The Best Spider-Man Versions, Ranked By Power (2024)

Thanks to a radioactive spider bite, Peter Parker can do everything a spider can. His proportional strength and speed of a spider, not to mention his incredibly useful spider-sense, place him in the top tier of Earth's heroes. While Spider-Man's power set is amazing, in one universe or another, Peter has accessed powers that allow him to do much more than a spider can do.

The multiverse within Marvel Comics is vast and includes many interesting and extremely powerful variants of Spider-Man. However, fans don't have to read Spider-Verse or Spider-Geddon to find powerful versions of the wall-crawler. The Earth-616 universe, the main Marvel comic book continuity, also houses some of the strongest Spider-Man variants.

Updated on August 12, 2024, by Benjamin Vieira: Spider-Man has had countless versions throughout history. The introduction of the Spider-Verse and the films based around the movie showed fans various different versions of the character that they had never seen before. This article has been edited to conform to CBR's current standards.

30 Spider-Ham is a Pig

First Appearance: Marvel Tails Starring Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham

Over the last couple of years, especially thanks to the release of a pair of Spider-Verse movies, Spider-Ham has seen much more popularity. However, that did not grant him additional powers and strengths in the Marvel Universe.

Nonetheless, Spider-Ham still has one of the funniest and most entertaining revisals of a Marvel superhero. In his universe, Peter Porker shares the same origin as Peter Parker in the Earth-616 continuity. He teams up with other animals in his universe but has also appeared in the mainstream Marvel universe.

29 Billy Braddock Was The Original Spider-UK

First Appearance: Edge of Spider-Verse #2

Spider-UK from Earth-883 is a member of a multiversal group known as the Captain Britain Corps. The initial version of the character was Billy Braddock, who possessed all of the powers of Earth-616 Spider-Man and various others across the different Marvel universes.

Throughout his time as Spider-UK, Braddock was also equipped with an interdimensional travel device that allowed him to see alternate universes where other Spider-Man incarnations were. On more than one occasion, he teamed up with many of them as part of a larger Spider Army until his untimely death.

28 Spiders-Man From Earth X Had Very Different Power

First Appearance: Earth X #3

Spiders-Man didn't have spider powers. Instead, he was one of the people mutated on the day when "mutanity" was born in the Earth X future. He was changed forever, his body becoming red and almost reptilian, which started to look a bit like Spider-Man's costume. Spiders-Man's powers allowed him to shoot psychic webs and induce terrible hallucinations in his targets.

Spiders-Man worked with the Skull, although the Skull controlled his followers' minds and forced them to do his bidding. After the Skull's death, Spiders-Man joined up with Immortus but left him to join Iron Maiden, who had a crush on him while they were both controlled by the Skull.

27 Peter Parquagh Was Young and Worked With Nick Fury

First Appearance: 1602 #1

Neil Gaiman hasn't done a lot of Marvel work, but what he's done has always been phenomenal. His first Marvel work was 1602, a book in which the Marvel Universe began in England in the titular year. Gaiman reintroduced readers to many of Silver Age Marvel's greats, including a young page of Sir Nicholas Fury named Peter Parquagh. He journeyed with the spymaster to the New World, where he gained his spider powers.

Peter Parquagh is probably on the same level as any base Spider-Man, and he's created his own webshooters. However, he's also much younger and less experienced than most. Peter is good in a fight, back in his day, but the same couldn't be said in other universes.

26 Spider-Man Noir Fought During the Great Depression

First Appearance: Spider-Man: Noir #1

Spider-Man Noir took one of Marvel's most iconic characters and gave him a new coat of paint in a different period. Spider-Man Noir took place during the 1930s and put Spider-Man in the middle of the Great Depression and World War II eras in the United States. As a hero, Spider-Man Noir opposed and actively fought against the rise of Nazism and fascism around the US and the world.

Spider-Man Noir had a variety of different powers and became more powerful after his resurrection. In addition, something that makes him different from Earth-616 Spider-Man, is his pinpoint accuracy with guns. This is something he does not use too often to kill, but will make certain exceptions.

25 Kraven the Hunter Pretended to Be Spider-Man

First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #15

Kraven hunted and killed all the most dangerous animals in the world. He wanted to prove that he was the greatest hunter in the world, able to kill anything in his way. He eventually decided the ultimate prey would be Spider-Man and went after the web-slinging wonder for years, helping found the Sinister Six.

In the seminal classic Kraven's Last Hunt, by writer J. M. DeMatteis and artist Mike Zeck, the villain hunted Spider-Man with everything he had. Kraven defeated his longtime foe and buried him alive. He then put on Spider-Man's costume and fought crime, proving he could easily do Spider-Man's job. Kraven shot himself before Spider-Man could beat him, but demonstrated he could be Spider-Man even without the power of a radioactive spider.

