10 Spider-Man Villains Who Surprised Us With Their Heroic Sides

Spider-Man arguably has the best rogues gallery in comics, from the Green Goblin to the Kingpin––the list goes on and on. However, over the past 60-plus years of comic publication, certain events have forced Spider-Man and his villains to work together.

On many occasions, Spider-Man has teamed up with Venom to fight Carnage or the Red Goblin. Even Doctor Octopus learned how to be a hero as the Superior Spider-Man, albeit after stealing Peter Parker’s body. Through circumstance or necessity, Spider-Man’s villains have become temporary allies, but some villains should become full-time heroes and fight side-by-side with Spider-Man all the time, and not just when it is a convenience to do so.

10 Boomerang Is A Superior Friend Of Spider-Man

Frederick Myers was a C-list Marvel villain in the Bronze Age until writer Nick Spencer gave the character a huge overhaul in Superior Foes of Spider-Man. Boomerang was now a comedic thief who claimed to be a powerful kingpin, leading a version of the Sinister Six (only five members strong).

In Spencer’s Amazing Spider-Man run, Boomerang maintained his villainous pursuits while also living as Peter Parker’s roommate. He fought alongside Spider-Man many times, and this run cemented Boomerang as a loyal and hilarious Spider-Man ally moving forward. Hopefully, fans haven’t seen the last of this dynamic duo.

9 Harry Osborn's Green Goblin In Ultimate Spider-Man

In the prime Marvel Universe, Harry Osborn became the Green Goblin after his father, committing villainous acts against the Web-Head. In Hickman’s Ultimate Spider-Man, Harry fights alongside Spider-Man. However, secrets around Oscorp and the fate of Harry’s Goblin don’t sound promising, especially because a young Tony Stark from the future said no one had heard of him.

While fans could have bet on the Ultimate Green Goblin becoming a villain (before his untimely death), the Earth-616 Harry could model himself after his new Ultimate Universe counterpart. Harry has the Goblin experience but could use the Goblin tech for good rather than evil.

8 Judas Traveller Only Wants To Test Spider-Man

Judas Traveller is a lot like the Beyonder, though on a much smaller scale. The Beyonder brought the heroes and villains of Earth to Battleworld to see which was stronger: good or evil? During the Clone Saga, Judas Traveller orchestrated a test to see if Spider-Man was truly a hero or a monster by manipulating the villains in Ravencroft Institute.

After Spider-Man saved the Traveller’s life, Judas should have become a full-time Spider-Man ally. Judas knows that Spider-Man is a hero, keeping the real monsters at bay, and he should have used his powers to aid Spider-Man’s quest––potentially helping Spider-Man by testing his limits. Instead, he became a mutant-hating member of Orchis who was forgotten all over again.

7 The Lizard/Curt Connors Is Spider-Man's Friend

Discounting the Lizard mutation, Dr. Curt Connors is one of Spider-Man’s closest allies. The scientist has helped Peter Parker learn more about his powers and understand things beyond his comprehension, such as the symbiote or further mutations.

Even as the Lizard, Connors has teamed up with Spider-Man before. The Lizard even taught one of Peter Parker’s university courses. If Connors could squash some of the Lizard’s more dangerous, animalistic instincts, such as the one that drove him to mutate his entire family, then Connors could remain a consistent, helpful ally to both Spider-Man and Peter.

6 The Rhino Has A Soft Spot For Spider-Man

Through story arcs like the ones seen in «The Gauntlet,» Marvel readers learned a bit more about the Rhino and his family. Despite his connections to the Russian mob and his hard exterior, the Rhino can actually be a helpful Spider-Man ally sometimes.

The Rhino reunited with his family during the «Clone Conspiracy» arc and even stopped himself from fighting Spider-Man, refusing to give into his rage. If the Rhino could fully control his rage, Spider-Man could serve as a great mentor, teaching Rhino how to be a hero and think with his head instead of using it to bash through walls.

5 Venom Has Helped Spider-Man Fight Versions Of Carnage

Venom’s debut in Amazing Spider-Man #300 is legendary. Venom was hulking and terrifying––a predator stalking Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson like his prey. Over the years, Venom has teamed up with Spider-Man, becoming an anti-hero in books like Lethal Protector.

Venom has fought alongside Spider-Man, often to defeat a common enemy like Carnage. After their team-up in Amazing Spider-Man #800, when Spidey bonded to the Venom symbiote once more, Spider-Man and Venom should consider teaming up full-time. That Spider-Man PS1 game proved that they could be quite the comedic buddy-cops.

4 The Shocker Could Be Spider-Man's Captain Cold

The Shocker has become something of a punchline in Spider-Man comics. He’s often the villain that a rookie Spider-Man fights first, and his powerful gauntlets that can create shock waves––once feared and destructive––have paled in comparison to the might of modern Spider-Man foes like the Inheritors, Red Goblin and Kindred.

During the Superior Spider-Man era, Shocker fought in Boomerang’s Sinister Six, though he was mostly there for comedic relief. In The Flash comics, Captain Cold is still a feared criminal, but one who lives by many codes. If the Shocker gets a remodeling, Marvel should consider modeling him after Captain Cold, a foe who frequently teams up with Flash.

3 Tombstone Helps Spider-Man During Gang Wars

At the start of Zeb Wells’s Amazing Spider-Man run, Tombstone was a threatening, menacing adversary who intimidated his foes. Spider-Man originally tried to stop his crimes, which made him a target. Fast-forward to the «Gang War» arc, and Tombstone and Spidey are working together to combat New York’s other criminals.

Tombstone is incredibly powerful, and he could be a great ally if he abandoned his criminal empire. Tombstone and Spider-Man have teamed up before, but it’s always to defeat a common enemy or to further his criminal activities. Tombstone should consider going straight and using his resources for good.

2 Chasm Needs To Become Scarlet Spider Again

Ben Reilly fans have been through the ringer over the past couple of decades. Ben Reilly returned in «Clone Conspiracy» as the new Jackal, and then he became an anti-hero Scarlet Spider. Then, he became Chasm at the end of the «Beyond» arc in Amazing Spider-Man.

Readers loved the Ben Reilly: Spider-Man miniseries because it brought them back to a time when Ben was the Sensational Spider-Man. Many fans have had enough of Ben Reilly as a villain. He deserves a chance to officially join Peter and Miles as New York’s Spider-Man, ditching his Chasm persona for good.

1 Doctor Octopus Was Once A Superior Spider-Man

Doctor Octopus went through quite the character arc in Superior Spider-Man. After acquiring Peter Parker’s memories, he learned the hard lesson of power and responsibility. A lot has happened since then. Doc Ock has returned, becoming the Superior Spider-Man again, and even a hybrid version called Superior Octopus.

While many fans missed the villainous version of Doctor Octopus, many fans now miss the Superior Spider-Man. The Spider-Man universe has expanded so much, thanks to the Spider-Verse and the addition of heroes like Miles Morales and Spider-Gwen. Peter Parker is far from the only Wall-Crawler in New York now. If Doc Ock ever wanted to return to a life as the Superior Spider-Man, New York wouldn’t feel any more crowded.