Daredevil
Daredevil may have become very popular in his own right over the past couple of years, thanks mainly to the excellent Netflix series, but comic fans will know that Daredevil has crossed paths many times with Spidey in the comics. Usually, the two crime fighters work together to dispense justice, but we have seen the two heroes go toe-to-toe over the years.
Daredevil and Spidey make a good team because they compliment one another’s style. Daredevil tends to be pretty dark and gritty but Peter Parker’s more optimist attitude and sense of humor strikes a nice balance between the two heroes. Given that he’s so popular now, no doubt many fans would like to see him make an appearance, even if it’s just as the mild-mannered lawyer Matt Murdock.
Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus is one of Spider-Man’s most iconic villains, and it’s not hard to see why. With his four extendable, robotic arms, Doc Ock makes for a striking villain. His bionic arms not only allow him to traverse his surroundings quickly, making him able to keep up even with Spidey, they are also incredibly powerful and can easily overpower Spider-Man.
What makes Dr. Octopus such a menacing villain to Spider-Man is that he’s smart as well as strong. The doctor didn’t gain his powers by mere chance, but rather used his intellect to create them. He’s arguably even more intelligent than Peter Parker and was once a good man and brilliant scientist. Whenever he and Spidey go head-to-head, the battle is always fierce and we can’t help but wish he’d use his great mind for good. Doctor Octopus could make an excellent villain in the upcoming game and would perhaps see players having to use Spidey’s lightning fast reflexes to avoid his tentacles while landing blows against the doc himself.
Kraven the Hunter
As a fanatical hunter, Kraven is convinced that, in order to be the greatest hunter of all time, he must take down the ultimate prey: Spider-Man. Despising hunting equipment like guns or traps, Kraven instead insists on killing his prey with his bare hands and abides by a code of honor that states he must meet his target on a level playing field.
Kraven is an expert in hand-to-hand combat and has access to a special serum that reduces the aging process and gives him enhanced strength and reflexes. Kraven’s prowess in battle makes him a serious threat to Spidey, but he tends to underestimate his foe’s resourcefulness. The gameplay we’ve seen of the new Spider-Man game shows off tight fighting controls and Kraven could work very well as a villain who really tests the player’s reflexes and hand-to-hand fighting skills.
Gwen Stacey/Spider-Gwen
Mary Jane is considered by most fans to be the true love of Peter Parker’s life, but Gwen Stacey was arguably his first. The two first met as undergraduates and their shared love of science quickly saw romance bloom. Tragedy occurred when the Green Goblin kidnaps Gwen and throws her from a tall building. Desperate to save her, Spider-Man catches her with a shot of web, but finds she’s dead. It has long been a point of hot debate as to whether the Green Goblin killed her before throwing her or whether, tragically, Peter accidentally killed her by causing such a sudden stop in her fall. Either way, her death had massive repercussions in the Spider-Man comics and her death haunts Peter.
In a recent alternative line of comics, we’ve followed a story where it is Gwen Stacey, not Peter Parker, who is bitten by the radioactive bug. This arc has seen Peter transform into the Lizard to exact revenge on those who bullied him, Gwen having to hide her identity from her father, the chief of police, and Mary Jane fronting a punk band. It’s still unclear exactly where and when the new Spider-Man game fits in with the comics, but it seems like an important character like Gwen Stacey should at least get a mention. Perhaps a grave we can visit in New York, or better yet, an appearance from Spider-Gwen herself? At the very least we hope she’ll be an unlockable skin for those of us who want to kick ass as a Spider-Woman.
Fantastic 4
Unlike many other superheroes, Spider-Man isn’t too proud to call upon the help of others when the threat becomes too great, and there are few he trusts more than the Fantastic 4. They’ve joined forces on numerous occasions over the years and at one point Spider-Man even replaced the Human Torch as an official member.
When Spidey and the Fantastic 4 team up, they’re pretty much an unstoppable force. Not only are they incredibly powerful with their combined powers, but they’re also extremely smart. There are few villains in the Marvel universe that could hope to take down Spidey when he’s got The Thing watching his back. Having the Fantastic 4 appear in the game would not only please fans but could also play an integral part in the story. No doubt we’ll see a strong line-up of villains in the game, but it would be great to see Spidey backed up by his allies.
Wolverine
Wolverine and Spider-Man have crossed paths many times over the years, sometimes as friends, sometimes as enemies. While the two are almost unbeatable when working together, they’re pretty much at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to being a hero. Spider-Man is idealistic and refuses to kill even the worst of criminals. Wolverine is cynical and ferocious and isn’t afraid to get his hands bloody when it comes to dealing with his enemies. This often causes their alliances to be uneasy at best, but makes for a very interesting team up.
Wolverine and Spidey have also exchanged blows on more than one occasion and it’s always brutal to behold. Spider-Man usually has to pull his punches in order to not seriously hurt his foes but, given Wolverine’s healing factor, he can really let loose. Spidey may have the advantage when it comes to speed, but Logan has the edge when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, plus he has over a century of experience. One wrong move from Spidey could see him sliced and diced by Wolverine’s claws. Whether they’re working together or going head-to-head, an appearance from Wolverine would no doubt go down very well.
