In Prince George, B.C., the Famous Players Six theatre faced a dilemma when they did not receive the promotional posters for the movie “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” Employee and artist Drake Landon came to the rescue in light of a shipping error that led to the missing posters.
Given the situation, Landon, a 19-year-old, was tasked by his manager to create a replacement poster inspired by the internet meme character Spooderman. Spooderman is a humorous, crudely drawn parody of Marvel’s Spider-Man that originated approximately in 2012.
Although Landon offered to draw a more traditional Spider-Man, he opted to embrace the Spooderman style to match the theme of “Brand New Day.” Alongside his rendition, Landon included a brief message apologizing for the absence of the official posters and any inconvenience caused.
The hand-drawn Spooderman poster by Landon caught the attention of movie-goer Adam Woodrow, who found it impressive during his visit to Famous Players with his son Rogan. Rogan even took a picture of Landon next to his creation and shared it on local community platforms.
The online buzz surrounding Landon’s Spooderman poster has been significant, attracting thousands of likes across various platforms, including the Marvel Studios subreddit with over 54,000 upvotes. Encouraged by the positive feedback, some have suggested that Landon should create more movie posters or sell his Spooderman artworks.
While Landon appreciates the recognition, he humbly credits the original idea of Spooderman to its creator from years ago, considering his rendition as a simple homage to the existing meme. In his free time, Landon prefers drawing robots, intricate machinery, and weapons.
Landon’s father, Craig, expressed pride in his son’s creative endeavor, noting that Drake has been honing his artistic skills for years. Despite the unexpected exposure and viral attention, Craig believes it’s a testament to Drake’s talent and the way digital media amplifies such stories.
Cineplex has confirmed that they will replace Landon’s Spooderman poster with the official “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” artwork but has plans to preserve the handmade version within the theatre. Meanwhile, Landon aspires to produce prints of his now-famous poster for personal enjoyment and sharing.