Spider-Man: Brand New Day sees the long-awaited return of Michael Mando as Mac Gargan/Scorpion. It has been nine years since the character was teased in the mid-credit scene of Spider-Man: Homecoming in a plotline many thought the Marvel Cinematic Universe had forgotten. Now the character is back in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, suited up as one of Spider-Man’s most dangerous foes, The Scorpion.
Like Vulture and Mysterio, the MCU version of Scorpion draws heavily from the original Marvel Comics while also putting its own unique spin on the character. We need to talk about how Scorpion’s backstory and costume in Spider-Man: Brand New Day compare to his comic counterpart and to the MCU variant in the animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. In fact, the trailer might have revealed how Scorpion fits into Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and the MCU spin on the character’s classic origin.
Scorpion’s Backstory in the Comics and MCU, Explained
One of the biggest differences between the comics and MCU version of Scorpion is their background. In the comics, Mac Gargan is a private investigator hired by J. Jonah Jameson to follow Peter Parker and discover how he obtained photos of Spider-Man. In the following issue, J. Jonah Jameson hires Gargan as a test subject for an experimental armor themed around a scorpion, a natural predator of spiders. The procedure soon drives Gargan mad, which turns him into a regular Spider-Man foe.
Instead of a private investigator, the MCU version of Mac Gargan is a ruthless gangster with a scorpion tattoo on his neck. This version of the character is heavily inspired by the one introduced in Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #6 from January 2012, a tattooed criminal named Maximus Gargan. Introduced in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Gargan is a high-priority buyer for a weapon created by Adrian Toomes/The Vulture and his crew. He’s called “The Gargan Tail,” which is a reference to his Scorpion costume. After Spider-Man apprehends him on the Staten Island Ferry, Gargan is last seen in prison, asking Adrian Toomes if he knew Spider-Man’s identity because he wants revenge. However, a variant of him appears in the Disney+ animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
The animated Disney+ series takes place in an alternate reality that shares many similarities with the MCU. However, it has some key differences. Notably, Norman Osborn, not Tony Stark, recruits Peter Parker in 2016. Mac Gargan/Scorpion appears in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 1 as a recurring foe. Designed to look like actor Michael Mando, this version leads the Scorpions in a war with the 100 First Street Gang.
Differences in Scorpion’s Costumes Between Comics, Animation, and ‘Brand New Day’
The Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer offers a brief look at Mac Gargan’s Scorpion costume. It looks like it will capture the same armored look from the comics. However, while the costume has a sleeker look in the comics, the new one is more tech-forward. Also, while the costume is bright green in the comics, the Brand New Day Scorpion costume appears to be a more muted shade of green. The brief shots in the trailer show Gargan’s Scorpion without a mask, although it’s possible that his suit has one, and it’s retracted.
It’s interesting to compare the Scorpion in Brand New Day with the variant seen in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Doctor Otto Octavius provides the Scorpion suit, which shares the same bright green color scheme as the original comics. This version also has a full face mask with an eye visor shaped like the original Steve Ditko design, but with the orange lenses of later comics. His mouth is also behind a protective barrier, like how the characters’ mouths were often drawn under the mask. The tail is connected by a sleeveless harness that goes over the torso, which leaves Gargan’s arms and legs exposed, in contrast to the fully covered look in both the comics and his MCU depiction.
The MCU’s Scorpion Origin Story Possibly Revealed
The Scorpion suit in the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer appears bulky and almost made of scraps, similar to the Vulture and Shocker suits in Spider-Man: Homecoming. This suggests that Gargan is using the tail Adrian Toomes designed for him, which Damage Control most likely confiscated after the events of Homecoming. Possibly in a homage to his comic book origin, Gargan will be given his Scorpion armor to hunt down Spider-Man.
The twist is that, instead of being outfitted by J. Jonah Jameson, the Department of Damage Control suits up Gargan. The Department of Damage Control may want to track down and apprehend Spider-Man after he aligns himself with Sadie Sink’s mysterious character. This would be a fun MCU spin on Scorpion’s comic origin (being outfitted by a foe to hunt down Spider-Man). It would also be a reference to the Civil War comics, where the Pro-Superhuman Registration side employed supervillains to hunt down heroes who opposed the Registration Act. Civil War #5 notably saw two villains attacking Spider-Man, only for The Punisher to save him. He will also appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
If Scorpion isn’t wearing the suit designed by Adrian Toomes, then that suggests another mysterious benefactor has outfitted Mac Gargan’s Scorpion. Maybe it’s the villain Tombstone, who is confirmed to appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, played by Marvin Jones III, aka Krondon. It could also be whoever is now in charge of the ninja organization, The Hand. No matter how Gargan gets his Scorpion costume, Spider-Man is certainly in for a fight with one of his most dangerous foes.
- Release Date
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July 31, 2026
- Director
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Destin Daniel Cretton
