The release of 2023’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has continued to highlight the power and popularity of the youthful Spider-Man, Miles Morales. While he wasn’t the first to call himself Spider-Man, he has shown Peter Parker time and again that he has what it takes to successfully carry on the web-slinger’s legacy.
Of course, he isn’t the only character to take on the pressures of Peter Parker’s ongoing responsibility as Spider-Man. Miguel O’Hara spliced his DNA with a spider to become Spider-Man 2099 while Mac Gargan used the powerful Venom symbiote to disguise himself as Dark Spider-Man. And while Peter Parker might be the best, that doesn’t always mean he’s the strongest.
10 Miles Morales
First Appearance as Spider-Man: Ultimate Fallout #4 (October 2011) by Brian Michael Bendis, Jonathan Hickman, Nick Spencer, Sara Pichelli, Salvador Larroca, and Clayton Crain
One of the most well-known Spider-Men to follow Peter Parker is Miles Morales. He originally appeared as the second Ultimate Spider-Man before he migrated to the mainstream universe to fight alongside Peter Parker's Spider-Man as one of his closest allies.
A second genetically-altered Oscorp spider bit Morales, giving him slightly different powers. He retained the wall-crawling, speed, agility, and spider-sense of Parker, but he also gained other gifts. Morales has the potential to overpower Peter Parker as he grows up. He also has a devastating venom blast and unique camouflage abilities that give him an extra edge.
9 Max Borne
First Appearance as Spider-Man: Spider-Man 2099 Meets Spider-Man #1 (November 1995) by Peter David and Rick Leonardi
Peter Parker and 2099’s Miguel O’Hara met another Spider-Man from even farther in the future. When Hobgoblin from the year 2211 threatened their combined timeline with her evil schemes, Spider-Men from three different eras united to stop her. Max Borne was Spider-Man 2211, and he was one of the most surprising variants to appear in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
His battle with Hobgoblin 2211 became personal when he discovered she was actually his daughter, Robin. Borne was a temporal police agent known as a Timespinner. He used advanced technology and four mechanized arms to operate as his era’s Spider-Man. Borne's strength is further enhanced by his suit, allowing him to lift over 25 tons consistently.
8 Ezekiel Sims
First Appearance as Spider-Man: Edge of Spider-Verse #5 (October 2014) by Gerard Way and Jake Wyatt
When Peter Parker first met Ezekiel Sims in the 616 universe, he was the first to clue Spider-Man into the totemic nature of his spider powers. Sims also helped protect Earth from Morlun and the Inheritors by keeping Cindy Moon/Silk hidden away for years. The equally spider-powered Sims betrayed Peter Parker in the mainstream 616 reality.
Sims eventually ended up sacrificing himself to save Spider-Man, though things played out differently on Earth-4. When Morlun killed Earth-4’s Peter Parker, Ezekiel Sims became Spider-Man in his place. He eventually became known as Old Man Spider before his death at the hands of the Inheritors during the Spider-Verse event.
7 Mac Gargan
First Appearance as Spider-Man: Dark Avengers #1 (January 2009) by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato Jr.
Mac Gargan was a private investigator hired by J. Jonah Jameson to find out information about Spider-Man. He then became a test subject for an experiment that turned him into the powerful villain known as Scorpion. Gargan later bonded with the alien symbiote to become Venom to further increase his threat.
As Venom, he started working with Osborn as a member of his Thunderbolts. When Osborn formed his first Dark Avengers, he gave Gargan a special serum that allowed the Venom symbiote to replicate Spidier-Man’s smaller shape. Gargan became one of the best evil Spider-Man variants as Osborn’s short-lived Dark Spider-Man during the Dark Reign event.
6 Ai Apaec
First Appearance as Spider-Man: New Avengers #18 (November 2011) by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato Jr.
Of course, Gargan wasn’t the only character who masqueraded as Spider-Man for Norman Osborn over the years. After Osborn fell during the Siege event, he found new allies while incarcerated in a maximum security prison with other deadly villains.
Osbrorn befriended an ancient chimeric deity known as Ai Apaec the Decapitator while incarcerated. He freed Ai Apaec from prison and asked him to join his new roster of Dark Avengers. With yet another serum, Osborn transformed Ai Apaec into a six-armed black-suited Dark Spider-Man. However, the powerful Spider God still had all of the same capabilities as his monstrous form.
5 Gerry Drew
First Appearance as Spider-Man: Spider-Girl #32 (March 2001) by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz
There have been a few characters who have taken over as Spider-Man in the future. While Peter Parker’s daughter May “Mayday” Parker carried on his legacy in the MC2 universe as Spider-Girl and then Spider-Woman, she wasn’t the only next-gen hero around.
Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman’s son Gerry inherited his mother’s spider powers, though he decided to follow in his boyhood hero’s footsteps. He wore a new version of Peter Parker's classic suit and started operating as the new Spider-Man. While he didn’t initially get along with Spider-Girl, Drew trained with Darkdevil to increase his skills before retiring for health-related reasons.
4 Ben Reilly
First Appearance as Spider-Man: Sensational Spider-Man #0 (January 1996) by Dan Jurgens
While Ben Reilly is actually a clone of Peter Parker, the two characters have become quite different in the years since Jackal created his first clone. Reilly created his own costumed alter ego as the Scarlet Spider before he took over the main gig.
Reilly had all of the same powers as Peter Parker, though he had slightly less experience. This caused him to rely on his spider powers a bit more than Parker, and he let loose with his strength a bit easier. During his second tenure as Spider-Man, the evil Beyond Corporation transformed Reilly even further, increasing his strength exponentially as the villainous Chasm.
3 Otto Octavius
First Appearance as Spider-Man: Amazing Spider-Man #697 (November 2012) by Dan Slott, Christos N. Gage, and Giuseppe Camuncoli
Dr. Otto Octavius is better known as one of Spider-Man’s most iconic villains, Doctor Octopus. However, he also spent a good deal of time operating as Spider-Man after he took control of Peter Parker’s body in the “Dying Wish” storyline.
Octavius became known as the Superior Spider-Man during his time in Peter Parker’s body. It was Parker’s memories that inspired him to follow Spider-Man’s heroic path, though he planned to outdo his old enemy in every way possible. Octavius eventually returned Peter Parker’s body in a selfless act of sacrifice to save the woman he loved.
2 Norman Osborn
First Appearance as Spider-Man: Edge of Spider-Geddon #4 (September 2018) by Aaron Kuder
On Earth-44145, Norman Osborn gained the incredible powers of Spider-Man instead of Peter Parker. He made Parker work for him to create web-shooters and web fluid, though Osborn killed Parker after he discovered his true plan to conquer the multiverse.
Spider-Nor-Man, as his son Harry called him, used Oscorp to fuel his research into the multiverse. He also used Oscorp's resources to outfit himself in a unique Spider-Man costume. Osborn had four extra arms to further increase his strength, which made him more than a match for Octavius’ Superior Spider-Man when they became multiversal rivals.
1 Miguel O'Hara
First Appearance as Spider-Man: Spider-Man 2099 #1 (November 1992) by Peter David and Rick Leonardi
The most popular future Spider-Man appeared approximately a hundred years from the present day of Marvel’s sliding timescale. A brilliant geneticist named Miguel O’Hara spliced his genetics with a spider to save his life, turning him into Spider-Man 2099.
While Miguel O’Hara’s transformation occurred during a scientific accident like Peter Parker, Spider-Man 2099’s powers and abilities were quite a bit different. He developed incredible agility, speed, and strength. However, he also grew razor-sharp talons and paralytic fangs. He even developed enhanced vision and hearing to make up for the absence of his spider-sense.