Spider-Man is Marvel’s most popular superhero, hands down. Peter Parker is a timeless, eternal character that everyone can see themselves in as he struggles to be the best man he can while dealing with problems that are sometimes otherworldly and sometimes all too common in the real world. Heck, Marvel ran an entire comic dedicated to Spider-Man teaming up with other Marvel characters that lasted for thirteen years. Naturally, Marvel capitalized on Spidey’s success by introducing a whole host of heroes based on him. From Miles Morales to Bailey Briggs, there’s a whole Spider-Man Family now, often called the Order of the Web, and it’s filled with some of Marvel’s coolest heroes.
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Of course, even though all of Marvel’s Spider-themed heroes are awesome in their own right, there can only be one who stands as the most important of them all. Today, we’re going to call attention to the entire Spider-Family by looking at all of its members and ranking them based on how important they are to the Marvel Universe. We’ll define importance as a mix between how much impact they have or have had on the superhero community and their popularity outside the comics. We’re also only counting the current, confirmed Order of the Web members. With all that said, let’s swing right into it.
9) Spider-Boy
I love Bailey. He’s Spider-Man’s sidekick who was erased from existence, but found his way back and went straight into being a hero once again. He’s a spunky, innocent guy who wears his heart on his sleeve and wants to help everyone. More than that, he’s more than proven that he deeply understands what makes Spider-Man who he is, and the lessons about what responsibility means. His team-ups with Spider-Man are always a joy, and he brings a wide-eyed joy to Marvel that it could always use more of.
Still, no matter how great he is, he’s still the newest character on this list, and as such, he hasn’t left much of an impact. I mean, he was literally erased from existence, and nothing changed, so that says all it needs to about his current importance, unfortunately. Bailey has the potential to become a major player in the younger generation of heroes and fills a unique niche, but as of now, he still has to prove it to the world.
8) Araña
Anya Corazón was the first-ever Spider-Girl, but she currently goes by her original mantle, Araña. She got her first powerset from her Spider Society tattoo, which let her act as the de facto character to explore the mystical side of Spider-Man’s lore, which feeds into the beloved Spider-Verse and everything around it. Anya was set up to be Spider-Man’s Batgirl equivalent, but unfortunately, she never took off quite as much. Anya is always around when there’s a Spider-crisis, but she’s unlikely to show up anywhere else, which earns her eighth place.
7) Ghost-Spider
The Gwen Stacy of Earth-65 was bitten by the radioactive spider, becoming her reality’s Spider-Woman. Eventually, she became a permanent citizen of Earth-616 and currently operates as Ghost-Spider. The original Gwen is one of the most pivotal characters in Spider-Man’s mythos, and this Gwen is easily the second most popular version of the character. She’s one of the main characters of the incredible Spider-Verse movies and comics, always taking center stage when the Web of Life and Destiny is in danger. Gwen is easily one of the best-known characters in the Order of the Web, but as of right now, she lacks the impact that higher-placed members have. She’s great, but much like the others before her, has to prove why she’s great.
6) Madame Web
Julia Carpenter was the second Spider-Woman and now serves as the second Madame Web. Her connection to the Web of Life and Destiny lets her see the threats that her fellow spiders will face, and she always instructs them on how to save the day. Madame Web is the one who founded the Order of the Web, calling the heroes together to save Spider-Man from Kindred and himself. Julia always stands at the center of Spider-Verse events, calling the heroes together and usually providing some kind of mystical support that’s crucial to save the day.
However, she’s very rarely an active participant like the other heroes. Madame Web is more of a plot device than a character at times, which does work against her. Still, she is undeniably vital to the Spider-Family. Without her, there wouldn’t be a connected team of Spider-heroes at all. She is the inciting incident and the MacGuffin to so many of their adventures, and that cannot be understated or undervalued.
5) Silk
Cindy Moon was bitten by the same spider that bit Peter, granting her the same powers. She was sealed in a special room to protect her from Morlun for years, but after he was defeated, she set out to be a hero on her own, and she quickly rose to become one of the greatest Spider-heroes around. Nowadays, Silk acts as one of the heads of the Order of the Web. She’s become someone that everyone can look up to and turn to. She’s even the avatar for the Spider-Totem called the Bride, which is an essential aspect of the Web of Life and Destiny. Cindy is an often underrated but always respected member of the team, and they wouldn’t be here without her.
4) Norman Osborn
While it might seem insane to include one of Spider-Man’s greatest foes in the Order of the Web, he did act as Spider-Man while Peter was shunted into space. The Spider-Family never truly accepted him, but they fought to save the day together, and that’s good enough for me. Norman is easily one of the most pivotal Spider-Man villains of all time. He killed Gwen Stacy, sent Harry Osborn on the same path, was the mastermind behind the “Clone Saga,” nearly eradicated all superheroes as the director of SHIELD, and so, so much more. He’s been the central antagonist for countless Spider-Man stories.
After he was purged of his sins, Norman dedicated himself to being a better man. Not only was he Spider-Man, but he became one of Peter’s best confidants, being one of the few allies who know his identity and are fully dedicated to helping him with everything. Stories starring Norman, as enemy or ally, have defined Spider-Man for decades, and will definitely continue to do so into the future.
3) Spider-Woman
Jessica Drew is the original Spider-Woman and has the distinct honor of being the first Spider-person besides Peter. She started the trend of introducing new Spider-heroes without directly tying them to Spider-Man, which has let Marvel create a whole litany of beloved characters. Beyond being a pivotal and essential member of the Order of the Web, Jessica has also established her own presence across the Marvel Universe. Her powers came from the High Evolutionary, she was an agent of HYDRA and SHIELD, and has even been a longtime Avenger. Jessica has been an essential part of most of Marvel’s biggest teams, and she has a very strong, well-established mythos that demands respect.
2) Spider-Man — Miles Morales
Miles is every bit Spider-Man as Peter is, and he has become an essential part of the 616 universe. Miles is the Spider-Man of the younger generation, leading the high school adventures that Spidey is so famous for. He’s made the identity his own and now has just as much sway as the original Spider-Man. He’s one of the focal points of the Spider-Verse, a founding member of the Champions, and is one of the Order of the Web’s leaders. Everyone relies on Miles and trusts him to be the hero they need him to be. When push comes to shove, he’s as likely to save the day as Peter.
Miles has plenty of his own mythos, as well. Not only are his adventures modern takes on classic Spider-elements like clones, but his rogues gallery and mythos have expanded way more. Miles is the de facto mystical Spider-Man, exploring the divine side of their powers with Anasi. His villains, like Rabble and the Assessor, can even give Pete’s enemies a run for their money in awesomeness, which is about the highest praise a villain can get. Miles is the Ultimate Spider-Man, and he’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
1) Spider-Man — Peter Parker
Of course, the most important Spider-hero of all will always be the original. Peter is the hero who started it all, and every Spider-hero after him will always be judged against his incredible example. He’s the center of the Spider-Verse, the figure from which all Spider-heroics are based, and one of Marvel’s most beloved characters. He’s their most-published character for a reason, as people love him. He’s regularly called to sit on the superhero Mount Rushmore alongside legends like Batman and Superman. Heck, Spider-Man is even an inspiration in-universe, being one of the best-respected and most heroic characters in the entire multiverse. Spider-Man is amazing, and there’s nothing else to it. Without him, none of these other great characters would exist.
Which Spider-hero is your favorite? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!
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