Behind the mask: Who is Hobie Brown in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse?

When it comes to the eccentric and rebellious character of Spider-Punk in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the face behind the mask is none other than Hobie Brown.

Garnering considerable attention and acclaim, Spider-Punk, animated by the voice of Black Panther actor Daniel Kaluuya, has emerged as a crucial element of Miles Morales' adventure, starkly contrasting the myriad authority figures that Morales encounters.

It is worth highlighting the intriguing surge in popularity of Spider-Punk in the animated sequel, particularly when compared to the well-established character Miguel O'Hara from the comics since the 1990s.

It is also crucial to note that Spider-Punk is a newer character, created in 2014.

Spoiler Alert - This article reveals important plot details about Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

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Understanding Hobie Brown: The anarchist with a love for music behind the Spider-Man mask

If one had to encapsulate Hobie Brown's character from Across the Spider-Verse, it could be aptly captured by the line: "I hate the AM, I hate the PM." He's a bona fide anarchist, rebelling against the establishment while embracing a vibrant music scene.

Hobie Brown hails from Earth-138, where he transforms into the defiant Spider-Man, or more popularly, Spider-Punk. In the comic series, he is an American rebel battling against President Norman Osborn's oppressive regime.

However, the film takes a slight deviation, depicting Hobie as a British character instead. This alteration is a nod to the comics where the design for Hobie was originally conceived for Spider-UK.

In the movie, Hobie seems slightly older and more mature than his comic version.

Hobie Brown's backstory, which he narrates to Miles Morales and the audience, aligns closely with his comic origins, including his rebellious activities such as "staging armed permitted political action/performing art pieces."

A fun addition to the film is his stint as a runway model, albeit in costume, a detail not featured in the comics. However, his distinctive beliefs and persona continue to distinguish him from the other Spider-Characters.

Regarding his powers, Spider-Punk possesses abilities identical to the original Spider-Man, including web shooters. This remains consistent in Across the Spider-Verse. However, his unique edge lies in his guitar, which he uses to generate deafening sound waves.

This sonic weapon proves instrumental in breaching Pavitr's Alchemax's energy barrier in both the comics and the movie. The comics use it dramatically to overthrow President Osborn and his symbiote-enhanced police force.

While it's uncertain if Sony will allow such graphic violence in the third installment, fans can look forward to more innovative uses of Hobie's guitar against villains like Spot and Miguel's Spider-Society.

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Hobie Brown's role in Spider-Verse 3 and beyond

As for Hobie Brown's role in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, his inclusion in Gwen Stacy's Spider-Band to rescue Miles is almost certain, given his presence at the end of Across the Spider-Verse. His contribution to the sequel's plot remains an interesting mystery.

Despite an initial bout of jealousy from Miles due to Hobie's ambiguous relationship with Gwen, it becomes apparent that Hobie supports Miles' dissent towards the Spider-Society, even standing by him during his intervention.

Moreover, when Miguel confines Miles, Hobie Brown provides essential advice to help Miles escape. Hence, in a twist of fate, the initially envious Miles might trust Hobie the most among Gwen's Spider-Band.

Morales is scheduled to make a live-action appearance. However, it's yet to be determined whether the character will be the one from Spider-Verse or Sony's Spider-Man Universe or the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

There is, however, a slim chance that Spider-Punk cameo in the MCU, particularly in multiversal-themed films like Kang Dynasty or Secret Wars. After all, Sony and Marvel Studios have worked collaboratively to align their multiverse concepts and use of MCU references.

Across the Spider-Verse is currently screening in theaters.