10 Bizarre Spider-Man Villains in Comic Books

As one of the most iconic superheroes in the world, Spider-Man has faced a jaw-dropping number of foes since his 1962 debut in Amazing Fantasy #15. Over the decades, Marvel Comics has built a sprawling rogues gallery around the friendly neighborhood Web-Slinger—one that includes heavy hitters like Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, and Venom. These villains have not only challenged Spider-Man but also become cultural touchstones in their own right.

But not every villain Spider-Man has faced is quite so menacing—or memorable. In fact, some are downright bizarre.

Marvel’s creativity has often led to brilliance, but other times it’s resulted in villains who leave readers scratching their heads. Whether due to laughable powers, illogical origin stories, or costumes that seem like Halloween mishaps, Spider-Man’s strangest villains prove that not every idea sticks. Some are so odd they’ve barely been seen since their debut—and it’s easy to see why.

So, buckle in as we dive into the top 10 strangest Spider-Man villains to ever grace the pages of Marvel Comics.

1. Big Wheel

First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #183 (1978)

Jackson Weele (yes, Weele) is a corrupt businessman who tries to blackmail Rocket Racer, only to be double-crossed himself. In retaliation—and possibly a mental breakdown—he commissions a massive weaponized wheel to chase down Rocket Racer… and naturally, crosses paths with Spider-Man.

The Big Wheel is exactly what it sounds like: a giant, yellow, rolling deathtrap that looks like something out of a bad Saturday morning cartoon. While it makes for a few entertaining panels, the absurdity of the concept has relegated Big Wheel to the scrapheap of Spidey’s rogue gallery.

2. The Wall

First Appearance: Spider-Man: The Tangled Web #16 (2002)

Imagine a man… who is a literal brick wall. That’s The Wall. No origin. No backstory. Just a sentient, walking chunk of masonry with arms and legs sticking out.

This surrealist monstrosity appeared in a single issue and hasn’t been heard from since. It’s not clear whether he was a parody or an actual attempt at creating a villain, but readers were left utterly bewildered. Even in a universe full of gods and clones, The Wall was just too weird to stick.

3. Kangaroo

First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #81 (1970)

Frank Oliver was an Australian who decided that mimicking the abilities of a kangaroo was the key to becoming a powerful supervillain. After training with real kangaroos in the Outback, he returned to civilization with incredible leg strength and the agility of, well… a kangaroo.

He’s one of the earliest examples of Marvel really swinging and missing. His costume featured floppy ears and a pouch (because of course it did), and he was defeated rather embarrassingly by Spider-Man. Marvel even tried to update him years later with cybernetic enhancements—yes, Cyber-Kangaroo—but even that didn’t help his image.

4. Swarm

First Appearance: Champions #14 (1977)

This villain’s name says it all: Swarm is literally a man made of bees.

Fritz von Meyer was a former Nazi scientist who got fused with a hive of mutant bees after a bizarre experiment gone wrong. What followed was the creation of one of Marvel’s most visually memorable—and strangest—villains. With a skeletal body made of buzzing bees and an ever-present swarm around him, Swarm was genuinely unsettling.

While more menacing than some others on this list, the concept is just so far out there that it’s hard to take him seriously. Nevertheless, he’s reappeared from time to time, usually in stories that embrace the absurdity of his existence.

5. Hypno-Hustler

First Appearance: Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #24 (1978)

Disco might have been hot in the late ‘70s, but Marvel’s attempt to fuse it with villainy produced one of Spidey’s most hilariously dated foes: Hypno-Hustler.

A musician named Antoine Delsoin, Hypno-Hustler used his music and flashy suit to hypnotize people, steal from them, and escape under the cover of dance beats. He even had backup dancers called the Mercy Killers. Yes, really.

While he’s made a few minor cameos over the years, Hypno-Hustler is mostly remembered for how much he represents the over-the-top campiness of comic books in the ’70s. That said, he’s gained something of a cult following in recent years.

6. Grizzly

First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #139 (1974)

Maxwell Markham was a disgraced professional wrestler who decided to get revenge on J. Jonah Jameson by donning a bear suit… with mechanical enhancements, of course.

The idea of a man in a giant fur costume trying to beat Spider-Man with brute force sounds more like something out of a bad mascot fight. Yet somehow, Grizzly stuck around for a while, even joining various villain teams.

What really makes him strange is that, despite the goofiness of his costume, writers kept trying to treat him seriously. The juxtaposition of a gritty storyline with a guy in a bear outfit was always a tough sell.

7. Typeface

First Appearance: Peter Parker: Spider-Man #23 (2000)

Gordon Thomas, aka Typeface, was a disgruntled sign-maker who decided to take revenge on society using… typography. He painted giant letters on his face to reflect his mood or battle tactics and used weaponized signage (like throwing sharp-edged letters) to attack his enemies.

Typeface is one of those villains where you’re left wondering whether the writer lost a bet. Still, there’s a strange charm to his dedication to the gimmick, and his eventual heel-face turn (he became a hero briefly) added a layer of complexity. But the name, the concept—it’s all just too weird to ignore.

8. Spinneret (Fake Version)

First Appearance: Web of Spider-Man #87 (1992)

Not to be confused with the alternate-universe Mary Jane version from Renew Your Vows, this early ’90s Spinneret was a one-off villain who posed as a hero. She had web-based abilities and a gaudy costume but little explanation or lasting presence.

The real twist? She wasn’t even a super-powered individual—her tech was stolen, and she was basically a con artist trying to trick Spider-Man. Her character never really developed beyond her first appearance, and even hardcore fans have trouble recalling her story.

9. The Gibbon

First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #110 (1972)

Martin Blank was a lonely, awkward man with ape-like features who wanted to be Spider-Man’s sidekick. When Spidey laughed at him, he turned to crime instead—because rejection is a great origin story, right?

Dressing in a gibbon suit and fighting with enhanced agility and strength, The Gibbon tried desperately to be taken seriously. Despite some attempts to redeem the character in later years, including some surprisingly emotional arcs, the sheer oddness of his look and origin have always made him an easy punchline.

10. The Looter (a.k.a. Meteor Man)

First Appearance: The Amazing Spider-Man #36 (1966)

Norton G. Fester was a failed scientist who found a piece of a meteorite and thought it would give him untold powers. After it exploded in his face and gave him basic super-strength and agility, he decided to become… The Looter.

Yes, his entire identity revolved around looting. With a purple costume and absolutely no flair, he quickly became one of Spidey’s most forgettable—and laughable—villains. He later rebranded as Meteor Man (not to be confused with the 1993 film character), but the damage was already done.

Despite the silliness, The Looter has stuck around as a sort of “jobber” villain, used mainly when writers want Spidey to have a quick and easy victory.