My Hero Academia staff drops the first chapter of the new Spider-Man manga

One of the coolest facts about reading Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia manga series for Western fans is seeing the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man’s influence. Whether subtly or obviously, there are many clear instances of the series being heavily influenced by what’s considered the golden age of comics in America.

The Spider-Man franchise, in particular, has greatly inspired Horikoshi and his My Hero Academia manga. Everything from protagonist Izuku “Deku” Midoriya’s abilities to how the series is paneled at times references and reflects some of the most iconic comics focused on the Western web-slinger.

This inspiration has seemingly come full circle after the latest news on the upcoming Spider-Man manga series, which is set to be released via Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+ app. While Horikoshi won’t be working on the series, the creative team behind the My Hero Academia: Vigilantes spin-off will reunite to write and illustrate this new manga series.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes team taking Horikoshi’s inspiration full circle with their new Spider-Man manga

MARVEL×ジャンプ＋の新連載🕸️
『#スパイダーマン：オクトパスガール』
第1話配信開始！

主役はDr.オクトパス×女子中学生⁉
新たな戦いが幕を開ける💫

🔽詳細はこちらhttps://t.co/CVifU2vY5o #ジャンププラス #マーベル pic.twitter.com/BLpzIjA4kc

— Marvel (@marvel_jp) June 20, 2023

With Horikoshi busy ushering the mainline My Hero Academia series to its end, the Vigilantes spin-off team has found themselves carrying a unique torch. With the opportunity to author and illustrate the new Spider-Man: Octopus-Girl manga series, Horikoshi’s love for and inspiration from Western comics may come full circle.

The new Spider-Man manga series will see Dr. Octopus ending up in the body of a young girl in one of the hundreds of multiverses, which exist in the Spider-Verse. Now, Doc Oc must navigate his villainous ways and plans while concurrently understanding the trials and tribulations of a middle school girl’s life.

The new series will be written by the creative team behind Vigilantes, which includes writer Hideyuki Furuhashi and artist Betten Court. While the new series seems exciting for Japanese and English fans, it’s only available in Japan, with no current international release plans at the time of this article’s writing. For Japanese fans, the first chapter is currently available to read on the Shonen Jump+ platform.

"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" gets a Spin-off Manga Series titled "Spider-Man Octopus Girl" by "My Hero Academia: Vigilantes" creators Hideyuki Furuhashi & Betten Court

Dr. Octopus awakes in the body of a japanese teenage school girl

Start on June 20, 2023 on Shounen… pic.twitter.com/RnSXlREYlE

— Manga Mogura RE (Manga & Anime News) (@MangaMoguraRE) May 30, 2023

Furuhashi and Court’s My Hero Academia: Vigilantes series is set in the same universe as Horikoshi’s mainline series, taking place just a few years before the main series. The spin-off series even ties into the mainline one by focusing on major moments that segues into the main storyline, with an arc even showing Shota Aizawa’s past prior to becoming a teacher.

Vigilantes originally ran from August 2016 to May 2022, totaling 15 volumes that are all available in both English and Japanese at the time of this writing. Despite flying under the radar for most of its publication, the series began receiving the praise and acclaim it deserved towards the end of its run and has continued garnering a cult ever since.

Be sure to keep up with all My Hero Academia anime, manga, and live-action news, as well as general anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2023 progresses.