You’ve seen it. Even if you aren't a comic book nerd or a movie buff, you’ve definitely seen it. Two—or three, or twenty—costumed heroes standing in a circle, arms outstretched, fingers accusingly aimed at one another. It’s the Spiderman pointing meme. It’s basically the universal shorthand for hypocrisy, identity theft, or that weird moment you run into someone wearing the exact same outfit at a party.
But where did it actually come from?
Most people assume it’s a modern creation or some clever edit from the 1990s animated series. Honestly, it’s much older than that. It’s a relic from 1967. Specifically, an episode titled "Double Identity." In that episode, a villain named Charles Cameo tries to impersonate our favorite wall-crawler to steal some art. Peter Parker catches him. They point. History is made.
It’s hilarious how a low-budget animation error (or stylistic choice, if we’re being generous) from the sixties became the most recognizable piece of pop culture communication in the 2020s.
The Anatomy of the 1967 Original
The 1967 Spider-Man show was... something else. It had a tiny budget. It reused frames constantly. If you watch the original "Double Identity" clip, the animation is stiff. Peter Parker confronts the impostor in front of a truck. They both strike the pose.
"That man is an impostor!" one cries.
"That man is the impostor!" the other retorts.
It wasn't meant to be funny back then. It was just a standard trope of the "evil twin" or "impersonator" storyline that has existed since humans started telling stories. But the internet has a way of finding the unintentional comedy in everything. Around 2011, the image started floating around on message boards like 4chan and Reddit. It was used to mock people who were arguing over things while being guilty of the same behavior.
It grew. It mutated. By the time we hit the mid-2010s, it was a staple of Twitter (now X) discourse. Politicians were using it. Brands were using it. It became a way to call out "the pot calling the kettle black" without actually having to type out a single word.
Why This Specific Image Won the Internet
There are thousands of frames from 1960s cartoons. Why this one?
Basically, it’s the composition. The symmetry is perfect. It creates a visual loop that your brain recognizes instantly. Also, the stakes feel high but the art looks cheap. That contrast is the sweet spot for internet humor.
It’s about the "Mirror" Effect
We live in a polarized world. Everyone is constantly accusing everyone else of the same sins. The Spiderman pointing meme captures that frustration perfectly. When two political parties accuse each other of "spreading misinformation," the comments section is immediately flooded with that 60s animation cell.
It’s a linguistic shortcut.
It’s also surprisingly versatile. You can add more Spidermans. You can crop them into different backgrounds. You can put hats on them. I’ve seen versions with four Spidermans, ten Spidermans, even versions where they’re pointing at a mirror. It’s a template that never breaks.
Into the Spider-Verse and the Ultimate Meta Moment
Usually, when a meme gets too big, the original creators or the companies that own the IP try to ignore it or, worse, "cringe-ify" it by trying to be hip. Sony and Marvel took a different path. They leaned in. Hard.
In 2018, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse hit theaters. It was a masterpiece of animation. But the real treat was the post-credits scene. We see Miguel O'Hara (Spider-Man 2099) travel back to "Earth-67."
He lands right in front of the 1967 Spiderman.
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They start pointing.
They start arguing about who pointed first.
The theater I was in erupted. It was a rare moment where a billion-dollar studio acknowledged internet culture without it feeling forced or "fellow kids"-ish. They knew we knew. And they gave us what we wanted.
The No Way Home Recreation
Then came 2021. Spider-Man: No Way Home. This was the big one. Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire all on screen together. Fans were practically begging for the meme to happen.
Initially, there was a small version of it in the movie during a lab scene where they’re trying to figure out which "Peter" someone is talking to. It was subtle. But the fans wanted the full, iconic pose.
Sony eventually released a promotional photo of the three actors in their respective suits, standing in a circle, recreateing the Spiderman pointing meme in live action. It became one of the most liked promotional images in social media history.
Why? Because it validated a decade of internet jokes. It bridged the gap between a clunky 1967 cartoon and a multi-billion dollar modern franchise.
The Psychological Hook: Why We Can't Stop Pointing
There’s actually some interesting psychology behind why we love this image so much. It’s called "The Narcissism of Small Differences." This is a term coined by Sigmund Freud, suggesting that we reserve our most intense rivalries for people who are actually very similar to us.
When two Spidermans point at each other, they aren't pointing at a villain. They are pointing at a reflection.
- Identical Twins: It represents the struggle for individuality.
- Corporate Branding: When two companies offer the exact same service but claim the other is a "knockoff."
- Internet Arguments: When two people with almost identical beliefs find one tiny thing to fight about.
It captures the absurdity of human conflict. We are often fighting our own shadows.
Beyond the Webs: Other Pointing Memes
Spider-Man doesn't own the "pointing" market entirely, though he's definitely the CEO. You’ve probably seen the Leo DiCaprio pointing meme from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Or the woman yelling at a cat.
But none of them have the longevity of the Spiderman pointing meme.
The DiCaprio meme is about recognition ("Hey, I know that!"). The cat meme is about unhinged conflict. But the Spiderman meme is about identity. That’s a much deeper well to draw from.
How to Use the Meme Without Being "Cringe"
If you're a creator or just someone trying to be funny on the timeline, there’s an art to this. You can't just throw the image at everything.
- Timing is everything. Use it when someone is being a total hypocrite.
- Contextualize it. If you’re talking about two similar video games coming out on the same day, that’s a perfect use case.
- The "Three-Way" Variation. Use the No Way Home version if there are three competing ideas. It adds a layer of modern relevance.
Honestly, the meme is so baked into our collective consciousness that it’s hard to mess up. It’s the "Hello World" of internet culture.
The Future of the Point
Will we still be using this in 2030? Probably.
As long as there are people acting like hypocrites and as long as there are multiple versions of things, the Spiderman pointing meme stays relevant. It has survived the transition from 4chan to Reddit to Twitter to mainstream Hollywood.
It’s one of the few things that unites "Old Internet" and "New Internet."
If you want to dive deeper into the history of the 1967 show, check out the credits for "Double Identity." It was directed by Grant Simmons, Ray Patterson, and Sid Marcus. They had no idea they were creating a digital language for the 21st century. They were just trying to finish an episode on a shoe-string budget.
Sometimes, greatness is accidental.
Actionable Insights for Using Memes in Communication
- Audit your brand voice: If you're using this for a business, make sure it fits. If you’re a serious law firm, maybe skip the 60s Spiderman. If you’re a tech startup, go for it.
- Check the source: Always make sure you aren't using a "deepfried" or low-quality version of the image unless that's the specific aesthetic you're going for.
- Know the meta: Understand that using the No Way Home version implies a different level of "epicness" than the 1967 version, which is more about silliness.
- Keep it simple: The best memes don't need five paragraphs of text over them. Let the pointing fingers do the heavy lifting.