Every comic book character has good runs and bad runs. For every genre-defining series a superhero gets, there are a couple that the fanbase would rather forget. One of the most beloved comic book superheroes of the modern era has also enjoyed many of the most despised story arcs in the history of writing.
There's obviously more good Spider-Man media than there is bad, the character wouldn't be as popular as he is if that wasn't the case. But, there's something fascinating about a serialized story when it hits some bumps in its long road. The efforts of creatives to fix a decision that fans didn't like are always engaging. There are few decisions less liked than the ones made in Spider-Man's Clone Saga.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is one of the best explorations of Spidey's depth as a character ever put to any medium. It introduces the multiverse concept in a single film, then brings some of the most intriguing alternate versions of the character to the big screen for the first time. The group of Spider-Folk that make up the central team are each unique and interesting. The sequel has a lot to live up to, both in terms of the original's stellar story and its understanding of the source material. The next entry, Across the Spider-Verse, is already set to add a few new Spider-Folks to the repertoire. Miguel O'Hara, the Spider-Man of 2099 appeared in the end-credits scene, and he'll clearly be playing a part in the sequel. Though the limited teasers have been tight-lipped about the rest of the new faces, thanks to a couple of pieces of merch, two new additions can be safely made.
A board game of all things revealed the new look of the Scarlet Spider as he'll appear in Spider-Verse. The Scarlet Spider is a mantle that has been carried by a few different people throughout the Marvel Comics Universe, but, it's most associated with a single figure and a single run. Ben Reilly is the original Scarlet Spider and the most likely new addition to the Spider-Verse crew. Ben isn't from an alternate universe, he's from 616, the primary reality of the franchise. He's a genetic clone of our universe's Peter Parker. From humble lab-grown beginnings, Ben Reilly establishes his own identity and becomes a hero with the help of the man he was designed to replicate.
After the tragic death of Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker wasn't the only one left grieving. College professor Miles Warren turns to mad science to replace his unrequited lost love. He becomes the lesser-known Spider-Man villain Jackal and sets to work attempting to clone Stacy. In time, he discovers who Peter Parker is and blames him for Stacy's death. To exact revenge, he begins trying to clone Parker as well. Though his first attempts are unsuccessful, he does eventually manage to make exact duplicates of both Stacy and Parker. Jackal convinces his first successful Parker clone that he's the original model and sends him to face Spider-Man in conflict. The clone loses, then is presumed dead after Jackal's lab is consumed in an explosion. The clone survives, however, but is forced to reckon with the fact that he is a clone. He takes Peter's uncle's first name and his Aunt May's maiden name and starts a new life as Ben Reilly.
Reilly's story from there is a bit of a mess. The writers at Marvel got a bit carried away with who was a clone and who wasn't, making a lot of decisions that proved unpopular over time. The most important part is his new identity as a hero. Reilly reconnects with Parker at a difficult time in the original Spider-Man's life, and, after an initial bout of aggression, joins him to save some hostages from Ravencroft Institute. After that dalliance with hero work, Ben gets a taste for the gig. He buys a red bodysuit and a spider hoodie and sets out to fight crime. He works as the hero of New York City while Peter tries to pull himself together. Ben could still serve this role, he could be a very interesting figure in the new film.
Ben Reilly could come to the Spider-Verse from any alternate universe, but the films have stayed consistent with their source material. The film's take on 616 features Peter B. Parker, a version of Spider-Man who has already buried Aunt May and lost his spouse. In his opening monologue, Peter also notes the fact that he broke his back on the job. He's too old for the gig, washed up, jaded, and largely past his superhero days. That means that 616 could use a new Spider-Man, and Ben Reilly could be the perfect candidate. Spider-Verse is the perfect chance to redeem Ben Reilly and turn him into a fan-favorite character.