Marvel’s Spider-Man PS4: The Comic Book Origins of the Villains in the Game

“Marvel’s Spider-Man” for PS4 arrived earlier this month with an epic video game that Spidey fans will long remember. The developers put special care into delivering the Spider-Man and Peter Parker experience, and they also lined up the game with several of Spidey’s bad guys from the comics. Our handy Spider-Man guide offers a quick overview of the villains you can expect to find while playing through this adventure.

But first, let’s look back at the comic book origins of Spidey’s rogues’ gallery. If you haven’t played Spider-Man yet, this list may include some spoilers about the villains who appear in the game. You’ve been warned!

Marvel's Spider-Man PS4 Game Villains:

• Kingpin (Wilson Fisk)
• Mister Negative (Martin Li)
• Inner Demons
• Norman Osborn
• Silver Sable (Silver Sablinova)
• Sable Agents
• Tombstone (Lonnie Lincoln)
• Taskmaster
• Shocker (Herman Schultz)
• Screwball
• Sinister Six
  • Rhino (Aleksei Systevich)
  • Electro (Max Dillon)
  • Scorpion (Mac Gargan)
  • Vulture (Adrian Toomes)
• Doctor Octopus (Otto Octavius)
• Black Cat (Felicia Hardy)

Kingpin (Wilson Fisk)
First Appearance: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #50

Although the Kingpin has been considered to be Daredevil’s primary nemesis since the ‘80s, Wilson Fisk got his start as New York’s ultimate crime lord in the pages of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. Fisk’s size and strength are impressive, but it’s his criminal mind that sets him above the rest of the underworld. The Kingpin gets to operate in the open with his “legitimate” business interests, and he’s rarely taken the fall for his crimes.

Mister Negative (Martin Li)
First Appearance: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #546

To the outside world, Martin Li is a wealthy philanthropist and the benefactor behind the F.E.A.S.T. soup kitchen and homeless outreach center. But Li’s darker side is the crime lord Mister Negative, and he wants to be the new Kingpin of New York. Mister Negative has a corrupting touch that can turn even the most virtuous of heroes into selfish villains. Essentially, he can transform people into their “negative” state. His strength is also more than enough to give Spidey tough battles when they square off against each other.

Inner Demons
First Appearance: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #547

The Inner Demons are Mister Negative’s most loyal henchmen, and they have good reasons to remain so. Once, the Inner Demons were slave laborers under the control of Green Goblin. They were freed by Mister Negative, who trained them to be deadly martial artists before corrupting them with his touch. As Inner Demons, they have become brutal enforcers for Mister Negative and very hard to kill. Somehow, they have also been given a regenerative healing factor.

Norman Osborn
First Appearance: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #37

Although the Green Goblin menaced Peter Parker as far back as THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #14, we didn’t meet the Goblin’s alter ego until issue #37. As the Green Goblin, Norman Osborn is one of the deadliest enemies that Spidey has ever faced. His brilliant intellect has been tinged by madness, but he also gained enhanced strength and healing abilities from his Goblin formula. Even out of costume, Osborn’s absolute amorality and tactical genius make him an enemy to be feared.

Silver Sable (Silver Sablinova)
First Appearance: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #265

In the comics, Silver Sable is a mercenary who has often been a friend and ally of Spider-Man. However, she has been known to sell her services to the highest bidder. Sable’s methods don’t often win her fans in the Super Hero community, but she follows her own moral code. Sable is also the leader of Silver Sable International, an elite mercenary organization. She is also passionate about bringing Nazi war criminals to justice.

Sable Agents
First Appearance: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #265

Silver Sable’s mercenary team is called the Wild Pack in the Marvel Universe, and it was formed by her father, Ernst Sablinova. The group was originally created to hunt down international criminals and recover stolen goods for wealthy clients. Sable is known for hiring the best warriors from around the world to be on her team. She even added Sandman to the Wild Pack during his more heroic days. But few members of the team are a match for Sable herself.

Tombstone (Lonnie Lincoln)
First Appearance: WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #36

Lonnie Lincoln was bullied as a child because he was an African-American albino. However, Lonnie became a bully himself when his size and strength allowed him to run wild. On multiple occasions throughout their lives, Lonnie terrorized future Daily Bugle publisher Joseph "Robbie" Robertson. As an adult, Lonnie became known as Tombstone, one of the most feared mob enforcers. Tombstone later gained enhanced strength and he became a crime boss in his own right.

Taskmaster
First Appearance: AVENGERS #195

The Taskmaster has the potential to be a one-man army. He has the unique ability to mimic the physical movements of anyone he sees, and he’s used this to pick up the fighting style of several Avengers, as well as other heroes and villains to become one of Marvel’s most formidable fighters. However, Taskmaster usually prefers to stay out of the spotlight by training legions of henchmen for other villains. Taskmaster has even worked for the heroes when the price was right. But he only truly fights for himself.

