Only A True Spider-Man Nerd Can Name All Of These Characters
- by Dylan Parker
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Without a doubt, the Spider-Man comics have one of the most recognizable casts of characters in superhero history. Almost all of them have been easily transferable to video games, movies, and television alike. In fact, Spider-Man is one of the heroes with a catalog of supporting allies and villains who've actually made an impact on more than just the hardcore fanbase. If we were to ask a casual Spider-Man fan who a couple of his enemies are, they'd probably be able to tell us. And if we were to show them a couple pictures, they may even be able to name a few more. However, that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface.
In order to be able to match all of the names to the diverse faces of the Spider-Man Universe and Multiverse, anyone would have to be beyond a dedicated fan. In fact, they'd have to be a complete Spider-Man nerd. This quiz was designed to weed out the casual fans from the absolutely dedicated.
These entries all have direct connections to the comics, even if they have been made famous by Spider-Man: The Animated Series or any of the movies. Some of which have never had a big-screen debut. If you think that doesn't sound like a challenge, step up and test your knowledge...
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First created in 1971 by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane for "The Amazing Spider-Man #101", this powerful villain is described as "The Living Vampire". His abilities include flight, hypnotism, acute senses, superhuman strength, and speed, as well as accelerated healing. All of these traits make him a highly formidable foe for the web-slinging, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Therefore, it makes sense that Sony announced that Blade Runner 2049 star, Jared Leto, will play this character in a stand-alone film releasing in 2019.
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This Spider-Man villain is rumored to appear in Sony's upcoming "Venom" film, played by none-other-than the great Woody Harrelson. It would be his silver-screen debut. This character was once a deranged madman, but after being attacked by an amorphous extraterrestrial parasite, he became something even more grotesque. He often spars with not only our favorite web-slinger but also Venom, who he shares similar traits with. In 2009, this unhinged character was ranked #65 in IGN's 90th Greatest Comic Book Villians Of All Time.
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This mentor, confidant, and parental-figure has had many different incarnations in the Spider-Man Universe. In the films, she's been played by Rosemary Harris, Sally Feild, and, most recently, Marisa Tomei. The loss of her husband is what pushed Peter Parker to become a superhero vigilante, even if she didn't know about it at first. This character was born in Brooklyn, New York, and stepped up to look after Peter when his parents tragically passed away. She has become a staple of any great Spider-Man story.
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This character has been amidst a long-standing argument amongst the fans about who Peter Parker's greatest love interest really is. In some versions of the character, she's the one bitten by the radioactive spider and thus becomes the web-slinging superhero. However, this incarnation is not nearly as well known as the one we've seen on the big screen. Though she was played by Bryce-Dallas Howard in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, she was immortalized on screen by La La Land star, Emma Stone in The Amazing Spider-Man movies.
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With a desire to regenerate his missing arm, Dr. Curtis Connors started experimenting on himself with reptilian genetics. Though initially his test work, it back-fired immensely and turned him into an ultra-violent reptilian monster. After a while, he learned to suppress the creature within him, but occasionally suffered from fits which allowed it to escape and reek havoc. This Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde-esque villain made his film debut in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man sequels but didn't get a staring role until 2012's The Amazing Spider-Man.
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This formidable villain is best identified by his super-human reflexes, resistance to injury, pale-skin, and razor-sharp teeth. This Spider-Man character started off as a troubled youth on the streets of Harlem, New York. He was constantly bullied for being an albino African American, and because he was far larger than the other kids. He eventually turned to a life of crime which put him into conflict with Spider-Man on several occasions. He became most popular in the 1990's Spider-Man: The Animated Series.
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The Spider-Man character first debuted in 1985's "The Amazing Spider-Man #265". She's incredibly skilled with combat weapons, knives, and is brilliant at hand-to-hand combat. Primarily, she's a talented mercenary hired to hunt down war criminals and other wanted citizens. However, there have been times that her methods have brought her into conflict with superheroes such as Spider-Man. She's set to star alongside another Spider-Man foe in Silver & Black although the release date of this Sony film is currently unclear.
