7 Marvel Heroes That Have Actually Beaten Spider-Man

Spider-Man is the face of Marvel Comics and is easily their most popular character. He usually deals with street-level threats like bank robbers and non-cosmic supervillains, beating them down with the proportional strength of a spider. Still, while he normally deals with threats that focus on the common man, he’s been known to punch far above his weight class when the situation calls for it. As Marvel’s resident cash cow and a hero who can easily slot into any power level adventure, Spider-Man has been all around the universe, fighting all kinds of villains. Occasionally, he’ll even fight some heroes.

Actually, it’s way more than occasionally. Marvel loves when their superheroes fight, and with Spidey being their number one, it only makes sense that he’s fought tons of other heroes. However, not even someone as beloved as Spider-Man can win all those fights. Today, we’re looking at seven other superheroes who have beaten Spider-Man in a fight. With all that said, let’s swing right into it.

7) Shang-Chi

Shang-Chi and Spider-Man are actually one of Marvel’s most underrated friendships. Shang-Chi was the person who taught Spider-Man how to fight after he lost his Spider-Sense, and they’ve always had a great rapport. However, they came to blows in Shang-Chi (2011) #1, after Shang-Chi took over his father’s criminal organization, and Spider-Man was transformed into a horrific monster. Spider-Man was always stronger, but Shang-Chi used his superior skills to wrap Spidey in his own web and free him. Shang-Chi did have his little sister’s help, but Spider-Man had four extra arms, so I’d say it evens out.

6) Squirrel Girl

They don’t call Doreen the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl for nothing. She fought the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man in The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Beats Up the Marvel Universe. Well, technically it was an evil clone of her, but close enough. Spider-Man was one of the first heroes she took out, lassoing him while he was web-slinging and beating him up before chucking him into the Negative Zone alongside the Avengers. Peter shouldn’t feel too bad about losing to the lady who beats everyone, but losing to a clone has to bring up bad memories for him.

5) Professor X

The original Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars dropped most of the company’s heroes and villains in a brand-new world, and tensions were high. When the X-Men planned to defect from the others to join Magneto in issue #3, Spider-Man stepped in to stop them. Somehow, the Web-Slinger managed to fight the entire X-Men roster on his own. He didn’t just win, he made them all look like sidekicks. It doesn’t matter how strong Spider-Man is, though, when Professor X can manipulate his mind. He made Spider-Man forget their plan, and they all continued on. That was a fight that was over before it started.

4) Wolverine

Now, how does it make sense that Spider-Man can embarrass the entire X-Men team, which includes Wolverine, then lose to Wolverine in a one-on-one? It doesn’t! Anyways, Spidey and Wolverine have duked it out plenty over the years, and actually have a fierce rivalry. Spider-Man usually walks away the victor, but Logan took a victory in the Spider-Man Annual (2022) #1. This was a brutal fight, egged on by Agatha Harkness in her quest to forge a new Darkhold. Spider-Man lost when he realized they were being mind-controlled, but Wolverine pressed the advantage. A cheap win, but a win nonetheless.

3) Hulk

Spidey might have the proportional strength of a spider, but the Hulk is the strongest one there is. Peter has been thrown into the Jade Giant’s path more than once. Usually, he tries to calm the Hulk down or outsmart him, but in Web of Spider-Man #69, he didn’t have the chance for either. The Hulk trapped Spider-Man in a downright brawl, and it ended in a terrifying beatdown for the Web-Slinger. The two stumbled into a river, where Hulk emerged unhurt and still angry, while Spider-Man was tangledin bramble so long he nearly drowned. This is about as clean a win as you can have, given that Spidey couldn’t even hurt the Green Behemoth.

2) Daredevil

Spider-Man and Daredevil are another incredible street-level friendship. They respect each other, maybe more so than any other heroic duo, which always makes their fights so tense and heartbreaking. Spider-Man is clearly much stronger and faster than Matt, but the Man Without Fear is nothing if not creative. One of their brawls came in the legendary “Death of Jean DeWitt” storyline. Specifically, Spidey and Daredevil came to blows in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #110, when DD tried to stop Spidey from going too far in vigilante vengeance. Daredevil beat the emotionally distraught Spidey senseless, somehow knocking him out with force alone. I guess grief really does take it out of you.

1) Spider-Man (Miles Morales)

Peter and Miles share the Spider-Man identity and often work together as partners, but it wasn’t always that way. In fact, during their first meeting in Spider-Men #2, the two fought. Peter crashlanded in the old Ultimate Universe, and when Miles called him by his real name, the freaked-out hero attacked. Miles managed to knock Peter out with a Venom Sting, but Peter instantly recovered. When he stole Miles’s mask, Miles knocked Peter out again with a second Venom Sting, this time bringing him down for good. It just goes to show that Miles definitely has what it takes to be Spider-Man, and some extra powers to boot.

Which superheroes would you love to see Spider-Man duke it out with? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

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