Spider-Man has multiple villains but only 10 of them stand out as the Web Slinger’s greatest adversaries. (Photo property of Marvel Comics)
By: Jacob Elyachar
My series on Spider-Man’s 50th anniversary continues as I countdown the Wall Crawler’s greatest and deadliest opponents.
10. Mysterio
Our countdown begins with Mysterio, the Master of Illusion. Former stuntman and special effects master Quentin Beck became a criminal when he found out that his job was a dead-end. He frequently thought with the Wall Crawler multiple times by himself and with various versions of the Sinister Six.
Mysterio has appeared in multiple cartoon series including fan-favorite series including the 1990s Spider-Man: the Animated Series and the short-lived Spectacular Spider-Man. To watch the Wall Crawler take on Mysterio in the 2001 video game, click here: http://youtu.be/3SYBzZfhP_s
9. Carnage
Back in 1991, writer David Michelinie and Mark Bagley created the deadly offspring of the Venom Symbiote. His name: Carnage. The deadly symbiote bonded to murder Cletus Kassady and they begin a vendetta against Spider-Man, Venom and eventually New York City.
Carnage has been adapted in multiple T.V. cartoons, video games and is featured in the Broadway production of Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark. Spider-Man tackled Carnage in four different episodes. To see this battle, click here: http://youtu.be/dc7qFjuFlrc
8. Hobgoblin
In Amazing Spider-Man #238, the Wall Crawler battled the Hobgoblin for the very first time. Multiple people wore the Hobgoblin’s mask but only billionaire Roderick Kingsley is the most popular version of the character. Unfortunately, Kingsley was decapitated by the current Hobgoblin: Phil Urich.
Hobgoblin appeared in multiple seasons of Spider-Man: the Animated Series and was voiced by Mark Hamill and was a supporting antagonist in multiple video games. To see the evolution of Hobgoblin, click here: http://youtu.be/IG1ZJU-Xkzc
7. The Lizard
One of Spider-Man’s ferocious and deadliest opponents is the Lizard. He was one of the Web Head’s first villains and the reptilian has always raised the stakes every time they collide. Tragically, the Lizard’s alter ego is one of Spider-Man’s greatest allies: Dr. Curt Connors. Lizard returned to the pages of Amazing Spider-Man and Spider-Man joined forces with another foe: Morbius, the Living Vampire to cure Curt Connors of his animal instincts.
The Lizard has been featured in multiple media adaptations. While Dylan Baker played Dr. Curt Connors in two of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films, it is Rhys Ifans, who portrays both the scientist and his monstrous alter ego. Click here to watch a trailer featuring the Lizard: http://youtu.be/o3mIkVEGEN4
6. Jackal
Imagine if you have a favorite teacher. You study with them for years but then discover their darkest secret and they are targeting you for death. This profile matches Dr. Miles Warren a.k.a. the Jackal. Warren blamed Spider-Man for the late Gwen Stacy’s death and made the Wall Crawler’s life a living hell by cloning Stacy but also multiple clones of Peter Parker. Recently, the Jackal returned to Amazing Spider-Man and was a main antagonist in the Spider Island crossover event.
5. The Kingpin
Marvel’s ruthless crime boss is Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime. Bullied as a child due to his obesity, Fisk began to train in combat and rose to become one of the most feared mob bosses in New York. While he has locked horns with the X-Men, Captain America and Daredevil, Kingpin has always been a deadly opponent of Spider-Man and came close to defeating Spider-Man when he ordered a hit on the Wall Crawler’s alter ego during the end of Marvel’s Civil War. His assassin failed to kill him but almost killed Aunt May.
Like most of Spider-Man’s opponents, Kingpin has been featured in multiple forms in media but he was heavily featured in Spider-Man: the Animated Series and was voiced by the late Roscoe Lee Brown. While he has not made an appearance in a Spider-Man film, Michael Clarke Duncan portrayed the mob boss in Daredevil.
To watch Brown’s take on the Kingpin click here: http://youtu.be/S83v-H156TQ or to watch Duncan’s portrayal of the Kingpin, click here: http://youtu.be/t5YtfXUXEYI
4. Kraven the Hunter
These next four antagonists have successfully brought Spider-man to his knees multiple times. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Dikto, Kraven evolved from a joke to a full-on threat when he successfully defeated Spider-Man and buried him alive while taking his place in the classic Kraven’s Last Hunt. While he committed suicide, his family continued on his deadly legacy that lead to Grim Hunt, where they successfully resurrected him to carry on his mission to make Spider-Man’s life miserable.
Kraven has been featured in multiple cartoons including Spider-Man: the Animated Series, where Gregg Berger voiced him. To learn Kraven’s origin, click here: http://youtu.be/tagq0_KbuA0
3. Venom
How could a simple costume turn into Spider-Man’s most horrifying opponent? Well it all started back during the 12-issue crossover series Secret Wars when Spider-Man received a new costume. Unknown to everyone, the costume was actually the Venom Symbiote, who bonded with him. Eventually, Peter found out the truth and got rid of it. However, the rejected symbiote found a new host in the vengeful Eddie Brock and they became Venom.
Venom was one of the very few villains who knew that Spider-Man was Peter Parker and he stalked many of Peter’s friends and family. While the Venom Symbiote is under Flash Thompson’s control in the comics, Eddie Brock left a mark on Parker’s psyche. Topher Grace played Venom in Spider-Man 3, to watch his performance, click here: http://youtu.be/6esTsCIURqk
2. Doctor Octopus
One of Spider-Man’s oldest adversaries is Doctor Octopus. Doc Ock made his debut in Amazing Spider-Man (Volume One)’s third issue. Otto Octavius was a respected nuclear physicist who created four tentacle-like arms and after a lab explosion, he was bonded to them. He became a criminal mastermind who constantly battled Spider-Man and multiple Marvel heroes. In the late 2000s, his body began to deteriorate and he built himself a new armor with more tentacles than ever before and planned his final battle with his longtime foe.
Like several of his adversaries, Doctor Octopus has been featured in countless of Spider-Man comics and media. Back in 2004, Alfred Molina delivered a brilliant portrayal of the villain in Spider-Man 2. To watch one of the best scenes of the movie, which is a confrontation on a train, click here: http://youtu.be/z00fTwhmYX0
1. Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin
Spider-Man’s ultimate nemesis is Norman Osborn and his murderous alter ego: the Green Goblin. The Goblin debuted back in the 14th issue of the Amazing Spider-Man and began to make Spider-Man’s life a living hell for next decade. Osborn’s villainous actions included murdering both Gwen Stacy and Ben Riley, kidnapping Aunt May, hunting Marvel’s heroes while being in charge of national security and manipulating the Sentry into destroying Asgard.
While multiple actors have either voiced or portrayed the Goblin in multiple forms of media, Oscar-nominated actor Willem Dafoe gave the definitive performance of Green Goblin in the first film. Click here to watch the final battle between Spider-Man and the Goblin in Ted Raimi’s Spider-Man: http://youtu.be/kOrnEFPxhUY
To learn more about Spider-Man’s foes, visit Marvel’s Website: http://marvel.com/
I do not own any of these clips featured in this article. They belong to Marvel Comics and Sony Pictures.
Many fans think that the Green Goblin, Venom and Doctor Octopus are Spider-Man’s greatest adversaries. (Art by Mark Bagley; Property of Marvel Comics)
