Marvel’s Spider-Man has fought an endless list of enemies across countless comic book appearances, so it’s only natural for some of his greatest battles to find a place in the hall of fame of Marvel Comics fights. Peter Parker’s Friendly Neighborhood moniker is accurate, but misleading. While he does share his duties of protecting New York with several other street-level heroes, Spider-Man also stars in brutal battles that would make the Avengers nervous.
There’s no shortage of Marvel villains and even heroes eager to fight Spider-Man. Spider-Man’s extensive rogues’ gallery constantly attacks the wall-crawler, while lesser-known villains like the Enforcers and Crime-Master only fight Spidey when he messes with their illegal business.
Spider-Man has fought his biggest enemies multiple times throughout the years, but there are specific encounters that have become completely unforgettable.
10
Spider-Man vs Juggernaut
Amazing Spider-Man #229 and #230 (1982)
Spider-Man faces a giant Juggernaut in Marvel Comics
Written by Roger Stern with art by John Romita Jr., “Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut” is widely considered the quintessential Spider-Man underdog story. The plot is deceptively simple, as the unstoppable Cain Marko heads toward Madame Web, and Spider-Man is the only person standing in his way. Eventually, Spider-Man guides the Juggernaut into a pool of concrete, defeating him. Romita Jr. uses the massive physical disparity to heighten the tension, with a battered, desperate Peter Parker getting increasingly creative in his attacks.
Together with his highly unbalanced battle against the Power Cosmic-fueled Firelord, Spider-Man’s 1982 fight against Juggernaut perfectly exemplifies the web-head’s unbreakable spirit. Here, Spider-Man proves he could hang with the heavy hitters of the Marvel Universe through sheer stubbornness and earns a new level of respect among his peers. Spider-Man’s unlikely victory over the Juggernaut laid the groundwork for future battles, such as The Gauntlet and his encounter with the Phoenix-possessed Colossus and Magik in Avengers vs X-Men.
9
Spider-Man vs. Harry Osborn
Spectacular Spider-Man #200, (1993)
Harry Osborn puts on his Green Goblin mask in Spectacular Spider-Man #200
The final confrontation between Peter Parker and Harry Osborn serves as the culmination of Harry’s descent into the Green Goblin persona. The artistic choice to use tight, claustrophobic panels emphasizes the personal nature of the conflict, and the brutal choreography reflects the downfall of the two superhumans’ tragic friendship. Similarly to his father, Harry Osborn is fatally wounded in his battle with Spider-Man and dies before he can fully redeem himself for the Green Goblin’s crimes.
Spider-Man and Harry Osborn’s final fight in Spectacular Spider-Man #200 turns the Green Goblin mantle from a gimmick into a generational curse. It shifts the Green Goblin’s focus to the collateral damage it causes to his family and makes Harry an equally tragic figure; a change that has stuck around for decades. Harry Osborn’s sacrifice has become a recurring part of his story in most adaptations, and it has made him one of the most notable examples of friend-turned-enemy in superhero media.
8
Spider-Man vs Sinister Six
The Amazing Spider-Man Annual (1964) #1
Spidey faces the Sinister Six in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual (1964) #1
In 1964, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko changed the landscape of comic book history by introducing the first major supervillain team-up, the Sinister Six. The Amazing Spider-Man Annual (1964) #1 sees Doctor Octopus, Kraven, Mysterio, Vulture, Sandman, and Electro unite to dismantle Spider-Man through a not-so-well-coordinated attack. Ditko’s art reaches a creative peak with legendary full-page splashes for each individual fight that allow the reader to soak in the unique power sets of each villain.
This issue is the blueprint for the ensemble villain trope that has become a staple of the genre. The Sinister Six became the gold standard for supervillain teams, and this battle remains one of the most referenced events in Spider-Man’s history. It contributed significantly to Spider-Man’s dynamics with each of his enemies and to every villain’s personal feud with the web-slinger.
