Numerous incarnations and off-shoots of the character would follow the Green Goblin-including Norman's son, Harry, or his spiritual successor, the Hobgoblin. A wealthy, amoral industrialist by trade, Osborn undergoes a physical and mental transformation when exposed to an experimental drug that gives him enhanced physical abilities but drives him insane.įew villains have managed to get into Spider-Man's head quite as successfully as Osborn, including the now-notorious comic issue that saw him kill Parker's girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, right in front of him.įor that heinous deed alone, the Green Goblin more than deserves an honorable spot on this list as one of Spider-Man's deadliest enemies and one dedicated to besting Spider-Man physically and mentally-frequently attacking Spider-Man's friends and loved ones to achieve his goal. The later revelation that the Green Goblin is actually Norman Osborn set the villain apart and gave him more dimension. He is now frequently cited as the web-slinger's archenemy (along with Doctor Octopus and Venom).Įven without Norman Osborn's backstory and personal relationship with Peter Parker-who is, of course, best friends with his son, Harry-the concept behind the Green Goblin works ridiculously well.Ī Halloween-inspired criminal that uses a costume and various weapons reminiscent of the holiday (including his famous Pumpkin Bombs and bat-shaped bladed boomerangs), the Green Goblin's distinct appearance and unhinged personality instantly stood out on the page, making him a highly memorable antagonist that Spider-Man initially faced. One of the most famous villains in comic fandom, the Green Goblin is also one of Spider-Man's earliest villains (having appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14, a mere two years after Spider-Man began publication). With Spider-Man's next movie, No Way Home, set to see the return of some of Spider-Man’s most famous cinematic villains (Alfred Molina's Doc Ock from Spider-Man 2, Jamie Foxx's Electro from The Amazing Spider-Man 2, etc.), we thought we'd take a look at some of Spidey's numerous classic enemies in preparation for the new film.

Moreover, each villain also possesses a somewhat tragic backstory, making them all-despite their over-the-top gimmicks-distinctly human rather than one-dimensional comic book stock characters. Like all the best villains, Spider-Man's many adversaries possess their own distinct personalities, superhuman abilities, and “gimmicks” that helped propel the famous wall-crawler into becoming the beloved and popular superhero that we know today. Spider-Man has long had one of the greatest, most unique lineup of villains in the entire comic book medium.

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