Spider-Man is swinging into a whole new web of trouble in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Since we last saw Tom Holland's Peter Parker, he's faced off against a rogues' gallery that includes Scorpion (Michael Mando) and assassins like Boomerang, Tarantula, and the Hand ninjas. But those red-clad foes might just be a distraction from a much bigger threat lurking in the shadows.
Detective Jean DeWolff (Liza Colón-Zayas) is investigating a string of crimes across New York City, and her evidence board—briefly on display at a pop-up in Brooklyn—offers some juicy Easter eggs. Among the clues are crime boss Tombstone (Marvin "Krondon" Jones III) and a masked man in a suit and glasses: the Rose. In Marvel comics, the Rose is Richard Fisk, son of the Kingpin of Crime, Wilson Fisk. That's right—the son of Daredevil's archnemesis is stepping into the spotlight.
How Daredevil: Born Again Sets the Stage
By the end of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) outed himself as Daredevil to take down Mayor Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio) in court. With Murdock in jail and Fisk in self-exile, a power vacuum has opened up. The Hand is resurging, and Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) is dealing with the fallout in The Punisher: One Last Kill. Enter the Rose—just like in the comics, where Fisk's absence sparked a gang war for control of New York's underworld.
In the classic Amazing Spider-Man #284 (1987), the "Gang War" arc began after the Kingpin disappeared. Richard Fisk, who once masqueraded as the Schemer, donned the purple mask of the Rose and formed a shaky alliance with the Hobgoblin. Meanwhile, crime lords like Silvermane and Hammerhead fought for territory, while Fisk's right-hand man, the Arranger, hired Jack O'Lantern to take out rivals. It was a bloody mess—and the MCU could be heading for a similar showdown.
Spider-Man 5: A Crossover with Daredevil and the Punisher
In Brand New Day, Spider-Man turns to the Punisher for help, but Castle is more of a loose cannon than an ally. In the comics, a black-suited Spider-Man clashed with Punisher during the gang war—Castle saw the violence as a chance for gangs to wipe each other out, while Spidey tried to save lives. Daredevil also objected, arguing that Fisk's stabilizing influence was necessary and that justice should come through the law. The blind lawyer even teamed up with Spider-Man, Black Cat, and the Falcon to end the war in Amazing Spider-Man #288.
If the MCU follows this path, Spider-Man 5 could pit Peter against both Daredevil and the Punisher, forcing him to choose between his ideals and the brutal reality of crime-fighting. And with Fisk gone, the Rose might be the new Kingpin—unless the real Kingpin returns to reclaim his throne.
Who Is the Rose? A Brand New Foe for Spider-Man
The Rose isn't just a minor villain—he's a key player in Spider-Man lore. In the comics, Fisk knew his son's secret identity and manipulated events to end the gang war, even offering his lieutenants to the police as a token of goodwill. The MCU could twist this: with Vanessa Fisk (Ayelet Zurer) off the board and no son in sight, the Rose might be a completely new character—or a familiar face in disguise.
Whatever happens, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is setting up a street-level epic that could rival the best superhero films. With Daredevil, Punisher, and a new Kingpin in the mix, the MCU's New York is about to get a lot more dangerous.
