Summary
Spider-Manis one of the most popular superheroes around, thanks in part toan impressive rouge gallerythat is rivaled only by DC iconBatman. But unlike the Caped Crusader, terror is not overtly associated with Spider-Man. Fans normally expect to see Peter Parker struggling with high school social structures and quipping whilst punching out colorful, often animal-themed, crooks.
Over his 60-plus year lifespan, though, the occasional creature and horror has cropped up to torment the Web-Slinger with vicious tendencies and bodies composed of swarms of creepy crawlies. Most of the worst offenders won’t be found here, but more than a few of them have made an appearance as one of thescariest Spider-Man villains in animated shows.
10Taskmaster
Ultimate Spider-Man
Taskmasteris usually considered more of a calculated foe than a frightening one. However, the ghoulish visage that the animators ofUltimate Spider-Manwent for when capturing the trademark skull mask is sure to leave a lasting image in the minds of viewers. His appearance does change slightly across the run of the series, but each is adorned with the hollow skeletal face and glowing eyes, making the former S.H.E.I.L.D agent an intimidating presence on any battlefield.
9Morbius
Spider-Man: The Animated Series
It’s hard to fearMorbiusthese days after the vampire was the memeworthy star of Sony’s continued attemptsto eviscerate every Spider-Man IP they still hold. But his portrayal inSpider-Man: The Animated Seriesis a little more disturbing.
He possesses freakish little mouths on his hands, through which he feasts on his victims ‘plasma’ to gain strength. Preying on the citizens of Manhattan in a reign of terror, he also proves more than a match for Spider-Man at full strength. For good measure, he transforms into a bat monster to complete his arc.
8Alistair Smythe - Ultimate Slayer
Alistair Smytheplays a pivotal role inSpider-Man: The Animated Series,serving as the right-hand man to principal antagonist King Pin. He provides the intellectual acumen for the crime boss and builds a number of Spider-Slayer robots to hunt Spider-Man.
Later in the series, he is transformed into a gargoyle-like monstrosity dubbed the Ultimate Slayer, giving him the physical power to go toe-to-toe with the Wall-Crawler. He’s a fearsome beast with razor-sharp claws and a mind to match.
7Lizard
Spider-Man: The New Animated Series
Lizardis both a terrifying and tragic villain, often depicted as struggling with his inner dichotomy of Curt Connors and the creature he inadvertently turned himself into. When Connors loses full control, Lizard becomes anigh unstoppable predatory beast.Spider-Man: The New Animated Seriesgets the nod as the most disturbing depiction of the creature, with its bold CGI cel-shaded art style capturing the monstrous design in an alarming photorealistic fashion.
6Chameleon
Spectacular Spider-Man
The two seasons ofSpectacular Spider-Mantold a genuinely compelling tale, but the show was unfortunately a casualty of intellectual properties changing hands. In the second season,Chameleonplays a pivotal role, showcasing hismenacingly cerebral qualities.He doesn’t quite get as dark as some of the most shocking iterations from the comics, but that blank, emotionless face and his uncanny ability to hide in plain sight make him a fearsome foe.
5Calypso
Calypsopresents a unique threat to Spider-Man. As a voodoo priestess, she wields powerful magic through the use of potions and charms. She doesn’t actually appear in her traditional format inSpider-Man: The Animated Series, being portrayed by an adjacent character, Dr. Mariah Crawford, who mainly serves as an ally.
After contracting a plague, Kraven the Hunter gives her a serum in an attempt to save her life, but instead transforms her into an enormous feline creature. Similar to Lizard, she loses her agency and stalks the innocent citizens of Manhattan. She gets props for being both the spooky voodoo priestess in the comics and a ferocious monster in the animated series.
4Vulture
Vultureis a common Spidey foe. He isn’t usually considered fearsome, but there are two animated portrayals that would beg to differ. Firstly, inSpider-Man: The Animated Series, Vulture is empowered by an ancient tablet that allows him to drain the youth out of his prey, killing them to extend his own life. But it’sUltimate Spider-Manthat delivers the scariest Vulture. The show offers a terrifying rendering of him as a human-bird hybrid, complete with skin-covered beak and beady red eyes.
3Hobgoblin
The Green Goblin is arguably Spider-Man’s most famous foe, but it’s the slightly more unhingedHobgoblinthat reigns supreme as the scariest goblin in an animated series. Hobgoblin’s pale ghastly face and sinister red eyes give the villain a real menace. His erratic, unstable behavior coupled with his physical prowess and his use of Halloween-themed gadgetry, including his bat glider and pumpkin bombs, make him a frightening villain to encounter.
2The Symbiote Sisters
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Marvel’s Spider-Manintroduced many symbiotes, playing a key role in the series arc. An honorary mention goes to what is probablythe scariest Venomdesign in an animated series, but it’s the villainousSymbiote Sisters:Mania, Scorn, and most significantly,their leader Scream, that take the cake. The more visceral, sharper edges of the symbiotes' bodies and the three different interpretations of contorted and horrifying facial features make them that little bit more disturbing than their alien counterparts.
1Carnage
Spidey fans will already know that the Symbiote Sisters are not the most frightening symbiotes in the Spider-Man universe, though. That honor is reserved for the infamous serial killer Cletus Kasady and his Symbiote form,Carnage.
Kasady is already a disturbed and sadistic individual, and the powers granted to him by the symbiote only amplify the worst parts of him. He’s also a powerful antagonist, serving as the ultimate adversary inSpider-Man: The Animated Series. Taking on the form of Spider Carnage, it requires amultidimensional team of webslingersto finally put Carnage down.
