10 Spider-Man Comics That Hit Harder As An Adult

Spider-Man is a character with a wide array of comics, most of which are fairly accessible to new readers of any and all age categories. From the character’s modern-day exploits to his origins in the Silver Age, there’s been something for everyone, with a large part of the character’s reader base growing alongside him.

Perhaps one of the most impactful parts of Spider-Man’s charm is the ability his stories have to resonate deeper with the same readers even years later. From comics that seem more lighthearted or optimistic, like The Superior Foes of Spider-Man and The Real Clone Saga, to more depressing tales like the since retconned death of Aunt May or Spider-Man: Blue, many of Spider-Man’s comics hit harder with the hindsight only an adult can have.

10 The Superior Foes of Spider-Man Was Surprisingly Mature

Despite being a very recent comic released in 2013, The Superior Foes of Spider-Man is a cult-classic comic that left an impression on readers, fitting itself into many Spiderman fans’ favorite lists. Following the misadventures of a wannabe Sinister Six made up of only five of Spider-Man’s most C-list villains— the sixth, a robot, was stolen by Spider-Man— Superior Foes came off as a simple comedy on the surface. Still, they evolved into something deeper as the book progressed.

Between the wacky hijinks the supervillains got into was a story about the feelings of mediocrity that come with feeling stagnant in life. Each member of the wannabe Sinister Six has their own lofty dreams and goals for life that all originated from a sense of discontent. This ranged from Shocker wanting to retire to Overdrive wanting to be a superhero. But, a facet of Superior Foes’ darker comedy came from the fact the leads always stumbled before reaching their goal, stuck to forever remain as second-string villains.

9 Vermin Explored His Childhood Trauma

One of many excellent arcs from J.M. DeMatteis’ run on The Spectacular Spider-Man, “The Child Within” balanced a multitude of subplots, from Harry Osborn’s mental breakdown to Peter Parker running himself ragged. But the main focus of the story was the psychological examination of the lesser-known villain Vermin, given nuance that had not been seen with him prior.

Born as Edward Whelan, Vermin had quietly suffered horrific abuse from his father as a child. While Edward was able to suppress these memories for years, his transformations and mental deterioration as Vermin brought the trauma back in full force. This was excellently contrasted against Harry Osborn having hallucinations of his dead father, Norman, constantly belittling him in the same way as during his childhood. The story’s implications of how Edward and Harry were treated respectively are dark but not fully understood without the proper level of maturity.

8 The Separation Of The Parkers Was Painful

“One More Day” is one of the most controversial and infamous stories in Marvel canon, alongside such debacles as Avengers #200—and for good reason. The storyline had Peter Parker trade away his marriage to Mephisto to revive Aunt May following the events of Civil War.

However, the lesser-known arc “One Moment In Time,” spanning across The Amazing Spider-Man #638-641, was perhaps even more controversial among fans because the story specified exactly how Mephisto undid Parker’s marriage. With a hint of trickery, the demon ruined Peter’s wedding day, brought Mary Jane’s animosity about his life as Spider-Man to the surface, and ruined any chances of the two having been married. While entirely caused by magic, the story was impactful due to its somewhat realistic depiction of a deteriorating relationship between two people who really did love one another but couldn’t make it work.

“The Death of Jean DeWolff” and its follow-up “The Return of Sin-Eater” are remarkably dark stories that would make great crime movies. The former wastes no time in showing the reader the bloody crime scene around the dead police captain, Jean DeWolff. The story then followed a violent serial killer driven by religious fervor, with its sequel going even deeper into the killer’s psyche.

The story was violent, at least as violent as a Spider-Man comic was allowed to be in the 1980s. However, some of the Sin-Eater Saga’s harder-hitting aspects were more subtle than the death of an established character. The story dived into the impact violence could have on others, how it could push them to do things they wouldn’t otherwise dream of. The story also touched on the downsides of the police and institutions around mental health and how their flaws can fail both individuals and the larger society.

6 Harry’s Struggles With Addiction Were Painfully Real

The Comics Code Authority was an organization that put a lethal strain on the comics industry for years, censoring comics that did not comply with a very strict set of guidelines. Then came The Amazing Spider-Man #96-98, three issues that were published without the CCA’s approval and tackled topics of drug overdose— with the character Harry Osborn as the stand-in.

