Best stories for Spider-Man villains

[Veggieleezy]

For me, the variety in the bad guys makes Spider-Man great. We all know that Norman Osborn's the big baddie of the Spidey-verse, but I'm wondering what are the best stories for each of Spidey's other primary villains?

[Veggieleezy]

I've been ignoring Spider-Man in my comics travels for a while as I read him in my daily paper. However, I want to pick up a good full story for old times' sake. I have the Marvel Noir story, but I'm looking for some recommendations for some villains. Does anyone have any good suggestions for these guys? Sorry if it seems like a lot, but for me the villains are what make Spidey interesting.

Chameleon (unlikely)
Sinister Six (as a team)
Kraven
Electro
Hobgoblin
Dr. Octopus
Sandman
Mysterio
Rhino
Vulture
Lizard
Scorpion
Shocker

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

[Dean MD]

For Doc Ock I liked the storyline where he is killed by Kaine. There's also Kraven's Last Hunt.

I'll get back to you with some others I liked

[Dean MD]

I've searched for some good, easy to find trades on Amazon.

I've been ignoring Spider-Man in my comics travels for a while as I read him in my daily paper. However, I want to pick up a good full story for old times' sake. I have the Marvel Noir story, but I'm looking for some recommendations for some villains. Does anyone have any good suggestions for these guys? Sorry if it seems like a lot, but for me the villains are what make Spidey interesting.

Chameleon (unlikely)

There's Red Headed Stranger but I didn't like it myself. A Day in the Life is much better, but not a full Chameleon story.

Sinister Six (as a team)

This is the best trade to get. Spider-Man Sinister Six.

Kraven

Kraven's Last Hunt

Electro
Vulture

Marvel Knights Spider-Man

Hobgoblin

Hobgoblin Lives and Origin of the Hobgoblin.

Both coming soon.

Dr. Octopus

Year One

Lizard

Here There Be Monsters

I'd also get the first five Marvel Masterworks paperbacks. These have the first, and quite often best appearances of the villains.

Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4
Volume 5

[Veggieleezy]

I've searched for some good, easy to find trades on Amazon.

There's Red Headed Stranger but I didn't like it myself. A Day in the Life is much better, but not a full Chameleon story.

This is the best trade to get. Spider-Man Sinister Six.

Kraven's Last Hunt

Marvel Knights Spider-Man

Hobgoblin Lives and Origin of the Hobgoblin.
Both coming soon.

Year One

Here There Be Monsters

I'd also get the first five Marvel Masterworks paperbacks. These have the first, and quite often best appearances of the villains.

Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4
Volume 5

Wow, very thorough! Thanks! I'll get on those!

[Mister Mets]

I've been ignoring Spider-Man in my comics travels for a while as I read him in my daily paper. However, I want to pick up a good full story for old times' sake. I have the Marvel Noir story, but I'm looking for some recommendations for some villains. Does anyone have any good suggestions for these guys? Sorry if it seems like a lot, but for me the villains are what make Spidey interesting.

Chameleon (unlikely)
Sinister Six (as a team)
Kraven
Electro
Hobgoblin
Dr. Octopus
Sandman
Mysterio
Rhino
Vulture
Lizard
Scorpion
Shocker

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

In addition to what Dean MD recommended...

Vulture
Amazing Spider-Man #224, 240-241
Spectacular Spider-Man #186-188 (a follow-up to events in "The Return of the Sinister Six")

Lizard
Spider-Man: Torment
Shed AKA The Gauntlet: The Lizard
Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #127
I honestly wouldn't recommend "Here there be Monsters." It made one list of the dumbest Spider-Man stories.

