Marvel Officially Confirms Spider-Man’s #1 Greatest Villain of All Time

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Marvel has officially named Spider-Man’s greatest enemy. Over the past 60 years, Spider-Man has faced a huge number of villains – more than most heroes in comic book history. While many stand out, Marvel believes one villain is above the rest.

Marvel and DC Comics have announced a special comic book team-up featuring Spider-Man and Superman, set to launch in April. The first issue, titled Spider-Man/Superman #1, will be followed by another issue from DC Comics in March, creating a two-part crossover event starring these legendary heroes.

The upcoming comic book storyline, created by Brad Meltzer and Pepe Larraz, hints at a team-up between Spider-Man and Superman to defeat their most dangerous enemies. These villains will target the heroes’ biggest vulnerabilities. The story will feature the Green Goblin and Lex Luthor, last seen in Season 2 of Peacemaker (2025) with Nicholas Hoult in the role.

This advertisement declares the Green Goblin to be Spider-Man’s most iconic enemy. Created by the legendary Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the flying villain first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14, published in July 1964.

Willem Dafoe is widely remembered for his iconic portrayal of the Green Goblin. He first appeared as Norman Osborn in the 2002 film Spider-Man, directed by Sam Raimi. After brief appearances in Raimi’s next two Spider-Man movies, Dafoe reprised the role for Marvel Studios in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, playing the same version of the character from the original film.

The Green Goblin is often considered Spider-Man’s most dangerous foe because he knows Peter Parker’s secret identity and represents a dark version of himself. Unlike typical villains, he deliberately targets those Peter cares about, like Aunt May in both Spider-Man and Spider-Man: No Way Home, causing deep emotional pain. The Goblin constantly pushes Spider-Man to confront his biggest fears and puts him in incredibly difficult situations, exploiting his vulnerabilities at every turn.

Another variant cover showcases six of Spider-Man’s classic foes, but notably leaves out the Goblin. The cover focuses on Spider-Man surrounded by Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio, Doctor Octopus, the Vulture, Sandman, and Electro.

2026 promises to be a huge year for Spider-Man fans! A second season of the animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man will arrive in fall 2026, and the live-action Spider-Noir series, starring Nicolas Cage, will debut on Amazon Prime Video sometime this year. Plus, Tom Holland is back as Peter Parker in the new live-action movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which hits theaters on July 31st.

Why Green Goblin Is Spider-Man’s Greatest Villain

Spider-Man’s relationship with Norman Osborn is as famous as Batman and the Joker, or the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom. Despite their differences, Peter Parker and Norman Osborn share key similarities that make them such memorable rivals.

Peter and Norman both have strong science backgrounds, with Peter being exceptionally gifted and Norman also very intelligent and capable. However, they differ in how they apply their knowledge: Peter consistently uses science to benefit others and advance society, while Norman’s efforts often lead to destruction and disorder, especially as seen in the story of how he became the Goblin.

The Goblin is well-known for being the first villain to ever defeat Spider-Man in the comics. This happened in issues #39 and #40 of The Amazing Spider-Man in 1966. During that encounter, the Goblin discovered Peter Parker’s secret identity, manipulated Spider-Man into a fight with the Hulk, and then revealed himself, demonstrating his superiority over the young hero.

While Green Goblin is often considered Spider-Man’s greatest enemy, other villains are strong contenders too. Doctor Octopus is equally intelligent, and their mutual respect adds intensity to their fights. Plus, many fans want to see Wilson Fisk, also known as Kingpin, battle Spider-Man in the movies. Kingpin provides one of Spider-Man’s toughest physical fights, matching his strength and using his cunning to outsmart him.

Although the Green Goblin is often considered Spider-Man’s greatest enemy, he’s faced many other well-known villains throughout the years.

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2026-02-23 12:35