Spider-Man has gone through a lot of different threads over the years, and some are very different compared to the classic red and blue suit fans know so well. A few of the best Spider-Man suits imbued him with special powers, while others were merely a way to switch up his look for a new audience or a new time.
Regardless of intent, there are some spider suits that stand head and shoulders above the rest as the absolute best, not only for the character but across comics in general. These suits aren't always worn by Peter Parker either, as there are quite a few versions of the character swinging around the Marvel universe.
Updated on June 7, 2023, by Scoot Allan: 2023's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse teased quite a few variants of Marvel's popular web-slinger. While some variants came from different universes in Marvel's multiverse, some were just alternate versions of Peter Parker who happen to be wearing some of the best Spider-Man suits. Spider-Man 2099 introduced his own futuristic take that became one of the coolest Spider-Man suits while Ben Reilly adopted an updated version of the classic to make the costume his own.
20 Asgardian Armor
First Appearance: Fear Itself #7 (December 2011) by Matt Fraction and Stuart Immonen
Few Spider-Man suits were as powerful and capable as the infamous Fear Itself suit. Tony Stark and the Dwarves of Nidavellir developed the Asgardian armor using Uru metal during the Asgardian comic event. Uru is a metal as old as the universe itself that has been used in everything from Thor's hammer to Odin's spear and sword.
Equipped with two gauntlet blades and imbued with incredible magical properties, Spider-Man essentially became one of Marvel's most powerful demigods. The Fear Itself suit didn't last long as the Dwarves destroyed it after the battle, making it one of the most short-lived suits in the web-slinger's wardrobe.
19 Spider-Armor MK I
First Appearance: Web of Spider-Man #100 (May 1993) by Terry Kavanagh and Alex Saviuk
Peter Parker often redesigned his classic costume to deal with a few of Spider-Man's most iconic and deadly villains. During his ongoing feud with Richard Fisk/Blood Rose, Spider-Man faced his army of hired criminals known as the New Enforcers. They beat him in their first encounter, so he decided to upgrade his uniform and a few of Spider-Man's greatest secret weapons as well.
Spider-Man debuted in the first Spider-Armor, which later became known as the Mark I. It was a thick black bodysuit covered with hardened silver armor to better protect him from the New Enforcers. Spider-Man only wore the first Spider-Armor to deal with Blood Rose and the New Enforcers, but it still left an impact on fans.
18 Spider-Man Noir
First Appearance: Spider-Man Noir #1 (December 2008) by David Hine, Fabrice Sapolsky, and Carmine Di Giandomenico
Spider-Man Noir thrust Peter Parker back into the year 1933 with a retro take on the wall crawler's origins. Befitting of the era it debuted, the comic took on the "noir" visual motif popularized by so many classic films and vintage art. Spider-Man still got his powers through a spider bite, but his suit was a different thing altogether.
Spider-Man Noir's suit was a mixture of several different elements including a jacket and vest, a fedora hat, and a pair of white goggles. It's definitely one of the coolest nods to the 1930s, and its appearance in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse delighted fans.
17 Captain Universe Spider-Suit
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #329 (February 1990) by David Michelinie and Erik Larsen
Spider-Man hit the proverbial jackpot when he received the powers of Captain Universe. As host to the Uni-Power, Spidey gained a number of extraordinary abilities on top of major enhancements to his existing senses.
This Spider-Man was able to fire energy blasts and use telekinesis in battle, which was far beyond anything he'd experienced as a New York City wall-crawler. Since the Uni-Power granted each individual host a specific set of powers best suited to that person, it granted Spidey the abilities he needed to accomplish his task along with the shared uniform of Captain Universe.
16 Stealth Spider-Suit
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #650 (February 2011) by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos
Spider-Man is no stranger to swapping his traditional suit for a black-themed one, but the stealth suit was a cut above the rest. He designed it with tech borrowed from Tony Stark and Hank Pym, and its purpose was to effectively cloak him from his foes.
Peter Parker devised the stealth suit specifically to combat Phil Urich's sonic scream attack as Hobgoblin, which was capable of incapacitating Spider-Man. It was most recognizable for its ultra-sleek black material, accented with glowing red lines. Both Kaine Parker and Doctor Octopus would later use variations of the suit.
15 Oscorp's Goblin-Inspired Spider-Suit
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #7 (October 2022) by Zeb Wells and John Romita Jr.
During a recent dark period of his life, Peter Parker took a new job with a reformed Norman Osborn that came with an advanced new Spider-Man suit. Norman Osborn's former Green Goblin identity inspired some of the tech used in Parker's new Spider-Man costume, including an advanced new spider-glider that he wore like a high-tech backpack.
