The Greatest Edge of Spider-Verse Comics Spider-Man Fans Need to Read

Marvel published the original Edge of Spider-Verse volume, which ran for five issues in November 2014, alongside the first Spider-Verse event by Dan Slott. Slott and company followed Peter Parker in Amazing Spider-Man tie-in issues while these Edge of Spider-Verse comics highlighted new, never-before-seen Spider-People from the multiverse, such as Spider-Gwen.

Later Edge of Spider-Verse volumes similarly introduced new, alternate versions of Spider-Man and Spider-Woman. Fan-favorites like Spider-Man Noir returned while readers fell in love with Night-Spider, a Black Cat/Spider-Woman hybrid. The best Edge of Spider-Verse issues subverted reader expectations or introduced lasting versions of Spider-Man who have since appeared in future comics, movies, and video games.

10 Patton Parnel Is a More Bestial Spider-Man

Patton Parnel is no Peter Parker. Instead of a childhood crush, he seems to have a troubling fixation on his next-door neighbor, Sara Jane. Instead of a supporting, guiding uncle, Patton’s Uncle Ted is angry and abusive. Instead of a healthy, scientific curiosity like Peter’s, Patton finds pleasure in torturing insects.

Whereas Peter Parker had the lesson of power and responsibility to guide him on his heroic journey, Patton Parnel fails to resist dark urges, succumbing to his new spider powers and becoming more hunter than hero. Edge of Spider-Verse (Vol. 1) #4 is no standard superhero comic. It’s a horror story.

9 Weapon VIII (Spider-Man) Hunts Wolverine

The new, fourth volume of Edge of Spider-Verse launched February 2024 with the introduction of Weapon VIII. A hybrid of Spider-Man and Weapon X, Weapon VIII wears a battle suit reminiscent of Cyclops’ iconic suit from the 90s X-Men animated series.

Outfitted with robotic spider arms, like Spider-Man’s Civil War suit, Weapon VIII tracks the fugitive Weapon X through a snowy forest. Featuring a bitter twist, books like Edge of Spider-Verse remain as moving and they are inventive, allowing writers and artists to explore strange mash-ups (like a Spider-Man/Wolverine amalgamation) in one-off stories.

8 Peni Parker Debuts With Her Sp//dr Exo-Suit

Movie audiences will recognize the name Peni Parker, but many fans may not realize that Peni actually originally appeared in Edge of Spider-Verse (Vol. 1) #5, tying her in to the first Spider-Verse comic event.

Peni’s character design, and the design of her Sp//dr exo-suit, are slightly different in the comic, but her Edge of Spider-Verse debut was successful enough to earn her a supporting role in Into the Spider-Verse and a spot on Spider-Gwen‘s resistance team in the upcoming Beyond the Spider-Verse film. Any moviegoer who loved Peni’s character in the animated film should definitely check out her first comic appearance.

7 Aaron Aikman’s Spider-Man Dons Unique Spider-Armor

Gamers will recognize the Aaron Aikman Spider-Armor as the character’s suit appeared as an alternate costume option in Insomniac’s first Spider-Man game. Beyond a sleek, metallic design, Aaron Aikman offers a welcome departure from the stereotypical Spider-Man.

Aikman uses technology far more than the classic Earth-616 Spider-Man. Aikman’s world is mysterious, and the Spider-Man receives multiple warnings about the end of his world. Aaron Aikman unfortunately only made one other comic appearance in the “End of the Spider-Verse” story arc, but his Edge of Spider-Verse debut remains an intriguing one-shot that introduced a memorable, non-Peter Parker Spider-Man.

6 The Spider-Dinosaur Roars

The Spider-Verse is truly a realm where anything is possible, proven in the pages of each and every Edge of Spider-Verse issue. But no issue encapsulates the idea of endless possibilities as much as Edge of Spider-Verse(Vol. 3) #1 spotlighting Spider-Rex!

The cover art is striking: a Spider-Man-themed dinosaur fighting Venomsarus Rex Symbiote, a fellow dinosaur sporting Venom’s motif. This ridiculous but awesome character even made a brief, hilarious cameo in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

5 Spinstress Was Inspired by Disney Princesses

Inspired by Disney Princesses, Spinstress is the unique reimagining of a Spider-Woman who doesn’t receive her powers from a radioactive spider. Instead, she acquires them through a “devilish deal” with her Fairy Gob-Mother Norma (yes, inspired by Norman Osborn’s Green Goblin).

The Spider-Man connections don’t stop there. Princess Petra’s mother is Queen Mysteria (Mysterio) and the city bard is Merry James Watson (Mary Jane Watson). Along with a sleek Spider-costume and stunning ball gown with webbed designs, Spinstress was one of the more memorable Edge of Spider-Verse additions in both visual style and narrative concept.

4 The Spider-Army Returns Across the Spider-Verse

The first issue of Edge of Spider-Verse volume two is packed, page to page, with new faces to the Spider-Verse in four interconnected stories. New Spider-People, like Spider-Rex and Spider-Laird, a Scottish adventurer, debut, while returning Spider-People like Julia Carpenter’s Madame Web, Araña’s Spider-Girl and Spider-Man Noir rejoin the Spider-Army.

Edge of Spider-Verse(Vol. 2) #1 celebrates the Spider-Verse concept, adding new Spider-Men and Spider-Women. Meanwhile, it crafts an interconnected story that piggybacks off the foundations laid by the original Spider-Verse event and Spider-Geddon that followed.

3 Spider-Man Noir Returns

Edge of Spider-Verse (Vol. 1) #1 didn’t quite capture the charm and shock that the original Spider-Man: Noir miniseries offered. However, the issue revived a fan-favorite concept, connecting Spider-Man Noir to the larger Spider-Verse comic event at the time.

Set several years after the events of the original miniseries, Spider-Man Noir continues to battle crime and corruption in 1930s New York City, this time tackling the Kingpin and Mysterio. Spider-Man Noir has since appeared in games like Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions and movies like Into the Spider-Verse. His continuous returns in comics like Edge of Spider-Verse only solidify his popularity.

2 Black Cat Becomes a Spider-Woman

The second volume of Edge of Spider-Verse promised new, exciting heroes from across the multiverse, and while the return of Spider-Man Noir was exciting, Night-Spider proved to be the best new addition to the Spider-Verse. Like Spider-Gwen before her, it’s a wonder it took Marvel so long to publish a book about a Spider-Woman/Black Cat amalgamation.

Night-Spider, Felicia Hardy of Earth-184, debuts in Edge of Spider-Verse (Vol. 2) #3, joining Spider-Girl and the Spider-Army to save the multiverse. Night-Spider later appeared in the “End of the Spider-Verse” event, but this alternate Black Cat has the potential to grow as popular as Spider-Gwen.

1 Spider-Gwen Enters the Marvel Multiverse

While the first issue of Edge of Spider-Verse revived the fan-favorite Spider-Man Noir, the second issue, also connected to the original Spider-Verse comic event, debuted a character whose popularity would skyrocket above nearly every other Spider-Man or Woman in the multiverse. Enter: Spider-Gwen.

On Earth-65, the spider bit Gwen Stacy instead of Peter Parker. What may have started out as a fun “what if?” has since blossomed into a significant Spider-Woman who is now deeply integral to Marvel lore. Gwen Stacy was always a popular Spider-Man love interest. Spider-Gwen revived her character and gave her power and responsibility. With a starring role in the Spider-Verse film franchise, Spider-Gwen’s popularity has no limit.