Who do you think are the 10 best Spidey villains?

[Alan2099]

Makes sense; if there was an exact science, I'm sure everyone would be capitalizing on it.

What was the last really iconic Spider-Man villain created? (I've had the impression that Venom is a popular nominee, but I'm pretty disconnected from that kind of thing).

If you're going to say Venom, then you should know Carnage came after him, and he's became really huge.

After that... which was really a long time ago ... I don't know. Kaine? Morlun?

[WebLurker]

If you're going to say Venom, then you should know Carnage came after him, and he's became really huge.

After that... which was really a long time ago ... I don't know. Kaine? Morlun?

Right, forgot about Carnage. Somehow, I thought Kaine and Morlun were more like B or C listers (wasn't Morlun only in two stories anyways: The Other and Spider-Verse?).

[Webhead]

(wasn't Morlun only in two stories anyways: The Other and Spider-Verse?).

He first appeared in the opening arc of Straczynski's Spider-Man run (ASM vol.2 #30-35). He also fought Black Panther at one point.

[WebLurker]

He first appeared in the opening arc of Straczynski's Spider-Man run (ASM vol.2 #30-35). He also fought Black Panther at one point.

Okay. But is he a big name villain or a B-lister?

[Sparko]

He's a big villain for Spidey whenever he's around, but he's also rather one dimensional and seemingly only wants to eat spiders, or totems, with spiders being the tastiest and most nutritious. It's hard to say he's a Marvel A-list villain, and I can't imagine many stories being able to be told with him as the main baddie, but I'm sure it can be pulled off. I think Slott did a great job with what JMS left. You have to consider though, he was created to be a villain specifically for Spidey.

But a true A-list villain, those can be trouble and can appear in anyone's neck of the woods. Take Magneto in the 90's, he showed up to fight Spidey and was respected as the A-list villain he was. Kingpin, he can show up anywhere and easily be a threat in anyone's book. Norman Osborn was at some point the grand mother effer of Marvel, right? He's definitely A-list and can be a scourge to any hero.

It would be pretty cool if they did something similar to Acts of Vengeance again, to see encounters between characters that you don't see often.

[vhm74]

My List

Green Goblin/Norman Osborn
Doctor Octopus/Otto Octavius
Venom/eddie Brock

Morlun
Kraven
Hobgoblin
Rhino
Sandman
Electro
Jackal

Honorary mention:

Mephisto
Joe Quesada

[Hypestyle]

My preferred top 10, irrespective of what are considered the "best" or "most classic" storylines:

in no particular order

Hobgoblin (Kingsley)
Green Goblin (Osborn)
Dr. Octopus
Kingpin
Electro
Sandman (pre-reform)
Vulture
The Rose
Venom (pre-"Lethal Protector")
Beetle

[Webhead]

Okay. But is he a big name villain or a B-lister?

He isn't a big name villain but the threat he poses means he's not a B or C-lister. There's also the limited repeat potential. I feel taking the mystery away from his identity and making a whole family of Morlun-lites was a mistake.

But a true A-list villain, those can be trouble and can appear in anyone's neck of the woods.

They can, but then they lose a bit of the specific antagonism towards the hero.

I'm not saying every foe has to be aiming for one hero alone and carrying a personal vendetta, but the symbiotes, for example, have become largely dissociated from Spider-Man and are more their own thing.

Osborn was retooled as a world-scale threat, but his last depicitions have had him going back to antagonizing Spider-Man a bit. Carnage and Venom barely feel relevant in that respect anymore.

[Mister Mets]

It's a good point on Morlun that any time he appears, serious stuff happens. He beat the hell put of Spider-Man inhis first arc (widely regarded as one of the best of the 2000s) His return was a twelve issue crossover. His origin was an event book with several preludes, and spinoff titles/ mini-series. Hell, he had a body count in his appearance in Hudlin's Black Panther.

[JTait]

It's a good point on Morlun that any time he appears, serious stuff happens. He beat the hell put of Spider-Man inhis first arc (widely regarded as one of the best of the 2000s) His return was a twelve issue crossover. His origin was an event book with several preludes, and spinoff titles/ mini-series. Hell, he had a body count in his appearance in Hudlin's Black Panther.

How many of these are legitimately good stories though? It's a matter of opinion of course, but I would say that his first appearance is his only 'must-read' story. To be considered a top tier villain you need at least a handful.

Admittedly I haven't read his appearance in Hudlin's Black Panther.

[WebLurker]

It's a good point on Morlun that any time he appears, serious stuff happens. He beat the hell put of Spider-Man inhis first arc (widely regarded as one of the best of the 2000s) His return was a twelve issue crossover. His origin was an event book with several preludes, and spinoff titles/ mini-series. Hell, he had a body count in his appearance in Hudlin's Black Panther.

Fair point, but what makes a more iconic villain, the stakes they bring, fan popularity, or prominence in the franchise?

Case in point, Q and the Borg are considered the top two Star Trek:
The Next Generation antagonists, but they appeared only sporadically (there were only four TNG Borg episodes total, counting two-parters as one and not counting the movie). Conversely, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Gul Dukat racked up an impressive amount of screen time for a guest villain (he appeared throughout the entire DS9 series, far more than Q did, for sure), but he's not a household name like the others are.

(Also, consider Boba Fett from Star Wars; wildly popular despite only having a couple movie scenes and not doing much; the tie-ins are where he got the most action.)