Spider-Man's Oscorp suit followed the usual red and blue color scheme but featured an additional yellow light feature in the eye lens, chest insignia, and along the forearms. His new suit came with an Egg-Bomb belt with weapons that contained thousands of nano spider-bots to further showcase the Goblin's influence on Spider-Man's newest costume.
14 Streaming Spider-Suit
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #61 (May 2021) by Nick Spencer and Patrick Gleason
Spider-Man took a job with the Threats & Menaces news site at the urging of J. Jonah Jameson. The job came with a high-tech new suit that featured a bold design as well as a few advancements to Peter Parker's usual bag of tricks. It quickly became one of Spider-Man's most impressive costumes due to its advanced technology.
The web-shooters gained additional abilities while the suit enhanced Spider-Man's own natural abilities. It also allowed an audience to live stream from a number of cameras included in the suit. This ultimately led to Spider-Man dropping the suit when he needed to keep things hidden from the public.
13 Bulletproof Spider-Armor MK II
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #656 (May 2011) by Dan Slott and Marcos Martín
Peter Parker's time working as a research scientist at Horizon Labs came with quite a few benefits to his career as Spider-Man. He was able to not only capitalize on his inventions as Spider-Man, but Peter Parker was also able to utilize Horizon's resources to create new suits when needed.
Spider-Man created his unique bulletproof armor after facing a gun-toting mass murderer known as Massacre. The bulletproof suit was officially known as the Spider-Armor Mk II, and it gave Spider-Man a brand new color scheme and profile that wowed fans. He only wore the costume a few times, though it showcased the character's inventive potential.
12 Future Foundation Spider-Suit
First Appearance: FF #1 (May 2011) by Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting
Peter Parker joined the Future Foundation shortly after the death of Spider-Man's closest friend Johnny Storm, at his request. It was an honor that Spidey took quite seriously, to the point of ditching his traditional red and blue costume in favor of one that matched the aesthetic motif of the team.
The new suit matched the Foundation's minimalist black and white color scheme; the latter being the predominant color, with black as the accent. Spider-Man could adjust the suit to mimic his old threads or even invert the color scheme. It was striking and didn't detract away from everything that made Spider-Man such an instantly recognizable symbol.
11 Spider-Armor MK III
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #682 (May 2012) by Dan Slott and Stefano Caselli
Spider-Man could hold his own with his basic traditional costume, but there were times when he needed something more capable. Enter the MK III suit, created by Horizon Labs, which could fend off attacks from multiple supervillains at the same time, including every dangerous member of the Sinister Six.
The suit offered Spider-Man hearing acuity technology based on Daredevil's physiology, plus a cyber-control helmet capable of controlling nearby machines. It could fly, as well as withstand a direct hit from the Rhino. The suit could resist Electro's shock blasts and counter the abilities of other members of the Sinister Six as well.
10 Spider-Armor MK IV
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #1 (December 2015) by Dan Slott and Giuseppe Camuncoli
Peter Parker spent a brief amount of time in a new role as the head of his own global tech corporation called Parker Industries. This allowed him to use all the resources at his disposal to create his own advanced Spider-Armor that replaced his usual costume.
Peter Parker used advanced nanotech to create the MK IV Spider-Armor, and he incorporated the designs from his previous armors. It served as the peak of Spider-Man's increasing levels of technology over the years. He abandoned the suit after it was severely damaged in battle and the fall of his company made it impossible for Parker to repair it.
9 Superior Spider-Suit
First Appearance: Superior Spider-Man #14 (September 2013) by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos
Doctor Octopus managed to swap his mind into Spider-Man's body when Peter Parker died in his old form, bringing about the era of the Superior Spider-Man. Otto Octavius used his intellect to enhance the Spider-Man costume which he used in his quest to become a better hero than Peter Parker.
The Superior Spider-Man suit went through a couple of phases, though the final version was a simplified red and black suit with a webbed torso, high-tech gauntlets, and robotic spider legs. Octavius also upgraded the web-shooters and built an entire spider army of hired thugs equipped with advanced tech and vehicles to help him in battle.
8 Red And Black Spider-Suit
First Appearance: Spider-Man/Deadpool #8 (October 2016) by Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness
Peter Parker created a dark new Spider-Man costume after his death and resurrection by his biggest fan, Deadpool. Spider-Man's interaction with Mephisto and the tease of his death in the "One More Day" event gave him a few ideas that he used in his new costume design.
Spider-Man's most recent stealth suit featured a black bodysuit with a red spider design instead of the more familiar white version. He also tinted the mask lenses red to match the new look, and the palms of his taloned gloves featured a design reminiscent of Black Widow's hourglass logo. A version of this costume would later appear in Marvel's Spider-Man on PS4.
