Top 10 Spider-Man Villains

Written by Shiggins

My hero...'s villains!

I grew up with Spider-Man, or more specifically the 90s animated series on Fox Kids. And I've been reading, watching, playing and absorbing as much Spider-Man merchandise as possible since then. So obviously, I'm super-excited for my copy of the PS4 Spider-Man game coming out on September 7th! To celebrate the release, I'm showing you all my top 10 favourite Spider-Man villains! Post your own in the comments below!

Note: Mild spoilers for the comics below. And no, the idiot who wrote "One More Day" isn't on this list.

I've read enough fanfiction to know where this goes.

10. Maxwell Dillon/Electro

Poor Max. Starting off as a humble electrician, given powers by a freaky bolt of lightning and he gets beat up by Spider-Man because he does what we'd all do in this situation... become a mass-murdering criminal! It's so unfair, guys! Often considered one of Spider-Man's most enduring foes, Electro has been around since 1964 and shows no sign of stopping any time soon.

Who needs Jamie Foxx when you have graphics like this?

He's joined the Sinister Six in almost every incarnation, has appeared in several of the cartoons throughout the years, was a major antagonist in 2014's Amazing Spider-Man 2, and he even got the honour of being the main title villain in the PS1 classic "Spider-Man: Enter Electro!". He might not be as big as the others on this list, but very rarely would a list of greatest Spidey villains not include good ol' Max!


9. Sergei Kravinoff/Kraven the Hunter

Half-brother to classic villain Chameleon, Sergei is another one from 1964 that has been bugging Spider-Man (ha! bug!) relentlessly, albeit with a far more direct goal. While Electro fought Spider-Man because he got in the way, Kraven does it to prove he is the greatest hunter on the planet! And if you want to give us a reason to hate a villain, make them kill innocent animals for the glory.

He gets a throne?! When I want to manspread, I can only do it on the bus.

It should be pointed out that Kraven is far more honourable than many of the villains in Spider-Man's roster, as he very rarely chooses sneak attacks or unfair trickery to win a fight. He's proud to win in combat, and that's why he has failed to defeat Spider-Man on several occasions. It's really a shame that we haven't had Kraven in a live-action film yet, isn't it?


8. Herman Schultz/Shocker

You might be confused why Shocker, one of the most notable B-villains in Spider-Man's rogue gallery, is 8th on a list that fails to include many of the hero's enemies. Well, that's simple. Shocker is, in my eyes, the perfect secondary antagonist. Focused more on money and reputation than world domination, Shocker takes on the jobs people need done and almost all of them involve robbing banks or fighting Spider-Man.

Oh Shocker. So cool, but so lame.

In almost every video game, Shocker is a boss you fight during the first half. His shockwave-shooting gloves and unique mattress-style outfit make him a very simple but very memorable force that we always enjoy facing off with. He's worked for dozens of the big bads out there, but he always comes back for more despite losing every single time. It's hard not to appreciate someone who fits the role of "follower" so brilliantly.


7. Cletus Kassidy/Carnage

We'll get to Venom soon on this list, but let's talk about his red counterpart. I mean, his other red counterpart, Carnage! Unlike a lot of Spider-Man enemies, Carnage is pure unadulterated evil and has no backstory or sympathetic motivation to tug at our heartstrings. He is scum, through and through, but he does it so well.

This cliffhanger nearly broke me when I was a kid. And an adult.

A mass-murderer who was given the symbiote but dyed it with blood, Cletus was changed into a monster capable of killing that spider! He and Venom do share many of the same powers, such as transforming hands into blades, but Carnage's style of ferocity manages to make Venom seem sane. Venom has even teamed up with Spider-Man on occasion to fight off Carnage, because he's just that cruel and crrrrrrazy!


6. Curt Connors/The Lizard

Tons of antagonists have the sad story that shows they aren't as evil or cruel as their appearance seems, and I'd argue the Lizard has the best one in Spider-Man's story. Friendly scientist with one arm, Dr Curt Connors aimed to use the DNA of lizards to gain regeneration abilities that would allow his arm to return. Unfortunately, it instead resulted in him literally transforming into a mutant monster that tries to control the sewers of New York.

No matter what size he is, that coat always fits. He must go to the same shops as Bruce Banner.

Every now and again, the humanity of Dr Connors pulls through and helps his student, Peter Parker through tough times, but so often does Peter have to take down his teacher through blunt force and tactics. Lizard's design is one of the best as well, with his huge green tail and his torn-up labcoat to show the damage of his transformation. When will scientists learn that everyone can have their own Mr Hyde?


5. Quentin Beck/Mysterio

There are a dragon's wealth of campy villains in comic books, but Mysterio is one of the biggest. Wearing what looks almost exactly like a fish bowl on his head, as is so often pointed out to him, Mysterio uses the powers of special effects from his former Hollywood career to commit crimes and gain recognition as a supervillain!

