The Press Release:
This Thanksgiving, Spider-Man makes his grand return to the streets and skies of New York City! Set to debut during Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® on November 28th, Marvel and Macy’s will premiere an all-new Spider-Man balloon, inspired by and in honor of the iconic art style of comic book legend John Romita Sr.
For the first time in a decade, Spider-Man will bring Marvel back to one of New York City’s most iconic events, celebrating Marvel and Spider-Man’s roots in New York, the home of Marvel and its 85-year comic book history.
“Ever since Marvel Comics #1 hit stands in 1939, Marvel’s home has always been New York. So when the opportunity to work with Macy’s came about to bring one of our most iconic characters back to one of the most emblematic events of New York City, we knew this was the perfect fit for Spidey and our brand’s legacy,” said Chris Fondacaro, Head of Marvel Franchise. “We’re absolutely thrilled to celebrate our roots and our fans while honoring one of the most indelible comic book creators from Marvel Comics: John Romita Sr.”
“Fans will be delighted to see Spider-Man swinging back into the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome everyone’s favorite web-slinger to this year’s spectacular balloon lineup,” said Jordan Dabby, producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “Just like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Spider-Man is a true New York City icon, and I can’t wait for live spectators and viewers across the country to erupt in excitement as Spidey soars high above the streets of the Big Apple on Thanksgiving morning.”
As an unparalleled Marvel artist and art director, John Romita Sr.’s art and creative vision of Spider-Man remains one of the most globally recognized versions of the character to date. While many incredible artists brought Peter Parker/Spider-Man to life over decades, John Romita Sr. created some of the most definitive eras Spider-Man, including many of Spidey’s classic cast, rogues gallery, and love interests like Mary Jane. For this iteration of Spider-Man, artisans from Macy’s Parade Studio collaborated closely with Marvel to bring John Romita Sr.’s iconic design to life.
Spider-Man was co-created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, first appearing in Amazing Fantasy #15 in 1962. After going on to headline his own comic book series, Amazing Spider-Man, and many others, Spider-Man became a cornerstone of the Marvel Universe. Since his first appearance, New York’s friendly neighborhood hero has gone on to become one of the most globally recognized characters in history, starring in comic book series, video games, films, television, animation, toys, and beyond. Amazing Spider-Man continues to be one of the top-selling comics in the comic book industry.
Spider-Man first debuted in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1981, later making his debut as Marvel’s first larger-than-life balloon in 1987. Spidey quickly became a favorite of Parade watchers and fans at other events for over a decade. After the original balloon was retired, Spidey made his return to the Parade in 2009, running as part of the Parade until 2014.
The 98th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will air Thursday, November 28th in the U.S. on NBC and stream on Peacock. Check local listings for details. For more information, visit macys.com/parade. To follow and participate in the excitement, check out @macys on various social platforms and follow #MacysParade.
About Marvel: Marvel is one of the world’s most prominent entertainment brands, built on an unparalleled library of iconic characters and stories that have shaped pop culture for 85 years. The Marvel brand spans entertainment, including film, television, publishing, licensing, games, live events, digital media, and more.
About Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a national icon that has grown into a world-famous holiday event. Since 1924, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has marked the official start of the holiday season. Growing in size and scale, the Parade features Macy’s signature giant character balloons, fabulous floats, incredible marching bands, celebrities, clowns, dance and performance groups, and the one and only Santa Claus, spreading holiday cheer. For more information on the Macy’s Parade, please visit www.macys.com/parade (linked below).
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PiercingMetal Thoughts: I won’t add much to this but will say that one of the things I love most about the holiday season is sitting back and enjoying the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Now I should admit that while I have long had an interest in attending I never have because there are far too many people crushing together. I once knew a guy who would get there at 4AM and just bundle up in their good spot until it was go time. So I cannot say that I remember when the original Spider-Man balloon debuted since 1981 feels like 100 years ago but I am sure that I watched that broadcast and that it excited the diehard comic book fan at the time. Have you readers ever braved this parade in person? If so do please chime in down below in the comments. Wrapping up I wonder if this will be broadcast at the upcoming New York Comic Con. I’ll be attending that event so will be able to find out soon enough. Thanks for reading as always you folks please keep safe out there. Until we meet again, which of course will be soon since we publish so often.
Official: http://www.marvel.com
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Official: http://www.macys.com/parade