Spider-Man famously starts up when a radioactive spider bites Peter Parker, transforming him into the titular superhero. His story has been recounted many times over the years, in media like comics, films, and television series.
However, while Parker might be the original Spider-Man, he isn’t the only web-slinger to appear in Marvel Comics. While there have been a few other spider-themed heroes over the years, like Madame Web, or characters who come from alternate universes, there have been a few to take on the Spider-Man title themselves.
However, there are characters who have taken on the title of Spider-Man after Parker, usually during brief periods when he’s retired as the character. While Peter usually decides to take up the mantle again, some of these characters decide to stay superheroes, usually having to don new identities, and even fight alongside the original. Not all of these characters are good guys, however. Some “Spider-Men” have been everything from villains to morally-conflicted antiheroes, some of whom becoming enemies of the real Spider-Man.
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10 Ben Reilly
Ben Reilly is a clone of Peter Parker who was created as a possible rival and enemy for Peter. However, the two became allies, even regarding themselves as family. Although he was apparently killed in his first appearance, he later returned and donned the identity of the “Scarlet Spider,” using a similar costume to Spider-Man’s classic outfit.
Spider-Man’s Got a “Brother” In Arms
However, when his “brother” Peter Parker briefly abandoned his superhero alter-ego, Ben took on the mantle, becoming the new Spider-Man, complete with a new costume. However, he would soon meet his end fighting Norman Osborn, causing Peter to resume the role.
Reilly would later return to the comics, which saw him take on other aliases, including Jackal and Chasm. Eventually, the character would appear in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, using his Scarlet Spider alias, where he serves as a parody throwback to 1990s antiheroes.
9 Brian Kornfield
Brian Kornfield was a fan of superheroes, especially Spider-Man, even writing to him. Dwarf, a minion of the demonic Chthon, offered him powers similar to his hero. This allowed him to take on the alias of Spider-X. However, instead of a costumed hero, he became a monstrous spider.
Be Careful What You Wish for
He became fueled with a thirst for vengeance, such as killing a mugger who attacked his mother. This put him into conflict with the Ghost Rider and John Blade, who had been caught in his web. Characters would even mistake Kornfield for a mutated Spider-Man. Eventually, he would even fight against his hero. Spider-X would eventually lose his life in an explosion caused with fighting the electrical monster Zzzax.
Also known as “Spider-Man to the Xth Power,” mystical power granted Kornfield similar abilities to Peter Parker, including his own “Spider-Sense.” Due to being more arachnid in nature, Kornfield also possessed powerful fangs and venom.
8 Mac Gargan
MacDonald “Mac” Gargan is a supervillain who became a recurring adversary to Peter Parker. Initially hired to uncover how Peter Parker takes photos of Spider-Man, J. Jonah Jameson decided to help go toe-to-toe with her web-slinger. A procedure had transformed him into the criminal Scorpion, giving Spider-Man another arachnid-themed villain.
From Scorpion to Spider-Man
After coming into possession of the Venom symbiote, Gargan would pose as Spider-Man while serving as part of the Dark Avengers, which saw various supervillains and antiheroes posing as their famous adversaries. During this time, the symbiote was reset to resemble itself when it used Spider-Man as a vessel. Eventually, Gargan abandoned this alter-ego and returned to being Scorpion due to the stress the symbiote had on his body.
7 Mattie Franklin
Mattie Franklin is the niece of J. Jonah Jameson. She was a fan of Spider-Man, even having borderline feelings for him. During the “Gathering of Five” storyline, she took Peter Parker’s place while he was currently retired, obtaining powers that Norman Osborn himself sought to obtain. The Gathering granted Franklin the gift of “Power,” which included super speed, stamina, and even the ability to fly. While filling in for Parker, she even donned his famous costume.
The Powers of Spider-Women Combined
However, after suffering defeat from the villain Shadrac, Parker reclaimed his former alter-ego and rescued Franklin. After this, Franklin took on the alias Spider-Woman. This eventually caused her to be targeted by the villainous Charlotte Witter, who also used the Spider-Woman mantle.
However, Franklin managed to regain her powers, as well as obtain the powers of other Spider-Women. Franklin also notably appears in the Madame Web film, as well as making a cameo in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
6 Flash Thompson
Flash Thompson is best known as a school-aged bully who tormented Peter Parker in their youth, all the while ironically being his alter-ego Spider-Man’s biggest fan. Some stories show him going on to become friends with Parker later in life, and has even been portrayed as a superhero. Through the Venom symbiote, he has taken on the mantle of Agent Venom. In time, he would become the host of the Anti-Venom symbiote, as well, gaining the alias, Agent Anti-Venom.
