Alternate Spider-Man’s supporting cast

[PCN24454]

How would you rate the various Spider-Men’s(or Women’s) supporting cast?

I think having a developed supporting cast is one third what makes any character great. Sadly, a lot of them aren’t used to their full potential.

Personally, I think that’s why I enjoyed ITSV so much. Even though they couldn’t get to all of them, they did Miles’ supporting cast justice. In many of the adaptations with Miles in it, Miles’ life just revolved around Peter as though that was all he was good for which is annoying about any character really.

Even supporting casts that weren’t executed the best can show lots of potential like Ben Reilly’s supporting cast. Man the flip flop in his character arc was annoying... and honestly par the course for most comic book characters which makes me wonder why he was singled out. I found that his best stories had little to do with Peter and his problems. If only he were allowed to grow properly like post-Spider Island’s Kaine did.

Just because Spider-Man is the main character doesn’t mean that the world should revolve around him. Going the complete opposite direction isn’t better either. So many great characters get wasted because they’re not “iconic”.

[Snoop Dogg]

J. Jonah Jameson is the greatest supporting character in fiction.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

How would you rate the various Spider-Men’s(or Women’s) supporting cast?

I think having a developed supporting cast is one third what makes any character great. Sadly, a lot of them aren’t used to their full potential.

Personally, I think that’s why I enjoyed ITSV so much. Even though they couldn’t get to all of them, they did Miles’ supporting cast justice. In many of the adaptations with Miles in it, Miles’ life just revolved around Peter as though that was all he was good for which is annoying about any character really.

Even supporting casts that weren’t executed the best can show lots of potential like Ben Reilly’s supporting cast. Man the flip flop in his character arc was annoying... and honestly par the course for most comic book characters which makes me wonder why he was singled out. I found that his best stories had little to do with Peter and his problems. If only he were allowed to grow properly like post-Spider Island’s Kaine did.

Just because Spider-Man is the main character doesn’t mean that the world should revolve around him. Going the complete opposite direction isn’t better either. So many great characters get wasted because they’re not “iconic”.

In the case of Peter himself, the three essential characters are himself, Mary Jane, and Jameson. Get those three right and you got Jazz. The Alternate Spider-Man that got this best is the Newspaper strip. Recently Miles has formed a fourth at least in adaptations like Spider-Man PS4 where he fits so naturally and well to that older Peter's story.

Miles Morales is unique among all Alternate Spideys for having a supporting cast that has stuck and endured. Obviously there's Ganke, who was hijacked as a sidekick for the whiteboy in the MCU, but also his Dad Jeffferson and his mom Rio. Uncle Aaron/Prowler is a legitimately intriguing villain. And he's also a supporting cast member at present.

[Celgress]

J. Jonah Jameson is the greatest supporting character in fiction.

One of the greatest unquestionably. Jonah should NEVER BE EXCLUDED OR REPLACED in any incarnation of Spider-Man. Spider-Man without Jonah isn't truly Spider-Man (sorry to anyone who thinks otherwise).

Edit - I'd say the big three (other than Uncle Ben who could already be dead) are Peter, Jonah and Aunt May everyone else (as much as I may love some of them) are expendable.

[Celgress]

One of the greatest unquestionably. Jonah should NEVER BE EXCLUDED OR REPLACED in any incarnation of Spider-Man. Spider-Man without Jonah isn't truly Spider-Man (sorry to anyone who thinks otherwise).

mistaken post please delete

[Revolutionary_Jack]

List of supporting character appearances in 616 (per Marvel Wikia), though it is probably not been updated recently:

1 - Jameson - 1336 Appearances
2 - Mary Jane Watson - 1299 Appearances
3 - May Parker - 988 Appearances
4 - Robbie Robertson - 774 Appearances
5 - Flash Thompson - 739 Appearances
6 - Betty Brant - 623 Appearances
7 - Harry Osborn - 477 Appearances
8 - Felicia Hardy - 391 Appearances
9 - Gwen Stacy - 345 Appearances (though fittingly most of it is posthumous, i.e. memory flashback, web-of-death).

Jameson and Mary Jane are likewise the only Marvel-wide supporting characters, clocking a lot for appearances outside Spider-man titles, with Jameson appearing in Daredevil and other comics, MJ cameoing in FF, Daredevil (with Peter), and in the first three issues of Ms. Marvel and more recently Iron Man.

[Frontier]

Nobody has a strong a supporting cast as Peter Parker does. Just look at the rich tapestry of characters and people that populate his personal and professional life over the character's vast history, or just watch the Spectacular Spider-Man cartoon that just about had them all.

Miles has a very strong, if small, backbone supporting cast in his parents, Ganke, and I guess Bombshell. Ahmed seems to be trying to develop more supporting characters for him, especially underdeveloped ones like Judge and Barbara.

Spider-Gwen has a pretty solid supporting cast, give or take whether you care for their characterizations vs. their 616 counterparts.

Silk had heavyweights Jonah and Black Cat as well as a ghost love interest and Lola and Rafferty (?).

Jessica Drew had an old school supporting cast and a supporting cast with Dennis Hopeless featuring her baby, Ben Urich, and Porcupine.

Miguel had his 2099 supporting cast in Tiberius Stone, his mother, his brother, his love interests, Jennifer D'Angelo, etc, as well as the modern-day supporting cast PAD gave him in his relaunch.

