Evil Spider-Man Stories Will Always Be Cooler Than Evil Superman

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Spider’s Shadow #3

Evil Spider-Man stories will always be cooler and more dynamic than Evil Superman stories. While this isn’t to say that tales featuring a corrupted Superman are bad, the concept of Spider-Man turning to the dark side seems to have more dimension and depth behind it, while also being scarier. Movies, series, and comics such as The Boys, Brightburn, and the Injustice: Gods Among Us games all feature a version of Superman who has embraced some form of villainy. However, Superman is seemingly too good and pure to have a dark version of himself persist for long in the comics, unlike Spider-Man who’s had several dark versions of himself take on new lives on their own.

The most recent Evil Spider-Man story is Marvel’s Spider’s Shadow, coming from writer Chip Zadarsky with artist Pasqual Ferry, imagining what would’ve happened had Peter Parker decided to keep the symbiote suit he found during the first Secret Wars. Essentially, he becomes a much darker and more evil version of himself, especially after his Aunt May is murdered. Furthermore, he’s been seen brutally killing his foes such as Hobgoblin and the Kingpin. Now, Spider’s Shadow #3 sees a version of the Sinister Six attempting to kill this dark Webslinger before he kills them.

As a result, there’s a few great examples on a visual level that show how Evil Spider-Man stories are just downright scarier. When it comes down to it, spider powers lend themselves well to fear tactics and villainy, such as when the Beetle is found by the rest of the Six beaten and webbed up with no sign of Spider-Man himself. Furthermore, seeing Peter Parker perched in the darkness of the trees in his black suit is far more terrifying than a corrupted Superman simply using his usual powers for darker purposes. It should also be noted that Spider-Man isn’t invincible like Superman, which means that there’s actually some degree of hope (however small) that this Evil Spider-Man’s victims might have a chance to escape, making his hunt and pursuit even more terrifying. This is opposed to Evil Superman stories where no hope can logically be had due to his near invincibility and the vast array of his incredible strength and powers.

Furthermore, there’s certainly an impressive longevity to Evil Spider-Man in the comics that Evil Superman just doesn’t have. The concept itself gave birth to the wholly new character Venom, as well as other recurring versions such as Dock Ock’s Superior Spider-Man (who’s actually made it back to his own body and is planning Marvel’s upcoming Sinister War). It’s also interesting to note that there’s usually at least one or two evil or formerly evil versions of Spider-Man operating in the current Marvel Universe at any given point, including the likes of Kaine and/or the Scarlet Spider. When it comes to lasting characters such as the aforementioned spiders, Evil Superman stories seem to lack in this department in particular, with those stories usually being one-offs.

In any case, while Evil Superman stories certainly have their place and can be plenty interesting, it’s almost always been a counterpart and alternate reality Superman in DC Comics like with Injustice, or an evil Superman-type such as The Boys’ Homelander or Invincible’s Omni-Man. However, despite the fact that Spider’s Shadow is a What If…? story, many of the previously mentioned Evil Spider-Men actually have their origins based in the primary Marvel Universe, which can certainly be viewed as a strength. In the end, the idea of Evil Spider-Man just has more dynamics and dimensions than most Evil Superman stories, if only due to the fact that the normal Spider-Man has always been more relatable than Superman. The idea that such a relatable character could turn to evil makes the stories even darker.

About The Author

Kevin Erdmann
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Kevin Erdmann is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers. With a major in Cinema Studies and a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin is pretty sure he’s writing for the right site. While Kevin is a huge Marvel fan, he also loves Batman because he’s Batman and is a firm believer that Han shot first. Disney also shares a big part of his fan patronage. Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise.

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