Spider-Man: Brand New Day Art Book Draws Fan Backlash Over AI-Generated Imagery

The official Art of Spider-Man: Brand New Day book has sparked controversy after fans identified AI-generated artwork within its pages, even as the film crosses $2 billion at the global box office. The piece at the centre of the dispute — a cityscape titled "Big City, Little Spider" attributed to concept artist Scott McInnes — displays tell-tale AI artefacts including merged taxi cabs, disjointed fire escapes, and warped traffic lights.

The incident is part of a widening pattern in Hollywood, joining similar controversies around Supergirl, The Brutalist, and the Fantastic Four's promotional materials. Critics argue that selling an "art book" containing AI-generated visuals misrepresents the creative labour involved, while defenders see AI as an increasingly normalised production tool. The debate underscores growing tension between AI adoption in studio marketing pipelines and audience expectations of authentic, human-crafted concept art.