H
Personally, I think that’s why I enjoyed ITSV so much. Even though they couldn’t get to all of them, they did Miles’ supporting cast justice. In many of the adaptations with Miles in it, Miles’ life just revolved around Peter as though that was all he was good for which is annoying about any character really.

This is why I don't think Peter and Miles really gel together in adaptions.

Miles was not designed to be a supporting character.

[Inversed]

List of supporting character appearances in 616 (per Marvel Wikia), though it is probably not been updated recently:

1 - Jameson - 1336 Appearances
2 - Mary Jane Watson - 1299 Appearances
3 - May Parker - 988 Appearances
4 - Robbie Robertson - 774 Appearances
5 - Flash Thompson - 739 Appearances
6 - Betty Brant - 623 Appearances
7 - Harry Osborn - 477 Appearances
8 - Felicia Hardy - 391 Appearances
9 - Gwen Stacy - 345 Appearances (though fittingly most of it is posthumous, i.e. memory flashback, web-of-death).

Jameson and Mary Jane are likewise the only Marvel-wide supporting characters, clocking a lot for appearances outside Spider-man titles, with Jameson appearing in Daredevil and other comics, MJ cameoing in FF, Daredevil (with Peter), and in the first three issues of Ms. Marvel and more recently Iron Man.

I will say those numbers aren't completely accurate, because alot of them are from Astonishing Spider-Man, which was just reprints. Not to mention they also count one panel appearances/cameos in there so it's also not completely fair or accurate source in terms of which characters really get the most exposure or attention. However, even not counting all of those, I think it is still safe to say at least Jameson, MJ, and May are by far the most important Spidey supporting characters.

[Frontier]

List of supporting character appearances in 616 (per Marvel Wikia), though it is probably not been updated recently:

1 - Jameson - 1336 Appearances
2 - Mary Jane Watson - 1299 Appearances
3 - May Parker - 988 Appearances
4 - Robbie Robertson - 774 Appearances
5 - Flash Thompson - 739 Appearances
6 - Betty Brant - 623 Appearances
7 - Harry Osborn - 477 Appearances
8 - Felicia Hardy - 391 Appearances
9 - Gwen Stacy - 345 Appearances (though fittingly most of it is posthumous, i.e. memory flashback, web-of-death).

Jameson and Mary Jane are likewise the only Marvel-wide supporting characters, clocking a lot for appearances outside Spider-man titles, with Jameson appearing in Daredevil and other comics, MJ cameoing in FF, Daredevil (with Peter), and in the first three issues of Ms. Marvel and more recently Iron Man.

It really bums me out how under-utilized Robbie has been the past several years.

Nowadays he's lucky to show up in an issue or get a name-drop in other media.

[PCN24454]

I will say those numbers aren't completely accurate, because alot of them are from Astonishing Spider-Man, which was just reprints. Not to mention they also count one panel appearances/cameos in there so it's also not completely fair or accurate source in terms of which characters really get the most exposure or attention. However, even not counting all of those, I think it is still safe to say at least Jameson, MJ, and May are by far the most important Spidey supporting characters.

I feel like that’s a catch-22. When I read the comics, I got a grasp of just how little I knew and understood about Spider-Man and his characters. It takes more than just measuring number of appearances to really assess and understand them.

I really dislike that kinda favortism since it comes at the expense of other characters.

[Digifiend]

I will say those numbers aren't completely accurate, because alot of them are from Astonishing Spider-Man, which was just reprints. Not to mention they also count one panel appearances/cameos in there so it's also not completely fair or accurate source in terms of which characters really get the most exposure or attention. However, even not counting all of those, I think it is still safe to say at least Jameson, MJ, and May are by far the most important Spidey supporting characters.

IS just reprints, not WAS. Astonishing Spider-Man still runs to this day, it's the UK newsstand Spidey book published by Panini.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

It really bums me out how under-utilized Robbie has been the past several years.

Nowadays he's lucky to show up in an issue or get a name-drop in other media.

Robbie Robertson is such a huge part of so many great stories. The Sam Bullitt two-parter, and of course The Night Gwen Stacy Died where he's the guy Spidey turns to for help in tracking Norman Osborn to his penthouses. And also Kraven's Last Hunt that wonderful sad moment when MJ worried sick about Peter considers telling him about his double life, because he's like a Dad for both Peter and her. And that continued, later, like in Spider-Man: The Final Adventure by Fabien Nicieza which has a great Robbie moment where he shuts down a blackmailer.

[Frontier]

Robbie Robertson is such a huge part of so many great stories. The Sam Bullitt two-parter, and of course The Night Gwen Stacy Died where he's the guy Spidey turns to for help in tracking Norman Osborn to his penthouses. And also Kraven's Last Hunt that wonderful sad moment when MJ worried sick about Peter considers telling him about his double life, because he's like a Dad for both Peter and her. And that continued, later, like in Spider-Man: The Final Adventure by Fabien Nicieza which has a great Robbie moment where he shuts down a blackmailer.

Not to mention the 90's cartoon actually giving him and his family spotlight episodes, complete with the animated debut of Tombstone.

[Snoop Dogg]

Jonah, Robbie, Betty, and Urich are their own Fantastic Four.

[Frontier]

Jonah, Robbie, Betty, and Urich are their own Fantastic Four.

The are probably the most memorable of the Bugle cast.