Few would ever think a hero as iconic and bright as Spider-Man would turn bad or go evil. The wall-crawling web-slinger is usually known among his superhero peers for his moral high ground, but there are a few versions of the character who don't share the original's beliefs.

Thanks to evil alien symbiotes, genetic experiments gone wrong, and the multiverse as a whole, there are some evil Spider-Men out there. From doppelgangers and monsters to apocalyptic versions of himself and beyond, Spider-Man has shown he's capable of evil.

Marvel Introduced a Spider-Man Army Before the Spider-Verse

Updated on October 20, 2023 by John Dodge: The release of 2023's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse introduced a dark new take on Miguel O'Hara/Spider-Man 2099 who terrified audiences. Of course, he isn't the scariest Spider-Man who's appeared over the years. Variants like the cannibalistic Patient Zero or Marvel Zombies' undead Peter Parker have made fans fear the usually friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

This article discusses abuse, cannibalism, and other sensitive topics.

25 Web-Man Was Spider-Man's Evil Double

Spider-Man has faced a few terrifying duplicates of himself over the years. Doctor Doom actually created one of the first using his twisted mirror Twin Machine invention. When the real Spider-Man stood in front of the mirror, Doctor Doom used it to create a dark twin of Spider-Man that became known as Web-Man.

Web-Man's costume was the same, though it featured an inverted color palette. He also had all the same powers as Spider-Man, though Web-Man's intelligence was greatly reduced. Spider-Man was easily able to outsmart Web-Man, who returned to Doctor Doom defeated. Spider-Man destroyed Doctor Doom's Twin Machine and Web-Man disappeared into obscurity.

24 Otto Octavius/Superior Spider-Man Became A Brutal Fist Of Justice

One of the most dangerous Spider-Man versions was born when Otto Octavius’s mind took over Peter Parker’s body. He became the Superior Spider-Man who enforced justice in a much harsher and more brutal way than Peter Parker.

Superior Spider-Man built an army of Spider-Bots to patrol the city and help him take on villains and heroes alike. Otto Octavius ruined Parker's reputation among the superhero community and attempted to use his increased power to take over the city. However, Otto fell for someone and sacrificed his control of Peter Parker's body, so the real Spider-Man could save the woman he loved.

23 Peter Parker/Savage Spider-Man Was A Horrifying Monster

Spider-Man faced the threat of the Immaculatum and Baron Zemo in the pages of Non-Stop Spider-Man. The Immaculatum created a new serum called A-Plus that increased the subject's physical attributes before making them obedient slaves to the evil group. Zemo injected Spider-Man with A-Plus, though the serum had a unique reaction with his radioactive physiology.

A-Plus mutated in Spider-Man's system, transforming him into a massive spider monster. While he retained a semblance of his humanity, Zemo still took control and used the Savage Spider-Man. However, the A-Plus mutated again, and Spider-Man regained his human form with increased intelligence. He took down Zemo and the Immaculatum before purging A-Plus from his system.

22 Peter Parker/Venom Never Gave Up The Symbiote

Spider-Man was at his worst when he was taken over by the symbiote, becoming the black-suited Spider-Man. Spider-Man's relationship with the symbiote turned him into a powerful anti-hero. However, his newfound brutal tactics made him less a symbol of hope and more a symbol of fear.

It took all of Peter Parker's will and strength to rid himself of the alien symbiote, but unfortunately, his actions led to the creation of Venom and a whole slew of villainous symbiotic foes. Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow followed an alternate version who never separated from the symbiote, and Peter Parker almost turned evil for good.

21 Mac Gargan/Dark Spider-Man Was A Serial Killer

Spider-Man: 10 Things Fans Should Know About ScorpionWhile Peter Parker was the first Earth character to bond with the Venom symbiote, he definitely wasn't the last. After abandoning its previous host, the Venom symbiote tracked down Mac Gargan, the villain formerly known as Scorpion. Gargan agreed to bond with the symbiote to become the new Venom, though he didn't have as much control as his predecessors.

When Norman Osborn took over S.H.I.E.L.D. during the Dark Reign event, he formed his own team of Dark Avengers. He gave Gargan a symbiote and a special serum that altered his appearance and allowed him to masquerade as Dark Spider-Man. He was a vicious and bloodthirsty version of Spider-Man who tarnished his name and reputation until Gargan lost the symbiote.

20 Peter Parker/Spiders-Man Was Comprised Of Literal Spiders

Things went differently for Peter Parker of Earth-11580 after the young science student accidentally fell into a genetically engineered colony of spiders at Horizon Labs. The spiders completely consumed Peter's body, then a hive mind formed and merged with Parker's consciousness.

