Why isn`t Kaine a popular character?

[Nathan84]

He has all the needs to be one: tragic backstory, spider-powers, cool costume, good redemption story, but still…
I my opinion, those are the reasons:

1. He is connected to the (mostly) unpopular Clone saga.
2. At the same time, another „dark“ spider came out: Superior Spider-Man
3. Will always be in Ben Reilly`s shadow
4. Authors did not use him properly
5. Too many spiders around!

[JTHM]

I would say he just hasn't had a big push overall, sadly for him. His Scarlet-Spider comic run was widely regarded as successful and it had a loyal cult following, but again, he is mostly an unknown character outside of the Spider-Fandom. Which isn't that big to begin with. I like Kaine, I feel he is kind of like Venom if he was an actual Spider, and I am a sucker for redemption stories overall.

But yeah. I don't think he is a character that could carry a solo nowadays. If not even SpOck managed to pull numbers that Marvel wanted, then I don't think Kaine could either. That said, I think he is a character that should definitively be used more in other titles. If not in the main Amazing Spider-Man, then at least on some other companion books or maybe even in Miles own. Poor man rarely gets a mention.

[HypnoHustler]

I can’t answer the question because I don’t agree with the premise.
I think Kaine is very popular, especially since his return as SS. In fact, I’ve run into many people who prefer him to Ben Reilly.
Is he as popular as Peter? No, of course not. But he has a strong cult following, especially online (just google “Kaine Deviantart”). Unfortunately in this marketplace even strong modern-day characters have trouble holding on to a solo book if they’re not a flagship character introduced in the Silver Age. But I bet Marvel will bring him back before too long, because you can’t keep a good clone down.

[Spidey5640]

For me it begins and ends with the fact that he is a clone. I've never seen the attraction some people have to clones, especially ones of Pete/Spidey. I imagine perhaps it's because they can be seen as an alternate version of the original and writer might have a little more leeway in how they are portrayed but to me that's stuff to be addressed in a What IF issue, or some other version of an AU that doesn't affect the 616 universe. But that's me, there's no doubt alot of people like clones.

[Hypestyle]

He has all the needs to be one: tragic backstory, spider-powers, cool costume, good redemption story, but still…
I my opinion, those are the reasons:

1. He is connected to the (mostly) unpopular Clone saga.
2. At the same time, another „dark“ spider came out: Superior Spider-Man
3. Will always be in Ben Reilly`s shadow
4. Authors did not use him properly
5. Too many spiders around!

If he were genuinely another person, non-clone, different memories, etc., I'd have a better time possibly sympathizing with him. Clones have ruined the brand. Miles is another person. Jessica is another person. Julia is another person. Gwen is another person. Anya is another person. Having six "Peters" swinging around is not my thing. I don't care.

[HypnoHustler]

If he were genuinely another person, non-clone, different memories, etc., I'd have a better time possibly sympathizing with him. Clones have ruined the brand. Miles is another person. Jessica is another person. Julia is another person. Gwen is another person. Anya is another person. Having six "Peters" swinging around is not my thing. I don't care.

Despite sharing RNA/DNA, Kaine is not like Peter... at all.

I’ve found that most people who dislike Kaine and Ben haven’t read much of their adventures. They’re clones, but they’re both pretty distinct from Peter... Kaine, especially though. Kaine has his own voice and personality wholly different from Peter, especially since his critically acclaimed Chris Yost ‘Scarlet Spider’ series.

And which Jessica are you referring to? Because the one from the Ultimate universe IS a clone of (that universe’s) Peter... just a gender reversed one.

[Alan2099]

Kaine is either evil or anti-hero Spider-man, depending on which point in the characters history you want to draw him from.

But we already have Evil/Anti-hero Spider-man. Usually it's Venom (although I've seen people make arguments for Doc Ock and Green Goblin as well.) Those characters aren't just Spider-man but with a few details changed.

[PCN24454]

Define "popular".

He's not as popular as Peter Parker, but that's not really saying much.

