Spider-Man is one of the most inspirational superheroes in Marvel. He’s the living symbol of responsibility and heroism despite all the odds and reasons not to. Spider-Man has risen from a teenager with a major chip on his shoulder to one of the most mature and respected superheroes in the universe. Everyone knows that they can turn to Spider-Man when the going gets tough, and that, when push comes to shove, he will stand by whatever is correct. He’s inspired everyone who meets him. New York knows that, no matter what, they will always need a Spider-Man. That extends to more than just Peter Parker.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Spider-Man has become more than just a good man. He is a symbol. Spider-Man inspired everyone to be better, and even when Peter has to let go of the mask, there are others who pick it up to carry on the legacy. Today, we’re looking at all of the people who have carried on the Spider-Man legacy in one way or another, and ranking them based on how well they do just that. Everyone on this list has done their best to be a true superhero that’s worthy of the webs, and some of them even have a case for being just as good, if not better than the original.
6) Norman Osborn
Norman spent decades as Spider-Man’s number one foe, but after a brush with Sin-Eater, he dedicated himself to becoming a hero to make up for his past. When Peter was shunted off to the far reaches of space by Hellgate, Norman put on the costume to continue the legacy. He saw being Spider-Man as the path to redemption. Norman gave his everything to defending the innocent, even while he was consumed by his endless anger and haunted by his mistakes. He was far more brutal and a lot less inspirational than Peter, but he understood how to put others’ needs before his own, and overcoming his darkness was beautiful to see.
I really enjoyed Norman’s time as Spider-Man, but he takes last place here because he should never stay the Friendly Neighborhood Wall-Crawler. Being Spider-Man was a piece of Norman’s arc, his next step towards becoming a better man, but never his end goal. I’d love to see Norman in the red and blue once again, but it’s not his identity. He was always just keeping Peter’s space warm.
5) Otto Octavius
Unlike the others on this list, Otto forcibly stole the mantle along with Peter’s body. After seeing Peter’s memories, he was inspired to become a hero to prove he was truly superior. Otto’s character arc of learning how to be a good man was incredible and remains one of the most inventive Spider-Man stories of this era, but he never succeeded in his new role. The entire purpose of the story was to prove that Otto wasn’t the superior Spider-Man and that Peter was the better man all along. Otto’s arrogance and insanity nearly let villains take over the city, and he utterly tanked Spider-Man’s reputation. He was far more of a despot than a hero, but still, the lessons he learned in the role were inspiring.
4) Miguel O’Hara
Miguel hails from the cyberpunk future of 2099, where the evil company Alchemax owns the world. An attempted murder made to look like a lab accident fused Miguel with spider DNA. Inspired by the Age of Heroes and wanting to make a difference, Miguel became the Spider-Man of his time, and he carries the mantle with pride. He’s definitely a bit more edgy than the typical Spidey, but he’s just as much a hero as anyone else. He comes from a world that’s much darker than our Spider-Man, but he still found the hope and spirit to become a true hero, which speaks to his strength of character and dedication to doing the right thing.
3) Ben Reilly
Ben wasn’t just inspired by Peter; he is a perfect clone of the original, with all of his memories. He’s served as Spider-Man a couple of times over the years, and while his current anti-hero status as Chasm is far from his best moment, he’s more than proven that he’s a hero. Ben has always struggled with identity, wanting to prove that he’s his own person while connecting with the memories that he never lived. He’s given up everything to be a hero, and that’s the very essence of what it means to be Spider-Man. Peter always suffers, but Ben’s life has been a loop of suffering for decades. Despite it all, he’s doing his best, and he has everything it takes to be Spider-Man.
2) Mayday Parker
Mayday may not be Spider-Man, but she perfectly carries on Peter’s legacy as Spider-Girl. She’s the daughter that Peter and MJ were meant to have, and was raised without any knowledge of who her dad was until she developed her own powers. Her parents never wanted this life for her, but she chose it because she had the power to help others. She’s every bit the hero that both of her parents are, and is so good at her job that Mephisto orchestrated the entire “One More Day” scenario to make sure she would never be born and stop his eventual invasion of Earth. She’s the perfect person to carry on Peter’s legacy, but there’s one more person who’s better at carrying the Spider-Man legacy.
1) Miles Morales
Miles isn’t just an incredible hero, he’s every bit the Spider-Man that Peter is. He originally took up the mantle after his universe’s Peter seemingly died, and retained it when he migrated to 616. He has Peter’s blessing to be a hero and has shown that he’s not just his successor, he’s his equal in every way that matters. Miles understands exactly what it means to carry responsibility and stand up for what’s right. Whenever the chips are down, people know that they can turn to Miles and Peter, and that’s the greatest test of Spider-Man that there could be. Miles is the ultimate Spider-Man successor, and the best person to carry on that legacy and show us how anyone can be like Spider-Man.
Who is your favorite Spider-Man successor? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of Marvel Studios -
Image Courtesy of Netflix