Peter formed a human body out of spiders and became Spiders-Man to protect the city. However, the spiders that make up his body had a ravenous appetite, making him a threat to other Multiversal Spider-Men during the Spider-Geddon event. Spiders-Man spread his spiders across the multiverse before helping another evil version destroy the Web of Life and Destiny.

19 Peter Parker/Assassin Spider-Man Had No Issue With Killing

One of Peter Parker’s defining traits is his refusal to take a life, opting to find another way to stop a villain or threat. On Earth-8351, Peter chose a different path and become one of the world’s top black ops assassins alongside Wolverine.

After following Wolverine to Russia, Peter accidentally took the life of Wolverine's friend, who wanted to end her own life to stop the KGB from hunting her. Haunted by his actions, Spider-Man stayed with Wolverine and trained to become an assassin. This version of Spider-Man would later fight against the Inheritors during Spider-Verse and Spider-Geddon.

18 Ero/The Other Was A Terrifying Spider-Totem

The most powerful evil Spider-Man is The Other. In a storyline known by the same name, Peter Parker began having weird dreams and symptoms related to his Uncle Ben and spiders. Worried about his mortality, the impossibly powerful Inheritor known as Morlun beat him so badly that he ended up in the hospital. Parker fought Morlun again in the hospital, taking the villain's life with his final breath.

Peter later emerged from a cocoon with enhanced powers after a powerful Spider-Totem known as The Other resurrected him. However, when Spider-Man rejected The Other, it transformed into an evil form known as Ero before passing on to other Spider-heroes, like Kaine/Scarlet Spider.

17 Spider-Doppelganger Had A Lust For Violence

The Infinity War Doppelgangers That Had Lasting Impact Beyond Infinity WarAdam Warlock's dark aspect Magus created an evil version of Spider-Man which became known as Doppelganger during the Infinity War event. Presented as a more animalistic version of Spider-Man rather than a fully intelligent human being, this evil version proved truly powerful.

Doppelganger had Spider-Man’s super strength, speed, wall-climbing, and spider-sense, but also came with far more dangerous powers like razor-edged webbing, claws, fangs, and six arms. Doppelganger later joined Carnage and his dark family in one of the most shocking moments from Maximum Carnage.

16 Brian Kornfield/Spider-X Made A Deal With Chthon

After muggers attacked his mother, the Darkhold Dwarf tempted young Brian Kornfield and struck a deal with the Elder God Chthon. Kornfield became a monstrous spider-creature that took the name Spider-X.

Spider-X tried to fight crime but used brutal methods and ended up terrorizing the city, which caught the attention of the Midnight Sons. He faced off against Ghost Rider, Blaze, and even the Nightstalkers before he ultimately gave his life in a final battle against the electrically powered Zzzax.

15 Ben Reilly/Chasm Proved More Sinister Than The Jackal

A clone of Peter Parker, Ben Reilly began his heroic career as the Scarlet Spider. He also stepped in as Spider-Man several times over the years. However, Ben sometimes struggled with mental health strains caused by his repeated cloning.

When Ben Reilly returned after his first death, he became a new version of the villainous Jackal. He reformed for another brief stint as Spider-Man, but the Beyond Corp. erased his memories and exposed him to transformative chemicals that transformed his body. Reilly became the dark villain known as Chasm and fought to regain his memories from the original Spider-Man.

14 Norman Osborn/Spider-Man Was A Brutal And Brilliant Combatant

Peter Parker isn't the only character who has become Spider-Man across the multiverse. On Earth-44145, Norman Osborn was the one who received powerful spider abilities, which he used to become Spider-Man. However, Norman's transformation went further than most Spider-People, and he developed four extra arms.

Norman's greatest enemy was his own son Harry Osborn, who wore a special Goblin suit designed by Peter Parker. Norman joined the fight against the Inheritors in Spider-Geddon, but he soon struck off on his own with Spiders-Man — causing incredible damage to the Web of Life and Destiny.

13 Peter Parker/Pestilence Was A Horseman Of Apocalypse

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One unique evil version of Spider-Man fans may not remember is the Earth-5701 version of Peter Parker, who lived in an alternate version of the X-Men's redesigned Age of Apocalypse reality. In this timeline, Apocalypse chose Peter Parker to become one of his four horsemen known as Pestilence.