Whether Hero or Villain, Things Don’t Work Out so Well
One “What If” story explored what would have happened if Thompson had become Spider-Man instead of Parker. Thompson initially embraced being Spider-Man, even quitting school to become a full-time superhero. However, the realities of life start to get him. Upon learning that Parker, who still works as a photographer, has discovered his secret identity, an enraged Thompson accidentally kills him. Horrified, Thompson helps to save Parker’s Aunt May and turns himself into the authorities.
Other stories have explored the idea of Thompson having spider powers. Another “What If…?” story saw him take on the mantle of Captain Spider. Another time saw him become a villain dubbed “the Spider.”
5 Anansi
Anansi is a popular trickster figure from African folklore, often being portrayed as a spider or a spider-like creature. Anansi also appears as a figure in Marvel stories. While technically introduced after Peter Parker’s first appearance, due to his mythical status, Anansi has once been portrayed as being the original Spider-Man.
The Original Spider Hero
With a thirst for knowledge, Anasi made a deal with the sky deity Nyame. In exchange for his service, he was granted enlightenment. He then vanished from the material world, with his power and wisdom entering into spiders through the Great Web of Life and Destiny.
Due to being one of folklore’s most famous spiders, Anansi has been referenced in other Spider-Man media over the years. The third issue of Spider-Man Fairy Tales casts Spider-Man as Anansi, encountering elementals resembling The Fantastic Four.
4 Ai Apaec
Ai Apaec is a figure from the South American Moche culture, serving as a chief diety. Ai Apaec also appears as a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. Ai Apaec takes the form of a human-spider hybrid, with gorgon-like snakes for hair. While initially worshipped by the Moche people, he was eventually captured and imprisoned in an underwater government facility. He would soon meet up with Norman Osborn, joining forces with him to escape.
A Spider-Man with Bite
Osborn would later recruit Ai Apaec for his own version of the Dark Avengers. Osborn even gave the deity a drug that allowed him to resemble a version of a black-suited Spider-Man with six arms. Ai Apaec proved to be a strong and powerful being. Much like a real spider, Ai Apaec could produce a strong venom. Ai Apaec could even collect oxygen from water, much like a diving bell spider.
3 Otto Octavius
Dr. Otto Octavius is best known through his alias Doctor Octopus, or Doc Ock for short. A highly intelligent scientist, Octavius is known for four powerful appendages, which resemble the tentacles of an octopus, which are permanently fused to his back.
While Octavius is arguably best known as an enemy of Spider-Man’s, notably serving as the leader of the Sinister Six, there have been times when he’s been more of an antihero and even Spider-Man’s ally.
Doc Ock Becomes the Superior Spider-Man
In one story, Octavius switched bodies with Parker, who seemingly died in Octavius’ original body. The switch even granted Octavius his host body’s memories. Octavius decided to make use of the change to prove himself a better Spider-Man than Parker, even calling himself the Superior Spider-Man. However, Octavius would have to revive his host after the Goblin King took control of New York City.
2 Kurt Wagner
Kurt Wagner is best known as the X-Men character Nightcrawler. His mutations give him adhesive hands and feet, as well as the power to teleport. He also possesses indigo fur that can help him become invisible.
Clearing His Name Behind a Mask
However, after being brainwashed into serving as an assassin, Wagner had trouble using his Nightcrawler alter-ego. With Peter Parker’s blessing, Wagner took on the mantle of the Uncanny Spider-Man, also known as “Spinnenmann,” which is German for “Spider-Man,” or “Creepy Crawler.”
With this new alter-ego, Wagner hopes to prove to the world that his actions during his brainwashing were not really his own, all the while hiding who he really is from the world. The new mantle also pits Wagner against Spider-Man’s regular enemies, including the Vulture and Rhino.
1 Miles Morales
Miles Morales is a superhero who has become Marvel Comics’ second most famous Spider-Man. Much like Parker, Morales obtained his powers from a spider bite. Initially meant to be from an alternate universe, Morales was later made a character in the main Marvel universe.
What Makes You Different, Makes You Spider-Man
Morales has similar powers to Parker, but also has “venom strikes,” which allows him to shock people. In some later stories, he also obtains the power to conjure an electric sword. While Morales has used the Spider-Man mantle, Morales has also been known as Shadow Spider. As some media often has him fight alongside Parker, he has sometimes been given the aliases Kid Arachnid, Spy-D, and Spin.
In many stories, Morales has a prominent ally in a web-slinging Gwen Stacy, who often takes the names of Spider-Woman or Ghost-Spider. In popular culture, however, Miles Morales is arguably best known as the star of the Spider-Verse universe, starting with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
