10 Worst Things That Happened in Spider-Man Comics

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Spider-Man has been Marvel’s most beloved character ever since he first appeared. He perfectly captured Marvel’s focus on relatable, everyday heroes, taking it to a new level. Peter Parker was designed to be someone readers could identify with – a typical, somewhat awkward teenager dealing with common problems like bullies and crushes. Over the years, Spider-Man comics have delivered incredibly exciting stories and constantly reinvented the character. Beyond *The Amazing Spider-Man*, titles like *The Spectacular Spider-Man*, *Web of Spider-Man*, and *Spider-Man* offered fans some of the greatest superhero adventures ever written.

Spider-Man comics have often redefined superhero storytelling, but with over six decades of issues, not every story has been a success. These ten storylines, in particular, significantly harmed Spider-Man’s character.

10) Spider-Man Leaving the Avengers

Spider-Man’s addition to the Avengers was a significant moment for the character. While he’d been an occasional backup Avenger since the 1980s, he didn’t become a full-time member until 2005 with the *New Avengers* series. This marked the start of Spider-Man’s time as an official Avenger, alongside characters like Wolverine. He remained with the team until the ‘Superior Spider-Man’ storyline, contributing to many of their adventures. Becoming an Avenger cemented Spider-Man’s importance within the Marvel Universe, and many fans feel he hasn’t had quite the same impact since leaving the team in the early 2010s.

9) Character Regression

For nearly two decades, a major issue with Spider-Man comics has been the tendency to undo the character’s progress. Initially, Spider-Man evolved significantly, transitioning from a high school student through college, adulthood, and even marriage, which resonated with readers even as they grew up. However, Marvel editors decided a struggling, single Spider-Man was more marketable, and he’s been largely stuck in that state ever since. This constant return to a lonely and financially unstable status is frustrating for long-time readers and makes it hard to stay invested in the comics.

8) Todd McFarlane and Erik Larsen Leaving the Spider-Man Comics

The 1980s were a golden age for Spider-Man comics, and the latter half of the decade saw two incredibly talented creators, Todd McFarlane and Erik Larsen, join the books. They became the primary artists for *The Amazing Spider-Man* and *Spider-Man*, delivering some of the most iconic artwork ever seen in the series. Both were capable writers – Larsen was particularly strong in this area – and the comics reached their peak popularity during their run. However, McFarlane was a key figure in the mass departure of artists to form Image Comics, and both he and Larsen left Marvel in 1992. After they left, the Spider-Man comics steadily declined in quality and popularity throughout the rest of the decade.

7) Spider-Man: Reign

I remember being really intrigued by *Spider-Man: Reign* when it came out, but looking back, it feels like a really flawed attempt to be like *The Dark Knight Returns*. The story jumps to a dark future where Spider-Man’s retired after losing Mary Jane, and New York has become a total police state. He’s forced to come back, of course, but the whole thing relies way too much on being grim and shocking. It even suggested that Spider-Man’s own powers were what *killed* Mary Jane, which felt unnecessary. Most fans agree it’s a big mistake in Spider-Man’s history, but it was infamous enough to actually get a sequel – more because people were shocked by it than because they actually loved it, I think.

6) “Sins Past”

J. Michael Straczynski’s work on *The Amazing Spider-Man* is considered a standout in 21st-century Spider-Man comics, though it wasn’t without flaws. A major issue was the storyline “Sins Past,” which revealed a past relationship between Norman Osborn and Gwen Stacy, resulting in two children with accelerated aging due to the Goblin formula. This story was immediately unpopular because it changed established history in a controversial way and is widely considered one of the worst Spider-Man stories ever told. Although “Sins Past” was later removed from the official timeline, it remains a notorious and disliked part of Spider-Man’s history.

5) The Spider Who Gobbles

Zeb Wells’ run on *The Amazing Spider-Man* has had its share of weak points, but this storyline is particularly baffling. Norman Osborn, formerly the villainous Green Goblin, had his evil deeds erased, effectively turning him into a good guy. Then, somehow, Spider-Man ended up absorbing all of those sins, transforming into a twisted version called ‘The Spider Who Gobbles.’ It’s similar to DC’s ‘The Batman Who Laughs,’ but widely considered far less compelling. While the concept has some darkly humorous potential, the story never quite delivers on it. ‘The Spider Who Gobbles’ felt like a fun idea that Zeb Wells unfortunately didn’t know how to execute well.

4) John Byrne’s Spider-Man: Chapter One

Spider-Man is usually seen as a very relatable hero, but the 1990s were a difficult period for the character. The long and complicated “Clone Saga” storyline almost ruined the comic books, forcing Marvel to make drastic changes. They brought in writer and artist John Byrne to essentially restart Spider-Man’s story. He worked on both *The Amazing Spider-Man* and a new series called *Spider-Man: Chapter One*, retelling Spider-Man’s origin. Unfortunately, *Spider-Man: Chapter One* also awkwardly included Doctor Octopus. Byrne’s work on *The Amazing Spider-Man* wasn’t much better, and it even featured a particularly disturbing scene where Spider-Man kissed a teenage Spider-Woman. Overall, it was a frustrating time for Spider-Man fans.

3) The Clone Saga

The Spider-Man Clone Saga has its supporters, but even they admit it had serious flaws. While it started strong and had some interesting ideas – like revisiting the original Spider-Clone from *The Amazing Spider-Man* #149 and introducing new characters – Marvel didn’t have a clear ending in mind. They stretched the story out for years, and eventually, the writers who were doing good work on it moved on. That’s when the quality really declined. The saga could have been successful if Marvel hadn’t prolonged it simply to boost sales and had allowed the original creative team to finish their vision. Ultimately, Marvel prioritized profit over quality, which is why the Clone Saga became so notorious.

2) Paul

The recent Spider-Man run by Zeb Wells has faced a lot of criticism, but one issue stands out as particularly damaging: the character of Paul Rabin. Introduced as Mary Jane’s husband after she was stranded in another universe by Spider-Man, Paul served primarily to keep Spider-Man and Mary Jane separated. He wasn’t a well-liked character and arguably made Spider-Man look worse. Fans strongly dislike Paul, and Marvel’s insistence on including him for so long has negatively impacted the Spider-Man comics. Many fans anticipate his eventual departure with considerable relief.

1) “One More Day”

Many fans consider “One More Day” to be the worst Spider-Man story ever written. Marvel editors wanted to end Spider-Man’s marriage to Mary Jane early on, and in 2007, they finally did so through a controversial plot. The story focused on Spider-Man desperately trying to save his Aunt May’s life, ultimately making a deal with the devil (Mephisto) to ensure her survival in exchange for his marriage. The story was widely disliked and has led to lasting criticism of how Marvel handles the Spider-Man character. Due to the negative impact it had on the comics, it’s unlikely “One More Day” will ever be viewed more favorably, even if other poorly received stories are re-evaluated in the future.

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2025-09-27 01:15