Whenever a new Marvel movie is on the way, fans can rest assured that there will be a treasure trove of Easter eggs and references — not just related to the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise at large, but also the rich history of Marvel Comics. Filmmakers are always looking for inventive ways to pay homage to the source material, including small nods for eagle-eyed viewers to spot. With the abundance of characters set to appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, there will be an abundance of opportunities for director Destin Daniel Cretton to continue this tradition. Fans don’t even have to wait for the film’s release date to see one of the coolest Easter eggs, as it can be spotted in the recently released trailer.
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On X, the user A bit of Everything posted a screenshot from the latest Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer. Bruce Banner’s inhibitor (which keeps the Hulk at bay) has a marking on it that reads “ASM-14.” This is a reference to Marvel’s The Amazing Spider-Man #14, which marked the first time Spider-Man crossed paths with the Hulk. That issue was also the debut of classic villain Green Goblin, so it was a very important part of Spider-Man history. Check out the post in the space below:
Bruce Banner’s Inhibitor is the Perfect Easter Egg for Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Referencing The Amazing Spider-Man #14 in Spider-Man: Brand New Day is fitting for a couple of reasons. For starters, the film is the first time Peter Parker and Bruce Banner have formally crossed paths in the MCU. The two characters have appeared in the same movies before (Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame) and even fought together in the Battle of Earth, but they didn’t have any interactions with each other. After being close to Tony Stark for so long, Peter is now leaning on another scientific genius for help dealing with his current situation.
In The Amazing Spider-Man #14, Spider-Man fights Hulk in a cave while in California, which is another reason why this is such a great Easter egg for Brand New Day. The film isn’t set on the West Coast, but it will feature a showdown between Spidey and the Hulk. The latest trailer highlighted the long-awaited return of the MCU’s Savage Hulk, setting the stage for an epic confrontation. The battle in Brand New Day will carry considerably more weight than the comics due to the connection Peter makes with Bruce, and it will be interesting to see how it’s resolved. Mutating DNA is a primary aspect of Brand New Day, so Peter will likely find a way to help Bruce regain control. Odds are, the solution isn’t going to be as simple as trapping Hulk in a cave, but perhaps Peter could still use his intelligence to gain an edge (which would be a parallel to the comic).
It’s nice to see the MCU continue to include Easter eggs such as these nearly two decades into its existence. They’re more than just fun nods for fans to spot on a rewatch. It’s a way for the filmmakers to pay respect to the stories that paved the way for these movies to happen. Long before he was a film star, Spider-Man was just on the page, and the character’s ability to resonate with readers allowed him to expand to other mediums and become one of the most beloved superheroes in pop culture.
Surely, Bruce Banner’s inhibitor only scratches the surface of the Easter eggs that are in Brand New Day. It should be a blast to see them all when the film comes out next month. Brand New Day notably features several Spider-Man villains, many of whom haven’t appeared in a film before. This could be the only time for the MCU to acknowledge the comics history of characters like Boomerang and Tarantula, so it’ll be fascinating to see how deep Cretton and Co. went into the Marvel vault for the references.
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