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Though this particular adversary of Spider-Man isn't known for being the sharpest knife in the set, he certainly might be the toughest. The outlandish suit he wears grants him incredible endurance and strength. When he was younger, he arrived from Russia searching for a new life. Unfortunately, due to poverty, he fell into a life of crime which led him to become one of Spider-Man's most iconic villains. In some incarnations of the character, he recieved radioactive treatment that caused the suit to fuse to his body, permentaently giving him abilities.
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Every hero and villain has a wardrobe that's meant to be iconic, but no one would have thought a green striped shirt would be this recognizable. The villain that the shirt belongs to accidentally stumbled into a nuclear test site where he came into irradiated sand particles. The incident changed his molecular structure in extraordinary, if not completely unbelievable ways. He gained the ability to manipulate his body much like one would with a pile of sand. This allows him to shapeshift, absorb energy, and control sand.
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This villain was recently played by Michael Keaton in Spider-Man: Homecoming and is rumored to reprise his role in the upcoming sequel, Spider-Man: Far From Home. His alter-ego is Adrian Toomes and he's almost always portrayed as a genius electrical engineer who built himself an electromagnetic flight-suit that resembles a bird. In some versions of this character, he can morph back-and-forth between a human and bird-like form. He is almost always Spider-Man's adversary and he has a bit of a thing for the color green.
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A combination of radiation and being submerged in a deep-ocean dwelling bacteria turned Morris Bench into this terrifying Spider-Man villain. He was once a crewman on a cargo ship but fell victim to this terrible accident after being knocked over by Spider-Man. The incident cursed him with the ability to manipulate water and transform his body into a liquid substance. This allows him to get into small and secure openings with ease making him a particularly slippery nemesis for our Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
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This fashion designer liked to run with the wrong crowd in order to bring down his vicious competitors. One day, an associate of his stumbled across the secret layer of Spider-Man's most iconic enemy. Knowing what he found was valuable, he passed it on to his boss who adopted many of this famous villain's traits. Initially, he didn't have the powers of the original villain, which caused him to be at a disadvantage when confronting Spider-Man. But that changed when he got his hands on the formula that would give him enhanced strength and ultimately drive him mad.
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Throughout this character's illustrious history, she has taken many roles. She's been an enemy of Spider-Man, his alley, and his love-interest; sometimes all at the same time. Her father was a renowned cat-burglar, and after he passed away she followed in his footsteps. She trained herself in various forms of martial arts as well as gymnastics. She has a particular affection for Spider-Man, though tends to dislike his alter-ego, Peter Parker. Production on her very own movie, shared with another Spider-Man villainess, is set to go into production in 2019.
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When it comes to the ultimate girl-next-door, this Spider-Man love-interest is pretty much the most iconic. She first appeared in "The Amazing Spider-Man #25" in 1966, and ever since then has fought for the position of Peter Parker's main love interest. In some of the earliest incarnations of the character, as well as Sam Raimi's original Spider-Man film, she actually lived next-door to Peter. It was a running gag that Aunt May wanted to set Peter up with her, even though he was always intimidated by her beauty.
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Not even Clark Kent's editor-in-chief, Perry White, could hold a candle to this loud-mouthed newspaper titan. He's best known for having a strong desire to expose Spider-Man for the fraud he thinks he is; or, at least, wants to believe he is because it might just sell more papers. The other thing the character is known for is his iconic toothbrush mustache. It's hard to disassociate this character with J.K. Simmons who played him in all three of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films.
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Though his villain likes to be a pest to Daredevil as well, he first appeared in "The Amazing Spider-Man #50" in July 1967. Not only is he a criminal mastermind and tactician who has his hand in virtually every plot in New York, but he's also a skilled combatant. The cane he uses usually has some sort of gimmick, it could be poison gas or a laser gun. His name is in reference to Mafia slang. He demands respect and carries himself like someone who does.
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This Spider-Man villain has gone down as one of the most iconic of all time. He is usually portrayed as a short man with four giant robotic claws that have been fused to his back. He has a genius-level intellect and is an incredible strategist, making him a formidable foe for Spider-Man and anyone else who gets in his way. Although, there have been instances where he's been portrayed as a misunderstood and honorable character. He's appeared in numerous television shows as well as Spider-Man 2, where he was played by Alfred Molina.