7
Spider-Man vs Morlun
The Amazing Spider-Man #34 (1999)
Morlun chokes Spidey in Marvel Comics’ The Amazing Spider-Man #34
J. Michael Straczynski and John Romita Jr.’s introduction of Morlun fundamentally altered Spider-Man’s origin lore. Morlun was presented as an Inheritor, a vampiric predator who hunts those with animal-themed powers. Spider-Man’s battle with Morlun spans several issues, depicted as a non-stop, twelve-hour chase through the streets of New York. Romita Jr.’s gritty, kinetic pencils make every punch feel catastrophic and depict a version of Spider-Man who’s falling apart, his costume in tatters and his ribs broken, yet refusing to stop.
Morlun’s arrival also introduced the Spider-Totem concept, which reveals that Peter Parker’s arachnid powers have a mystical and predestined origin. This revelation expanded the Spider-Man mythos into the supernatural realm, and eventually led to the massive Spider-Verse events of the 2010s. Although the villain has failed to make the same impact since his debut, no Spider-Man villain had threatened Spidey’s life the way Morlun did in 1999.
6
Spider-Man vs Kingpin
The Amazing Spider-Man #542 (2007)
A shirtless Peter Parker charges towards Kingpin in The Amazing Spider-Man #542
Following the shooting of Aunt May by a sniper, Back in Black features a Spider-Man who has abandoned his traditional humor in favor of pure, focused vengeance. Donning the cloth version of his black suit, Peter Parker tracks Wilson Fisk to Ryker’s Island and beats him to a pulp. Spider-Man takes off his mask and costume and humiliates the Kingpin in front of a crowd of inmates without uttering a single quip, and he goes so far as to threaten to fill Kingpin’s lungs with webbing if his family is ever touched again.
Kingpin’s hit on Aunt May leads Spider-Man to drop his Friendly Neighborhood persona to reveal the dangerous powerhouse hiding beneath. All along, the only thing keeping Spider-Man’s villains alive is Peter Parker’s conscience, but when the gloves are off, even the unmovable Kingpin trembles. This battle also re-established Wilson Fisk as a top-tier nemesis for Spider-Man and highlighted Peter’s gritty, street-level qualities.
5
Spider-Man vs. Kraven
Kraven’s Last Hunt (1987)
Symbiote Spider-Man comes out of his grave in Kraven’s Last Hunt
Often cited as the greatest story of the villain, Kraven’s Last Hunt presents a psychological battle that transcends standard superhero action. Written by J.M. DeMatteis with haunting, atmospheric art by Mike Zeck, the plot involves Kraven the Hunter finally defeating Spider-Man by tranquilizing him and burying him alive. The image of Spidey literally clawing his way out of a grave is one for the ages, and Kraven’s decision to end his life is one of the darkest moments in Spider-Man history.
Kraven’s Last Hunt transformed Sergei Kravinoff from a relatively campy hunter into a surprisingly multi-dimensional villain. Instead of fighting to the death, both Peter Parker and Kraven are haunted by the psychological burden of the Spider-Man mask, and Peter shows his predator why carrying the mantle isn’t something any enhanced individual can do. Kraven’s Last Hunt continues to resonate in modern comics, and it has inspired multiple sequel arcs such as Grim Hunt and Hunted.
4
Spider-Man vs Iron Man
Civil War #5 (2006)
Iron Man shoots his blasters at Spider-Man in Marvel Comics’ Civil War
After being gifted the high-tech Iron Spider armor by Tony Stark, Peter Parker eventually realizes he’s on the wrong side of the Superhuman Registration Act conflict and attempts to defect. The resulting clash with Iron Man grows increasingly brutal as they exchange powerful blows, and Spider-Man is proven right when Iron Man’s bodyguards shoot Peter on sight. Although Iron Man’s Pro-Registration movement eventually wins, his poor treatment of Spider-Man is a major stain on Tony Stark’s superhero career.
