Videos by ComicBook.com
While it’s completely understandable that not every Spider-Man storyline would be perfect, at times the choices writers have made are completely mindboggling. Sometimes these stories were so bad that Marvel retconned them, while other times it just dug its heels and doubled down on these poor narratives despite understandable fan outcry. Out of the countless stories involving the Wall-Crawler, these are the worst.
10) “Clone Saga”
The sad thing about “Clone Saga” was that it had a good start, with the return of fan-favorite Ben Reilly and the introduction of the complex villain-turned-anti-hero Kaine. Unfortunately, even with these positives, this storyline needlessly extended well past its expiration date. The initial story involved Spider-Man’s clone, Ben Reilly, returning with proof that he’s the original and that Peter Parker is the real clone. Afterwards, both as enemies and as allies, Peter and Ben uncovered a conspiracy concocted by the villains Jackal, Kaine, and Norman Osborn. However, the story soon became stale, with clone after clone and unnecessary twist after unnecessary twist, creating a dragged-out, convoluted mess that lasted for two years.
9) “Parker Industries”
When Doctor Octopus controlled Spider-Man’s body, he used his genius to create a multi-billion-dollar tech company called Parker Industries. When Peter regained his body, he inherited this company. While the idea of Peter using his genius to build a successful company isn’t bad and could have been a welcome change to Peter’s lowly status quo, the execution fell flat. Almost immediately, Peter went from a lovable and relatable hero to an egotistical and selfish jerk. There was no build-up, and Peter’s abrupt character shift after stealing work from someone else felt completely forced. When Parker Industries collapsed, the entire abysmal storyline was completely forgotten, with Peter back to being a broke loser.
8) “The Return of Peter Parker’s Parents”
For three decades, Spider-Man’s secret agent parents, Richard and Mary Parker, had been presumed dead. Then, suddenly, the pair returned, apparently having been stuck in a Russian prison for years. While the sporadic reemergence of Peter’s parents was already strange and led to a lot of confusion among readers, the ultimate reveal that occurred two years later made the entire storyline too ridiculous to be taken seriously. It’s revealed that Peter’s “parents” were shapeshifting robots built by the Chameleon under the orders of the Green Goblin. “The Return of Peter Parker’s Parents” was incredibly convoluted and cemented the idea among readers and writers alike that Spider-Man’s mom and dad should remain buried.
7) Spider-Man: Chapter One
Like many superheroes, Spider-Man’s story has been going on for decades and can be hard to follow. To give new readers a place to start as well as update the character, Spider-Man: Chapter One acted as both a retelling and a reboot of the Wall-Crawler’s origin. Unfortunately, this reboot completely fell flat for several reasons. Firstly, Peter’s origin was unnecessarily retooled so that he was in a massive radiation explosion before being bitten by the spider. Secondly and more importantly, the story felt less like a reboot and more like a CliffsNotes version of Spider-Man’s origin, with many iconic moments condensed, skimmed, or skipped over entirely. Lacking emotional weight or pacing, Spider-Man: Chapter One was soon abandoned and retconned.
6) “The Gathering of Five and the Final Chapter”
“The Gathering of Five and the Final Chapter” completely botched the climactic return of Norman Osborn after he was seemingly killed during the events of “The Goblin’s Last Stand.” In this story, Norman tries a ritual to become immortal. After that plot goes nowhere, it’s revealed that Spider-Man and MJ’s baby daughter didn’t die during childbirth; Norman kidnapped her. It’s then revealed that Aunt May, who seemingly died in a previous storyline, was still alive and had been replaced by an actress who died in her place. Spider-Man and MJ’s baby is then completely forgotten. From undoing the impactful death of Aunt May to the misdirection of Spider-Man and MJ’s baby’s return, “The Gathering of Five and the Final Chapter” fails on every level.
