One of the best rogues galleries in comics can be found in the pages of any Spider-Man book. Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created quite a collection of villains during their original run on Amazing Spider-Man, with characters like Norman Osborn going on to play major roles in the larger Marvel Comics universe.
While there are dozens of memorable, powerful Spidey villains, there are plenty more who should probably find a new line of work. Villains like Screwball, Stilt-Man and Boomerang just don't have the power, or the presence, to contend with the Webhead. They're not bad characters, but they are weak villains.
10 Boomerang Wants To Score Big
Fred Myers, a.k.a. Boomerang, first appeared in Tales to Astonish #81. The C-list villain was fairly two-dimensional, but the character really came to life thanks to Nick Spencer's work on Amazing Spider-Man and Superior Foes.
In the comical Superior Foes of Spider-Man series, Boomerang leads an underwhelming Sinister Six as they attempt to steal various treasures throughout the Marvel universe, including Silvermane's head and a portrait of Doctor Doom's face. Boomerang was never a great criminal, but now he's considered one of Spider-Man's unlikely allies after he helped the Web-Head fight off other Sinister Six teams.
9 Stilt-Man's Entire Concept Looked Ridiculous
Many individuals have used the Stilt-Man title in Marvel Comics. The original Stilt-Man, Wilbur Day, was a scientist and engineer who developed his high-tech suit. Day's suit featured telescopic legs that extend, allowing him to easily traverse great distances and elude the police.
Eluding heroes like Daredevil, Black Widow, or Spider-Man is far more difficult. Stilt-Man was defeated in just about every one of his encounters with Marvel's heroes. One of Stilt-Man's biggest problems was his look. He always looked ridiculous while committing his crimes. While that doesn't make him weak on its own, successful supervillains need to be taken seriously.
8 Shocker Was No One's Superior Foe
The Shocker, unfortunately, never cracked Spider-Man's top villain list. The Shocker appears in most Spider-Man video games like Ultimate Spider-Man or Marvel's Spider-Man PS4 as an early, easy-to-defeat villain, usually lumped in with the tutorial.
To his credit, he wears an interesting costume and his gauntlets can be quite deadly, producing concussive blasts capable of knocking down buildings, but Herman Schultz just doesn't have the same villainous drive as characters like Green Goblin or Carnage. Ultimately, the Shocker just wants to be recognized as a credible thief, which is why he joined Boomerang's Superior Foes.
7 White Rabbit & Her Gang Aren't Menacing
Spider-Man can tell his dangerous villains from his more ridiculous ones. Fans have seen Peter Parker unleash his full power in battles against Judas Traveler and Venom. Those foes require everything Spidey has and more. Villains like White Rabbit and her gang, however, aren't really worth Spidey's time.
Lorina Dodson grew up in a wealthy family and led a comfortable, albeit boring, life, so she decided to don a costume inspired by Alice in Wonderland and become a supervillain called White Rabbit. While she has appeared in many stories like "Spider-Island," "Dying Wish," and "Hunted," she has no superpowers and has never posed a substantial threat to the Web-Head. Fairy tales and the like can be a menacing theme, but White Rabbit just has a few gadgets and a dream, making her a more suitable villain for Frog-Man.
6 The Kangaroo Could Leap Fairly Large Distances
The villain known as Kangaroo possesses exactly the superpowers his name hints at. Frank Oliver has super-strong legs, allowing him to leap incredible distances. He can't leap tall buildings in a single bound, however, so he's really not out of the police's league.
The first Kangaroo appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #81, and he was one of the most forgettable villains of the Stan Lee/John Romita ASM era. The animal-theme works for imposing villains like the Lizard or Scorpion, but Kangaroo seemed silly from the start. He's definitely not a villain fans expect to see in the MCU any time soon.
5 Scorpia Was Not As Deadly As Her Predecessor
Elaine Coll donned a super-suit similar to the one Mac Gargan wore as the Scorpion, allowing her to move quickly and punch hard. Her mechanical tail can also sting enemies and fire bursts of energy. Scorpia first appeared in Spider-Man: Power of Terror #2 in 1994 and she was one of Spider-Man's foes during the much-maligned Clone Saga.
While her suit was similar to the original Scorpions', Scorpia never posed much of a threat to Spidey. She worked alongside a version of the Sinister Six during the Clone Saga but was easily defeated by both Kaine and the Scarlet Spider on separate occasions.
4 The Enforcers Used To Pose More Of A Threat
The Enforcers were a group of criminals who frequently appeared in Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's original Amazing Spider-Man run, teaming up with the Crime-Master and Green Goblin. However, as Spidey grew more powerful, and was challenged by deadlier foes, the Enforcers fell by the wayside and have rarely appeared in Spider-Man comics since.
The original team featured Montana, Ox, and Fancy Dan, ordinary men possessing a particular set of skills, but none possessing the power to defeat Spidey single-handedly. The Enforcers reappeared in Nick Spencer's ASM run, but they've been overshadowed by far more dangerous, colorful villains.
3 The Living Brain Was Doctor Octopus At His Lowest
The original Living Brain first appeared way back in Amazing Spider-Man #8, in 1964. The Living Brain was a supercomputer that could apparently solve any problem, but it went rogue and Spidey was forced to shut it down. Years later, when Otto Octavius became the Superior Spider-Man, he programmed the Living Brain as his assistant.
Years after that, Otto was forced to use the Living Brain to house his own consciousness. In a fit of rage, Otto, inside the mechanical body, attacked Peter, but Anna Maria Marconi was able to shut it down. The Living Brain has appeared many times and has been easily switched off in every appearance, making it one of Spidey's least-dangerous longtime foes.
2 Screwball Is More Annoying Than Dangerous
Screwball was the bane of many players' existences in the Spider-Man PS4 game, live-streaming Spidey's various combats and skill challenges to her fans. Unsurprisingly, in Marvel Comics, Screwball also streams her crimes. The character first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #559, created by Dan Slott and Marcos Martin.
Screwball was never intended to be a legitimate threat to Spider-Man, at least not in the way that Venom and Carnage are. She streams her crimes for attention and occasionally steals from her adoring fans. Screwball is less of a deadly threat and more of a loud and obnoxious one.
1 Chance Was Easily Defeated By Spider-Man
The concept behind Chance's character is quite unique. Nicholas Powell is a hired mercenary/assassin who places bets on his own jobs, earning him the nickname "Chance." Chance first met Spider-Man while on an assignment for the Foreigner. Chance bet that he could kill Spider-Man within 24 hours but he ultimately lost the bet when Spidey easily defeated him.
Chance can be quite an annoying foe, using an array of high-tech gadgets including jets on his ankles and wrist blasters, making him similar to the White Rabbit in many ways, even if he's better trained. He's not nearly as dangerous as villains like Green Goblin or Venom and has been largely forgotten by Spidey's fans.