Some of this version of Spider-Man.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2024) #3 – written by Christos Gage, with art by Eric Gapstur – finds Peter Parker in over his head as he tries to navigate his double life as Spider-Man and balance his school and new powers and identity. In the midst of all that, Peter takes on a group of villains called the Enforcers, in a serious throwback to the character's earliest days.

The Enforcers are notable for being among the first antagonists the Webslinger ever faced, but they have never been prominent enemies in the years since, making this a major comeback as well.

Obscure Spider-Man Villains The Enforcers Get An MCU-Adjacent Update In Spidey Series

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2024) #3 – Written By Christos Gage; Art By Eric Gapstur; Available February 19, 2025 From Marvel Comics

While the Enforcers appearing in the Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man series does give them a greater chance to appear in the MCU, they're not quite there yet. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is a Disney+ animated show, featuring a Peter Parker variant in the early days of becoming Spider-Man. The show was originally intended to be an origin story for Tom Holland's Spider-Man, but it was later decided to be set in an alternate universe branching off from the main MCU.

There are events in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man that play out similarly to the MCU, but with a few changes, making the series analagous to an What If...? One concept image for the show recreates the scene in Captain America: Civil War where Peter Parker walks into his apartment and Tony Stark is meeting with Aunt May, but in this universe, Tony is replaced as Peter's mentor by Norman Osborn. There are also characters with the same actors as the MCU, like Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil.

The Enforcers Are Perfect "Starter" Villains For This Spin-Off Of The MCU Spider-Man

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #3 – Main Cover By Leonardo Romero; Variant Covers By Benjamin Su & More

The Enforcers are a team of career criminals and some of Spider-Man's first villains, but are not exclusive villains to Spider-Man. The Enforcers have also faced off against heroes like the Human Torch and Daredevil. Daredevil being featured in the Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man show suggests facing the Enforcers could be one of the ways he teams up with Spider-Man. The main of the team include Montana, western-themed and highly skilled with a lasso; Fancy Dan, a martial artist well versed in hand-to-hand combat and always dressed in style; and the Ox, with super strength and durability.

The Enforcers first appeared in 1963, in Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #10, and were quickly defeated by Spider-Man, though they may pose a greater threat in this incarnation.

A lot of Spider-Man's villains have wild abilities that all overpower Spider-Man in some way, but none of the Enforcers have powers Spider-Man doesn't have. Enhanced strength and durability, and hand-to-hand combat, depending on how skilled this version of Fancy Dan is, or how early in his career this Peter Parker is, Spider-Man already has those powers. Spider-Man even has a better version of Montana's lasso with his webs. The Enforcers first appeared in 1963, in Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #10, and were quickly defeated by Spider-Man, though they may pose a greater threat in this incarnation.

What It Means For The Enforcers To Take One Step Closer To The MCU

Spider-Man's Cinematic Rogue Gallery Swells

Street-level crime fighting is a great way for Peter Parker to learn the ropes and balance his powers and personal life; no crazy villains like Doctor Octopus or Green Goblin coming after the ones he loves most. The biggest advantage the Enforcers have over Peter is their numbers, but it's a challenge that Peter is capable of handling. Tom Holland's Spider-Man started off fighting Captain America and traveling to space. Now that he's transitioning to street-level fighting, this could be the best time to introduce the Enforcers in the MCU, and teach Tom's Peter the ropes of the streets.

Notably, In the Amazing Spider-Man comics, the Enforcers had some more heavy-hitters among their , including infamous Spidey antagonists Green Goblin and Sandman. Green Goblin and Sandman have been seen in the MCU before, but most fans would agree the MCU needs its own Spider-Man villains, not ones from other universes. The Enforcers could be a way to get Tom Holland's Peter Parker into street-level fighting, and also act as a way to introduce the MCU's own variants of Spider-Man's most infamous enemies.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #3 will be available February 19, 2025, from Marvel Comics.