Though Spider-Man’s rogues gallery is not as fine as Batman’s, it’s still a memorable assortment of rapscallions and rascals. With Spider-Man 3 giving box office records a sly slap on the rear, and a Spidey 4 inevitable, I thought it time to look at some of the web-slinger’s most nefarious nasties.

10. The Lizard

Like Man-Bat, Henry Jekyll and the wolfman there was always a tragedy about Dr. Curt Conner’s transformation that put him a notch above Spider-Man’s other animal-themed enemies.

Finest Moment:    Amazing Spider-Man #6 (November 1963)

9. Kraven (Sergei Kravinoff)

Nothing gets you remembered like a good suicide. Kraven is also one of the few Spidey villains to have stayed dead.

Finest Moment:     Spider-Man: Kraven’s Last Hunt (GN)

8. Sandman

Flint Marko wasn’t what you’d call evil. Hell, he even fought crime with Silver Sable for a good few years. He was however, a volatile, moronic thug, bless him. And even if his powers made absolutely no sense they always looked great,

Finest Moment:     The Amazing Spider-Man #4 (Sept. 1963)

7. Carnage

Since his debut, Venom’s bastard son has been overused, but Maximum Carnage was pretty good fun in its day. Psychotic and virtually indestructible, with a peculiar affection for his dead mother, Cletus Cassidy was always more than a minor nuisance. The Sentry apparently killed him recently, by dragging him outside Earth’s atmosphere… but he’ll be back.

Finest Moment:     Spider-Man: Maximum Carnage (GN)

6. Mysterio (Quentin Beck)

Sure, he has a goldfish bowl for a head, and he was never a serious threat, but there was always a lot of mileage in the character. Quentin Beck drove Daredevil mad a few years back… which seems to happen an awful lot.

Finest Moment:     Daredevil: Guardian Devil (GN)

5. Venom (Eddie Brock)

Every superhero needs their mirror-image counterpart. Thought the symbiote suit was introduced in 1984’s Secret Wars, it was not until 4 years later that Todd MacFarlane merged it with bitter journalist (is there any other kind?) Eddie Brock that fan favourite Venom was born. He was always more fun when used as a Punisher-style vigilante than a villain, though.

Finest Moment:    Spider-Man: Birth of Venom (GN)

4. Green Goblin (Norman Osborn)

Spider-Man’s prominent archenemy, the Green Goblin left his mark on Peter’s life when he murdered Gwen Stacy. As if that weren’t enough, he later turned Peter’s best friend, son Harry Osborn, into an enemy. A maniacal, cackling nutter, he was hardly a deep character, but when Norman Osborn came back from the dead (again and again) the results were always unpredictable.

Finest Moment:     Amazing Spider-Man: The Death of Gwen Stacy (GN)

3. Doctor Octopus

Barmy scientist Otto Octavius was one of the few villains with the brains to outwit Spider-Man, an IQ conveniently dormant when Doc Oc briefly dated Aunt May. Still, four ultra-cool adamantium tentacles don’t do his image any harm.

Finest Moment:   Spider-Man 2

2. The Kingpin

The archetypal crime lord, Wilson Fisk is a criminal strategist without equal. Unlike much of Spidey’s rogues gallery, he has no superhuman powers as such, but is exceptionally strong. He is also reining champion of numerous North American pie eating contests.

Finest Moment:    Daredevil: Born Again (GN)

1. J. Jonah Jameson

Pompous, arrogant editor of the Daily Bugle, Jameson has turned the people of New York against Spidey for 40 years, and will probably do so for 40 more. Because he works within the law, Parker will never be rid of the bastard, and more importantly, never get the opportunity to beat the crap out of him.

Finest Moment:     The Spider-Man movies