24 Spider-Man From Spider-Man: Reign Was a Broken Man Who Found Happiness In the Mask Again

First Appearance: Spider-Man: Reign #1

Spider-Man: Reign occurred in a future where New York City was falling into fascism. The heroes were gone, although they weren't all dead. Peter Parker was still there but stopped being Spider-Man ages ago. His radioactivity had given Mary Jane cancer, and she'd died. One night, when he was at his lowest, Peter wore the mask again. This allowed him to help save the city from the returned Venom.

This version of Spider-Man was in his sixties, and when he finally became Spider-Man again, he seemed like he hadn't lost a step. That said, he was certainly weaker than he was in his prime. This Spider-Man still could triumph, but he won because of his wits as much as anything else.

23 Earth X Spider-Man Was Older, But He Still Had It

First Appearance: Earth X #1

Earth X took place in an alternate future where everyone gained superpowers simultaneously. The old heroes lost their way because they weren't needed. Peter Parker lost more than most, though. Mary Jane died, and his daughter May bonded with Venom. Peter was no longer a superhero and was all alone, which was partly his own fault because of his hatred of the Venom symbiote.

Eventually, he'd help out when the Celestials came and would later join the police force with Luke Cage, realizing being a hero was the thing that he loved. This was an older, slower Peter. He was more experienced, but all the years had added up for him. He became a hero again after the Celestials affair, but he wasn't exactly as strong as he used to be. Spider-Man was still tough, but slightly weaker than he was before.

22 Zombie Spider-Man Got Some Additional Powers

First Appearance: Ultimate Fantastic Four #22

The Marvel Zombies storyline remains one of the most popular lines by fans today. It reimagined the MCU in a way that had not been seen before. Traveling throughout various universes, the heroes, as zombies, are taking over places with the intent of finding food to eat.

However, one of the zombies that was different from the rest was Spider-Man. He constantly struggled with his hunger for flesh. At times, he succumbs to it but actively tries to stop his wrongdoing. In addition, he was also able to harness some of the Power Cosmic when a bunch of the Marvel Zombies ate Silver Surfer

21 Superior Spider-Man Was Parker Inhabited By Doc Ock

First Appearance: Daredevil #21

The introduction of Superior Spider-Man was a unique twist and a look at the relationship between Spider-Man and Doc Ock. As Doc Ock is dying, he can switch consciousnesses with Peter Parker, which leads to him taking over Parker's body and using it to fight crime. It gave Ock an alternate view of the world around him and he sought to do right by Parker in his new body, which came with some new adjustments.

The Superior Spider-Man story was a fascinating one that saw Spider-Man use Doc Ock's tentacles, which was a very creative choice. While in the end, Ock relinquishes control, it gives fans a whole new look between Spider-Man and one of his most important foes.

20 Japanese Spider-Man (Earth-51778) Had an Awesome Mech

First Appearance: Spider-Man, Season 1, Episode 1, "The Time of Revenge Has Come! Beat Down Iron Cross Group!!"

The 1977 live-action Amazing Spider-Man TV series has been largely overshadowed in pop culture by Japan's more successful Spider-Man series. Takuya Yamashiro was the Japanese Spider-Man and possessed the same abilities as the classic Spider-Man. He had super strength, could crawl on walls, and shared the same spider-sense.

What separates Takuya from any other Spider-Man in the multiverse is his giant robot, Leopardon. Spider-Man can control and pilot a giant robot with a sword and shield. In the Spider-Verse event, Takuya and Leopardon returned to save the day on multiple occasions.

19 Spider-Man India/Pavitr Prabhakar Protected the Sub-Continent

First Appearance: Spider-Man: India (Vol. 1) #1

Pavitr Prabhakar gained his powers a bit differently from other Spider-Men out there. Instead of being bitten by a radioactive spider, a yogi gave Pavitr his powers. He was meant to save the world and soon found himself in battle with the demon-possessed crime lord Nalin Oberoi. Pavitr proved to be every bit the hero.

Spider-Man India didn't get any interesting powers compared to other Spider-Men and women. He has all the same powers as 616 Spider-Man, at exactly the same level. He's not as experienced as other Spider-Men, but what he lacks there, he makes up for with skill.

18 Spider-Punk/Hobart Brown Fights the Power

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 3) #10

Hobart Brown first appeared during the first Spider-Verse story and immediately caught fans' eyes. A punk rock Spider-Man looked much cooler than anyone imagined, and Spider-Punk became fans' favorite. Hobart Brown grew up in an America controlled by President Ozzy Osborn, gaining his power when bitten by a spider exposed to toxic waste.

Spider-Punk has all the same powers as Spider-Man 616 at comparable levels. However, due to his life fighting against a fascist regime, he has an edge over most Spiders in experience and skill. Hobbie is also a great musician and has often used his guitars in battle.

17 Ultimate Spider-Man Was a Younger Hero

First Appearance: Ultimate Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #1

Ultimate Spider-Man is basically Peter Parker. A spider bit him, but instead of radioactivity, the spider was contaminated with an OZ compound, which Norman Osborn had created. Peter Parker got his powers, and his origin became familiar again, losing his uncle Ben. The difference in origin made his rivalry with Green Goblin, who was also transformed by OZ, much more personal.

