6 Spider-Man Villains Who Deserve To Appear In Spider-Noir Season 2

Warning: Spoilers for Spider-Noir season 1

In one season, Spider-Noir built the framework for what could become a promising Spider-Man rogues’ gallery. Over the course of eight episodes, Nicolas Cage’s Ben Reilly clashed with a small handful of characters associated with Spider-Man in Marvel Comics. Were the series to continue, it stands to reason that more comic villains would appear.

The show offered an interesting balance in terms of the Marvel characters it leaned on to help tell Ben Reilly’s story. It featured in prominent roles two of the most recognizable figures in Spider-Man comics (Sandman and Black Cat), a one-off villain from a 1990s comic book (Megawatt), and a pair of major – but not particularly famous – Spider-Man adversaries (Silvermane and Tombstone).

From the looks of things, none of those characters would be likely to return if Prime Video chooses to renew Spider-Noir for a second season. Megawatt and Silvermane were both killed off in Spider-Noir’s season finale. And while Sandman, Black Cat, and Tombstone are all still alive and could technically still return, their storylines did receive proper conclusions, to a point where further appearances seem unnecessary.

All things considered, a potential second season of Spider-Noir would be in need of new enemies for The Spider to face off with. Fortunately, Marvel Comics is rich with great candidates who would fit in well with the tone and the world its characters inhabit.

6

The Lizard

The explanation for the origin stories of The Spider, Tombstone, Sandman, and Megawatt align neatly with the background of the Lizard. In the show, it was explained that these characters received their powers as the result of the Germans experimenting on American soldiers via the DNA of insects and reptiles during World War I. Since Dr. Curt Connors’ iconic transformation stems from his decision to combine his own DNA with that of a lizard, he could be reworked to mesh with Spider-Noir.

It’s possible that a version of Curt Connors was one of the Germans’ test subjects, and that a lizard was used to give him abilities. With that in mind, Spider-Noir could easily introduce The Lizard in season 2 as a past acquaintance of Ben’s. Such a development could allow for a darker take on his monstrous alter ego than what was allowed in The Amazing Spider-Man and Spider-Man: No Way Home.

5

White Dragon

In the late 1970s, Spider-Man crossed paths with a costumed villain known as White Dragon, who was introduced as the leader of the Dragon Lords, a powerful gang based in Chinatown. In addition to being a skilled fighter, White Dragon wore a mask that could emit beams of fire, making him someone who could challenge Spider-Man both physically and through sheer numbers. He’s fought Peter multiple times, but has never evolved beyond a D-list Spider-Man villain.

But thanks to Spider-Noir, the character could reach new levels of relevance. Now that the Prime Video series has moved on from Silvermane, it may look to explore a different corner of Marvel’s criminal underworld. As a gang known for its influence over the crime in Chinatown, The Dragon Lords would certainly fit that bill. It’s possible that Silvermane’s defeat will create a power vacuum, with various gang leaders seeking to become New York City’s top mob boss. White Dragon could be one of those people.

4

Gibbon

The inherently dark atmosphere of Spider-Noir would lend itself well to the first-ever live-action iteration of Gibbon, a tragic villain that made his comic debut in The Amazing Spider-Man #110 in 1972. Martin Blank is a mutant with superhuman strength and ape-like characteristics that predictably led to a great deal of ridicule. The resentment and isolation this caused made Gibbon an easy target for manipulation by Kraven the Hunter.

Gibbon became a tragic figure, as he never really found acceptance or success in any area of his life – as evidenced by his membership in the team known as the Legion of Losers. The bleak nature of his character would make a seamless fit for a show inspired by 1940s film noir, which famously rejected Hollywood stereotypes. Like the comic character, Spider-Noir’s Gibbon could be an outsider led to his own ruin by another villain who only sees him as a means to an end.

3

Hammerhead

In Spider-Noir, Ben Reilly mentions that after getting his spider abilities, he had to learn how to be human. One way he accomplished that was by watching movies and copying how actors acted and talked. This draws an interesting comparison to Hammerhead, one of the biggest Spider-Man villains still lacking a live-action appearance. In the comic books, Hammerhead was introduced as a man who lost his memory and received a metal implant in his cranium. Needing a new identity to fill the void left by his amnesia, Hammerhead crafted a new image for himself by watching 1930s gangster movies.

Spider-Noir could use that connection to its advantage if it were to build a dynamic between The Spider and Hammerhead. To head in that direction would make a lot of sense, especially given that the character is one of Marvel’s most important crime bosses and certainly someone with enough storytelling potential to justify a full-season, main villain arc. What’s more, Hammerhead wouldn’t feel out of place all in terms of the timeline. Because Spider-Noir takes place in the 1930s, his persona would actually feel timely and appropriate.

2

The Human Fly

Richard Deacon as the Human Fly flying in Spider-Man comics

Hammerhead isn’t the only villain Nicolas Cage’s Ben Reilly has something in common with. Also worth mentioning is the Human Fly, a rather obscure Spider-Man villain that the hero first fought in the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #10 in 1976. Richard Deacon underwent a scientific procedure meant to create a new superhero via the DNA of a housefly.

As the Human Fly, Deacon developed numerous abilities, but there was a major downside, and that was the partial loss of his human identity. Deacon struggled to balance his humanity with his insect side, a problem that culminated in several strange moments for the character. His situation in the comic books isn’t entirely unlike what Ben Reilly spoke of when he talked about living with his spider powers in Spider-Noir.

For years, the Human Fly has been thought as one of Spider-Man’s weirdest villains, but after Spider-Noir, it isn’t so hard to imagine a character like him existing somewhere. And perhaps Ben could even relate to his struggles if they ever meet.

1

The Enforcers

Assuming that organized crime remains a key part of Spider-Noir’s story after Silvermane’s defeat, the Enforcers shouldn’t be difficult to include in a possible second installment in the series. In the comic books, the Enforcers are a trio of gangsters, with each member having their own gimmick. Fancy Dan is a martial artist, Ox possesses superhumans levels of strength, and Montana is a master at using the lasso to subdue his enemies.

The three work together as hitmen and enforcers for the gangs of New York City. None of them can beat Spider-Man alone, which is typically why they normally appear collectively. None of them can beat Spider-Man alone, which is typically why they normally appear collectively. As for how they could work in Spider-Noir, it could be that Ben Reilly or Robbie Robertson prompt a visit from the Enforcers by asking too many questions.

As characters Spider-Man has been battling off-and-on since The Amazing Spider-Man #10 in 1963, the Enforcers are certainly due for a live-action appearance, and because of its subject material, no show or movie feels like a better place for that to happen than Spider-Noir.