The Lizard has typically one of Spider-Man's more sympathetic villains. Though Doctor Curt Connors may be a reptilian beast on the outside, he still retained his inner humanity and became a frequent ally to Spider-Man. However, the 2010 storyline, "Shed," turned the Lizard into an absolute monster on the inside and out.

This horrifying story took place in Amazing Spider-Man #630-633, by Zeb Wells and Chris Bachalo. At the time, Curt Connors was working in a research lab, experimenting on certain hormones within reptiles. Unfortunately, after years of recurring transformations into the Lizard, Connors' own reptile brain began to break free. Indeed, Connors became very territorial, treating his boss as a hostile competitor for dominance. Additionally, Connors had primal fantasies about his laboratory assistant.

In his personal life, Connors was battling for shared custody of his son, Billy. After Connors' wife divorced him, Billy's relationship with Curt became more estranged as well. Feeling pressure in all aspects of his life, Connors eventually snapped and gave in to the Lizard, killing everyone in the lab. As usual, Spider-Man went after the Lizard. Believing he could reason with Connors, Spider-Man underestimated the powerful hold which the Lizard had gained.

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When the web-slinger stopped to save some innocent bystanders, the Lizard killed and devoured Billy. This unforgivable action totally "shed" the Lizard of Curt Connors' humanity, transforming into an absolute reptilian beast. Furthermore, the Lizard demonstrated a new ability to manipulate and trigger the "lizard brain" within others. Before long, most of Manhattan was giving in to their primal instincts on the Lizard's command.

Spider-Man was able to gain control long enough to give himself the antidote, before going after the Lizard himself. Fighting his way through the horde of rabid New Yorkers, the web-head delivered some of the antidote to The Lizard himself. Recovering a small portion of his mammalian brain, the Lizard realized the value in humanity and fled to the sewers. There, a small group of New Yorkers joined the creature, desiring to become part of his reptile society.

As a whole, "Shed" fundamentally changed the Lizard as a character. Before, Curt Connors was a decent, wholesome family man. Connors' enduring love for Martha and Billy made him one of Spider-Man's most sympathetic villains. Once the Lizard killed his own son, however, Curt Connors vanished. In his place emerged the most powerful, vicious form of the Lizard yet.

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When The Lizard "shed" his humanity, he became a cold-blooded beast, past the point of redemption. This character arc carried on into The Amazing Spider-Man for years to come. Story arcs such as "No Turning Back," when the Lizard's mind inhabited Curt Connors' human body demonstrated how far gone the villain truly became. Even later, when Connors' mind was trapped in the Lizard's body, the mad geneticist understood how unforgivable his previous actions were.

Of course, during "The Clone Conspiracy," Connors managed to revive both his wife and son. Yet these were clones of his original family, not to mention clones infected with Tte Lizard formula. While Connors tried to gain a second chance at a family, it was clear that things would never be the same. Gone was the wholesome Connors family, and in its place was the monstrous family of the Lizard, nesting in New York's sewers.

For years, Curt Connors was the only force holding the Lizard back. Yet "Shed" finally liberated Connors' alter ego to become a true monster.

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