I’ll be honest, I’m not really a superhero guy. There’s stuff I like, but I tend to only check in on superhero stuff occasionally. Some of the DCAU shows, the Arkham games, that sort of thing. But when it comes to Marvel stuff, my experience is basically only the odd Spiderman thing here and there: I saw the Raimi movies which were outstanding for the most part, the first Amazing Spiderman which was fine I guess, and a bit of that Insomniac game (really need to get back to that, now that it’s finally on PC). But I hadn’t seen a single movie or show from the MCU era, with the ecxeption of the first Spiderverse.

And I have to say, I was blown away by that movie. It was a beautiful visual showcase, it was funny, it was deeply moving, and it felt like a comic in a way no other superhero adaptation has managed. But when I learned there was going to be a sequel, I started worrying. I was afraid they would lose the factors that made the first Spiderverse so unique and meaningful, and that it would turn into just another endless Marvel content stream.

I’ve never been so happy to be so wrong about a movie. Across the Spiderverse is every bit as beautiful, funny, smart, and emotionally gut-wrenching as the first, and then some. If Into the Spiderverse set the standards for what a superhero movie can be, Across the Spiderverse not only met those standards but set an entirely new standard in the process.

Starting today I will be very impatiently awaiting the third movie. Cannot wait to see what this team has in store for us next.