With six arms and poisoned fangs, Pestilence joined Famine and Archangel in a battle with Earth-616’s Deadpool, Cannonball, and Siryn as they searched for a lost Cable in the multiverse. Another version of this evil Spider-Man appeared during the Heroic Age, bonded with an alien symbiote.

12 Peter Parker/The Spider Bonded With The Carnage Symbiote

One of the most feared versions of Spider-Man is his alternate version known simply as The Spider, who appeared as a member of the reality-hopping Weapon X in the Exiles series. What made this Peter Parker so dangerous was that he merged with the Carnage symbiote, usually bonded to serial killer Cletus Kassidy.

This version of Peter became a wild killer and had been on death row for a time on his world, Earth-15. He would join Weapon X alongside other ruthless characters from across the multiverse. They fixed broken realities like the Exiles, but they took on bloodier missions which delighted The Spider.

11 Miguel O'Hara/Spider-Man 2099 Is A Dark, Hardened Crime-Fighter

While The Spot appeared to be the main villain in 2023's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, it was actually Miguel O'Hara's Spider-Man 2099 who really terrified fans. The misguided leader of the Spider Society fought to protect the Web of Life and Destiny, at any means necessary.

However, Miguel O'Hara was also struggling with a tragic loss and a dark transformation that made him one of the scariest versions of Spider-Man in the film. The comic version of Spider-Man 2099 is equally as dark, though he never felt as terrifying as the animated version did on the big screen.

10 Peter Parker/Ghost Spider Is A Spirit Of Vengeance

On Earth-11638, Peter Parker's Uncle Ben survived, meaning the young student never learned the crucial lessons he was meant to discern from that horrific night. With his Uncle Ben's help, Peter became the Amazing Spider and found success in his civilian life as a scientist.

However, Peter and Ben started bringing other Spider-Men from the multiverse to their world in order for Peter to drain them of their powers. After the 616 Spider-Man defeated the power-hungry Parker, he seemingly perished. Following his demise, Earth-11638's Parker returned from Hell as a Spirit of Vengeance known as Ghost Spider.

9 Peter Parker/Spidercide Is Peter's Scariest Clone

Marvel's Most Dangerous Spider Clone Isn't Really DeadOne of the most terrifying versions of Spider-Man is yet another clone of Peter Parker created by The Jackal. However, Jackal made a few tweaks to Parker's genetic material. The clone developed the ability to control and alter his molecular state as a shapeshifter.

He took the name Spidercide and developed a lasting grudge against not just Peter Parker, but also his other clones, like Ben Reilly and Kaine Parker. Spidercide is dangerous and unstable, which increases his terror. However, it's the smiling visage wearing Spider-Man's mask that was really unsettling to heroes and fans alike.

8 Peter Parker/Patient Zero Is Cannabalistic

One of the more tragic alternate versions of Spider-Man first appeared in the acclaimed Marvel Universe vs. The Punisher series. Spider-Man of Earth-11080 became infected with one of Marvel's deadliest viruses which transformed him into a cannibal. He viciously ate The Rhino on live TV and started an infection that took over the world.

This terrifyingly evil Spider-Man became Patient Zero and took control of a portion of the former New York City. He hired an uninfected Frank Castle and sent him to rescue Mary Jane, who was pregnant. Punisher tore his way through the infected heroes of the Marvel universe and rescued Mary Jane. Castle still punished Spider-Man for spreading the plague and killed Patient Zero.

7 Patton Parnel Wanted To Eat People

Peter Parker had sometimes been haunted by the fear the spider bite which gave him his incredible abilities would also turn him into a monster. On Earth-51412, an infected spider bit Patton Parnel while he tried to impress the next-door neighbor he spied on.

Parnel slowly transformed into a terrifying monster, and his abusive Uncle Ted was one of his first victims. Parnel later lured in his neighbor after his transformation had progressed further, planning to capture her and presumably eat her. However, Morlun killed and consumed Parnel prior to the Spider-Verse event.

6 Peter Parker/Zombie Spider-Man Devoured His Loved Ones

Another monstrous version of Spider-Man first appeared in the Marvel Zombies universe. Like most of the heroes of this Earth, an other-dimensional virus infected Spider-Man and transformed him into a zombie. He joined the other heroes of Earth in devouring anyone and everything in their path in some of Marvel Zombies' most horrifying moments.

The zombified Peter Parker even attacked and consumed Aunt May and Mary Jane Watson. While horrified by his actions, he couldn't control his hunger and joined a collection of heroes who consumed Galactus in order to feed with cosmic power. Zombie Spider-Man eventually succumbed to his guilt and helped trap the zombie universe to end their growth across the multiverse.