[bob.schoonover]

Because he won't go back to his original costume? I say that tongue in cheek but (a) it's awesome, (b) it is far different from his "not quite Spider-man" costume, and (c) he should grow his hair out

[Huntsman Spider]

Because he won't go back to his original costume? I say that tongue in cheek but (a) it's awesome, (b) it is far different from his "not quite Spider-man" costume, and (c) he should grow his hair out

He did grow his hair out in Clone Conspiracy and Ben Reilly: The Scarlet Spider, if that helps. That said, I generally agree with the reasons he's not that popular, regardless of his overall quality as a character, mainly the issue of "redundancy." As mentioned before, we already have an "anti-hero Spider-Man" in Venom (Eddie Brock or Flash Thompson) or Doctor Octopus as the Superior Spider-Man. Then we have the fact that Kaine is a clone of Peter Parker and thus perceived by default as "Spider-Man, but darker and edgier," like Ben Reilly was initially supposed to be "Spider-Man, but younger, hipper, and sunnier --- and not married." Those are the major hurdles for him in regards to popularity.

[JTHM]

But we already have Evil/Anti-hero Spider-man. Usually it's Venom (although I've seen people make arguments for Doc Ock and Green Goblin as well.) Those characters aren't just Spider-man but with a few details changed.

To be completely fair with Kaine, he does have a niche that Venom is apparently growing out of. Mostly because currently Venom is trying to make more distance between his mythos and that of Spider-Man. Sure, they are obviously intertwined, but currently the kind of adventures Venom goes into are still different than those Spider-Man goes. I think Kaine could have his own niche of being Anti-Hero Spider-Man, but with stories that are more inline with what one could see in a Spider-Man book, as opposed to how outlandish and dark his stories have become.

Honestly I think he is an interesting character. But you wouldn't know that if you didn't read his own Scarlet-Spider series or saw some more media centered around him. Otherwise he just comes across as edgy Spider-Man.

[Darthfury78]

1. Too many Spider-Characters(excluding Jessica Drew & Julia Carpenter).
2. The removal of his "The Other" powers
3. Returning his degeneration, which is a very dumb move
4. Not giving Kaine a regular profession, such as completing his college degree
5. Not loaning out to other editorial departments, such as the X-Office

What might have killed Kaine's potential was bringing Spider-Man 2099, Miles Morales, Silk, and Spider-Gwen to Earth-616. Too many spider in one place is overkill.

If Marvel wants to make Kaine popular again, they must

1. Heal his degeneration, we do not need another Deadpool
2. Return his "The Other" powers
3. Make Kaine an X-Men

[HypnoHustler]

1. Too many Spider-Characters(excluding Jessica Drew & Julia Carpenter).
2. The removal of his "The Other" powers
3. Returning his degeneration, which is a very dumb move
4. Not giving Kaine a regular profession, such as completing his college degree
5. Not loaning out to other editorial departments, such as the X-Office

What might have killed Kaine's potential was bringing Spider-Man 2099, Miles Morales, Silk, and Spider-Gwen to Earth-616. Too many spider in one place is overkill.

If Marvel wants to make Kaine popular again, they must

1. Heal his degeneration, we do not need another Deadpool
2. Return his "The Other" powers
3. Make Kaine an X-Men

I agree with 1 and 2, but Kaine is NOT a mutant. Making him an X-Man makes zero sense from a storytelling perspective. He fits better with a team of misfits like New Warriors.

[PCN24454]

I agree with 1 and 2, but Kaine is NOT a mutant. Making him an X-Man makes zero sense from a storytelling perspective. He fits better with a team of misfits like New Warriors.

There are lots of non-mutant X-Men characters. Not to mention Aracely fits well with them.

[Darthfury78]

Despite sharing RNA/DNA, Kaine is not like Peter... at all.

I’ve found that most people who dislike Kaine and Ben haven’t read much of their adventures. They’re clones, but they’re both pretty distinct from Peter... Kaine, especially though. Kaine has his own voice and personality wholly different from Peter, especially since his critically acclaimed Chris Yost ‘Scarlet Spider’ series.

And which Jessica are you referring to? Because the one from the Ultimate universe IS a clone of (that universe’s) Peter... just a gender reversed one.

Not the clone. The Earth-616 version. When it comes to the clones, we're referring to Marvel-616.