Spider-Man might be able to do whatever a spider can, but in the case of this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, we can’t say that we’ve ever seen an arachnid with quads like the ones our favorite web-slinger will have when he makes his return to the famed turkey day celebration after a 10-year absence. Spider-Man’s first appearance in the annual parade came in 1987, and he was a yearly fixture until 1998, when his balloon was retired. The Marvel character returned in 2009, but was put out to pasture once more in 2014, and hasn’t been seen since.
Per Polygon, Spidey is back this year with a new design that was based on drawings by celebrated artist John Romita Sr., who took over for Steve Ditko in 1966 with The Amazing Spider-Man issue #39. It’s the first time in history that a Spider-Man balloon has been based on one specific style, and for Will Coss – executive producer at Macy’s – he said that when it was confirmed that Spider-Man would be returning this year, there was really no other option.
“It was John the whole way through. I think we knew early on that this was the approach, the style. Once we had an opportunity to confirm that we were going to be fortunate enough to have Spider-Man return to the parade, we keyed in on it early.”
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Romita Sr.’s take on the character was a much bolder approach than Ditko’s, featuring wider eyes and a more muscular frame compared to the leaner, gymnast look that the former became known for. Coss adds that Spidey brings “a whole new kind of energy and, uh, muscular dynamic to the parade this year,” and he’s not lying.
I have to say, I’m not sure if you’ve seen any of the renderings, or any of our test flights, but he is a pretty impressive balloon.
What’s Up With Spider-Man’s Thighs?
Macy’s Studios
Obviously, the first thing that sticks out when you look at the image above is the quad muscles in Spider-Man’s thighs, which clearly show that he’s not been skipping leg day in his absence from the parade. He also has a more dynamic pose this year compared to previous incarnations, which mirrored him crawling up the side of a building. Coss shared that the design process for this year’s balloon took months to complete, revealing that those buff thighs were the focal point of everyone’s attention.
“We started with a couple of sketches, and a couple of poses of a couple of different ways that we’d extend the arm, and the hand, and ‘Was it going to be on the angle?’ The muscular tone within the thighs, we specifically spent a lot of time on.”
Needless to say, all eyes will be on Spider-Man and his thighs when he makes his return to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year. If you’re not able to attend in person, you can check out all the fun when it airs on NBC and Peacock starting at 8:30 a.m. EST on Nov. 28, and look for Spider-Man 4 to hit theaters in 2026.
Spider-Man Homecoming 4
Release Date July 24, 2026
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