The story itself was mature for the time it was published, holding back very little regarding the harmful effects of substance abuse. But, while the anti-drug message was strong, what truly was impactful about the storyline was the circumstances of why Harry started using drugs in the first place— a mix of too much pressure from his father and feeling incompetent about his romantic endeavors with Mary Jane Watson. There was also the comic’s attempt to comment on social issues that contributed to a drug crisis, involving subjects ranging from race to class.

5 The Real Clone Saga Was An Insight At What Could Have Been

The Clone Saga was a controversial era for Spider-Man, notorious for its complicated story on the comic pages and behind-the-scenes drama. Because of that, it’s easy to forget there was even a plan with the infamous storyline in the first place. However, a miniseries titled Spider-Man: The Real Clone Saga was an attempt by the comic’s original creators to tell the story they wanted to.

A compressed version of the multi-year disaster ensued, spanning six issues. A comic enjoyed by fans not only due to its higher quality but also its much more optimistic storyline. Peter and Mary Jane were able to raise their child, Ben Reilly and Kaine Parker survived, and the Osborns had a satisfying ending. While not particularly dark, The Real Clone Saga hit hard as it was a tantalizing look at what could have been for Peter Parker’s life if it had not gone sideways, a relatable feeling for many.

4 Aunt May’s Death Was The End Of An Era

The Clone Saga was a messy era of Spider-Man through the ’90s, convoluting the hero’s lore and turning many readers off from his series. Despite that, a highlight from that era before its quality took a pendulum swing was The Amazing Spider-Man #400– a comic about the death of Aunt May.

While later completely retconned, the initial story following May’s death was extremely heart-wrenching and powerful. May had been a factor in Peter Parker’s life long before any villains or girlfriends. She was there from the beginning, so seeing her go was as painful for any reader as it was for the characters connected to her. That and the death of someone who was a mother figure added another layer of tragedy, as it is an unfortunate step in growing up for many people.

3 Gwen Stacy Was Quietly Mourned Years Later

A story that shook the comic industry to its core, “The Night Gwen Stacy Died” was a tragedy. It chronicled the permanent death of Peter Parker’s then-girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, at the hands of the Green Goblin. This story beat had rarely happened in a major superhero comic, as love interests were usually spared from a gruesome demise.

Gwen’s death was profound, not just because she had died, and 2002’s Spider-Man: Blue went into that. The aftermath of her death was a realistic examination of grief and looking back on first love— the idea of meeting a person someone may want to spend their whole life with, having an idea of an idealized future with them, only for it all to get taken away in a split second. While a younger individual can understand grief and loss, the mixing of those feelings compounded with young love makes for a truly devastating tale to look back on.

2 Kraven’s Last Hunt Grappled With Love And Identity

The story of “Kraven’s Last Hunt,” originally known as “Fearful Symmetry,” was a revolutionary comic and immediate success. It was about the final series of encounters between Spider-Man and Kraven the Hunter, with the villain even burying the hero alive to take his place. The story was grimy and gothic, culminating in Kraven taking his own life after believing he had bettered Spider-Man.

While the story was dark in many ways, “Kraven’s Last Hunt” had facets of its story likely lost on younger readers, with the marriage between Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson key among them. Newer readers would be unaware the comic took place a very short time after the couple’s wedding, with two weeks of their honeymoon period stolen from them as Peter was buried alive. The story’s themes about identity were also quite nuanced, with Kraven not understanding that he could never truly become Spider-Man, only what he perceived Spider-Man as.

1 Spider-Man Always Struggled With Money

While Spider-Man fights all manner of supervillains and larger-than-life threats daily, Peter Parker has always had to deal with more down-to-earth problems. Whether it be relationship drama or his work with the Daily Bugle, the most prominent of these struggles was always his issues with money and personal finances.

These struggles were explored back in the first two issues of The Amazing Spider-Man, immediately after Spider-Man’s debut. After the death of Uncle Ben, Peter was left as the only one able to provide for himself and Aunt May, leaving him desperate to find work. His attempts ranged from performing as Spider-Man to trying to get hired by the Fantastic Four to joining the Daily Bugle— and while these misadventures came off as humorous, it was a very real and very close-to-home situation about a teenager needing to grow up and find a way to care for himself and his aunt. Younger readers might not understand, as caring for an older relative is a foreign concept to most children that becomes a bit more real for adults.