Spider-Man has been a regular staple in Capcom’s crossover Vs. Series of games, appearing in Marvel Super Heroes, Marvel Super Heroes Vs. Street Fighter and all four Marvel Vs. Capcom games. Something that isn’t touched on in Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite that came out this week is that technically, the Spider-Man as he appears in those games died between the events of Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 and Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite. In the Spider-Verse event that started in 2014 and concluded in 2015, Spider-Men, Ham and Women from across the multiverse were being hunted by a villain named Morlun and a group called the Inheritors who feed on the essence of those with spider-themed powers. In the tie-in book, Spider-Verse #2 there was a short story featured in that issue starring Spider-Man of Earth-30847 who used some familiar moves when confronted by Morlun:

The issue concludes with Morlun seemingly killing the Spider-Man of that universe:

While the issue never implicitly states that the Spider-Man of that universe died, Spider-Man writer Dan Slott tweeted this the day the issue came out:

Out today: SILVER SURFER #8 Things will NEVER be the same. Honest. & SPIDER-VERSE #2 I kill ANOTHER Spidey! :-O WHY?! Why would I do that?!!

In Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite, Spider-Man is seemingly alive and well and there’s no explanation in the game’s story as to why. I guess as long as there’s someone to pop in another quarter or hit a continue button, does a character in a fighting game ever truly die?