1964 saw the remarkable gathering of six of Spider-Man‘s most formidable adversaries in “Amazing Spider-Man Annual” #1, forming the ominously named Sinister Six: Doctor Octopus, Vulture, Electro, Mysterio, Sandman, and Kraven the Hunter. Each one took their turn to challenge Spidey individually, only to be vanquished in turn. Although the Sinister Six would occasionally reunite over time with new members such as Rhino, Venom, and Hobgoblin, this supervillain coalition sometimes grew in size. At one point, a dozen villains banded together under Green Goblin’s leadership to become the Sinister Twelve, while Boomerang rallied some lesser-known foes to form the daunting Sinister Sixteen.
In the upcoming one-shot comic “Spider-Man vs. The Sinister Sixteen,” written by J. Michael Straczynski, we’ll explore an idea that revolves around gathering some of Marvel’s most beloved characters – both heroes and villains, such as Spider-Man’s adversaries like Doc Ock, Kingpin, and Venom, as well as X-Men enemies like Magneto and Mystique.
In my perspective, this book serves as the thrilling conclusion to Straczynski’s series of unexpected duos, where he masterfully combines characters that range from Aunt May and Agatha Harkness, to Doctor Doom and Rocket Raccoon. Interestingly enough, this specific story doesn’t follow the ongoing continuity, as Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson are enjoying a romantic evening out together.
On what should have been a peaceful evening out with Mary Jane, Peter Parker found himself caught up in a whirlwind of trouble. You won’t believe it, but the infamous ‘Parker Luck’ struck again, this time summoning some of the world’s most nefarious villains to one place! With Spider-Man, Thor, Doctor Strange, Magneto, Loki, Doctor Octopus, and several others gathered in a single room, tensions are running high and an explosion might be imminent!
In many stories about superheroes, it’s typical for there to be a lot of destruction when they confront villains. As Straczynski explained, this is just part of the genre. This led us to ponder: What if the proprietor of a well-known eatery intentionally let the place fall apart and then planned an elaborate dinner to collect insurance money? The idea was that by inviting a large number of heroes and villains to dine together, a fight would inevitably break out. At first, everyone tried to savor the experience, but eventually, with so many personalities involved… chaos ensued.
In this issue of Thunderbolts, illustrated by Rachel and Terry Dodson, a commotion in a dining room features some familiar faces such as Absorbing Man, often at odds with Thor and the Hulk, alongside Titania, a formidable opponent to She-Hulk. Meanwhile, Phil Noto’s interior art for Marvel’s Star Wars showcases an array of both villains and heroes, including Wilson Fisk and Typhoid Mary, Mystique and Destiny, the Leader, Lady Deathstrike, Klaw, Sebastian Shaw, the Grey Gargoyle, and Bullseye.
The cover art by Rachel and Terry Dodson for Thunderbolts hints at a noisy dinner party with familiar faces such as Absorbing Man, who often clashes with Thor and the Hulk, and Titania, She-Hulk’s archrival. Inside, Phil Noto’s artwork for Marvel’s Star Wars depicts an impressive lineup of both supervillains and heroes like Wilson Fisk and Typhoid Mary, Mystique and Destiny, the Leader, Lady Deathstrike, Klaw, Sebastian Shaw, the Grey Gargoyle, and Bullseye.
Additionally present were Black Bolt and Medusa of the Inhumans, Doctor Strange along with his partner Clea, Luke Cage and Jessica Jones, and Squirrel Girl together with her pet Tippy-Toe.
Straczynski stated, “It turned out to be an excellent scenario for assembling a multitude of characters, both virtuous and wicked, within the same confined space, and observing the ensuing pandemonium.” Given the purpose of this book, which is to portray unconventional pairings, this was the ideal and sole resolution: cram everyone into a single 30-page narrative, toss in a grenade, and witness the outcome. This book was undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable to write, and among the funniest. I’m incredibly grateful to Marvel for granting me the freedom to write whatever I desired and develop whimsical tales featuring uncommon partnerships.
Marvel’s series focusing on unconventional pairs has teamed up writers like Straczynski with artists such as Will Robson (for the January release of Doctor Doom & Rocket Raccoon), Bernard Chang (the February issue featuring Captain America & Volstagg), and Elena Casagrande and Juan Ferreyra (March’s release, Nick Fury vs. Fin Fang Foom). Following this, the original Defenders, Hulk and Doctor Strange, will rejoin forces in May (in the comic book titled Hulk & Doctor Strange), while Aunt May and Agatha Harkness will work together around the same time. In May as well, the Spirit of Vengeance faces off against the devourer of worlds (in the June release, Ghost Rider vs. Galactus)).
The final one-shot, Spider-Man vs. the Sinister Sixteen (originally titled Spider-Man vs. Doctor Octopus), is set to hit shelves on July 30th.
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2025-04-08 02:41