Superior Spider-Man is one of the most iconic storylines in Marvel Comics. However, very few people know about an even better story that was born out of these comics: The Superior Foes of Spider-Man. Released in 2013 during Superior Spider-Man Month, this hilarious and insightful series seems to have been lost among the other Superior Spider-Man comics.
As everyone knows, Superior Spider-Man follows Otto Ottavius inside Peter Parker’s body as he tries to prove he is… well, the superior Spider-Man. However, at the same time, a team of mediocre Spider-Man villains, led by Boomerang, also tries to establish themselves in the streets of New York, with hilarious outcomes. This comic was ahead of its time, and right now, fans are engaging more and more with metatextual and self-aware superhero material, so it might be the perfect moment to take another look at The Superior Foes of Spider-Man.
Superior Foes of Spider-Man Is One of the Funniest Comics of the 2010s
Created by writer Nick Spencer and artist Steve Lieber, Superior Foes of Spider-Man follows a version of the Sinister Six filled with B-lister and C-lister villains. Composed of Boomerang, as the leader, the new Beetle (with Janice Lincoln, Tombstone’s daughter), Speed Demon, Overdrive, and Shocker, the group tries to become the next supervillain group in New York City. However, they are not even six villains, as their name suggests, but only five after the death of Living Brain in Superior Spider-Man. In fact, the story begins after the events of Superior Spider-Man #1, where Otto Octavius’ Spider-Man sets a trap for the low villains, kills Living Brain, and puts Boomerang in jail.
Of course, these are not Spider-Man’s most famous heroes. In fact, some of them are particularly unknown, even among hardcore comic fans. But this comic managed to give them a special place in the canon. Even though these villains are mostly harmless and forgettable, readers grow to love them in this storyline.
Boomerang, aka Fred Myers, narrates the comic and soon becomes a fan-favorite. With great humor, the villain explains the events following his arrest as he escapes from jail and digs his own grave through lies to Chameleon, the Owl, and his own teammates. However, soon enough, he proves to be an unreliable narrator, and readers will fall for his lies time and time again. But Boomerang ends up being a very lovable, roguish character with some of the best jokes in Marvel Comics.
These glorified villain types think the world of themselves, and the hilarity of it all comes from the fact that they are pathetic. Even though they have powers and an evil agenda, these villains struggle to pay rent and get groceries. Some of their biggest heists consist of attacking restaurants to get a decent meal. Blinded by their own egos, they usually betray one another, leading to ridiculous mistakes. Their struggles are real and relatable, making these characters easy to love despite their villainous shenanigans.
Even though The Superior Foes of Spider-Man doesn’t take itself seriously, it still has fantastic character development. It delves into the backgrounds of these mostly forgotten villains with humor, insight, and a touch of metahumor. In the end, readers truly get to know the group and understand them for both their flaws and good intentions, even if they are never actually redeemed.
Why Superior Foes of Spider-Man Remains One of the Best Spider-Man Comics Ever Created?
Image via Marvel Comics
The Superior Foes of Spider-Man barely features Spider-Man, yet it earned a cult following throughout the fandom. This is because this comic dared to think outside the box. Instead of focusing on the hero’s adventures, it explores the villain’s motivations, inner world, and even quotidian routine. This is interesting because it’s a side that the audience usually doesn’t get. What’s more, the comic goes against usual expectations about villainy. These characters don’t brood in a lair, but have regular lives. They just happen to be selfish and violent—and not even all of them. Some of them just want a job, like Shocker. This is much more realistic and entertaining than expecting villains to be eccentric, bloodthirsty monsters.
However, they are still villains. They want power, money, and status, and they don’t care who they have to hurt to obtain them. Boomerang, for example, betrays his teammates, his bosses, and even his girlfriend. But behind these selfish personalities, there are people with interesting and even lovable qualities. Boomerang is also funny, sentimental, and even loyal at times. Following villains with a gray moral area allows for much more nuance and character development than heroes. It also raises much higher stakes because it’s hard to know how the story will end, and it surprises the audience when these villains turn out to be sensitive and human.
Additionally, Nick Spencer cleverly used this unique point of view to deconstruct the hero and villain archetypes and the comic narrative formula. Boomerang speaks directly to the audience (or so it seems), acknowledging the expectations of the genre and even addressing the storylines the audience clearly wonders about. There are also plenty of jokes about familiar tropes or trite superhero characteristics. For example, the comic explains Overdrive’s backstory, who wanted to become a superhero. He then tried every possible way to become a hero: a spider bite, toxic materials, accidents, etc. This is, of course, in reference to iconic superhero powers. But none work for poor Overdrive.
These narrative elements and meta-humor make this comic series feel like a sitcom. Soon enough, the characters grow on the readers in a found-family way. The story arcs are also cheeky and clever, similar to meta series like Community or even another comic-based show like Harley Quinn. This tone would become increasingly popular throughout the 2010s. Still, Superior Foes of Spider-Man was one of the first publications to feature this sarcastic narrative, dark comedy, and self-aware characters.
Superior Foes of Spider-Man’s Sinister Six Deserves More Attention
Considering the comic characters who are making it into the big screen and becoming extremely popular, the Superior Foes of Spider-Man should be much more well-known by now. The comic has everything audiences are craving right now: hilarious jokes, dark comedy, and interesting characters who get a second chance. Teams or heroes like Loki, Deadpool, and Thunderbolts are clear proof of this.
It’s been almost two decades of superheroes monopolizing all media, so people are looking for more interesting formulas within the same genre. DC has been at the forefront of shaking things up, with shows like Peacemaker, Harley Quinn, and The Watchmen or movies like The Suicide Squad. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been playing it safer, with more wholesome storylines and heroes. Even the Thunderbolts save the world thanks to the power of friendship.
Superior Foes of Spider-Man would be the perfect opportunity to introduce a bit more edge into the MCU. It’s not an R-rated comic by any means, but it has a good dose of black humor and characters who aren’t particularly redeemable. It’s a great way to explore the implications of a universe with superpowers without tainting one of the characters people love so much. This comic is especially compelling because Spider-Man is one of the most explored franchises in film.
The MCU has already released three movies with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, and it’s already working on a fourth one, Spider-Man: Brand New Day. It even went so far as to cross over with Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy and The Amazing Spider-Man series, featuring the iconic faces of Toby Maguire and Andrew Garfield. This, combined with the Spider-Verse, means that Spider-Man is likely the most represented superhero in media, and it’s not about to stop any time soon.
Throughout so many Spider-Man films in the last 20 years, people are already pretty familiar with some of Spider-Man’s most iconic foes, but they are missing those obscure villains from the comics. With its outstanding narrative, compelling storylines, and great character development, Superior Foes of Spider-Man would be an exceptional project featuring brand-new characters from an already beloved franchise.
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