Spider-Man first appeared in 1962 in Amazing Fantasy #15, written by Stan Lee with art by Steve Ditko. Since then, he found a special place in the hearts of readers everywhere. Spider-Man’s comics soon introduced a whole lineup of iconic supervillains, including: Venom, Doctor Octopus, Kingpin, The Green Goblin, and more.
While Spider-Man can take credit for introducing a myriad of classic villains to the Marvel universe, he can boast meeting some of the strangest as well. Any time a superhero shows up, villains will start coming out of the woodworks, and they won’t always be fearsome. Even big name superheroes need some variety in their job, and Spider-Man is no exception.
10 The Looter: A Mad Scientist With A Burgling Problem
Making his debut in Amazing Spider-Man #36, written by Stan Lee with art by Steve Ditko, Norton Fester has a last name as wild as his origin story. When a meteor falls to earth, the struggling scientist attempts to get funding to research the space rock.
Failing to secure any money, he begins chiselling away at the debris, only to unleash a cloud of space gas. Fester receives super strength and agility and becomes The Looter, mainly robbing banks. His motivations are unoriginal, and his name doesn’t inspire fear. Combined, they make The Looter chooses a truly weird addition to Spidey’s villains.
9 Silvermane: An Aging Crime Boss Who Turns Cyborg
Readers first met Silvio Manfredi in Amazing Spider-Man #73, written by Stan Lee with art by John Romita, Sr. After joining the Maggia crime organization, Manfredi became a major player in the East Coast crime scene. After his hair started turning white, he received the nickname: Silvermane.
In his older age, Silvermane tries to beat death by becoming a cyborg. It’s a strange story arc that gives him a floating head, reminiscent of Futurama. By becoming a cyborg, Silvermane goes from a somewhat forgettable crime boss to a truly odd addition Spider-Man villain.
8 Overdrive: A Petty Thief Who Can Power Up Cars
James Beverley grew up wanting to be a superhero his whole life and was always a huge fan of Spider-Man. Unfortunately, he ended up being recruited by Mister Negative and became a petty thief. His main power resembled minor technopathy due to nanobacteria he possessed.
Taking the name Overdrive, he generally used his power to steal cars and modify them with a touch, turning them into super-powered vehicles that proved great for making an escape. While his powers were cool and could be applied to unique situations, their limited use made Overdrive an obscure and forgettable villain.
7 Big Wheel: His Whole Gimmick Is In His Name
Amazing Spider-Man #183, written by Marv Wolfman with art by Ross Andru, introduces audiences to Big Wheel, who literally drives around in a giant wheel. Attempt to avoid being caught for embezzlement, Jackson Weele has The Tinkerer build him a weapon to destroy all his problems.
The weapon created is giant vehicle comprised of a big wheel armed with a plethora of weapons that would make even General Grievous jealous. The horrible pun on Weele’s name along with the goofy monowheeled vehicle make Big Wheel a villain who can’t be taken seriously.
6 Grizzly: A Professional Wrestler Wearing A Grizzly Bear Costume
Maxwell Markham was a professional wrestler, but his license was removed because J. Jonah Jameson thought Maxwell’s fighting techniques were too brutal. If Maxwell had channeled those brutal fighting moves and became a crime lord, his story would’ve felt normal for a Spider-Man villain. Instead, the Jackal gave Maxwell a bizarrely designed exoskeleton suit.
Maxwell’s entire costume possessed the aesthetics of a gigantic bear. While Maxwell gained super strength, he still had to run around New York City dressed like a bear. Aptly naming himself Grizzly, his battles against Spider-Man were as laughable as they were strange.
5 Living Brain: A Robot Who Has No Place Being A Villain
The Living Brain was a robot designed to solve any problem. Spider-Man fought it the first time because, in true comic book fashion, it malfunctioned and went on a rampage. However, the Living Brain’s later uses became increasingly strange and convoluted.
What should have been a harmless robot was stolen to beat up a bully, used for petty robberies, joined the Sinister Six under Doctor Octopus’ control, used as a getaway vehicle by Spider-Man, and then housed a copy of Otto Octavius’ consciousness. In the end, it was hard not to feel sorry for the poor robot.
4 Kangaroo: One Of The Weirder Animal Based Villains
Spider-Man is no stranger to animal themed bad guys. In fact, some of his most notorious villains take inspiration from nature’s fiercest creatures. Kangaroo isn’t one of those notorious villains.
The second man to don the Kangaroo moniker, Brian Hibbs wore a robotic suit that looked exactly like a kangaroo, ears and tail and all. The suit gave him the ability to leap great distances, granted him increased strength, and improved his dexterity. Complete with a pouch canon, the Kangaroo suit made Hibbs a strange villain.
3 Mindworm: The Giant Head Isn’t The Only Wild Thing About Him
William Turner was born a mutant because of a harmful compound being stored near the hospital where he was born. The mutation gave him an unusually large cranium. Turner accidentally killed his mother by feeding off all her psionic energy. This tragically led his father to run out in front of a car, killing him.
Calling himself Mindworm, Turner met defeat after Spidey landed at solid punch to Turner’s head. However, the strangest and most tragic thing about Mindworm proved to be his death. Not wanting to be a criminal any longer, Mindworm let himself be murdered by a street gangster while Spider-Man helplessly watched.
2 Gibbon: Powers Of A Monkey Aren’t That Intimidating
Created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr., Martin Blank was a mutant who possessed the physical features and skills of an ape. He was ruthlessly bullied as a child, and when he was older, he joined a circus to make enough money to live in Africa.
The circus gave Martin a gibbon-themed costume, which later became his villainous attire. Spider-Man laughed Martin away when the Gibbon attempted to offer his aid, causing Martin to turn toward crime instead. With all the wild experiences Spider-Man has on a regular basis, the fact he found Gibbon strange is interesting to note, but it’s sad Gibbon was initially shoved aside.
1 Human Fly: Flies Get Stuck In Spiderwebs So Easily
On the brink of death, Rick Deacon stumbled into Harlan Stillwell’s lab and forced the scientist to give him life-saving powers. To do so, Stillwell grafted Deacon’s DNA with genetic code from a fly. Becoming the Human Fly, Deacon fought Spider-Man a number of times, but also had run-ins with multiple other heroes. Readers could accept Spider-Man’s bug connection, but Human Fly’s took a wild turn.
Rick began losing his connection to his humanity, acting more and more like an actual fly. He even started eating garbage in an alley. If Spider-Man had gone through a similar transformation, he wouldn’t be the famous superhero he is today.