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View Full Version : Spider-Man villains that don't live up to potential

handOFfate
03-06-2005, 09:33 PM
It's occured to me that several of Spidey's rogues should smack him around on a regular basis. I mean, Sandman can't even be hit. Neither can Hydro-man. Rhyno's in the Thing-range strength. Scorpion is a stronger, faster version of Spidey. I think these villains should score at least one victory over Spidey once in a while.
Now on the other hand I would say that Vulture has overachieved. He manages to give Spidey a tough fight, but he shouldn't give Spidey trouble at all.
crazybrd1
03-06-2005, 09:53 PM
most of the villians you mention are idoits.
Santanico
03-07-2005, 01:06 AM
Mysterio, Mysterio, Mysterio. The guy has potential to be an incredibly cool villain (well, you know, as cool as a guy with a fishbowl on his head can really be), and time and again, he blows it. Objectively, he actually has some of the better abilities out of all the Spidey rogues (highly advanced illusionism really does kinda trump flying around on a glider or having extra arms), yet he's perpetually failed to do anything of note with them.
Crimson
03-07-2005, 08:49 AM
Scorpion.

He's strong, fast... but writers make him out to be dumb. Come on! He was a private detective, he can't of been that stupid.
Ned Leeds
03-07-2005, 09:51 AM
The Beetle. He was such a loser as a spider-villian, but as Mach IV of Thunderbolts, he kicks butt. He was always depicted as a dumb chicken.
Mister Mets
03-07-2005, 11:58 AM
The Lizard. He's my favorite Spider-Man foe, but aside from a cameo in MArvel Knights Spider-Man, he hasn't been in any of the ten best ever Spider-Man stories.

Carnage. He's the meanest Spider-Man villain ever, but he's only been in two good stories (that I've read): his first appearance, and the Spider-Man/ Batman one shot. He should be in a really violent battle with Spider-Man.

The Spot. His abilities are cool, and under-utilized. This man could break into any prison, and pretty much assemble a new Sinister 6/12/67 himself.

Hobgoblin. The greatest Spider-Man villain who hasn't been seen since the relaunch. Is Roger Stern the only person who wants to write him?

Scorpion entered the A-list in the MArvel Knights Spider-Man story.
olympichero62
03-07-2005, 06:57 PM
Scorpion exited A-list about 5 minutes after he became A-list when we got rid of his Scorpion persona and Donned the Venom symbiote and got a building dropped on him by Spidey................................Still a JOBBER.
Matt_K
03-08-2005, 05:29 AM
Cyberman: You know Spot's dead right?
But I agree on the Scorpion. I kept on waiting for him to be revamped with actual claws and a better mask and it just never happened. And now he's become a female Japanese ninja, which was more extreme a makeover than I'd asked for.
lonewolf23k
03-08-2005, 05:44 AM
The Lizard. He's my favorite Spider-Man foe, but aside from a cameo in MArvel Knights Spider-Man, he hasn't been in any of the ten best ever Spider-Man stories.

Carnage. He's the meanest Spider-Man villain ever, but he's only been in two good stories (that I've read): his first appearance, and the Spider-Man/ Batman one shot. He should be in a really violent battle with Spider-Man.

The Spot. His abilities are cool, and under-utilized. This man could break into any prison, and pretty much assemble a new Sinister 6/12/67 himself.

Hobgoblin. The greatest Spider-Man villain who hasn't been seen since the relaunch. Is Roger Stern the only person who wants to write him?

Scorpion entered the A-list in the MArvel Knights Spider-Man story.

Carnage was over-used in the 90s, and is really just a more vicious Venom anyways. I have to agree on the Hobgoblin idea, though.

A cool way to bring back the Hobgoblin could be to kill off Roderick Kingsley and start off a whole new "Who is the Hobgoblin?" mystery storyline, with a new version who comes up in New York and apparantly declares war on both Spider-Man and Norman Osborn...
Matt_K
03-08-2005, 06:00 AM
They're already kicking off a new Hobgoblin mystery in USM right now so I wouldn't expect him in ASM again for quite a while...
Ned Leeds
03-08-2005, 09:03 AM
They're already kicking off a new Hobgoblin mystery in USM right now so I wouldn't expect him in ASM again for quite a while...

