Spider-Man has always been one of the most relatable superheroes in the comic book world. Not only could anyone be underneath the mask, but most of the time, Spidey’s just a kid trying to make good. Depending on the version of friendly neighborhood Spider-Man; he’s a nephew, a son, a husband, and/or a father. Peter Parker is just a guy trying to make ends meet in New York City. He just happens to live a double life, saving the day.
Heroes always save the day, right? It’s what separates them from us, they never lose. But they do, and when it usually happens in an epic and monumental fashion. Over the years, Spider-Man has had his clock cleaned on more than one occasion. It wasn’t always mega-powered cosmic super villains either, sometimes it was ordinary albeit still powerful bad guys. On any given day, Spidey can be beaten. However, he always gets up. Here are The 10 Most Brutal Spider-Man Defeats Of All Time.
10 Kraven Buries Him Alive
Kraven might be one of the most underrated villains, but he also handed Spidey one of his most crippling defeats in spite of it. During the events of the “Fearful Symmetry” storyline, the big game hunter caught his biggest game. He shot Peter and buried him alive.
Even more degrading was the fact that the hunter then donned Spidey’s suit and brought down Vermin. The emotional toll of this defeat for Peter played out in the sequel, “Soul Of The Hunter,” where Peter was having nightmares about the ordeal.
9 The Death Of Gwen Stacy
At the time, an event like this was only reserved for a hero’s origin story. Never before had a superhero failed to save the day and his girlfriend was the casualty. “The Night Gwen Stacy Died,” spelled an end of innocence for Peter.
Even more than losing his Uncle Ben, Peter learned that he couldn’t save everyone. He has never stopped blaming himself for her death and has constantly tried to make sure something like this never happens again.
8 Morlun Eats His Eye
With Peter shot and dying from radios poisoning, he traveled the world looking for help from all of his superhero friends. Alas, they all told him the same thing - get ready for the end.
The vampire Morlun came for him. In their first meeting during “The Other,” Morlun viciously beat Spidey almost to death. With Peter clinging to life, Morlun grabbed out his eye and gobbled it up right in front of him.
7 Terraxia Bashes His Face
No matter the odds, if the city or the world needs saving, then rest assured Spider-Man will at least make an attempt to help. The problem with that is that Spidey and his powers compared to any cosmic being aren’t worth a damn. It’s the equivalent to a human stomping out a spider.
During the original Infinity Gauntlet saga, Spidey joined all the heroes in trying to stop Thanos. Unfortunately, the Mad Titan’s minion Terraxia smashed Peter’s face off-panel. Obviously when everything was restored, so was Spider-Man. But for a brief moment, Spider-Man was dead, and it happened off the page.
6 Electro Shocks Him Off A Roof
Electro is one of ol’ Webhead’s oldest foes and one of his most underrated; perhaps, due to his somewhat ridiculous yellow and green costume. But in the Marvel Knights universe, silly looking or not, Electro dealt Spidey one of his harshest defeats.
After defeating the Green Goblin, Spidey gets word that Aunt May has been kidnapped. As Spider-Man is fighting both Owl and Electro, in a moment of weakness, Electro blasts and sends the hero flying off the roof. He’s beaten up so bad that he needs an operation.
5 Stark’s Assassins
Peter was helping Tony Stark around the time of the "Civil War" storyline. He was exclusively on Stark’s side with the Registration Act and willingly unmasked himself to the world. However, after seeing the lengths Tony was willing to go, a disillusioned Spidey fled from Tony’s side.
In retaliation, Stark sent two of Spider-Man’s oldest foes against him. The Jester and Jack O’Lantern not only had him defeated but beaten to near death. Had the Punisher not found him in time, Peter Parker’s blood would have been on Iron Man’s hands.
4 Goblin Kills Him
The Ultimate MCU was able to reintroduce beloved characters in modern day settings. It also didn’t adhere to decades-long continuity. Creators could essentially do whatever they wanted. As the creator and writer of Ultimate Spider-Man, Brian Michael Bendis wanted to kill Peter.
After taking a bullet for Captain America, Peter was targetted by a recently escaped Green Goblin and several other villains. Following a barrage of attacks, Peter finally succumbed to his wounds, but not after making sure the Goblin could no longer hurt his family. Eventually, Peter was revealed to have survived the ordeal, but the event was not called "The Death of Spider-Man" for nothing.
3 Turned Into A Giant Spider
One of the freakier parts of the Spider-Man mythos is the Spider-Side of Peter Parker. He was bitten by a spider and, every now and again, would have to embrace the arachnid in order to overcome his enemies.
Enter The Queen, a psycho-villainess who can control spiders and anyone with “the Insect Gene.” Even though he puts the kibosh on a full-blown mating session, the Queen still gets to him, turning him into a giant spider in the process.
2 Loses A Leg
In the Marvel Comics 2 Universe, Spider-Man lived a similar life to the one he did in the 616-MCU proper. Then his daughter May was born. When she was two years old, the Goblin attacked, because that's just what he does in any reality.
The battle would cost the Goblin's life and Peter's leg. He tried an artificial leg for a moment, but with a toddler at home, he just couldn’t bring himself to continue being Spider-Man.
1 Doc Ock Switches Bodies
Around the time of Amazing Spider-Man #700, it is revealed that at some point and dying Doctor Octopus somehow switched consciousness with Peter Parker and has been Spidey ever since, leaving Peter to decay in Octavius’ dying body.
The Superior Spider-Man would go on to try and become a better hero than the original. Meanwhile, an old and decrepit Peter would do his best to regain his body, nearly sacrificing them both in the process.