Shocker
Amazing Spider-Man #578-579

Rhino
Spectacular Spider-Man #190
Amazing Spider-Man #617, 625

Doctor Octopus
Fantastic Four #267
Spider-Man/ Dr. Octopus: Negative Exposure
Spider-Man: Died in Your Arms Tonight This includes the main story from Amazing Spider-Man #600
Spider-Man VS. Doctor Octopus

The current era of Spider-Man is also pretty good.
The first Big Time arc involves a Hobgoblin.
The upcoming follow-up volume Matters of Life and Death is one of the best Scorpion stories, and also involves the Spider-Slayers and a new villain.

[Kevin Nichols]

I'm not real big on trades, but I can give some suggestions for single issues for these guys that are great.

Chameleon (unlikely) - (Waitaminit! What do mean 'unlikely'??!?) My personal favorite Chameleon story is the Lobo Brothers Gang War (Web of Spider-Man 47-55 and Spectacular Spider-Man 143-154) Lot of issues, but some great reading which also features Hobgoblin, Lobo Brothers, Hammerhead, Kingpin, and Puma.

Sinister Six (as a team) - The classic is probably the best. Amazing Spider-Man Annual # 1

Kraven - His first appearance in ASM 15 and Kraven's Last Hunt

Electro - I'm a big fan of 'Light the Night' in (adjectiveless) Spider-Man 38-40

Hobgoblin - Check out the Roger Stern issues. ASM 238, 239, 244, 245, and 249-251. Also the DeFalco issues that followed were very nearly as good. ASM 260, 261, 275, 276, and 278. 'Gang War' may not be as acclaimed, but I thought it was a solid story to. ASM 284-289.

Dr. Octopus - Lots of golden books here! One of my faves is Web of Spider-Man 4-5. Also Spectacular Spider-Man 78-79 is dynamite as well!

Sandman - A lot of people like 'Keemia's Castle' in ASM 615-616

Mysterio - Another one with some really great stories! "Mysterioso' tops my list (ASM 618-620). Also, check out ASM 196-200

Rhino - The recent Rhino issues are among the best. ASM 617 and 625

Vulture - Once again, look to Roger Stern in ASM 224, 240, and 241. 'Funeral Arrangements' was also very, very good (SSM 186-188).

Lizard - 'Shed' was probably my favorite Lizard story. It's in ASM 630-633.

Scorpion - I'm a big fan of his second appearance in ASM 29.

Shocker - 'Unscheduled Stop' in ASM 578-579.


Hope that helps! Happy reading!

[Memphis Raines]

For me, the variety in the bad guys makes Spider-Man great. We all know that Norman Osborn's the big baddie of the Spidey-verse, but I'm wondering what are the best stories for each of Spidey's other primary villains?

People always say that, but to me, It could just as easily be Doc Ock, or at least a tie between him and Norman. I do agree that the variety in Spidey's villains is what makes his rogue's gallery great, though. Batman, for instance, usually only faces criminally insane crimebosses with no powers; The Joker stands out, but a lot of them are pretty much interchangable.

[Veggieleezy]

People always say that, but to me, It could just as easily be Doc Ock, or at least a tie between him and Norman. I do agree that the variety in Spidey's villains is what makes his rogue's gallery great, though. Batman, for instance, usually only faces criminally insane crimebosses with no powers; The Joker stands out, but a lot of them are pretty much interchangable.

Good point, Ock's messed with Spidey just as much as Gobby has over the years, just in different ways.

[Nefarius]

Good point, Ock's messed with Spidey just as much as Gobby has over the years, just in different ways.

Let's not forget the fact that before Thuderbolts and Dark Reign,Osborn was a local threat,based inly in New York and its underworld.Octopus had many stories were his plans threaten the world order.

[ngroove]

I would basically say, Stan Lee's entire run ( Amazing Fantasy #15, ASM #1-110) are essential (all of them; including the stories with Tinkerer / Living Brain / Enforcers / Big Man / Ringmaster, Princess Python & Circus of Crime / Beetle / Spencer Smythe & Spider-Slayers / Crime Master / Molten Man / Robot Master / Guy Named Joe / Looter / Silvermane / Man-Mountain Marko / Prowler / Kangaroo / Schemer / Gog / Gibbon / Kingpin, and of course, Green Goblin.) All can be found in Spider-Man Masterworks / Essential Spider-Man volumes.

