Spider-Man started his career as a Marvel Comics superhero when he was a teenager, and he has needed to find and hold onto several allies over the years. In recent Spider-Man comics, J. Jonah Jameson and Norman Osborn had a discussion about Peter Parker, and they both agreed that only Captain America ranks as a better hero than Spider-Man, and it is all about his integrity and how he will always fight to do the right thing, even at his own detriment. This causes many heroes and villains, including those that some fans might not expect, to work alongside Spider-Man because they know he is among the best of them all.
From enemies-turned-friends to his closest of loved ones, here are the 10 best Spider-Man allies in Marvel Comics.
10) Boomerang
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One of Spider-Man’s most unlikely allies is Fred Myers, the great Spider-Man villain known as Boomerang. This happened during Nick Spencer’s run on the title, where Fred became roommates with Peter Parker and Randy Robertson, without either of them knowing the other’s secret identity. However, when they found out, something shocking happened, and Boomerang became an anti-hero who helped out Spider-Man, although he still had secrets of his own. Boomerang even fought to help Spider-Man during the Sinister Wars as a double agent, but then he died trying to save Spider-Man from Morlun. Boomerang has since come back to life, but he remains a complicated character who has a bond with Spider-Man.
9) Ben Reilly
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Ben Reilly has been back and forth over his existence when it comes to being a Spider-Man ally and someone who can’t seem to stay on the same page as Peter. He is Peter Parker’s clone, created by The Jackal, and someone who, at one time, believed he was the real Peter Parker and operated as Spider-Man for a time. He has had moments as a villain, although it was never really him in control when it happened. While Spider-Man hates his clones, Ben has tried to do the right thing, and in current comics, he is pretending to be Peter Parker while the hero is off-planet.
8) The Human Torch
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The relationship between Spider-Man and the Human Torch goes back to the beginning. After Peter Parker got his powers, he decided to try to get a job with the Fantastic Four, thinking it paid. This eventually led him to become friends with the Human Torch, as they were both teenagers who had a little more in common than either of them had with other heroes of the era. They are also a fun pairing. No one can forget the Bombastic Bag-Man costume that Spider-Man needed, and to which Johnny Storm added the “Kick Me” sign to his back.
7) J. Jonah Jameson
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J. Jonah Jameson was one of Spider-Man’s most persistent antagonists for many years. He wasn’t a supervillain, but was a newspaper publisher who printed lies and half-truths about Spider-Man to ruin his reputation at every chance he got. Meanwhile, JJJ was also close to Peter Parker, and almost looked to him like a son. When Spider-Man finally revealed to JJJ that he was Peter Parker, things changed. Jonah became one of Spider-Man’s biggest cheerleaders and closest allies, and he has done everything he can to help his former nemesis. JJJ even said in a recent comic that he considered Spider-Man to be the second greatest hero in the world, behind only Steve Rogers as Captain America.
6) Norman Osborn
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If seeing J. Jonah Jameson as a Spider-Man ally is strange thanks to their history, it is even weirder seeing Norman Osborn as one of his closest allies. This happened when Norman had his “sins” purged by Sin-Eater in the Kindred storyline, and he suddenly had his head cleared for the first time and set out to make up for all the damage he caused. In current Spider-Man comics, Norman has been wearing the Spider-Man costume and fighting crime as the Wall-Crawler, trying to keep the hero’s reputation alive, although it hasn’t gone over well with Spider-Man’s other friends. That said, Norman is doing what he thinks is best for Spider-Man, and he has a great respect for Peter Parker like few others.
5) Black Cat
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There are a few reasons why Black Cat might be the best love interest Spider-Man has ever had, even greater than Mary Jane Watson. While MJ has always been up and down on Peter Parker’s role as Spider-Man, and the characterization since One More Day has almost ruined their relationship, Black Cat has always been there for Spidey. She believes in Peter as Spider-Man, and he makes her want to be a better person and a better hero. Spider-Man brings out the best in Black Cat, and she has proven more than once that she will risk her own life to save Spider-Man, no matter the odds.
4) Wolverine
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The biggest odd couple in Marvel Comics history might be Spider-Man and Wolverine. They met up many years ago, and Wolverine was there to help Spider-Man when he lost his friend, Ned Leeds, and accidentally killed a woman in battle, although it wasn’t Spider-Man’s fault. They then had several team-ups, the best of which saw them traveling through time, to the far future, where they had to fight a god-level Doctor Doom, and to the past, where they spent a long time in an Old West town together. Wolverine is ultra-violent, and Spider-Man wants to save everyone, but together, they are absolutely perfect.
3) Miles Morales
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Miles Morales is the Spider-Man from the Ultimate Marvel timeline. There was a Peter Parker there, but that Peter died, and Miles ended up taking his place as the world’s new Spider-Man. However, after Secret Wars, Molecule Man recreated Earth-616 and paid back Miles’ act of kindness by placing him in the new world with his resurrected family. Since that time, Spider-Man has become a close friend, ally, and mentor for Miles, and the two heroes have been there for each other anytime they needed help. Miles Morales and Spider-Man perfectly complement each other and are always great when they are fighting side by side.
2) Mary Jane Watson
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Mary Jane Watson has received somewhat of a character assassination over the past decade, thanks to One More Day. Currently in Marvel Comics, she is the Venom host, and she was recently dating someone that Marvel fans absolutely hated. It almost seems like Marvel wants fans to forget about how great Spider-Man and MJ are together, and force the two to remain apart from now on. That is tragic. While Spider-Man and Black Cat are perfect together, Spider-Man and Mary Jane are the end goal, and they are the best couple in Marvel Comics history, even though Marvel doesn’t seem to want them to be together.
1) Aunt May
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Aunt May is easily the most important person in Spider-Man’s life. She was the woman who was helping raise him with Uncle Ben until Ben’s death. After Ben’s death, even though Peter hid his role as Spider-Man to protect her, May was still the one person who was there to be his bedrock and the one person he could always count on. He even did the unthinkable when he made a deal with Mephisto to save May’s life in One More Day. No one is more important to Peter Parker than Aunt May, which makes her one of the most important people in Spider-Man comics, without competition.
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