Rhino
Rhino may not be the smartest of villains, or the most agile, but what he lacks in speed and intelligence, he more than makes up for in brute force. Rhino began his life of crime as a petty criminal, but was made all but invincible after receiving artificial skin that also grants him incredible strength. Spider-Man may totally outclass Rhino when it comes to speed and smarts, but even the hardest punches aren’t enough to keep Rhino down for long.
Battles with the Rhino usually see a huge amount of collateral damage to the surrounding buildings, as well as Peter taking some seriously heavy blows. Spidey must use his agility to outmaneuver the Rhino because one direct blow could crush him. Spider-Man is used to being a lot stronger than most of his enemies but when it comes to Rhino, his strength doesn’t compare. Featuring Rhino in the game would be a great way to force players to use their wits rather than pure brawn to win the day. It would also be awesome to see loads of destructible environments as Rhino charges through the streets.
Venom
Venom is a sentient alien symbiote that exists in a liquid like form and latches on to hosts like a parasite. The symbiote then grants its host superhuman powers similar to Spider-Man’s. Its first host was Peter Parker who at first thought it was a mere costume. Upon discovering it was alive and trying to merge permanently with him, Peter managed to use sound waves from a cathedral bell to reject the parasite.
The symbiote’s most famous host is arguably Eddie Brock, a rival of Peter’s at The Daily Bugle. Eddie’s darker nature merged well with the alien and he became the villain known as Venom. The symbiote is one of Spidey’s most dangerous villains as his spider sense isn’t triggered by it, meaning Peter must rely on fighting skills alone. To make matters worse, the alien is also familiar with Spider-Man’s fighting style due to the time it spent as his suit. A Venom boss fight could be incredibly intense and force players to use their quick reflexes rather than relying on Spider-Man’s heightened senses to preempt attacks. We also really hope there’s an option to unlock Spidey’s venom suit, because, lets face it, it was seriously cool.
Carnage
Carnage is easily the darkest of all of Spider-Man’s villains and over the years we’ve seen him commit some incredibly twisted acts. Unlike many of Spider-Man’s other villains, Carnage isn’t interested in an end goal, he’s just a sadist who enjoys hurting others. Like DC’s Joker, he’s more an agent of chaos than a villain with goals. Like Venom, Carnage is a type of symbiote that has latched onto a human host, a human host who was already evil long before the alien turned up. Carnage latches on to Cletus Kassidy, a homicidal psychopath with a very dark past.
As a child he murdered his grandmother, attempted to murder his mother, and tortured and killed the family dog. Kassidy suffered physical abuse at the hands of his father and was eventually sent to an orphanage (that he burned down). Spider-Man may appeal to both kids and adults, but Carnage is a villain that’s really best left for more mature readers. After going on a killing spree, Kassidy is arrested and put in a cell with Eddie Brock. When the symbiote returns to Brock, it leaves its offspring which merges with Kassidy and creates the villain we know today.
Carnage then goes on a killing spree where he runs into Spider-Man. Despite all his powers, Spidey is no match for Carnage and is forced to turn to Venom to help take him down. You know Carnage is seriously messed up when even Venom thinks he’s going too far. The two manage to defeat him though Carnage has reappeared in several story arcs since. The presence of Carnage in the game could reveal a more mature tone to a superhero many people consider to be more lighthearted than the likes of Batman or Wolverine. As much as we want the game to embrace everything we love about Spidey, featuring Carnage as a villain could remind players that isn’t just about web-slinging and saving the day. Carnage could be a villain that pushes gamers to the edge and forces them to go all out in order to emerge victorious.
Deadpool
If Carnage would add a dark side to the Spider-Man game, then Deadpool would fill it with tongue-in-cheek hilarity. We all know that Peter Parker has a sense of humor, but Deadpool just takes it to the next level with his inability to take anything seriously. Spidey and Deadpool have joined forces on many occasions and it has always been a blast. The two have great banter together and it’s always fun seeing Deadpool put on a leash by Spidey with his rule of no killing.
Though Deadpool can’t web-sling like Spidey, the two are quite similar in a lot of ways. Deadpool is one of the few Marvel heroes who is as fast, maybe even faster, than Spidey when it comes to reflexes, and they’re both excellent at hand-to-hand combat (Spidey doesn’t like Deadpool using his guns and swords). Spider-Man may be be the stronger of the two but Deadpool has the handy ability of a healing factor like Wolverine. Seeing Deadpool pop up in the game could lead to some great moments and we’d love to see him shatter the fourth wall by addressing gamers directly. There should surely be a line where the Merc with the Mouth inquires whether the webhead is Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, or Tom Holland.
We can’t wait to finally play the game and live out our fantasies of being the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Which characters would you like to see appear in the game?
