Comic-Con 2022: Marvel Announces Kraven Origin Series Spider-Man: The Lost Hunt

Fans will learn the secret origin of Kraven the Hunter in a new Spider-Man limited series. Marvel announced Spider-Man: The Lost Hunt from writer J.M. DeMatteis and artist Eder Messias during a retailer panel at San Diego Comic-Con. The series would theoretically take place before Kraven terrorized Spider-Man’s life in the acclaimed “Kraven’s Last Hunt” storyline of the 1980s. Fans got their first tease of Spider-Man: The Lost Hunt on the final page of J.M. DeMatteis’ recently concluded Ben Reilly: Spider-Man #5. This new five-issue miniseries is slated to arrive in November.

J.M. DeMatteis is known for his seminal work on “Kraven’s Last Hunt” with Mike Zeck, which saw Kraven hunting Spider-Man. After shooting and believing he killed Spider-Man, Kraven buried him and began patrolling New York City in Spidey’s black costume. Peter eventually dug his way out of his grave and defeated Kraven, leading the villain to commit suicide after thinking he had nothing left to prove. It would seem the addition of Spider-Man: The Lost Hunt fits in perfectly with the writer’s catalog. Ben Reilly: Spider-Man saw the return of another clone, Spidercide, as he terrorized Ben, the inmates, and the staff of the Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane.

Sony Pictures is currently filming a Kraven the Hunter solo movie starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson. The actor spoke to Variety, where he discussed Kraven being “one of Marvel’s most iconic, notorious anti-heroes — Spider Man’s number one rival.” While that’s clearly up for debate – fans will be quick to point to villains such as Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, and Venom as bigger adversaries – he did find joy in his character “not an alien, or a wizard. He’s just a hunter, a human with conviction. An animal lover and a protector of the natural world. He’s a very, very cool character.” He also added that compared to his fellow Marvel movies, “this one is shot entirely on location.”

Marvel’s other announcements at the Comic-Con 2022 retailer panel include the returns of X-Treme X-Men by Chris Claremont and Salvador Larroca, and Strange Academy: Finals by Skottie Young and Humberto Ramos.

You can find the cover, first look, and solicitation for Spider-Man: The Lost Hunt #1 below.

• SPIDER-MAN: THE LOST HUNT #1 (of 5) 
• Written by J.M. DEMATTEIS
• Art by EDER MESSIAS
• Cover by RYAN BROWN
• As Peter Parker and Mary Jane prepare for their new lives in Portland, a man from Kraven’s past stalks them. Who is this mystery man, and what does he want with Spider-Man? Find out when we return to the time period after SPIDER-MAN: THE FINAL ADVENTURE when Peter Parker was powerless!