or anyone in the persistent man-boy state of comic book geekdom, the announcement of a game based on the Ultimate Spider-Man series is freakin’ huge. Ever since its launch in 1999, Ultimate Spider-Man has been a consistent top-seller both in single issues and trade paperback collections. In fact, its ridiculous success has spawned several other Ultimate series based on Marvel comics’ other key franchises like the X-Men and the Fantastic Four.

However, those not in the comics loop may wonder what’s so ultimate about Ultimate. This is basically an attempt on Marvel’s part to start fresh with their iconic characters. Origins are reimagined, decades of continuity are thrown out the window, and all of the best villains and story arcs are cherry picked from the past 40-odd years. Specifically in Spider-Man’s case, he is now a scrawny teenager instead of a full-grown man. And instead of starting at the Daily Bugle as a photographer, Ultimate Peter Parker works as a web designer. Get the picture?

It is this fresh look and storytelling that Activision is trying to capture for the Ultimate Spider-Man game. “We wanted to take everything that you see in the comic books and put it up there on the screen and let the player experience that,” producer Brian Pass said. “And that goes from the way we design the levels to the fighting system that you see, to the villains that we bring to the table, the art style, the way that we tell the story. That all revolves around creating a living comic book experience.”

Even the codpiece is invincible

Even though the game looks like it’s ripped straight from the comics, whatever you do, don’t call it cel shaded. The designers believe their character models are so far removed from traditional cel shading that they came up with a new name for what they’ve accomplished: 3D Comic Inking Technology. With this method character models contain features like dynamic interior black inking to show an impressive amount of muscle definition. And the comic book touches don’t end there. Pop-up comic panels that appear onscreen during gameplay not only look cool, but they also highlight objectives that need finishing and boss weaknesses, among other things.

You may recognize the free roaming web slinging from Spidey’s last game, the best-selling Spider-Man 2 movie adaptation, but you’d probably rather forget about some of the more bland random missions and lack of unlockables. Well, Activision has promised that this time around the objectives will be spicier, and unlockables will be plentiful. We witnessed Spider-Man rescue several distressed citizens in a row using a unique debris-lifting mini game. On the Xbox demo we saw, players alternately press the left and right shoulder buttons to build up enough power to lift up an errant car off of a citizen’s legs. The crazy amount of unlockables include most of the Ultimate Spider-Man series’ covers, alternate costumes, and concept art.

But we haven’t even touched on one of the coolest additions in the game yet. In addition to controlling everyone’s favorite webslinger, you also get to play as one of the best comic villains of all time, Venom. Since he’s bigger and stronger than Spider-Man, Venom can toss cars like they’re water balloons, and perform giant leaps that smash the pavement every time he lands. For even faster travel, he can swing through the city using his black goopy suit. While Spider-Man spends most of his time trying to help everyone, Venom just wants to eat them. Since the Venom suit slowly feeds on the guy inside, Eddie Brock, his life bar decreases over time. To stay alive he must consume the random citizens walking all around the city. Don’t worry, ESRB. Venom spits them right back out with nothing more than a huge headache to remember him by.

Love... me...

In one of his early battles right in the middle of Times Square, Venom takes on Electro for the right to kill a freshly unconscious Spider-Man. In addition to a full array of melee attacks, Venom can bust fire hydrants to dull Electro’s powers, or stun him with a well-placed Volkswagen. It would also probably be smart to destroy all of the electric signs and street lights to prevent Electro from recharging his health.

But Venom isn’t the only one with his hands full. We also saw Spider-Man take on the massive Rhino. Seriously, our wall crawler only goes up to this guy’s knee. Oh, and he’s pretty much invulnerable to your attacks. The only way to stop this walking tank is to trick him into charging into some wet cement, and smashing him with a wrecking ball. This reveals an electrified weak spot on Rhino’s back that you can grab onto and smash away at.

Ultimate Spider-Man not only includes a fully living and breathing comic book Manhattan (complete with the Baxter Building and Empire State University), but also the borough of Queens where Peter Parker calls home. You’ll be able to visit Aunt May, or perhaps meet up with Mary Jane for a make out sesh.

For all of you Ultimate Spider-Man fans that are wondering, “What’s in it for me?”, rest assured that Activision worked closely with the original series writer and artist, Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley, respectively. In fact, the story is entirely new and integrated keenly within continuity. It takes place a few months after the Venom story arc and even includes the fateful final battle between Spider-Man and Venom on the school football field as an introductory tutorial. They even plan to finally reveal the full circumstances behind Peter Parker and Eddie Brock’s fathers’ deaths – a major mystery in the series. In addition to promises of multiple cameos from other superheroes and villains from the Ultimate universe, we also caught wind of two Spider-man villains who have yet to be “Ultimatized” in the comics making their debut in the game.

Developers estimate that this adventure could conceivably take around 20 hours to beat and unlock everything when it comes out this September/October (somewhere in that zone). It seems that if they can take everything that was fun about Spider-Man 2, and pump it up we could have a really great game on our hands. And while you’re waiting for the release, use the opportunity to catch up on your Ultimate Spider-Man back issues. You’re already 81 issues behind.