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There have been a couple different versions of this character, though he's almost always gone by the same name until the more recent "Mad Jack". The villain almost always wears green body armor and a fiery pumpkin helmet. He possesses a variety of weapons inspired by the Hobgoblin as well as rides a one-man hovercraft. The first incarnation of the character was a disgraced ex-CIA agent who became a freelance mercenary. The second grew up in the historic town of Sleepy Hollow, New York where he was influenced by the legend of The Headless Horseman.
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This Spider-Man villain is rumored to be played by Jake Gyllenhaal in the upcoming sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming. This man was a special effects wizard and stunt performer in the film industry. However, when his career took a nose-dive, he found out that he could be using his gifts more effectively as a supervillain. He is a master hypnotist and an illusion expert who happens to be exceptional at hand-to-hand combat. In a later version of the character, he can also teleport and has the power of telekinesis.
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This character got his start fairly earlier on in "The Amazing Spider-Man #15" which came out in August 1964. After the collapse of the reign of Tsar Nicholas 2, this character fled to New York where he constantly came into conflict with Spider-Man. Why? Well, because this character is a big game hunter who wanted to take down the Friendly Neighborhood web-slinger to prove his worth. He usually hunts with his bare hands, but occasionally uses spears and cross-bows. He also takes a serum that gives him enhanced strength.
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This is the character that started it all. He not only took care of Peter Parker for the first part of his life but also unknowingly influenced him into becoming Spider-Man. He is often seen as the ultimate mentor figure with one very large heart. Though this character is usually only seen briefly in the stories, he is sometimes shown in flashbacks. He is also responsible for one of the most famous lines not only in superhero stories but in cinematic history.
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This professor of biology became secretly infatuated with the much-younger Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker's girlfriend. After her demise at the hands of Spider-Man's most famous enemy, he grew to loathe Spider-Man who he believed is responsible for her end. This drove him to insanity. Previously he had been experimenting with turning animals into humans and he became quite successful. Although one of his creations escaped offed his wife and kids. Soon after, he adopted the same animal persona after injecting himself with the same DNA he had been experimenting with.
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Though there are a couple female versions of Spider-Man in the Multiverse, this is the original and perhaps the most famous. She first appeared in "Marvel Spotlight #32" in February 1977. Her immediate popularity caused her to have 50 issues based on her character. Though she was offed at the end of it all, she was later resurrected. Her and the original Spider-Man share most thing in common, although she was born in London England. She becomes gravely ill after being exposed to uranium so her father injects her with irradiated spiders' blood serum which turns her into this famous character.
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This Korean American superhero in newer to the comic-book world. She first appeared in "The Amazing Spider-Man #1" in April 2014. She has the same powers as Spider-Man but also has an eidetic memory. Her origin story is exactly the same as Peter Parker's. In fact, she was bitten moments after the famous irradiated spider encountered Peter. But unlike Peter, she's at first unable to control her powers which causes her family to lock her away in a facility to protect her from herself and those who seek to harm her.
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When it comes to the Spider-Man Multi-verse, there's probably no character more famous than this one. So much so that, at one stage, it was rumored that Childish Gambino would play him in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Though this didn't end up being true, you can see him in the animated film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse due out later this year. He was first introduced in 2011 after Peter Parker passed on in the comics. He took up the famous costume and became the second version of the beloved character.
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Though this character originally appeared in "The Amazing Spider-Man #210", published in November 1980, she truly became a popular fixture in the 1990's Spider-Man: The Animated Series. She was born in Salem, Oregon, as a paralyzed, blind, telepathic, clairvoyant. Due to being stricken with myasthenia gravis, she was connected to a bunch of life-support tubes that resembled the shape of a spider web. She later became an ally to Spider-Man. In the animated series, however, she was reimagined. In the show, she had powers over reality and was tasked with testing Spider-Men from alternate realities in order to stop Carnage from destroying the multi-verse.
