Spider-Man has had an iconic cast of rogues over the years, composing some of the Marvel Universe’s biggest and smallest threats. But for every successful foe who has stood the test of time, there are several that long-time fans tend to forget about.
While not every Marvel menace can share the spotlight with the likes of the Green Goblin or Doctor Octopus, that doesn’t mean these overlooked villains should be abandoned. Some villains’ battles with Spider-Man were forgotten over time, while others showed promise but never returned for a rematch. Even though Spider-Man has a packed roster of active enemies, these unique adversaries should have the opportunity to offer new challenges for the Wall-Crawler.
10/10 Vermin Should Emerge From The Shadows
Spider-Man has fought many animal-themed villains over the years, some being fan favorites. One of his most underrated villains that shares this motif is Eddie Whelan, a geneticist who was transformed into the mutant rat Vermin.
Now a monster, Vermin has a taste for human blood, looking for any victims foolish enough to wander near his sewers, using his army of rats to chase them to him. This all comes from his instincts, though, and he’s more of a beast than a man. While this tragic creature may never regain his old life, his malice and hunger will always provide a challenge for Spider-Man when he returns.
9/10 The Spider Queen Needs To Rule
Marvel has a habit of creating heroes and villains who only got their powers because some organization tried to create its own Captain America. Spider-Man has faced multiple foes with this origin but the Spider Queen stands out. She’s a vicious villain with the unique ability to manipulate insects.
The Spider Queen’s powers came in handy when she nearly transformed all of New York into insect hybrids to serve her, though she was killed in the end. Her abilities, along with her craving to make Spider-Man her king, make her ripe for a comeback with more interesting stories. A partially reformed Spider Queen could even come into conflict with MJ and other Spider-Man love interests.
8/10 Shriek Is As Dangerous As Her Boyfriend
In the ’90s, the murderous Carnage was rising to become one of Spider-Man’s most violent villains, his most dangerous outing seeing him join forces with other infamous villains in the murderous Maximum Carnage event. Early on, he joined forces with Shriek, a mutant who can control sound waves and could draw out the darkness in people’s minds. Her own murderous tendencies made her Carnage’s lieutenant and later, his lover, a deadly match.
Shriek has since been on Marvel’s sidelines, yet she should shine as her own dangerous threat and not just be a side villain. Her twisted morality and unique power set offer a darker, more mature threat Spider-Man could face. With her being a mutant, she could also open a door to a possible team-up with the X-Men.
7/10 Swarm Is More Than A Pest
Marvel is filled with many evil scientists looking for power and greatness at any cost. One example is Fritz von Meyer, a Nazi scientist whose body became a living swarm of killer bees.
Though a recurring Spider-Man villain, Swarm hasn’t had time to shine on his own. With his power set, he offers some wonderfully nasty possibilities, like bodies composed of swarms of black widows or mosquitos. Also, since Spider-Man has other bug-themed foes, Swarm could easily team-up with other villains and his ideology could provide an opportunity for less heinous villains to stand up to him.
6/10 Menace Could Become The Next Great Goblin
Marvel’s heroes and villains often have legacies, passing the mantle to the next generation. The Green Goblin’s legacy is corrupt and complex, producing multiple offspring who share his objectives and instability. Lily Hollister was Harry Osborn’s fiancé and she stole Norman’s technology and serum to become Menace.
One of the best villains to emerge in the last decade, Menace proved her skills as both a deadly strategist and manipulator, being one of the few goblins who actually liked her new form. Her transformation also set her apart from the rest of the goblins since she gained shape-shifting abilities. Though now operating as the Queen Cat, fans wonder how long it will take for her to get her hands on the formula and revert to her ‘true’ self.
5/10 The Thousand Knows Peter’s Secret
Spider-Man has faced many foes with unnatural or even disturbing abilities. Carl King, one of Peter’s former bullies, discovered his secret identity, which disgusted him. To even the odds, he digested the spider that gave Peter his powers, transforming him into a collective of spiders with the power to digest people and wear their bodies as disguises.
Though appearing in only one storyline, Carl still has the potential for a comeback. Knowing Peter’s secret, Thousand could take over multiple humans with his spiders and play mind games with Spider-Man, threatening both his professional and personal life on a terrifying level.
4/10 Mendel Stromm Is Master Over Machines
Norman Osborns’ desire to keep his Goblin Formula secret have made him a lot of enemies. Mendel Stromm, his former business partner, was another victim of Osborns’ treachery but he fought back with a vengeance. What makes Stromm a unique threat is his complex relationship with both Osborn and Spider-Man.
One minute Stromm’s trying to kill the Osborns and destroy their legacy, the next he’s helping them with their various schemes against the Wall-Crawler. His advanced skills as a roboticist have also come in handy in a battle, taking over machinery with ease and upgrading his cyborg body for his own ends. Loyal to no one but himself, Stromm’s pliable nature and his mastery over technology should make for some exciting adventures.
3/10 Silvermane Is An Old Dog With New Tricks
Spider-Man has battled many gangs, led by some of New York’s most chilling gangsters. This includes Silvermane, an elderly mob boss who leads the Maggia crime syndicate in New York. Aside from his criminal pursuits, his only goal is cheating death.
Silvermane’s quest for immortality had him face the Webslinger regularly, yet he’s been overlooked more recently in favor of other crime bosses like Tombstone. But the senior mobster shouldn’t retire yet. He’s still formidable and currently resides in an enhanced cyborg body. Plus his quest to escape death could bring Spider-Man to other parts of the globe, dealing with the various crime families who might reign there.
2/10 Alistair Smythe Owes His Tragedy To The Wall Crawler
Some of Spider-Man’s rogues are the young superhero’s victims. After the death of his father, Alistair Smythe took hold of his father’s legacy and tried to kill Spider-Man. His attempts at revenge transformed him into a living Spider-Slayer, costing the young inventor his mind and his humanity,
Over the years, Smythe’s presence slowly faded out, and he vanished after his death at the hands of Otto Octavius’s Superior Spider-Man. However, he shouldn’t be left in the underworld, since both his genius in robotics and his full transformation into a living weapon makes him a deadly spider hunter. In addition to his hatred for Spider-Man, Smythe’s current desire to kill Otto could force the two villains to come to blows in the city, putting Spidey in the middle.
1/10 The Spot Holds A Powerful Dimension Inside Him
Spot was one of those obscure villains some Spider-fans remember but don’t know a lot about. As a result of the Kingpin’s attempt to create super-powered minions, Dr. Johnathan Ohnn was transported into another dimension known as Spotworld. Returning to Earth, his body was now covered in spots, which are actually wormholes that he can control and operate.
While seen as a B-list villain with a ridiculous look, Spot’s powers should make him a bigger deal. His underexplored powers have a lot of story potential, and he could accidentally transport himself and the Wall-Crawler across the Spider-Verse. With Spot’s cinematic debut in Into The Spiderverse 2 months away, Marvel should take the opportunity to revive him for more fascinating battles with Spider-Man.
