While Spider-Man is a beloved Marvel superhero, DC has their own version of the character, who has appeared multiple times in Young Justice, and shares a voice actor. One of the most magical things about animated superhero shows is the fun ways that they can connect and crossover, even across brands.
In most instances, Marvel and DC stick to their sides of the street when it comes to films and shows, but sometimes, there are ways that these stories link up. And when discussing Spider-Man, there is one specific connection that proves to be incredibly fun.
Josh Keaton Plays Spider-Man In The Spectacular Spider-Man
The Spectacular Spider-Man Is An Outstanding Animated Marvel Show
Josh Keaton may not be a household name the same way Tom Holland or Andrew Garfield is, but he is actually one of the most prolific Spider-Man actors to date. Having voiced the hero in several projects, and being the leading man throughout the run of The Spectacular Spider-Man from 2008, Keaton’s voice is familiar to many fans of the friendly neighborhood web slinger.
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In addition to starring as Spider-Man in his own solo show, Keaton also had a cameo in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse as another universe’s version of the hero. As well as numerous video games, and joining the cast in several other Spider-Man animated properties.
On top of that, Keaton has also tackled roles in other superhero projects that appear similar, but distinct from the original Wall Crawler. Such as in Invincible, when he voiced Agent Spider, who is kind of a parody to Marvel’s iconic hero.
Josh Keaton Is Also Black Spider In DC’s Young Justice Show
Young Justice Has Its Own Unique Twist On The Character
But while the above roles have all seen Keaton suit up as a hero, DC took this same kind of character and turns them into something unrecognizable. This alternative version is known as Black Spider, and in the DC universe of stories, he is a supervillain.
However, he has a lot in common with Spider-Man, including his powers, his cheeky, witty personality, and even the voice actor. Keaton tackled the role for five episodes in Young Justice between 2012 and 2021.
However, the character only shows up for a total of six episodes, and the additional moment doesn’t include any dialogue. Evidently, Keaton is clearly the DC’s version of this much darker character, and he appears to have been a successful small part of the incredibly popular series.
Young Justice’s Black Spider Feels Even More Like Spider-Man Than Usual
Black Spider In DC Comics Is Very Different
The thing is, Black Spider isn’t usually a Spider-Man knock-off in the comics. Most of the time, Black Spider, aka Eric Needham, is a large African American man who loses his father in a tragic incident, and becomes an anti-hero who goes on to fight with teams like the Suicide Squad.
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He doesn’t even have powers that resemble Spidey, with his greatest skills being martial arts and working as an assassin. But Young Justice opted to transform the character to pay tribute to Spider-Man, and cast Keaton in the part, which was likely due to creator Greg Weisman, who oversaw both shows.
The result is an incredibly fun and unique depiction of the character that creates a link between Marvel and DC. And ultimately, it was just a fun thing for Young Justice to do with a lesser-known character from the comics.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