Shocker (Herman Schultz)
First Appearance: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #46

Herman Schultz was a high school dropout whose prowess as an inventor and an engineer could have led to a bright future. However, Schultz choose a life of crime and became a self-professed master thief. After his incarceration, Schultz created a pair of gauntlets that could vibrate at a high frequency and shoot intense air blasts. Schultz escaped prison and became the Shocker, a low level Spidey foe who has never quite hit the big leagues of villainy. But make no mistake, Shocker can still be a very formidable enemy.

Screwball
First Appearance: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #559

Screwball may be the world’s first live-streaming villain. She allows a film crew to chronicle her crimes so that her online videos can reach a broad global audience. Screwball seems to be more concerned about gaining internet fame and glory than anything else. She has no powers of her own, but Screwball is an extremely gifted gymnast who can give Spidey a run for his money.

Rhino (Aleksei Systevich)
First Appearance: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #41

Aleksei Sytsevich was an ordinary criminal before he was hired by malevolent scientists who subjected him to an experiment that left him bonded with an artificial skin. After receiving the skin and a subsequent superhuman boost in strength, Rhino broke off on his own and became a recurring foe for both Spider-Man and the Hulk. Aleksei was once given the opportunity to leave his life of crime behind with his wife, Oksana. However, he lost his chance when a would-be Rhino replacement challenged him and murdered Oskana. That tragedy sent Aleksei into a dangerous emotional spiral as he re-embraced his criminal roots and reclaimed his role as the Rhino.

Electro (Max Dillon)
First Appearance: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #9

Max Dillon was once an electrical engineer who suffered an accident while fixing a power line. He survived the ordeal and gained the power to control electricity. As Electro, Max became a Super Villain and proved to be more than Spider-Man could handle. Because of Electro’s powers, Spidey has to take special precautions when getting ready to face him in battle. Otherwise, our favorite wall-crawler could be in for the shock of his life!

Scorpion (Mac Gargan)
First Appearance: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #20

J. Jonah Jameson hired private investigator Mac Gargan to figure out how Peter Parker was getting so many photographs of Spider-Man. While Mac proved to be unable to find the connection between Peter and Spidey, he was soon recruited by Jonah to take part in Dr. Farley Stillwell’s experiment. Mac was bonded with a nearly indestructible costume and given enhanced strength. However, Mac went insane and adopted the Scorpion persona as he pursued a vendetta against both Spider-Man and Jonah.

Vulture (Adrian Toomes)
First Appearance: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #2

Age has rarely slowed down Adrian Toomes, and one of Spider-Man’s first villains has proven to be an enduring threat. Adrian was once an honest man whose genius allowed him to create a flight harness. However, Adrian was betrayed by his business partner and he subsequently embarked on a crime spree as the Vulture. Some of the Vulture’s defining traits are his willingness to kill and a ruthless streak that few of his comrades can match. He is a true bird of prey.

Doctor Octopus (Otto Octavius)
First Appearance: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #3

Otto Octavius overcame a lifetime of bullying and sorrow to become a brilliant scientist and inventor. However, Otto felt bitterness over the way he was treated by others and he largely kept to himself. His life was changed forever by an accident that fused his body with four mechanical arms of his own creation. Those arms make Doctor Octopus more than a physical match for Spidey. But it’s Ock’s superior intellect that makes him one of the greatest enemies Spidey has ever faced.

The Sinister Six
First Appearance: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1

Doctor Octopus was the first person to realize that an alliance between Spidey’s foes could bring down their common enemy. The initial team was led by Ock, and it included Vulture, Electro, Kraven the Hunter, Sandman, and Mysterio. However, the first Sinister Six had no idea how to fight as a team to achieve their shared goal. Subsequent incarnations of the group have proven to more dangerous as a whole than as individuals. It’s never a good day for Spider-Man when the Sinister Six is back in town.

Black Cat (Felicia Hardy)
First Appearance: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #194

Spider-Man has a very complicated history with his former lover, Felicia Hardy. As the Black Cat, Felicia has been Spidey’s ally, partner, and vicious enemy. In their earliest encounters, Black Cat was simply a thief who enjoyed crossing paths with Spider-Man. They eventually fell in love, but she was more enamored with Spider-Man than with Peter Parker. Black Cat has fluctuated between heroism and villainy, but she’s never too far from Peter’s life. This cat is always going to land on her feet.

If you’ve played “Marvel’s Spider-Man” and want to see the next part of the game’s story, keep an eye out for SPIDER-GEDDON #0, which goes on sale Wednesday, September 26! You can pre-order your copy online or at your local comic shop.