivate had been on her — she’d realized it was somehow living in the phones of anyone who connected to the Wi - Fi at the Museum of the Moving Image the day she ’d been there . That had been why she ’d been so enraged and could n’t get a handgrip on her anger . There were still three phones unaccounted for by the time Peter had fought Sandman and the strange alien at the New York Hall of Science and successfully destroyed the arc lamp . Together , they ’ve managed to find two of the phones . . . but the third is still neglect . She shakes her head , and Peter ’s shoulders fall just the smallest spot .
“ It ’s been month , though ! ” MJ is quick to add . “ We would have hear something by now . Right ? ”
“ You ’re plausibly correct , ” Peter concord .
“ We can keep see , but I think we ’ve done everything we can do , ” MJ continue . “ Honestly , at this point , if anyone even aver the word ‘ arc ’ or ‘ lamp , ’ I ’m immediately convincing my parents to go on a no - technology - allowed- vacation . ” She ’s taste to lighten the mood and feels good when Peter lets out a barque of laugh . She ’s glad they can laugh about it now . turn out take down a secret alien , using an actual criminal , is reasonably emotionally — and physically — exhausting . Especially when it involves a lot of research and Peter having to fight both Sandman and the cryptic foreign thing at the New York Hall of Science without anyone finding out . Not to mention the fact that it has taken her calendar week to get easy around her speech sound again without being worried about the matter controlling her emotions ! She side - centre the equipment sit on her desk and march forth from it . Mostly prosperous , she thinks .
Peter ’s laugh is loud , and he slaps a handwriting over his mouth , eyes shifting toward MJ ’s bedroom door . She shakes her head at him but stands up to walk to the door just in type . She opens it and peeks outside , and the hall way is still dark and quiet . The other bedroom doors do n’t show any light underneath , and she knows they ’re secure .
She turns back to Peter and agree . “ Just what I thought . My mom and aunt are stagnant numb . Nothing ever wakes them up . One time the fire alarum malfunction and went off , and I still had to go wake them up . ”
Peter nods and grins , reach up to grab her handwriting . “ sound dependable to me , ” he says , deplume her down to join him .
She falls , express joy gently , and they spend a few secondment as a maze of limbs before situating themselves next to each other , with Peter ’s arm fast around her shoulder . MJ pulls her speech sound out again and convey up the picture so they can look at it together .
“ I ca n’t believe we ca n’t figure this out after five different times spotting this thing . ” She frowns , pinching and zooming again .
Peter narrows his eyes at her screen door . “ hold back , zoom in a footling more . ” She does , and he points at a small argumentation next to the grim dit . “ Is that anything ? ”
She add the phone closely enough that her nose is nearly touching the screen . “ No . I think that ’s just someone leaving a scratch on the machine with a headstone or something . good-for-naught , Pete . ” She feels him shrug , and she patch up back into the seat .
“ It was a long shot ; I believe I ’m just endeavor to reach for poppycock at this point . ”
“ We ’ll figure it out , ” she says , repeat his earlier sentiments . “ It ’s what we do . ”
There is something . . .
Home is near us ; we can feel it .
Home is near us .
But we ’re too unaccented . Too weak to find it . Too weak to fight . . .
SPIDER - MAN .
THIS IS SPIDER - MAN ’S FAULT . BUT WE ARE TOO WEAK .
take him , take away him . We will remove him .
notice another trouble . He will not see us .
Keep up with author Chhibber online at PreetiChhibber.com . Spider - Man ’s Bad Connection — from Marvel Press , part of the Disney Publishing Group — is out September 5 .
Want more io9 news ? Check out when to require the latestMarvel , Star Wars , andStar Trekreleases , what ’s next for theDC Universe on flick and telly , and everything you need to live about the next ofDoctor Who .
Daily Newsletter
Get the best technical school , skill , and culture newsworthiness in your inbox daily .
News from the future , deliver to your nowadays .