Oh really? I haven't followed USM since issue 30 or so. What issue does the new Hobby storyline start in?
Kid Seven
03-08-2005, 11:43 AM
It just started. Part One came out a month ago and part two just came out last week.
onizuka
03-08-2005, 10:23 PM
Cyberman: You know Spot's dead right?

i've mentioned a couple of times how i think Spot is one of the most under-utilised characters(not The most, just one of), but i had not heard that he died. when the heck did that happen?
Matt_K
03-09-2005, 02:08 AM
SPOILER WARNING






Tombstone killed him in Spiderman's Tangled Web.
tony2074
03-09-2005, 05:00 AM
i feel there are a lot of villains that neer live up to their potential in the spidey books.
this is because norman has a monopoly on making spideys life hell and that ain't gonna chage which is turd.
the only other vilain who's had a look i recentl is doc ock and that was because of the movie.
i gota admit i think spider man is in a pretty huge funk at the mo...
Mister Mets
03-09-2005, 08:56 AM
SPOILER WARNING






Tombstone killed him in Spiderman's Tangled Web.

I read the issues in question, but they can just be ignored.
Or the Spot can have a broken neck (he doesn't really need use of his hands, ot feet given his powers.)
AlanScott606
03-09-2005, 11:23 AM
I would have to second the Mysterio vote. I have always felt if someone took a little time they could turn Mysterio into a major heavyweight villain.
Alan2099
03-09-2005, 11:59 AM
Traveler had potential to be a huge Dr. Strange ior Magneto level threat but they changed him to much and ruined him.

Fusion looked intresting until he was truned into another Mysterio.

Carnage is a grade A psycho and should be lining the streets with bodies anytime he appears but he's just gotten too over exposed.

Scorpion is played as an idiot despite being a former private detective.
Ned Leeds
03-09-2005, 12:12 PM
SPOILER WARNING






Tombstone killed him in Spiderman's Tangled Web.

Follow up question? What is Tombstone's status? I always like that psycho. :D
Venomous
03-09-2005, 02:53 PM
Mysterio really shined in Guardian Devil and that time when Ben Reilly was Spiderman

Thos of you who want a gritty and bloody Carnage story should read Carnage: Mindbomb. A Really awesome oneshot with Carnage in Ravencroft
Dr. Hfuhruhurr
03-09-2005, 02:57 PM
Scorpion is played as an idiot despite being a former private detective.

Have you ever met a real private detective? Not exactly a field populated by mensa members... :D

Anyway, in Scorp's case, I think it's been established that the process of giving him his powers made him, well, nuts. It's too bad because he could be a great villain if he didn't keep slipping in his own drool.
UncleBob
03-10-2005, 11:53 AM
I like Carnage the way he is... ripped in half...

Actually, he's one of my favorite Spidey villains, he was just over-used... so they kinda ruined him...
Dark Soul # 7
03-10-2005, 12:25 PM
My choice is Alistaire Smythe.
The son of the man who created the spider-slayers.
He blames Spider-man for his fathers death, is just as intelligent as his father and had powers for a few years.
But those powers, and the cool look, just disappeared for no good reason.
Santanico
03-10-2005, 06:13 PM
Have you ever met a real private detective? Not exactly a field populated by mensa members...

No, he wouldn't be exactly an intellectual, that's true, but you'd expect him to have some kind of instinctive intellligence, there. Powers of observation/deduction, that kind of thing. Street smarts, in other words, or at least animal cunning. As it is, the Scorpion would appear to be unable to tie his own shoelaces without the aid of a manual.
handOFfate
03-10-2005, 07:11 PM
I think that Scorpion probably lost a lot of intelligence going through the bonding process with the suit.
Nitmo
03-13-2005, 12:18 AM
I would have to second the Mysterio vote. I have always felt if someone took a little time they could turn Mysterio into a major heavyweight villain.

I liked the way they redid Mysterio when Ben was Spider-Man. With the cloud instead of the fishbowl.

I've always been a hobgoblin fan, but they went as far with him as they could.
G. Wayne
03-16-2005, 11:00 AM
shocker.

there was an episode of justice league with a throwaway character, tom turbo. the guy was essentially a heroic version of shocker. similar powers, even the set up with the vibro-guantlets. but he used it sooo much more effectively and creatively than shocker ever did.
Artemis1
03-16-2005, 12:55 PM
Green Goblin should get at least a recent win.
Nick MB
03-16-2005, 03:33 PM
Venom. The character design and concept are good, but he's been in very few good stories and certainly a hell of a lot of bad ones.
tony2074
03-17-2005, 09:59 AM
could someone post a pic of the ben reilly era mysterio, please. missed those issues, for obvious reasons...