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This character is most famous for her role as Peter's love-interest in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Although the character was shifted a little in order for her to become the daughter of The Vulture. But this isn't the case in the comics. She first appeared in "Amazing Fantasy #15" in August 1962. For most of her time in the comics, she was the love interest for Peter's childhood rival. Later she'd be a romantic interest for both Peter Parker and Harry Osborn, who she later married.
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This character is named for both his crime family and also for the unbendable steel alloy that was put into his head after an injury. This metal has given his skull a flattened appearance. His love of all things mafia and gangster led him to join the Maggia Crime Family. Not so coincidentally, he was scouted after being spotted ending the live of a childhood bully in a theater that was showing The Godfather Part 2. Due to his criminal activities, and a war between his gang and that of Doctor Octopus', he is in constant conflict with Spider-Man.
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This character works for J. Jonah Jameson at the Daily Bugle alongside Peter Parker. She briefly dated Peter and then Ned Leeds, another reporter at the Bugle. After Ned's passing, she suffered a complete mental breakdown which led her to join a cult. Eventually, she was saved by Spider-Man. She's been in almost every single Spider-Man animated show as well as Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy, in which she was played by Elizabeth Banks. She can briefly be seen in The MCU's Spider-Man: Homecoming leading many to believe that she will be back in a larger role in further installments.
Name This Character
Every character needs a bully. For Peter Parker, growing up was made far more difficult thanks to this popular jock. In more recent iterations of the story, including the movie, Spider-Man: Homecoming, he is more of a spoiled, arrogant, brainiac. Usually, his character is given some redeeming qualities such as a tortured past with an abusive father. Even though he picks on Peter Parker, he is often a vocal fan of Spider-Man, who he has no idea is actually the kid he likes to bully.
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This character is best known for his relationship to both Peter Parker and Spider-Man's greatest enemy, who he's the son of. He first appeared in "The Amazing Spider-Man #122) which was released in July 1973. Though the starting date of their friendships differs from comic to film, he is almost always seen as Peter Parker's best friend. Most of the time, he doesn't know about his buddy's secret life as a superhero and this reveal causes great conflict. After all, he believes Spider-man is responsible for the passing of his father.
Name This Character
In the comics, this character was hired by J. Jonah Jameson to find out how Peter Parker is able to snap such phenomenal pictures of Spider-Man. He later is hired by Jameson again, this time it's for a medical experiment. The treatment gives him some unique animal abilities, as well as he's outfitted with a giant club-like mechanical tail, but it also drives him insane. He is almost always a major foe for Spider-Man. He recently appeared in the credit-scene for Spider-Man: Homecoming and is believed to have a role in future installments.
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This character was once merely the successful astronaut son of J. Jonah Jameson. But things changed while he was on a mission to the moon. He came across a strange red rock and took it back to earth. He wore it as a pendant and one night exposed it to a full moon. This unexpectedly turned him into a monstrous beast that ravaged the city until Spider-Man stopped him. The pendent continuously cursed Jameson's son which caused him to turn to The Lizard who cured his lycanthropy.
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This character's self-invented suit allows him to deflect physical attacks as well as shoot concentrated vibrational air blasts. These skills make him a formidable foe for Spider-Man. He developed these weapons while in prison and used them in order to escape. His skill as an inventor could rival that of Tony Stark but he is also a very successful burglar. Recently, a version of his character appeared as The Vulture's henchman in Spider-Man: Homecoming. In it, he uses Chitauri technology to create his vibrational blasts.
Name This Character
Batman has The Joker. Superman has Lex Luthor. The X-Men have Magneto and The Brotherhood. Thor has Loki. Captain America has Red Skull. And finally, Spider-Man has this deranged maniac. Yes, we're talking about the greatest foe he's ever faced. The one who has gone down in history as his greatest rival. By day, he's a business tycoon. Someone who is incredibly handy with gadgets and where to spend his money. But by night, he becomes something else entirely; a murderous psychopath complete with a glider and several exploding pumpkins.
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Though this villain spends a great deal of time-fighting Spider-man, he is also known for being a famous enemy of The Avengers, Daredevil, and Elektra, as well a reluctant ally of Deadpool. He has an extraordinary power to mimic the movements of anyone he witnesses, which means he can basically learn any skill of his opponent and use it against them. This photographic memory also allows him to predict his opponents next moves. He's also incredibly mysterious, almost always hiding under his skull-mask and white cloak.