Spider-Man and Iron Man’s Civil War battle is heightened by the monumental unmasking that preceded it and Spider-Man’s near-death experience fighting SHIELD’s Thunderbolts. Peter Parker irrevocably alters the lives of every person in his circle when he reveals his secret identity, and he forces the Punisher and Captain America to reconsider their view on crime-fighting when he almost dies following his encounter with Iron Man. Spidey’s crucial role in Civil War influenced his Back in Black era and the eventual One More Day reboot, making it the most significant turning point of the 21st century.
3
Spider-Man vs Ultimate Green Goblin
Ultimate Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #153
Mary Jane Watson hugs a dead Peter Parker in the Ultimate Marvel Universe’s Death of Spider-Man
The “Death of Spider-Man” arc in the original Ultimate Marvel universe presents the rare scenario of Peter Parker’s real, irreversible demise. After taking a bullet intended for Captain America, a bleeding and exhausted Peter Parker is forced to defend his home from a final assault by the Sinister Six, led by a monstrous Norman Osborn. Spider-Man uses every ounce of his remaining strength to protect Aunt May and Mary Jane before dying in MJ’s arms.
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“Death of Spider-Man” allowed a version of Peter Parker to achieve a complete narrative arc, ending in a sacrifice that actually mattered. Ultimate Peter Parker’s death also led directly to the introduction of Miles Morales, who has since become a global phenomenon and a pillar of the Marvel multiverse. This story achieved the previously unthinkable feat of demonstrating how a hero as famous as Spider-Man isn’t invincible with a final, noble victory.
2
Spider-Man vs Venom
The Amazing Spider-Man #300 (1988)
Venom attacks Symbiote Spidey in The Amazing Spider-Man #300
Written by David Michelinie and illustrated by the legendary Todd McFarlane, Venom’s introduction resolved the lingering mystery of the alien symbiote while introducing Spider-Man’s dark reflection. McFarlane utilized a visceral art style to depict a villain who possessed all the powers of the protagonist and none of the restraint. This issue is all about tension, as Venom stalks Peter and forces him to rely on different methods to stop the symbiote’s attacks.
The importance of Venom’s debut can’t be overstated, as it birthed the most successful antagonist of Marvel’s Modern Age. Pretty late into the game, Marvel created a rival who felt like a permanent threat to Peter Parker’s civilian life and paved the way for an extensive and complex symbiote lore that eventually led to Carnage and Knull’s own introduction. McFarlane’s visual innovations in this issue, specifically the famous “spaghetti webbing” and Venom’s monstrous grin, revolutionized Spider-Man’s aesthetic for years to come.
1
Spider-Man vs Green Goblin
The Amazing Spider-Man #121–122 (1973)
Spider-Man mourns his girlfriend on the George Washington Bridge in The Night Gwen Stacy Died
“The Night Gwen Stacy Died” is arguably the most famous Spider-Man story ever told. Gerry Conway and Gil Kane delivered a brutal two-part epic where Green Goblin throws Gwen Stacy off the George Washington Bridge. The resulting battle is fueled by a level of rage rarely seen in Spider-Man comics, and the art captures the unhinged violence of a hopeless hero. The iconic snap of Gwen’s neck remains one of the most haunting panels in comic history, followed by the poetic justice of the Goblin being impaled by his own glider.
This battle effectively ended the Silver Age of comics and established the Green Goblin as Spider-Man’s definitive archnemesis. The death of a major supporting character like Gwen Stacy was unheard of at the time and permanently changed how writers approached stakes in superhero fiction. Every subsequent dark Spider-Man story owes its existence to this battle, as it redefined the character as a tragic hero who must carry the weight of his failures permanently.
Which is your favorite fight in Spider-Man history?
First Appearance
Amazing Fantasy
Alias
Peter Parker, Ben Reilly, Otto Octavius, Yu Komori, Kaine Parker, Pavitr Prabhakar, William Braddock, Miles Morales, Kurt Wagner
Alliance
Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Secret Defenders, Future Foundation, Heroes for Hire, Mighty Avengers, New Avengers, Web-Warriors
Race
Human