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Webb Explains the Mechanical Web-Shooters in 'Amazing Spider-Man'

by Alex Billington
August 1, 2011
Source: Hero Complex

As many have no doubt noticed in the numerous photos for Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man that we've featured in the last month, Spidey has mechanical webshooters in this new iteration, harkening back to the original comics where Peter Parker built them as inventions of his own, a testament to his intellect. There was a small blurb in Entertainment Weekly about the web-shooters, but it didn't really say too much. However, Hero Complex also caught up with Webb at Comic-Con and got him to spill beans behind the true origins of using mechanical versus organic, and it involves comics legend Stan Lee, of course. Who else?

In the first blurb, Webb said "we made a very conscious decision to go back to the mechanical web-shooters, and I think the fans will appreciate it." But why exactly and where did the true origins of the decision come from? Spider-Man creator Stan Lee, of course, who Webb says was part of the discussion about using them.

"I had a meeting with Stan Lee and we talked about the web-shooters," Webb said. "I was curious about the incarnation of them [because] of course in the previous films [they went away from them] and we wanted to reestablish ourselves. That was one thing but the other thing was the fact that the web-shooters were able to dramatize Peter's intellect and I thought that was really cool. ... It was in the comics and we have a different design but it's a cool element to have. It's not something we over-use or over-exploit. To me, it's something I remember from when I was a kid and thinking 'It would be cool if I could build those.'"

Perfect, a quick and simple explanation. We got the hint of what's to come, he's got web-shooters and they work, now let's move on. But how about he address the new Spidey suit, too? "We also wanted a design that would make the body longer and more lithe, more of an acrobat, someone incredibly agile, and the legs of the spider [symbol on the chest] were something we used to emphasize that," Webb also states. "I wanted something that worked in the night a little better. We paid attention to that and also made the webbing [on the costume] a little bit darker. With the costume and the web-shooters we wanted to emphasize that these are things that Peter Parker made and that he is special himself even if he feels like he's an outsider."

Head to Hero Complex for the full quotes. I love hearing Marc Webb talk about this movie, especially after being amazed by the Comic-Con footage, it sounds like they found the core of the Spider-Man comics and are trying to bring exactly that to the big screen in this film. I'm satisfied with the mechanical web-shooters, I just want to see them actually put to use besides in the teaser trailer. Bring on the web-slinging Mr. Webb!

Filed under Comics, Discuss, Hype, Movie News

From around the web:

sweetillness

Hooray! Back to old school old style comic hype with a new twist?!!?
Eric

happy.
JL

I'm glad they are putting so much thought into this. I groaned a bit with the first news of a Spider Man reboot, but this is looking better all the time.
Legion

I wonder where he ripped this off from? The outright plagiarism of Mirrors Edge is unacceptable. Webb's a hack! I'll pass on this reboot.
- Richie
  
  i think he got the idea from this comic called spider-man, total rip off. Directors rarely choreograph complete sequences themselves, its likely he told the animators that he wanted a first-person sequence. Don't give the guy too much credit
  - Jericho
    
    and since the animators were actually the same from Mirrors Edge.. shouldn't you be pissed at them for taking from a game not as many people know about?
    - Richie
      
      Sure I guess, although I don't think the resemblance is that strong. I was merely pointing out that the blame of plagiarism lies with the animators not Mark Webb... most likely
      - Jericho
        
        oh i was just continuing off of your post directed at Legion, i do agree with you though
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001216782321 Isa Bello Suleiman

Nice. I love this!!!
Richie

This just seems like a detail they've changed to disassociate with Raimi's spider-man. It does that pretty effectively, I don't think this is a prequel anymore. The only drawback is that its rubbish. In the old comics spider-man could only walk on walls because of the sticky stripes on his costume. They should bring that back too so there are no spiderlike characteristics for him to derive his name. Also he's tryin to assure us by saying he talked to Stan Lee about it?! Well thank God the guy who payed Steve Ditko's checks added his two cents worth. I'm in no mood for this today
- Jericho
  
  stuck to the wall through the stripes on his costume?...that's so dumb... and that will be the thought of every movie viewer that does not spend a lot of time on a comic book
  - Richie
    
    my point exactly. I was drawing a parallel between that and the mechanical web shooters: they both only serve to distance peter parker with the name of his alter ego. Inflection can be tough to get across through writing
    - Jericho
      
      more people are familiar with the web shooters due to all the cartoon shows and video games that take time off to directly show them to the audience, you look at the comments on youtube to the trailers and you see more people talk about how closely this is to the cartoon *even with the parents*
Anonymous

I was one who was against this reboot, but warming up to it the more I see and read. Chill out about the Mirrors Edge rip. Not everyone has played the game and I would like to see through web heads perspective. Not for the whole film but maybe for his first outing.
Ryanjennings65

"Webb explains the mechanical web-shooters"? Really? He didnt even explain them or how they worked! He simply said they were in the film and that it showed that Peter is smart. WHO CARES!? When i read the title i thought it would go into detail about them. This is just a stupid waste of time
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1503900114 Tyler Morgan
  
  so you're mad because you read this expecting to build your own by this afternoon?
- http://www.firstshowing.net Alex Billington
  
  Yea, what exactly are you looking for... I'm sorry the headline was misleading, but the movie is still 11 months away from coming out. And the explanation behind them isn't how they work so much as it is why they decided to use them this time. Ask the prop master how they work! Or just go read the old comics about how he made them.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=5111584 Nate Carroll

We knew why. They already said this was going to be truer to the comics so to be truer they added the mechanical web devices. Still looks like an emo POS. Let's hope they just made a huge mistake releasing a very very very lame trailer.
Xdynamesx

so every time he balls his hand into a fist, web shoots out? kinda flawed in the decision of webshooters
- Bobdyaln
  
  The trigger rests high in the palm and requires a double tap from the middle two fingers to activate, eliminating the chance of accidental discharge when forming a fist
David Darida

Now we know spideys biggest weakness....great
Croniccris

web slinging through new york city in first person! in REAL 3D?!?! yeah i think this movie will have the best use of 3D tech yet...
Indianjedi

I think that Spider-Man 1&2 were totally awesome, yes part 3 messed it up totally, but I am NOT impressed by the reboot, in trying to distance itself from original - even good things are ignored - 1) Organic web-shooters make more sense - in fact MARVEL acknowledged Raimi's idea by having comic book Spidey evolve to have organic web-shooters - so now comic book Spidey has organic webs and movie Spidey has artifical ones - so we have a discrepancy again. 2) Original costume was great with reflective visors was great the new one looks clownish and chrome visors dont match, plus I noted something like metallic soles...really? Webb should've continued with these good things and instead improved just on stuff that was lacking in Raimi's movies - Spidey's trademark 'humour' and 'wisecracks' which made the character so like-able.
- osirisVIII
  
  Hi, just to say i liked SM 1&2 as well, and YES, part 3 messed it up big time. 1) the comic continuity has yet once again changed to using the mechanical shooters again after the Brand New Day Arc. And I reaaaally like the flaw of him running out of web fluid. It means he needs to be always one step ahead of the enemies. Makes for a great climax in any battle scene. cheers! Loving the new humorous spidey tho.
Maozni3

dude that is cool and wtf
orlyxx

i want those ws in the real life
Baku Boy28

How does he turn them on or reload the web shooters