9 Best Spider-Man Variants In All Marvel History

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was inspired by the 2014-15 Marvel Comics event Spider-Verse, and the 2018 sequel event Spider-Geddon introduced even more Spider-Man variants, including the phobia-inducing Spiders-Man.

On Earth-11580, rather than being bitten by one radioactive spider, Peter Parker is completely devoured by an entire colony of them. In the process those spiders absorb Parker’s persona and collectively become Spiders-Man.

Arguably the grossest of all Spider-Man variants was believed killed in this year’s Spider-Man #4, but he was later revealed to have survived.

While many fans may never have heard of Spider-Ham until John Mulaney voiced him in Into the Spider-Verse, he’s actually one of the oldest Spider-Man variants. First appearing in Marvel Tails #1, in the source material Peter Porker isn’t a pig who is bitten by a radioactive spider but rather a spider bitten by a pig.

In Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham #15, we see his origin story. He’s simply hanging out, as a spider, in the basement of May Porker who caps herself with a radioactive experiment she’s been working on. She goes wild and bites the spider, who is then transformed into a super powered anthropomorphic pig.

In a back-up story in 1980’s What If #23, it’s May Parker instead of her iconic nephew who is bitten by a radioactive spider. So on Earth-3123, it’s Aunt May who becomes the Spider-Man variant with the hilarious name Spider-Ma’am.

Spider-Ma’am disappeared for decades until the Spider-Verse event brought her back. She’s since joined her fellow Spider-Man variants in subsequent events like Spider-Geddon and the more recent End of the Spider-Verse.

Spider-Man Noir was just one miniseries that transplanted heroes to the 1930s in Marvel’s 2009-10 Noir event — it was joined, for example, by Iron Man Noir and X-Men Noir among others — but it was by far the most popular. This Spider-Man variant wasn’t given his powers by a radioactive arachnid, but instead by a spider god. It was, in fact, the same god who resurrected him after he was abruptly murdered during Spider-Geddon.

Cloaked all in black and carrying a sidearm, this version of Peter Parker is not quite as averse to extreme violence as his Earth-616 counterpart.

Just as Spider-Man Noir proved the most popular part of Noir, Miguel O’Hara’s future Spider-Man variant is without a doubt the most enduring part of Marvel’s 2099 imprint. Characters like Ghost Rider, Hulk, X-Men, Punisher, and more had their own 2099 comics, but the only one who keeps coming back is Spider-Man 2099.

Most of Miguel’s powers mirror Peter Parker’s, though there are some noteworthy differences. Miguel can extend talons from his fingers, has night vision, and even a limited amount of telepathy. His uniform is made from unstable molecules which allows him to not fly, but glide through the air.

Hobart Brown, aka Spider-Punk, is one of the Spider-Man variants introduced in Spider-Verse and initially he hated being called “Spider-Punk.” As of the arrival of his own 2022 miniseries, Hobie’s come to embrace the name.

One of the most fun things about this Spider-Man variant is that he’s not alone. Starting with 2018’s Edge of Spider-Geddon #1, we get a closer look at Hobie’s world where there waits a long list of punk-themed variants of Marvel heroes and villains. Among them is a Hulk variant who transforms from Bruce Banner into the Hulk by listening to a specific mixed tape.

There have been a number of characters named Spider-Girl over the years, but the version we’re covering is May Parker from Earth-982, who first showed up in 1997’s What If #105, and soon starred in her own series. You could argue we’re cheating a little here since on Earth-982, rather than being a Spider-Man variant, May is the daughter of that world’s Peter Parker.

She’s called herself Spider-Woman and Ghost Spider, but ultimately the fans can never stop calling Spider-Man variant by the name she’s best known as: Spider-Gwen. On Earth-65 it’s Gwen Stacy instead of Peter Parker who is bitten by a radioactive spider. She became a hit almost as soon as she was introduced in 2014’s Edge of Spider-Verse #2.

Miles Morales is really the only contender for the top spot as the best Spider-Man variant. Yes, in the comics he currently lives in Earth-616, but he originally comes from Earth-1602, the home of Marvel’s defunct Ultimate line. First appearing in 2011’s Ultimate Fallout #4, Miles has since become as integral to the Marvel Universe as Peter Parker.