Ultimate Spider-Man’s Sinister Six Explained

The Ultimate Sinister Six are about to be unleashed on the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Marvel’s new Ultimate Universe has brought some changes to Spider-Man, with Peter Parker not becoming the wallcrawler until after he married Mary Jane Watson and had two kids. Ultimate Spider-Man has followed Peter’s adventures of learning how to be a hero, with his biggest test coming against Wilson Fisk / Kingpin. After Spider-Man and Green Goblin were brutally defeated by Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime has decided to send his agents after the vigilantes. The villains he assembles are what Spider-Man fans recognize as the Sinister Six.

*WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Ultimate Spider-Man #8. Continue reading at your own risk!

Ultimate Spider-Man #8 comes from the creative team of Jonathan Hickman, Marco Checchetto, Matthew Wilson, and VC’s Cory Petit. It’s a somewhat quieter issue, with Spider-Man processing his first meeting with Tony Stark / Iron Lad, his kids’ birthday party, and an awkward conversation with his sentient picotech Spidey suit. However, it’s the final pages that put the focus on Kingpin and his Sinister Six. They all come from New York’s five boroughs, with Kingpin ruling over Manhattan. He’s given his lieutenants the other territories, and he’s called them all to his tower to discuss his Spider-Man problem. 

The remaining five members of the Sinister Six will be familiar to Spider-Man fans, and some have even been on previous iterations of the villainous group on in the Marvel Prime Universe.

Mr. Negative

First up is Martin Li, aka Mr. Negative. He’s the CEO of the F.E.A.S.T. Foundation, a philanthropic outreach that provides food and shelfter for New York’s needy. This is Li’s outward public face, while he commits crimes as Mr. Negative and his gang known as the Demons. Mr. Negative has the power of mind control that remains a secret, thanks in large part to the Daily Bugle denying all rumors. Of course, Kingpin is also the owner of the Daily Bugle.

Black Cat

In the Ultimate Universe, Felicia Hardy’s father, Walter Hardy, is the notorious Black Cat thief. He was once considered the greatest thief in the world, but he’s now retired to control the Bronx and raise his family. We get to see a picture of his wife, who passed away several years ago, and a young Felicia, who we know will take on the Black Cat mantle on the cover of Ultimate Spider-Man #11.

Kraven the Hunter

Sergei Kravinoff, aka Kraven the Hunter, prowls over Staten Island. He closely resembles his Earth-616 counterpart, and we learn that Kraven hunts in pairs: one he kills, and one he saves. He preserves both trophies, with the killed displayed in his lair and the other stored in his personal zoo for the public.

Kraven the Hunter is also getting his own Spider-Man spinoff movie starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson that comes out later this year.

Mysterio

We’re not told too mucha bout Mysterio, but he makes a dramatic entrance using one of his many illusions. All we know is Brooklyn belongs to Mysterio. Which leaves us with the last lieutenant of the Sinister Six…

Mole Man

Earth-616 Mole Man came up as a Fantastic Four villain, but his Ultimate Universe counterpart will apparently rumble with Spider-Man as a member of the Sinister Six. Mole Man is Wilson Fisk’s oldest and most loyal comrade. Instead of being given control over one of the five boroughs, Mole Man lives underground, sticking to his original theme.