The 15 Worst Spider-Man Stories of All Time

[Masked Guy]

I forget the name, but that story where the Lizard kills and eats his son really put me off and pretty much destroyed the Doc Connors character for me.

That story was Shed. I've noticed that it tends to be very polarizing among the fanbase. While there are some plot holes (most notably Spider-Man's shock over The Lizard suddenly being able to speak, even though he has consistently done so throughout his entire publication history), I thought it was a pretty unique and interesting take on the character.

[Masked Guy]

i hated planet of the symbiotes when it came out and i couldn't make it through it when i re-read the clone saga via trade last year. unreadable and pointless.

I believe even the writer, David Michelinie, admitted that it wasn't very good. Even though Maximum Carnage tends to receive far more criticism from fans (much of which is just), I still find Planet of the Symbiotes to be the worst symbiote-related story that I've read.

[Sparko]

Regarding the shed story and the plot hole... I think Spidey's shock was due to the Lizard having previously devolved somehow, and then he kind of regained speech... Maybe? Does that sound familiar? It's been a while since I read it.

[Masked Guy]

Regarding the shed story and the plot hole... I think Spidey's shock was due to the Lizard having previously devolved somehow, and then he kind of regained speech... Maybe? Does that sound familiar? It's been a while since I read it.

I don't think so. I remember Calypso turning The Lizard into a mindless, feral creature back in Torment, but I don't think that iteration stuck. In fact, I recall The Lizard returning to normal (or what passes for it) in Amazing vol. 1 #365.

[Sparko]

I remember Torment, I thought the devolved Lizard thing happened in the BND time... I certainly could be wrong, maybe it didn't even happen how I can imagine it now.

[Masked Guy]

I remember Torment, I thought the devolved Lizard thing happened in the BND time... I certainly could be wrong, maybe it didn't even happen how I can imagine it now.

I've read all of Brand New Day and don't remember that occurring.

[Sparko]

I've read all of Brand New Day and don't remember that occurring.

If you're memory said it didn't happen, I guess it didn't happen.

[Vixx]

I believe even the writer, David Michilleinie, admitted that it wasn't very good. Even though Maximum Carnage tends to receive far more criticism from fans (much of which is just), I still find Planet of the Symbiotes to be the worst symbiote-related story that I've read.

Oh man - P.o.S

I forgot about that one - not a shimmering example of symbiote prose, but wasn't that bad; if I remember correctly it was an ambitious attempt?

[Masked Guy]

Oh man - P.o.S

I forgot about that one - not a shimmering example of symbiote prose, but wasn't that bad; if I remember correctly it was an ambitious attempt?

The premise had potential but the execution was abysmal.

[WeirdSpider]

Spider-man/Black Cat Evil that Men Do.
This is the story that added rape to Felicia's backstory.

[Masked Guy]

Spider-man/Black Cat Evil that Men Do.
This is the story that added rape to Felicia's backstory.

That story never bothered me to be honest. Then again, it's been quite some time since I've read it.

[Vworp Vworp]

1) One Moment in Time
2) OMD

I think OMiT edges OMD. OMD was without any doubt an awful idea on every conceivable with a ton of ludicrous contrivances to reach a certain point in a certain way. OMiT took that one further though, by then having to explain why zapping the marriage also zapped Pete and MJ as a couple.,.. and then we got even more contrivances and a hatchet job on MJ.

I don't really have any others cos I stopped reading Spidey comics during OMD (and before you ask, Linkara). So whilst there were no doubt some bad stories during the twenty years I was reading the books, frankly none of 'em come remotely close enough to the atrocities that were OMD and OMiT to justify putting them on here.

But feel free to add Felicia's turning evil because... reasons at no.3.

Edited to Add: Oh yeah, and Clone Conspiracy at no.4 of course. Because Ben. Same as Felicia.

[ViewtifulJC]

1. One More Day
2. The Gathering of Five/The Final Chapter
3. The Other
4. Spider-Man: Chapter One
5. Spider-Man Reign
6. Torment
7. Spectacular Spider-Man 74 (of all the ways they could've ended the Deb Whitman story...)
8. Spectacular Spider-Man 86-87 (of all the ways they tried to end the Black Cat story...)
9. Amazing Spider-Man 289 (Ned Leeds is the HobGoblin, a poorly worked out conclusion to what started as 80s Spider-Man's most compelling sub plot)
10. Maximum Clonage
11. OMIT
12. The "Death" of Mary Jane
13. that one Spectacular Spider-Man issue with the Hypno Hustler, sorry Bill Mantlo
14. Alpha
15. Literally any single issue of Spider-Man by Howard Mackie, Marv Wolfman, or Denny O'Neil could go here, even with John Romita JR drawing the hell out of it.

[Speed Force League Unlimited]

Mine would be:

15.) Spider-Verse (2014-2015)
14.) Changes (2004)
13.) The Lizard's Tale (2004)
12.) Reign (2006)
11.) House of M (2006)
10.) Planet of the Symbiotes (1995)
09.) Mud-Thing (1981)
08.) The Gathering of Five (1998)
07.) Lifetheft (1993)
06.) Sins Remembered (2005)
05.) Power Play (2016)
04.) The "Death" of Mary Jane (2000)
03.) Maximum Clonage (1995)
02.) One Moment in Time (2010)
01.) One More Day (2007)

Feel free to agree/disagree and list your own below.

I thought you'd share a Futurama.. Newsrama or a CBR article, but I have no disagreement with your list.

Brother Power/Sister Sun and the Hate Monger is one of the most annoyingly dull stories I had the misfortune of sitting through.

The last chapter of Spider-Man 2099 handled by Terry Kavanagh is detestable, I don't know if PAD had the idea in mind, but I hate turning the brother I liked more into that evil jealous maniac cause his friend and half brother gained the love of the mother that hated him for long.

[Masked Guy]

1) One Moment in Time
2) OMD

I think OMiT edges OMD. OMD was without any doubt an awful idea on every conceivable with a ton of ludicrous contrivances to reach a certain point in a certain way. OMiT took that one further though, by then having to explain why zapping the marriage also zapped Pete and MJ as a couple.,.. and then we got even more contrivances and a hatchet job on MJ.

I don't really have any others cos I stopped reading Spidey comics during OMD (and before you ask, Linkara). So whilst there were no doubt some bad stories during the twenty years I was reading the books, frankly none of 'em come remotely close enough to the atrocities that were OMD and OMiT to justify putting them on here.

But feel free to add Felicia's turning evil because... reasons at no.3.

Edited to Add: Oh yeah, and Clone Conspiracy at no.4 of course. Because Ben. Same as Felicia.

I go back and forth on One More Day and One Moment in Time being the absolute worst. Both are horrendously written stories that completely mishandle their characters and really serve no purpose other than to fulfill Marvel's agenda of maintaining a single and "younger" Spider-Man.

And yes, I also agree with you on the poor characterizations of Felicia Hardy and Ben Reilly recently.