In a move that would thrillFriends' goofy paleontologist Ross Geller, the superhero he made up in childhood is officialMarvel Comicscanon. Running from 1994 to 2004,Friendsis one of the most influential TV shows of all time. However, it still took almost two decades after the show’s end for Ross' childhood vision to enter the age of the superhero.
In season 9, episode 15’s ‘The One With the Mugging,‘Ross and Phoebe are robbed at gunpoint, only for Phoebe to recognize their attacker. The incident leads to the revelation that Phoebe mugged Ross as a child, long before the two met as adults. While Phoebe’s admission causes a rift, it’s healed when she reveals that she kept Ross’ homemade comicScience Boy.
Phoebe claims that not only did she thinkScience Boymight be worth something one day, but that Ross' superhero even taught her about science, thanks to his"superhuman thirst for knowledge.“Ross' sincere response to her enjoyment suggests he’d be elated to know that his superhero now exists in the Marvel Universe.
Ross Geller’s Science Boy Exists in Marvel Comics
Dimitri Krakov Serves the God of Science
Dimitri the Science Boy is the son of cosmonauts who were lost in a parallel dimension, growing up as a genius child in the Soviet Union before being initiated into a secret scientific order. While his white suit isn’t anything like Ross Geller’s caped design,Dimitriisa scientific genius, and wields an advanced piece of tech known as the Thing-of-Order.
This personal computer can take many different forms, folding and unfolding like origami. It’s capable of acting as a gun, a drone and a pocket encyclopedia containing all available information in the universe, powered by an advanced AI.
Dimitri was introduced as the co-star of Jonathan Hickman and Valerio Schiti’sG.O.D.S.This 2023 series revealed twopreviously unknown gods in Marvel lore, known as The-Powers-That-Be (the embodiment of magic) and The-Natural-Order-of-Things (the embodiment of science.) The two gods exist in a cosmic Cold War, only acting on Earth via their human servants.
Dimitri Krakov the Science Boy bridges two groups - the 100 Centivars who serve science, and the single Avatar who serves magic. As part of a ceasefire agreement, one of the Centivars accompanies the Avatar at all times as a"chained apprentice”, acting as a combination sidekick and warden, and Dimitri was chosen for the honor.
While helping Wyn solve various magical problems, Dimitri also has the personal mission of placing tiny signal devices of his own design all over the Marvel Universe to try and triangulate his parents' location and finally rescue them. Thanks to the twisty narrative ofG.O.D.S., it’s unclear where Dimitri is currently in Marvel canon, but he’s most likely trapped in the same dimension as his parents. Weirdly, Marvel’s Science Boy isn’t the only hero with links toFriends…
Friends' Version of Spider-Man Also Exists in Marvel Lore
“It’s not his last name… It’s not like Phil Spiderman.”
While Ross' Science Boy is a real hero in Marvel lore, it’s actuallyPhoebewho has the connection to another legit superhero. In season 3, episode 19’s ‘The One with the Tiny T-Shirt’, Phoebe asks Chandler why Spider-Man’s codename isn’t pronounced as one word. Chandler jokes that it isn’t a last name like ‘Silverman’, stating"It’s not like ‘Phil Spiderman.’ He’s a spider man."
While Chandler was right at the time, 2022’sEdge of Spider-Verse #4flipped the script. In a story from Jordan Blum and Michael Shelfer, fans are introduced to"Pete Spiderman.“This Spider-Verse hero is from a universe where very little happens, protecting his suburban neighborhood from threats including the Green Lawn Goblin and Kraven the Homeflipper.
The wider Spider-Verse is a wild place where even cars and dinosaurs can be versions of Peter Parker, but Pete Spiderman is definitely its most boring denizen - a schlubby, fannypack-wearing good Samaritan who still wants the best for those around him.It’s unclear whether Science Boy or Pete Spiderman were directly influenced byFriends, but one Marvel character whodefinitelywas is… Courtney Cox?!
Even Friends' Actors Are Part of Marvel Lore
Iron Man Is Personal Friends With Courtney Cox
As a billionaire playboy, it’s become a running joke inIron Mancomics that Tony Stark knows a lot of real-life celebrities, fromCanadian politician Justin Trudeauto fashion designer Tim Gunn. However, the best cameo forFriendsfans came inIron Man volume 3 #13, when it’s revealed that Tony Stark is personal friends with Courtney Cox and David Schwimmer.
As Tony dines out with colleague and friend Rumiko Fujikawa, a woman who looks distinctly like Cox approaches the table, stating,“David and I would love to catch up.“While Cox’s name understandably isn’t used directly, Rumiko is left starstruck by the visit, which - in a comic published in 1998 - took place at the height ofFriends' popularity.
But despite multiple heroic references and even being friends with the literal stars, Marvel’s connection toFriendscan’t beat the connection DC has to another iconic sitcom…
Marvel’s Love of Friends Will Never Equal the DC/Seinfeld Love Affair
Jerry Seinfeld’s Love of Superman Has Resulted in Multiple Back-and-Forth References
Despite Marvel’s links toFriends, DC will always have an even more intense relationship withSeinfeld. Running from 1989 to 1998,Seinfeldoften references Superman, purely due to actor and co-writer Jerry Seinfeld’s love of the character. Superman statues and references appear acrossSeinfeld’s nine seasons, andSeinfeld and Superman even co-starredin 2004 adverts for American Express, where the two were depicted as friends.
This relationship is by no means ancient history - in 2021, Superman and Seinfeld reunited in Dan Mora’s variant cover forBatman/Superman: World’s Finest #1, depicting the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel attending their own version of Seinfeld’s Netflix hitComedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
The DC/Seinfeld relationship is unassailable, as the two have referenced each other countless times, however Marvel has also included references to the celebrated sitcom. In 2025’sAmazing Spider-Man #1, Peter Parker sneaks into the New York apartment of the villainous Rhino, with fans noticing that Pepe Larraz’s art recreates the classicSeinfeldsetting.
Having been around for over 80 years, Marvel’s stories include countless references to pop culture, from 30 RockandSaturday Night LivetoFriday the 13thandStar Wars. However,Friendsseems to have a particular talent for predicting futureMarvel Comicsheroes, from Dimitri the Science Boy to Pete Spiderman.
