“Amazing Spider-Man 2” Viral Marketing Campaign Adds Shocker To List Of Possible Villains

As we get closer to the December 5 release of the first trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man 2, the viral marketing campaign continues to be updated. The last update reported on hydroelectric towers, the latest invention (and possible catalyst to turn Max Dillion into Electro) from OsCorp. We’ve also reported on the slight nods to villains like Ned Leeds (who was the Hobgoblin in the comics), and even Vemon himself. But now a new villain has appeared, and he is expected to shake things up.

That’s right, Shocker is the latest villain from Spider-Man’s Rogue Gallery to appear in the viral marketing campaign. Could this mean that he set to appear in Marc Webb’s Amazing Spider-Man universe, or is this just another marketing ploy? Hit the jump to read the full article and judge for yourself.

Now like our previous posts covering this viral marketing campaign, there is nothing that confirms that any of the villains mention would appear in the sequels. Sony is however supposedly using these films to build up to a giant battle between Spider-Man and the Sinister Six, and with Electro (Jamie Foxx), the Rhino (Paul Giamatti), and Green Goblin (either Chris Cooper or Dane DeHaan) all set to appear in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 next year, we should consider any villains mentioned in these faux reports as a strong possibility.

Here’s the full story from the Daily Bugle site.

The NYPD are the city’s greatest heroes, but sometimes even heroes are left scratching their heads. For instance, when $200,000 goes missing from the armored vault at G.K. Mason Bank.

Detective Stan Carter of the NYPD Major Crimes Unit was on scene to comment, stating, ”There’s still a lot we don’t know, but it looks like some kind of sustained vibration literally shook the door off its hinges and ripped the walls apart in the process.” Security cameras inside the bank were damaged upon the immediate forced entry of the robber, denying police a clear view of the perpetrator or the means of rupturing the vault.

When asked if the NYPD had concerns that the nature of the crime might indicate heightened super-human activity, Carter said, “There’s no evidence to point to that yet. When we catch him, we don’t expect anything more than a common crook with a clever toy.”

Vibrations from a common crook with a clever toy can only point to Shocker. Also known as Herman Schultz, was one of Spidey’s most formidable villains whose gauntlets can project a concentrated blast of compressed air that vibrates at an intense frequency, allowing him to attack at great distances.

In addition, these reports appearing on the Daily Bugle site are doing much more than expanding the universe, it is also bridging the gap between the first film and its sequel. It’s almost as if the viral marketing campaign is a unofficial story that any reader will benefit from, but also something that isn’t necessary to read (although you might want to considering that the Sinister Six is a possible story arc). Some of the gaps that have been filled contain stories about what happened to characters in the first Amazing Spider-Man. As some may recall, Dr. Rajit Ratha (Irrfan Khan) mysteriously disappeared in the first film, leaving fans to wonder what happened to the character. Footage that was cut from the film revealed that he was killed by the Lizard in the sewers, and that is what the viral site is running with (hey at least they are consistent).

Directed by Marc Webb, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 also stars Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. Sony has scheduled the film for a May 2, 2014 release.