Infinite Justice 

This analysis of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is through a queer lens that informs this particular reading of the film. I neither claim these are intentional inclusions on part of the creators nor believe that such intentions are necessary for an interpretation to be meaningful. This interpretation has some previous context as the Spider-Man franchise is often read as a story about identity through development. With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s see why the masks Spider-people wear are allegorical to both a safe space and the closet. But in true Spider-verse narrative style, we should recap the events that are going to be referenced later in this essay. Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), the son of Lieutenant Davis (Brian Tyree Henry) and Rio Morales (Lauren Vélez), was bitten by a radioactive spider and has been the Spider-Man of Earth-1610. His Spider-manly activities make his parents suspicious of him. Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) was similarly bitten by a spider and turned into Spider-Woman on Earth-65, where she lives with her father, Captain Stacy (Shea Whigham). Captain Stacy does not approve of Spider-Woman and in fact suspects her for the murder of Gwen’s best friend, Peter Parker.