Because obviously the Robots are the main important thing and not whoever is operating them. Just as the Sentinels are great X-Men villains even if they're operated by many different people and factions over the decades.
I include the Spider-Slayers because they have featured in a few great stories and issues - ASM#25, Annual #19, ASM#290-292 (aka "The Big Question") which I like.
Chameleon was in a brilliant story by Paul Jenkins in Webspinners #10-12. It’s over 20 years old and came out at the same time of the awful Mackie/Byrne relaunch, so unfortunately very under-read and relatively forgotten today. Worth hunting down if you can, for sure. Would undoubtedly make my top 50 Spidey stories of all time (and maybe my top 30). Beyond that, JM DeMatteis also wrote a pretty good story with him in Spectacular just after the clone saga ended.
As for Scorpion, while it isn’t a deep dive into his psychological profile (as most great stories do with their villains) he is one of the main antagonists of the 12 issue ‘Marvel Knights’ run by Mark Millar. When he’s overtaken by the Venom symbiote and confronts Peter, it’s definitely an “oh shit” moment.
Electro and Lizard… hmmn…. Electro has ‘Light the Night’ and ASM#425, which are both good, but not quite great.
Lizard has ‘Shed’, and it’s certainly memorable, but very divisive… people either love it or hate it.
It's possible one can argue as a reader you find the Orcs more interesting and memorable than Sauron and Saruman. Since most of the time the heroes attack and rail on these guys whereas Sauron is non-corporeal for the entirety of the books and is a giant blazing eye in the movies.
Hierarchy doesn't matter when it comes to valuing a character or concept. The Storm Troopers of STAR WARS for instance are one of the most iconic villains in popular culture even if they are a bunch of clones of Boba Fett's Dad.
Anyway I like the Spider-Slayer robot and designs and they make for interesting stories.
Actually Sauron does have a physical body in the books. That is how Gollum knows that he only has 9 fingers.
Speaking of Storm Troopers I miss those Storm Trooper looking henchmen who used to work for Doctor Octopus
for old times sake.jpg
Last edited by Obeythemoderators; 10-13-2021 at 10:11 AM.
Chameleon had a nice era on the 90's where he was trying to become the next Kingpin, was staying behind the scenes, manipulating people, even disguised himself as JJ for a while to piss off Spidey to be able to fuck him over.
Can actually see where Spencer got the way Chameleon acted on his run from.
Wouldn't say it was "great", but he had that going for him.
1) The Green Goblin/Norman Osborn
2) Venom
3) Carnage
4) The Hobgoblin (original Stern version)
5) Doctor Octopus
6) Kraven the Hunter
7) The Kingpin
8) The Scorpion
9) Martin Li/Mister Negative
10) The Burglar
This will be hard since my tastes fluctuate a lot, but I'll give it a try:
1. Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
2. Doc Ock
3. Mysterio
4. Hobgoblin
5. Kraven
6. Venom - a tad bit overrated, but still a good villain
7. Sandman
8. Rhino
9. Lizard
10. Electro
One thing I disagree with is the notion that most of Spider-Man's villains are interchangeable blue-collar criminals. I actually do think there's differences between them and that they're mirrors of Spider-Man in different ways. Mysterio was a nerdy guy who became a performer like how Spider-Man became one prior to Uncle Ben's death. Electro worked the same job as Uncle Ben and refused to help anyone without getting compensated. Sandman had a rough high school life and the thrill he gets from being Sandman and making shapes out of sand is similar to the fun Peter often has with his webshooters. Vulture has a sense of responsibility to his grandchildren in spite of being a villain. And Rhino has some of the funniest interactions with Spider-Man due to being the ultimate dumb brute that you can contrast with Spidey.
Not really. He tried to, disguised as Peter when Peter and Mary Jane were married and after he'd left Peter in a deathtrap. Mary Jane saw through him right away and distracted him for a bit before she grabbed a baseball bat and beat him unconscious with it, just when Peter himself got back home after escaping Chameleon's death trap.
The spider is always on the hunt.
Didnt The Chameleon sleep with the sister of Peter's cop roommate when he was disguised as Peter? I thought that was pretty damn low. I know she was about to throw Peter out of the apartment and he stood up and kissed her and they fell to the floor. I assume the way she acted towards him after that they had sex.
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