7 2099's Spider-Suit
First Appearance: Spider-Man 2099 #1 (September 1992) by Peter David and Rick Leonardi
Marvel decided to up its game when it came to the Spider-Man mythos by time-jumping forward into the future and introducing an entirely new wall-crawler in the form of Miguel O'Hara. Spider-Man 2099 gained his powers after he used a genetic procedure that inadvertently bonded his DNA with that of a spider.
To go along with his newfound abilities, O'Hara needed an appropriate suit. As Spider-Man 2099, he wore a reversal of Peter Parker's predominant red/blue motif, and a cape resembling webbing which allowed him to glide. Fans will get a chance to see Spider-Man 2099's suit on the big screen in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
6 Beyond's Spider-Suit
First Appearance: Free Comic Book Day 2021: Spider-Man/Venom #1 (October 2021) by Zeb Wells and Patrick Gleason
When Peter Parker's clone Ben Reilly first put on the webs, he redesigned the Spider-Man costume to give it a sleek and modern new look. His recent return to the webs in the "Spider-Man Beyond" storyline came with a brand new suit that updated one of Ben Reilly's best Spider-Man costumes.
Reilly's new suit featured advanced new features thanks to the Beyond Corporation that included upgraded web-shooters and stingers. The costume featured impact-hardening foam polymers that increased his durability by allowing him to take harder hits, as the impact would be partially negated by the suit.
5 Miles Morales' Iron Spider Armor
First Appearance: Miles Morales: Spider-Man #7 (August 2023) by Cody Ziglar and Federico Vicentini
Tony Stark/Iron Man created the first Iron Spider armor for Peter Parker shortly before the Civil War event. During the "Carnage Reigns" crossover from the Summer of Symbiotes event, Carnage used his new Extrembiote form to severely injure Miles Morales. Iron Man intervened and gave Miles Morales an advanced suit of nanotech armor based on his original Iron Spider design.
However, Stark updated and advanced the Iron Spider suit with new nanotechnology and a design that better suited Miles Morales. While the suit was largely intended to protect Miles Morales while he healed, it also gave him an incredible but short-lived edge in the fight against Carnage.
4 Iron Spider Armor
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #529 (April 2006) by J. Michael Straczynski and Ron Garney
Iron Man designed the Iron Spider suit specifically for Peter Parker after he chose to join Tony Stark's side during the dark and foreboding Civil War storyline. He used the Iron Spider armor against his fellow superheroes, making it one of the most controversial suits of the superhero's entire career.
The Iron Spider armor was also one of the most iconic, for that very same reason. Doused in a red and yellow color scheme similar to Iron Man's armor, the Iron Spider suit granted Parker a host of special tech upgrades, including a series of mechanical arachnid legs known as "waldoes" that could perform a number of defensive and offensive functions.
3 Miles Morales' Spider-Suits
First Appearance: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #5 (February 2012) by Brian Michael Bendis, Sara Pichelli, and David Messina
Miles Morales first began his career in Marvel's Ultimate reality where he took over as Spider-Man after the death of Peter Parker. However, Miles has since moved to the mainstream reality to work alongside Peter Parker and further earn his title as Spider-Man.
S.H.I.E.L.D. gave Morales his first suit, which was one of the best-designed new costumes from the last few decades. He recently designed his own take on the costume that further left his own stamp on the legacy. His costume will get another new upgrade when Miles Morales appears in 2023's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
2 Alien Symbiote Spider-Suit
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #252 (January 1984) by Tom DeFalco, Roger Stern, and Ron Frenz
The first Secret Wars storyline turned both Spider-Man and the Marvel Universe on its head in the 1980s. Peter Parker found his new black suit costume on Battleworld, believing it to be nothing more than an advanced form of technology that would grant him extra powers.
Peter returned to Earth and kept the suit, which he later learned was an aggressive alien symbiote that bonded with its host. Spider-Man quickly rejected the creature and went back to his classic suit, leaving the symbiote to bond with his enemy Eddie Brock to become Venom. It's quite possibly the best Spider-Man suit besides the original that has returned a few times over the years.
1 Classic Spider-Suit
First Appearance: Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962) by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
Plenty of costumes age poorly as the years go by, forcing entire redesigns to keep with the times. Spider-Man is quite different, however. His suit has survived throughout the decades and looks as fresh and iconic as the first day that comic book fans got a glimpse of him.
Sure, the classic suit has been put in the closet more than a few times over the years, but Peter Parker keeps coming back to one of Marvel's best costumes for a reason. A change of threads is great, but audiences can't go very long before yearning for the red and blue costume that made the amazing Spider-Man such a mythical superhero for the ages.