Beyond them:

Chameleon
ASM 307, 386-389, Spectacular Spider-Man #241-245, Webspinners Tales of Spider-Man #10-11


Sinister Six (as a team)
ASM 334-339

Kraven
Mostly, the Stan Lees, plus ASM 111. Personally, I find "Last Hunt" overrated.

Electro
ASM #422-423, 425, Spider-Man #38-40, Untold Tales of Spider-Man #7

Hobgoblin
I guess, the contents of Origin of Hobgoblin, plus 275-281, 284-289, don't know how well regarded Macendale was, but I'd say atleast Spider-Man 46-49.

Dr. Octopus
ASM 112-115, 130-131, 156-159, 397-398, Spectacular Spider-Man #73-79, 120-121, Spider-Man Unlimited #3, 18

Sandman
( Mostly preferring his "good" years) ASM 280-281, 407, Marvel Team-Up (vol.2) #3, Sensational Spider-Man (vol.1) #26

Mysterio
Amazing Spider-Man #198-199, Spectacular Spider-Man #50-51, Web of Spider-Man #90, Webspinners Tales of Spider-Man #1-3, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11-13

Rhino
Spectacular Spider-Man #190, Deadly Foes of Spider-Man #1-4, Spider-Man Tangled Web #5-6

Vulture
The above-mentioned Roger Stern & J.M Dematteis stories, plus ASM #386-388, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #14-16

Lizard
Amazing Spider-Man #313, 365, Spider-Man Unlimited #19, Untold Tales of Spider-Man #9

Scorpion
Amazing Spider-Man #145-146, 370, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #18

Shocker
Amazing Spider-Man #151-152, Web of Spider-Man #10

May I add, Green Goblin, beyond the Stan Lee Run, as I mentioned, every story I would find essential:
Amazing Spider-Man #121-122, the contents of Son of the Goblin, along with Spectacular Spider-Man #178-184, 188, 190, 199, 250, and Peter Parker Spider-Man (vol.2) #44-47.

[DaUltimateSheild]

Whats the name of the Arc were Shocker and the Trapster teamed up and actually beat Spiderman

i always thought that was one of the Shocker's best moments

[ngroove]

Whats the name of the Arc were Shocker and the Trapster teamed up and actually beat Spiderman

i always thought that was one of the Shocker's best moments

Peter Parker Spider-Man (vol.1) #85-86, followed by #91-92. Personally, not in my lists, due to Johnny Romita Jr. art - not a fan of his myself, that's just me - his Shocker's designs even looked too similiar to his S.H.O.C and one of those guys Spider-Man and the Cat fought.

[Dean MD]

I honestly wouldn't recommend "Here there be Monsters." It made one list of the dumbest Spider-Man stories.

That guy seems to dislike a lot of good stories.

I'd put that one in my personal top ten list.

[Xenon]

To answer the topic, I have to say Chameleon's appearances in 602-604 (around there) were very good.

People always say that, but to me, It could just as easily be Doc Ock, or at least a tie between him and Norman. I do agree that the variety in Spidey's villains is what makes his rogue's gallery great, though. Batman, for instance, usually only faces criminally insane crimebosses with no powers; The Joker stands out, but a lot of them are pretty much interchangable.

Oh I'd have to disagree greatly. I mean, I love Dr. Octopus. He's a great villain and worthy of archnemesis status. But, he can't really compare with Norman. Especially after that abomination from 2004. Norman has actually done multiple horrible horrible things to Peter Parker's life, killing not only his love but also kidnapping/killing his baby. I know a lot of people think Norman's overrated, but the man got results.

That guy seems to dislike a lot of good stories.

I'd put that one in my personal top ten list.

No offense dude, but you like chapter one and the abomination from '04, your opinions are....different....>_>