While Ultimate Spider-Man is technically weaker than 616 Spider-Man, when comparing them at the same age, Ultimate Peter Parker is far more powerful than 616 Peter was at 15. Ultimate Spider-Man may be less experienced, but he took down a hulked-out Green Goblin, Venom, Carnage, Kingpin, and other heavy-hitters all by the time he turned 16.

First Appearance: What If...? #105

Spider-Girl flipped the script on readers. First appearing in What If..., fans loved May "Mayday" Parker. The daughter of Peter Parker and Mary Jane, she had spider powers like her father and, much like him, decided to become a superhero. Donning her uncle Ben's old Spider-Man costume, she became the leading hero of her generation.

Regarding May's power level, she's just a base Spider-Man. She has the standard suite of powers, except she's a bit weaker in strength. However, her agility is greater to compensate for that, balancing it out very well. She further developed her spider-sense to the point she could determine both the exact source of danger and what direction the threat was coming from. She also developed a technique where she could "magnetize" her opponents. May's lightning-fast reflexes and skills make her a great Spider-Man.

15 Ghost Spider (Earth-65) Is Gwen Stacy Taking Peter Parker's Place

First Appearance: Edge of Spider-Verse (Vol. 1) #2

Most fans know Gwen Stacy as one of Peter Parker's best love interests. He tragically died during one of his battles against Green Goblin. However, fans met an alternate version of the character during the Spider-Verse event who quickly made a name for herself. Known originally as Spider-Woman, a radioactive spider bit Earth-65's Gwen Stacy instead of Peter Parker.

Earth-65 Gwen quickly became known as Spider-Gwen to fans, but she adopted the name Ghost-Spider when she began working closely with the Spider-Men of Earth-616. While Ghost-Spider had most of the same powers as Peter Parker in the mainstream reality, she also bonded with the Venom symbiote to further increase her strength and abilities.

14 Spiders-Man (Earth-11580) Was a Bunch of Spiders

First Appearance: Spider-Geddon (Vol. 1) #3

The origin of Spiders-Man is a little unsettling. Peter Parker attended a science demonstration, much like his Earth-616 counterpart. However, in this universe, instead of being bitten by one radioactive spider, Peter fell into a vat containing a colony of spiders. As a result, they devoured him and replicated his form.

The Spiders-Man was a prominent character featured in the Spider-Geddon event. The spiders forming the hive gave Spiders-Man strength and speed similar to that of the classic Spider-Man, but the spiders could also separate. The spiders could be used as surveillance devices that seamlessly traversed through rooms and even realities.

13 Miguel O'Hara/Spider-Man 2099 Fought the Corporations of the Future

First Appearance: Spider-Man 2099 (Vol. 1) #1

Another powerful version of Spider-Man from the mainstream 616 universe actually hails from the future year 2099. Miguel O'Hara was a scientist who blended his genetics with a spider to save his life after his employer forcibly addicted him to a future drug. He gained incredible abilities and carried on the legacy of Spider-Man in comics and Across the Spider-Verse.

As Spider-Man 2099, Miguel O'Hara fought to keep his future safe while also protecting the timestream to ensure that his future world still developed. Miguel O'Hara has similar strength and speed as Peter Parker, but he also developed organic webbing and vicious claws on his fingers and toes. He grew paralytic fangs and developed visual senses that made up for his lack of spider sense.

12 Six-Armed Spider-Man (Earth-92100) Had Six Arms

First Appearance: What If...? (Vol. 1) #42

When Stan Lee left the Amazing Spider-Man book after 100 issues, he left writer Roy Thomas with the parting gift of a six-armed Spider-Man. In the main continuity, Spider-Man quickly cured this mutation, but fans learned of a Peter Parker who decided to keep his additional limbs in an alternate Earth.

The Peter Parker of Earth-92100 originally sought to rid himself of his extra arms but found them useful in a fight with Doc Ock. His arms helped him in the famous "Turning Point" battle with Norman Osborn's Green Goblin, which allowed him to save Gwen Stacy on the bridge, unlike his mainstream counterpart.

11 Peter Parker/Spider-Man Is the Original

First Appearance:​​​​​​​ Amazing Fantasy (Vol. 1) #15

There are dozens of powerful Spider-Men littered throughout the multiverse, but one of the most powerful exists in the classic 616 universe. Peter Parker, the original Spider-Man, is deceptively strong due to the radioactive spider bite that transformed him into Marvel's popular masked hero.

Spider-Man's peak power fluctuates depending on the writer, but at one point, he was considered one of the strongest heroes in the Marvel universe. When Doctor Octopus took over Peter Parker's body in Superior Spider-Man, he nearly killed a criminal with one punch. Dock Ock realized that Spider-Man always held back his true strength to protect others.