I think it goes without saying that Spider-Man is one of the most capable heroes in the Marvel Universe. Peter Parker has been defending the streets of New York since he was a teenager, and in the years since a radioactive spider bit him, he’s grown into an incredible fighter. He’s taken on some of the greatest threats around, from Thanos to Galactus, and lived to tell the tale. But it’s not just villains that have faced Spider-Man’s wrath, but some of the people he considers his greatest allies.
Superheroes fighting other superheroes is a tale as old as time. Whether its due to a misunderstanding, a form of mind control, or something else, Peter has gone face-to-face with several Marvel icons. He’s taken on the unbreakable Luke Cage and the Merc with a Mouth, Deadpool. He’s even faced heroes as strong as the Silver Surfer and the Hulk. But no matter his opponent’s threat level, Spider-Man has that special something that allows him to come out on top. Read on to discover 7 heroes that Spider-Man was actually able to beat in a fight with no additional help.
7. Deadpool
Wade Wilson might be able to take on more punishment than most, but even he’s in trouble when confronted by a pissed-off Spider-Man. In Deadpool #19, Wade is confronted by Peter after the former kills an oldman and Spider-Man wants to know why. Deadpool is savagely beaten by Spider-Man, who knocks the mercenary around, barely letting him get a word in edgewise. The only reason Spider-Man even stops is that Deadpool soils himself (the result of eating very questionable hot dogs). But despite the gross ending to this fight, Deadpool 100% got his ass handed to him by Spider-Man.
6. Luke Cage
In the time after Green Goblin infamously killed Gwen Stacy, J. Jonah Jameson was more convinced than ever that Spider-Man was a menace that needed to be dealt with. So In The Amazing Spider-Man #123, Jameson hires Luke Cage to take care of the wall-crawler, and Power Man seems like he’s the man for the job. On two separate occasions, Luke comes gunning for Spider-Man, but both times, Peter doesn’t play around and both battles end in definitive L’s for Cage. Unable to take down Spider-Man, Luke returns the money to Jameson, literally shoving it down his throat.
5. Iron Man
Fans all remember how Spider-Man initially sided with Iron Man during the chaotic period known as Civil War. But as the ideological battle divided the heroes, Peter ended up defecting, putting him at odds with the pro-Superhero Registration Act’s leader. Tony tried to get Spider-Man to stand down in Civil War #5, but Peter was committed to washing his hands of Iron Man. The two briefly fought, but Spider-Man was way too wily for Tony to take down all by himself. It wasn’t the cleanest victory, but Spider-Man eked out a win while defying Iron Man.
4. Silver Surfer
Admittedly, Silver Surfer generally outclasses Spider-Man (that’s pretty much expected with the Power Cosmic). But as Silver Surfer #14 showed, Peter can really hold his own against the iconic alien hero. A misunderstanding leads to Spider-Man trying to track down and contain the Surfer, and he actually does a decent job at it, from webbing the Surfer up to knocking him off his board. Surfer tries to hold his own, but in the end, he opts to try and retreat from the unyielding Spider-Man. It’s not a complete smackdown, but it is an interesting feather in Peter’s cap.
3. Colossus/Magik
Not all victories in a fight come from actually throwing a punch. In Avengers vs. X-Men #9, Spider-Man is actually facing an incredible uphill battle by fighting the brother-sister pair Colossus and Magik. Peter is brutally taken down by the siblings to the point where even his narration boxes are bleeding. But Peter manages to use a few sly words and manipulates Magik and Colossus into attacking one another. It’s not pretty, and Peter is severely injured, but out of the three, he’s the only one to walk away from the fight.
2. Hulk
Hulk might be the strongest there is, but he met his match when he faced off against Peter in The Amazing Spider-Man #328. Hulk’s rampage brought him to Spidey’s backyard, and Hulk is ready to do some damage. But thankfully, Peter’s been buffed by some cosmic powers, enabling him to go toe-to-toe with the leviathan. The two’s fight is interrupted by two kids, and before the Hulk can even lay a hand on them, Spider-Man punches Hulk so hard he actually manages to leave the atmosphere. Thankfully, he rescued Hulk, who repaid Peter’s generosity by leaving New York.
1. The Fantastic Four
One of the most iconic victories in Spider-Man’s history actually dates all the way back to one of his earliest appearances. In The Amazing Spider-Man #1, Peter comes face-to-face with the Fantastic Four after breaking into their headquarters to show off what he’s made of and get a spot on the team. One-by-one, Spider-Man easily defeats Thing, Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, and the Human Torch. However, his display of strength and skill is all for nought when he discovers that Fantastic Four membership doesn’t come with a paycheck. Still, quite incredible to see Spider-Man defeat the entire team at once.
What’s your favorite Spider-Man victory? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!