Name This Character
This character is another one of Spider-Man's most famous adversaries. Although in certain story-lines, he actually joins forces with Spider-Man making him a complex anti-hero. This is one of the many reasons why he's getting his own movie which is due out later this year. But most of all, he's just that big of a fan favorite. In the most famous iteration of the character, he was a journalist who came into contact with an alien entity that bonded with his body and made him into a violent monster who seeks to save those who he deems as "innocent".
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This character is a member of The Inherits, a race of beings who feed on human/animal hybrids; meaning anyone or thing that exhibits a combination of the genetic traits of both species. He first appeared in the comics in 2001, and still, there is little that is known about his origins. It's rumored that beings like him have walked the earth for centuries feeding on superhumans. This character has superhuman strength, enhanced speed and stamina, and extended longevity due to absorbing life-force.
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Though this character first appeared in "Captain America #272" in August 1982, he has been a major villain of Spider-Man as well. In fact, he has appeared in both Spider-Man animated shows as well as video games. After a more than traumatic childhood, the character became a geneticist working alongside Baron Helmut Zemo. After an experiment backfired, he was turned into a monstrous, cannibalistic rat-like creature. After which, he was exposed to more cruelty which caused him to go on a rampage. Due to his appearance, he has also been in conflict with Kraven the Hunter.
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After given an experimental substance, this character could start controlling black energy that turned him into a formidable foe for Spider-Man. It also invigorated his desire to becoming Chinatown's Kingpin of Crime. He even recruits the gangster, Hammerhead to aide him in doing this. His first appearance was in "The Amazing Spider-Man #546" which came out in January 2008. As well as Spider-Man, this character often is a major enemy of The Punisher, and Cloak and Dagger. Aside from his dark-force manipulation, he's also incredibly smart, rich, and is great with a sword.
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The Skrulls are a staple of the Marvel comics and have come into conflict with everyone from Captain Marvel to the X-Men. But this particular Skrull was banished from her homeworld for believing in a prophecy about the destruction of her homeworld at the hands of Galactus. While exiled, she spent her time on earth impersonating Spider-Woman. She was able to do this because she has the ability to shape-shift. Nicky Fury eventually brings Spider-Woman into The New Avengers alongside Spider-Man. Soon after she reveals her true identity.
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When it comes to scary villains, there's probably no such entity as frightening as this character. After all, he is a Nazi sympathizer who is made completely out of a bunch of very angry bees. These bees, which he can manipulate into giving him flight and shape-shifting, surround his human skeleton. After escaping Germany after World War 2, he became a bee-keeper in South America. There he discovered a colony of mutated bees. He was devoured by the bees but his consciousness was forever fused with them.
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Though only dedicated Spider-Man nerds know him, this villain dates all the way back to "The Amazing Spider-Man #1" which came out in 1963. He is an expert spy and master of disguise. To mimic others, he uses a variety of masks and inventive techniques. It has been revealed that he is the half-brother of Kraven The Hunter, but other than that we have no idea what he actually looks like. This is because we still haven't seen what face lies beneath his mask.
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This character is the son of a mad scientist who is responsible for creating robots designed to destroy Spider-Man. After his father's passing, this character took up his father's work. Though he dates back to 1985, the character was made most famous in Spider-Man: The Animated Series which ran through the 1990s. Because a lot of his Spider-Slayers were destroyed by Spider-Man, he encased his body in bioorganic body armor. The armor gave him several abilities such as super-human strength, bird-like talons, a bladed weapon that jutted out of his shoulder, and jagged blades on each arm.
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This classic Spider-Man villain has seen many visual incarnations. This is mostly because the original costume has since been viewed as more than silly. After all, the mask does bare the character's signature lightning bolts. In more recent years, the character has been redesigned as pure electricity or wearing a suit that harnesses his powers. In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, he was played by Jamie Fox. Before he became a superpowered villain, he was a reclusive young man trying to gain his independence.