We really didn't appreciate The Spectacular Spider-Man series enough when we had the chance.

Over the years, Mysterio has gone through many changes but his powers of illusion have never left him. In some stories, he has impersonated Spider-Man to make him be seen as a crook. In other stories, he joins the Sinister Six for vengeance! At one point, he even went on to fight Daredevil, discovered he had cancer, and tried to go out on a high note by making Daredevil kill him. When that failed, he killed himself. So no matter what mood he's in, be it darkly serious or seriously hilarious, Mysterio at least always knew to put on a show.


4. Wilson Fisk/Kingpin

Thanks to Netflix's brilliant Daredevil series, most people associate Wilson Fisk with the horned one. For me however, the Kingpin of crime is just as much a Spider-Man villain as he is a Daredevil one, which is why I place him on this list. Spider-Man's goal is to make your neighbourhood friendly, and a giant fat man in a white suit who smashes his rivals' skulls is a great way to prevent that from happening.

Compared to this monster, Vincent D'Onofrio's version is adorable. (Who else is excited for Season 3 by the way?)

What makes Kingpin so fascinating is his lack of unique powers, skills or even design. You could easily see him minding his own business in the street, but his ability to rule the streets is brilliant. Tons of enemies of Spider-Man, from Shocker to Hammerhead to Sandman, have worked for the man with money. But it's not just money that makes him so scary. Kingpin is a brutal force with words, a real negotiator, and physically strong enough to go head-to-head with Captain America! And again, no powers or drugs cause that!


3. Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus

With a name like that, I think poor Otto was doomed to have four metal arms fused to his back so he could run around the city as a mad genius with an obsession for killing the arachnid teenager who, like him, loves science. To further this goal, 'Doc Ock' has gone to many lengths including, but not limited to, forming the original Sinister Six and being the leader of almost every single incarnation of the team.

Poor guy. Having to always sleep on his front.

Many people would put Doc Ock at the top of their list, and I totally understand why. From his amazing portrayal by Alfred Molina in Spider-Man 2, to his surprisingly honourable moments, to even possessing Spider-Man's body and taking the mantle up himself, Doc Ock has achieved plenty over the years and is definitely not done yet. The only reason he's not number one is because of how much I love the top 2.


2. Norman Osborn/Green Goblin

Father to Peter Parker's best friend Harry, Norman Osborn runs Oscorp and has been a part of Peter's life since 1964. (Damn, that was a great year for Spider-Man comics, huh?) Basically a Halloween costume given life, Norman's alter ego of Green Goblin is instantly iconic with his pumpkin bombs, bats, ghosts and bladed glider that lets him haunt the skies like a demon.

Even his Lego version is terrifying!

Almost every majorly defining story of Spider-Man's history has this villain, including the Clone Saga and "The Night Gwen Stacy Died", the latter of which brought in an entire era of comic books known as the Bronze Age. For years, comics were trying to replicate the tear-jerking pain of the Green Goblin's horrific action, and even to this day he is still causing trouble.


1. Eddie Brock/Venom

This might be controversial, but this is my list and I have to go with my gut. If your number 1 is Green Goblin or Doctor Octopus, I get it, but Venom is my personal champion of Spider-Man's enemies. More specifically, the one where Eddie Brock wears the symbiote after discovering he has cancer and channelling his hatred for Spider-Man and Peter Parker individually into one. The symbiote's knowledge of Spider-Man from their time together allows Venom to use his powers too, but with the added bonus of avoiding that pesky Spider-Sense.

Why can't Spider-Man just see that all Venom truly wants is a hug?

Venom might not have killed Gwen Stacy or retconned Peter's marriage, but he's been a living nightmare in both design and action since the day he was born. My favourite Spider-Man story, the Black Suit, resulted in this being's creation in 1984, and has been going through some surprising development since then. Eddie Brock is not an evil man, but he's certainly been a wild ride that has gone from villain to antihero on many occasions, and while others might have worn the suit (Mac Gargan, Flash Thompson, Lee Price, Anne Weying), none did it better than Eddie Brock.


Honourable Mentions:

Adrian Toomes/Vulture

Martin Li/Mister Negative

Aleksei Systevich/Rhino

William Baker/Sandman

Mag Gargan/Scorpion

Shiggins:[Admin]
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Born under the stars of the Dark Gods, Shiggins owns the power of the Great Eye and is utterly magnificent in his omniscience. If you dare to discover more about someone as great as him, then go ahead. And to all my friends and family members, YOU are wrong and I should be disappointed! Not the other way round!,. You can find out about him or ask him stuff on ask.fm/shigginsishere or go to his tumblr page http://otakugajeel.tumblr.com/