As I’ve said before, a classic superhero needs a classic supervillain to play off of – a ying to their yang, and a nemesis that usually finds a way to make things personal. The Fantastic Four has Doctor Doom. Captain America has the Red Skull. Over in DC land, people associate Superman and Lex Luthor and Batman and the Joker.
What strikes me about the Stan Lee/Steve Ditko issues of Amazing Spider-Man (ASM 1-38) is the prototypical “arch” nemesis is not as clearly defined. Lee and Ditko did a fantastic job creating fantastic, larger than life supervillains, who have all played a role in making Spider-Man’s life miserable. If your criteria for determining Spidey’s true arch-villain is who’s created the most havoc for Spider-Man’s personal life, than the Green Goblin/Norman Osborn has to win hand’s down, for the death of Gwen Stacy, Osborn’s abusing parenting which led to his son (and Peter’s friend) Harry becoming the next Goblin, and countless other dastardly deeds committed.
But what about Doctor Octopus? While I mentioned a few weeks ago that the Goblin got the benefit of having a secret identity which increased his stock substantially, during the Lee/Ditko-era, a stronger argument could be made that Doc Ock was Spidey’s true arch-nemesis.Recently, over at the great Silver Age comics blog, author Pat Curley argues that the man with the super-strong mechanical arms and the brilliantly deranged mind is without question, Spider-Man’s first true arch-villain:
Anybody who read only the Steve Ditko issues of Amazing Spiderman would know exactly who was Spidey’s arch-enemy, and it wasn’t the Green Goblin. It was Dr Octopus, who was the first villain to appear in a two-part story (ASM #11-12,) the first to appear in a three-parter (#31-33), and who also headlined the first Spiderman Annual.
To go into more detail, Doctor Octopus seemed to be attached to the most special and unique moments in the early ASM run as Peter/Spidey became more fleshed out as a character. In ASM #11 Peter had a budding romance with Betty Brant, a secretary at the Daily Bugle – so much so that he’s ready to reveal his secret – but the relationship is squashed when Betty’s brother is killed during a battle between Doc Ock and Spider-Man, and she blamed Spider-Man. It’s a truly tormenting moment for Peter, as it’s the first real instance since his Uncle’s death where he realizes he may not be able to live the life of a normal teenager due to his double-life as a masked hero. In the very next issue, Doc is the first villain to unmask Spidey, though because Spidey has been rendered so weak and useless by the sniffles, the villain and the surrounding entourage all believe Peter was pretending to be Spider-Man due to some misguided bravery. So his secret was still safe.
And then of course there’s the epic three-issue run (#31-33) Curley refers to, best known as the “If This Be My Destiny?” storyline, which is arguably one of Marvel’s greatest arcs of all-time. Doc Ock actually doesn’t make a physical appearance in this run until ASM #32 when it’s revealed that he’s the mysterious “Master Planner.” However, in true arch-nemesis fashion, Doc makes his battle with Spider-Man (unknowingly) personal when he steals a serum that Peter/Spidey is seeking because it’s the only thing that will save his dying Aunt May. When Peter catches wind that Doc has stolen the serum, he promises vengeance, and ends up getting himself pinned under tons of equipment during the battle with his villain. It takes every ounce of strength and emotional perseverance for Spider-Man to succeed and take back the serum. And it cannot not be ignored that Lee and Ditko gave Doc Ock the honor of playing the role of primary antagonist in this critical storyline.
Now keep in mind, while Doctor Octopus is causing all this trouble for Spider-Man, Green Goblin is no slouch either. The Goblin received a well-hyped introduction by Lee and Ditko and the mystery of who was under the goblin mask was played with precision by the creative team for well over two-years. That has to count for something. Meanwhile, Doc may have been the first villain to be featured in two and then three consecutive issues, but the Goblin makes 5 appearances over the span of 13 issues demonstrating how highly Marvel valued his potential.
Is it possible to have two arch-villains? Spider-Man has gone on to arguably become Marvel’s most popular superhero, so if anyone deserves such a unique honor of adversaries, it’s him. Doc Ock certainly was featured in the most historic issues of the Lee and Ditko run, but the duo also clearly had very big plans for Goblin that I’m sure Ditko would have been involved with if he didn’t leave ASM after issue #38 (just before the Goblin’s identity is revealed). For now, let’s compromise and call Doc and Goblin arch-villains #1a and #1b.
I say Doc Ock and this is proven because Spider-Man 2 was so much better than the first movie! Jokes aside, I still say Doc Ock because he’s almost the same as Spidey – super-smart, associated with a multiple-armed creature, and augmented sense of danger. Not sure that’s a valid enough argument, but that’s just my opinion.
That makes him one of the biggest enemys for sure. But Goblin achieved so much: He tormented Peter even years after his supposed death, he killed Gwen Stacy and he killed Peter´s child.
I know the Green Goblin (and Hob-Goblin, and other Goblins) have over time taken the title of official arch-villain, but really, thematically Doctor Octopus should have the title. Not just the contrast of the two creatures with eight legs, but Octavius is also the evil scientist to Peter Parker’s use of science for good. Notice in the Master Planner arc, it’s not just that Doc Ock steals the serum Peter needs for his Aunt, but he takes it because he needs it for some sort of experiment in radioactivity that will increase his power. Otto Octavius is what Peter would have become had his Uncle Ben never died, and the tragic lesson of “with great power…” sunk in.
Great point I failed to mention here re: the serum enhancing Doc’s radioactive powers. Though I still think there’s some debate here, even in the earliest issues … once Doom is introduced in FF, he’s all over those issues, showing up in nearly every other issue. Ock shows up in ASM 3 and 11-12 and then disappears until the Master Planner arc. Once Goblin shows up, he gets the Doom treatment in-terms of cameos and full-stories dedicated to him. Still, you’re point thematically is a great one. And I agree with DV about the movies!!!
Don’t get me wrong; it’s certainly fair to say that by the mid-70s everybody thought of the Green Goblin as Spidey’s #1 villain; me included. I’m just pointing out that this is after the fact; during the Ditko run it certainly looked like Doc Ock was the major antagonist. Note as well that after the two parter in ASM #39-40, Gobby disappeared for almost five years, excluding the appearance in Spectacular Spiderman #2 (the B/W mag).
“Ock shows up in ASM 3 and 11-12 and then disappears until the Master Planner arc.”
Note that he is the brains behind the Sinister Six in ASM Annual #1. A Marvel house ad for this comic appeared in titles cover-dated September 1964, the same month ASM #16 came out. [http://www.marvelmasterworks.com/resources/masterworks_by_month.html]
You see, this is where my blind spot for the annuals is a bad thing. Duly noted Nick.
In the 80’s when the only thing I knew about comic characters was what I saw in the cartoons, I felt Doc Ock was the main villian. Plus the videogames always seemed to have Octopus as the head honcho of the bad guys. And Hobgoblin was the Goblin villian at the time and I can honestly say I never even heard of Green Goblin as a child/casual fan. But this is just my experiece.
That´s because Goblin was absent for some years but he caused great destruction in Spidey´s life. Plus Hobgoblin is basically a heir to the Green Goblin.