The 7 Biggest Spider-Man Events That Totally Changed the Marvel Universe (& Why Fans Hate #4)

Spider-Man is, without any doubt, Marvel’s biggest superhero. The Friendly Neighborhood Web-Slinger has served as Marvel’s go-to superhero for over sixty years, starring in some of Marvel’s best and biggest storylines. Naturally, some of the best-remembered Spider-Man stories are the big events. These come in all types of forms, from the company-wide crossover to overarching storylines across a single book. Spider-Man has led or played major roles in dozens of events of all kinds, and sometimes, those special comics have irrevocably altered the fate of his comic book universe. Whether it be the universe at large or his own little corner of it, Spider-Man’s events have a tendency to change everything.

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Today, we’re going to examine just that by looking at seven of Spider-Man’s events that had the biggest impact on the Marvel Universe. These are the comic book storylines that changed everything for the Web-Slinger and his ilk. Sometimes it’s for the better, sometimes for the worst, and sometimes, it’s just plain weird. Either way, these comics are all a blast in one way or another, or at the very least, are fun to hate. With all that said, let’s swing into Spidey’s seven biggest, status-quo-changing events.

7) “The Other”

Spider-Man has always ridden the line between man and monster. The original inspiration for his design emerged from Stan Lee wanting a monstrous character who didn’t look like a hero. Given that his powers are based on a spider’s, there’s always been something slightly unnerving about Peter. In “The Other,” Peter came face-to-face with that side of himself and was changed. It started when he had doomsday nightmares and discovered he had contracted a mysterious disease that would kill him. At the same time, Morlun returned, giving Spider-Man the worst beating of his life. In his final moments, Peter’s spider side took over, and he killed Morlun before dying in MJ’s arms.

Spider-Man didn’t stay dead, however, as his spider-side manifested as the Other, reviving Peter, but with a condition that he embrace the spider heritage he’d rejected for so long. Spider-Man was reborn with brand-new spider powers like darkvision and a sedative touch. This storyline was important not just because it gave Spidey new powers, but because it confirmed that his powers were connected to a mystical origin. This idea was teased in Morlun’s first appearance with the idea of Spider-Totems, but was left ambiguous. This definitely stated that Peter’s powers were mystical and that that wasn’t going away anytime soon. Even today, the mystical origins are felt in Peter’s adventures.

6) “Clone Conspiracy”

The “Clone Conspiracy” was a massive storyline that saw the return of Ben Reilly as the new Jackal. He used a new type of cloning procedure that didn’t just copy people, but could actually return the originals from the dead in new bodies. To convince Spider-Man to join his side, he revived every person that had died on Spider-Man’s watch, from friends to foes. Countless lost, beloved characters returned, from iconic characters like Gwen Stacy and Jean DeWolff to underrated legends like the Kangaroo and the Lizard’s family. This storyline brought back everyone besides Uncle Ben, and some of them even stuck around, opening the door for countless new stories with characters who were thought to be gone for good.

5) “The Wedding!”

Spider-Man and Mary Jane have been comics’ number one “will they, won’t they” ever since the redheaded bombshell first called Peter tiger. They have had their ups, downs, and sideways movements for decades, but back in 1987, the two finally tied the knot. This monumentous occasion finally moved MJ and Peter into a whole new world of storytelling. Superheroes actually being in committed relationships is still rare today, but back then, a prominent character getting married was almost unheard of. Marvel’s commitment to MJ and Peter let them grow into even better characters, which in turn gave the company confidence to try this with other characters later down the line. Unfortunately for MJ and Peter, death did them part, but it wasn’t either of theirs.

4) “One More Day”

I don’t think I need to introduce the most infamous Spider-Man storyline of all. After Peter revealed his secret identity to the world in Civil War, Kingpin sent an assassin after him, inadvertently fatally wounding Aunt May. In one of the most out-of-character moments ever written, Peter and MJ sold their marriage to Mephisto to revive Aunt May. Naturally, fans hate this comic with the passion of a million exploding suns, but it’s not just for the reasons stated. This comic wasn’t just a betrayal of the highest order, it was the start of Spider-Man’s downfall. Marvel knows how much fans hate this story, and how much they love Peter and MJ together, and the company knows how to use that.

Marvel is constantly teasing the fans with the possibility of Peter and MJ getting back together, but they always yank the rug out from under everyone. Paul is the biggest, most hated example of what feels like direct malice against the fans. This story also started the train of Peter’s constant suffering. Ever since “One More Day,” Spider-Man has been in a downward spiral of depression and defeat. This comic marked a change in Marvel’s treatment of Spider-Man for the absolute worse. It’s a punch in the gut to all Spider-Man fans, and still one of Marvel’s greatest insults.

3) “Clone Saga”

If “One More Day” is Spider-Man’s most hated storyline, this is a distant but still despised second. This event was meant to be much, much shorter than it ended up being, and you can definitely tell that the bullpen was making it up as they went along. Still, for all the contradictions, retcons, and downright convoluted nonsense that lasted for two and a half years, the “Clone Saga” did introduce a whole lot of ideas and concepts that have become mainstays of Spider-Man’s mythos.

Most obviously, this storyline tied Spider-Man to cloning, which has been a recurring obstacle for him ever since. It introduced fan-favorite characters like Ben Reilly and Kaine, both of whom remain popular to this day despite their complicated origins. This is also the comic that brought back the Green Goblin decades after his original death and established him as Spider-Man’s number one villain. For all the mud it tracked into the comic stores, the “Clone Saga” actually had a positive effect on Spider-Man’s lore. You know, after the storyline itself was done and over with.

2) Spider-Verse

Without a doubt, one of the most influential Spider-Man events of all time was the original Spider-Verse. This event solidified a concept that had been building for years across all Spider-Man media. Not just comics, but video games, TV shows, and everything in between had built their own Spider-Man, and the idea of them all crossing over was built one piece at a time. The Web of Life and Destiny even originally premiered in the game Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions. This is the comic that brought it all together and created a whole new dimension of Spider-Man stories. Spidey had always been a lone hero, but this built a community. Heck, it helped popularize the multiverse in the common lexicon. This story changed everything and then some.

1) “Black Suit Saga”

While not an official storyline, this is the period where Spider-Man wore the symbiote, up until he learned it was sentient and discarded it, inadvertently creating Venom. Firstly, it created a suit that is nearly as iconic as Spider-Man’s red and blue, which is a herculean feat if there ever was one. More than that, this brought the first symbiote to Earth, which kick-started the growth of what is now one of Marvel’s biggest corners of the universe. There are dozens of symbiotes and plenty of popular symbiote heroes and villains, like Venom, Agent Anti-Venom, and Carnage.

The symbiotes have their own mythos that has broken out from Spider-Man’s shadow. They are a popular concept all on their own. Heck, Knull has his own series right now, and the current Spider-Man event, “Death Spiral,” is all about symbiotes. This goo-like alien species has become one of the most fascinating camps in all of Marvel. The symbiotes are essential to what Marvel is today, and it all started with this one saga.

Which Spider-Man event do you think changed Marvel the most? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!