Sony has published a print copy of The Daily Bugle ahead of Spider-Man's secret identity as Peter Parker. Sony has made Daily Bugle an essential part of marketing for Spider-Man: No Way Home, with a TikTok run by intern Betty Brant and Daily Bugle newsstands handing out print copies of the paper. In marketing , it's genius.
Naturally, viewers would be wise to consider anything published by J. Jonah Jameson to be of dubious quality indeed. Still, a close read through the paper seems to suggest it's supposed to be published partway through the film, and reflects a number of important plot points and clues. Unfortunately, it also contains a couple of major plot holes as well, but to be fair - the Daily Bugle is a tabloid, hardly a reliable source.
The fake Daily Bugle is well worth any New Yorkers picking up a copy, just to enter into the magic of the MCU. If nothing else, it's impressive how much detail was put into its creation. Here's our analysis of all the clues, hints, and plot holes contained within J. Jonah Jameson's paper, for those who can't get to New York to pick up a copy for themselves.
Spider-Man's Secret Identity Reveal Hints At The "Outlawed" Event
It's easy to forget that, although Tom Holland is in his 20s, he's actually playing a teenager. Interestingly, the Daily Bugle's editorial by J. Jonah Jameson cites Peter Parker's very age as a reason he shouldn't be allowed to act as a superhero. "If the Constitution doesn't allow citizens to vote until they've reached the age of 18," he writes, "why would we continue to let a child decide who is saved and who is guilty?" While this is no doubt sophistry on Jameson's part - he'd be opposed to Spider-Man no matter how old Peter Parker really was - it is nevertheless a good point. In the comics, this argument ultimately led to the ing of controversial legislation restricting the actions of teenage superheroes, forcing them to have an official mentor - or placing them under arrest should they refuse to obey the law. This led to a major comic book arc called "Outlawed" that simulated the classic "Civil War" plot. Given the number of young heroes making their official MCU debuts over the next few years, with many of the Young Avengers appearing on Disney+, it's entirely possible Jameson's argument will foreshadow an adaptation of "Outlawed."
The Daily Bugle Is Petitioning To Reveal Peter Parker's Birth Certificate
Not that the Daily Bugle is taking anything about Peter Parker on trust. J. Jonah Jameson has launched a high-profile campaign to publish Peter Parker's birth certificate, to prove whether or not he has any right to claim to be a New York superhero. "He seems more like a Jersey kid, honestly," one chef observes when randomly asked. "I mean, have you heard that he eats hot dogs without any condiments? Definitely a Jersey thing." It's a hilarious riff on Donald Trump's campaign to force Barack Obama to publish his birth certificate, and it's quite possible this piece of petty harassment will make its way into Spider-Man: No Way Home.
The Daily Bugle's Take On Doctor Octopus
Hilariously, the Daily Bugle doesn't quite know what to make of Alfred Molina's Doctor Octopus - it mentions "Spider-Man's latest kerfuffle in Washington Heights," in which he "wrecked the Alexander Hamilton Bridge while assaulting an innocent tentacled man." A later page does say Doctor Octopus is wanted for questioning, however, and adds a hilarious note - "May be literally armed with metal limbs."
Spider-Man's Origin Story May Be Public Knowledge
Curiously, one article in the Daily Bugle suggests Spider-Man's origin story will become public knowledge during Spider-Man: No Way Home. The Spider-Man: Freshman Year animated Disney+ series - which will tell the story of Peter Parker's first six months as a superhero - seems appropriate.
Mysterio-Mania May Explain The Statue Of Liberty
It seems a lot of people believe J. Jonah Jameson when he claims Mysterio was one of the world's greatest heroes, and the Daily Bugle references "Mysterio-mania." One article makes a throwaway reference to a séance being held at the foot of the Statue of Liberty, which may perhaps explain why Spider-Man: No Way Home trailers have shown a lot of the action taking place in that iconic location. Meanwhile, one letter to the Daily Bugle is clearly written by one of Mysterio's team, defending the fake Mysterio video and attempting to debunk evidence it was edited.
Does Spider-Man's Webbing Dissolve?
One of the oddest questions raised by the Daily Bugle's articles is whether or not Spider-Man's webs dissolve in the MCU. According to the Daily Bugle, Spider-Man leaves around 3,000 yards of webbing around the city "after a single swing session," and it falls to street cleaners to sweep them up. There are calls for the city to fund a de-webbing committee to deal with the problem, while apparently, some businesses have popped up making things out of Spider-Man: Homecoming clearly established Spider-Man's webs dissolve after an hour; perhaps Peter Parker has changed the formula, or some of Tony Stark's costumes have different types of webbing.
Flash Thompson Is Still Spider-Man's Fan
In the comics, Peter Parker's old school bully Flash Thompson at first refused to believe it when he learned Spider-Man's true identity - even assuming Parker was helping Spider-Man by covering for him so he wouldn't get caught up in the Super Human Registration Act. It seems the MCU's Flash Thompson (Tony Revolori) will react a little better to the revelation, however, forming a Spider-Man fan club and even writing a book in which he claims to be Peter Parker's best friend. Flash appears in an in-universe interview published on the Daily Bugle's TikTok as well, where he talks about the book - suggesting this is his arc in the film, not just something tossed into the paper for a laugh.
Hilarious Rumors Hint At The Green Goblin
The Daily Bugle includes a rumors page that clearly makes allusions to several moments in Spider-Man: No Way Home. There's an apparent reference to Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat, with the suggestion multiversal bridges won't just bring people into the MCU - they'll also take people to other dimensions randomly. The most curious of these "rumors," though, clearly pertains to the Green Goblin. "Which former CEO showed up uninvited to the party, green with envy? Onlookers say he 'flew' off the handle when he wasn't on the list." Assuming this is indeed a reference to Norman Osborn, it suggests there's an established version of Norman Osborn in the MCU as well - which might explain why there have been two different designs of the Green Goblin in trailers.
Doctor Strange Is Looking For Help In The Sanctum Sanctorum
It seems Doctor Strange is looking for help with the upkeep of the Sanctum Sanctorum, because he's advertising for a cleaner with 10+ years of experience who "must be thorough, discreet, and good at shoveling snow." This may seem like something of an amusing gag, but oddly it could actually serve as setup for a plot from the comics, where Doctor Strange did indeed get help - Zelma Stanton, a librarian who became possessed by Mind Maggots and was treated by Doctor Strange. She became his official historian, although she often winds up looking after the Sanctum Sanctorum as well. It's possible this subtle detail - and the state of Strange's home in Spider-Man: No Way Home - are a setup for a similar arc.
