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You just watched a Spider-Man movie in theaters and you’re hyped, now you open a Marvel website to find “Amazing Spider-Man #1,000-something” and other sections featuring dozens of series with “Spider” in the title. That’s the moment most people get confused and close the tab. Once you look at a clean list of best Spider-Man Marvel Comics which is especially good for new readers, you’ll definitely own them.

Spider-Man has been published continuously since 1963, which means there are literally thousands of issues, and no one is expecting you to read all of them. You need maybe six comics to actually understand why this character has outlasted every trend in pop culture for over sixty years.

This is a guide to Spider-Man Marvel comics built specifically for people who have never picked one up. No filler, no “if you really want to go deep” tangents into 1990s clone sagas. Just the stories that made the character, in an order that won’t burn you out in week one.

“The Amazing Spider-Man #1” 1963 Original Spider-Man Marvel Comic

The one where issues starts is The Amazing Spider-Man #1 from 1963, if you are a new reader then start with this comic. Because it is the oldest and still so valuable to the Spider-Man fans. It carries stiff dialogues, different storytelling reminiscing nostalgia, and the different version of Peter Parker from the one you know in the movies. Comic readers mostly recommend toward “the beginning,” but that advice mostly exists because it’s easy to give, not because it works.

What actually works is starting with a story built to be an entry point — something written by people who knew a new generation of readers had zero patience for sixty years of backstory.

The Modern Reboot That Still Works Best: Ultimate Spider-Man (2000)

If you are still deciding whether you read or not then begin with Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 1 which is written by Brian Michael Bendis, since it is a full retelling of Peter Parker’s origin from scratch. This isn’t any spin-off comic, it is prepared with art by Mark Bagley, stripped of decades of continuity Spider-Man introduction so it is best for readers who’d never touched a comic before. 

Bendis and Bagley led this series for more than 100 issues in a row, which is a ridiculous, unheard of run length for two creators on one superhero book, and it’s part of why the world is so tightly built. 

It hits the beats you already know — the radioactive spider bite, Uncle Ben, the “Great Responsibility comes with great power” lesson but it takes its time with Peter as an actual teenager dealing with actual teenage problems before the costume shows up. In movies, Peter Parker’s high-school version where he felt true to life —- the tone came from this book.

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Two Short, Self-Contained Classics Worth Your Time

If you are new and scared to find more than 100 Marvel comics, don’t worry because you don’t need the full 1970s-1980s Spider-Man run. There are two main stories which you can read as a beginner and that’s worth your time.

The Death of Gwen Stacy — This is the point where most comic historians reference about Superheroes doesn’t always get to win. Amazing Spider-Man #121-122 (1973), written by Gerry Conway follows the story, Spider-Man fails to save the person he loves. If you have watched Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man then you probably understand the specific kind of grief the movie showed. That emotional heartbreaking tone came from this version, you’ll know once you read. 

Kraven’s Last Hunt (1987) — J.M. DeMatteis and artist Mike Zeck crafted this six-issue saga, across three different Spider-Man titles of the era (Web of Spider-Man #31-32, Amazing Spider-Man #293-294, Spectacular Spider-Man #131-132). This is widely considered the single best Spider-Man story ever published, full stop. It’s dark, psychological, and doesn’t require you to know anything about Kraven the Hunter going in — the story tells you everything you need. Buried alive, replaced by his obsessive hunter, Spider-Man has to claw his way back to himself, literally and figuratively. It’s collected as one volume, so you’re not chasing three different comics.

If Peter Parker Isn’t the Spider-Man You Want: Miles Morales

Miles Morales wasn’t just a temporary replacement of Spider-Man because Brian Michael Bendis introduced him as a fully new version of Peter Parker after killing off the Ultimate universe’s Peter Parker in 2011. And now this character is running on-screen as Miles Morales: Spider-Man series in the main Marvel Universe (Earth-616), that shows Miles become Marvel’s core heroes. 

If you discovered Miles through the Spider-Verse films, and came to read comics then you land on the right place because you don’t need to read a single Peter Parker comic first. The Miles storyline built on its own and the comics is the original source of the films. Miles’s book has a completely different tone with its own villains, his own family drama with his parents, and a fresh perspective on living up to a legacy he never expected to inherit. 

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Where the Comics Actually Are in 2026

Right now, the newest Marvel Comic published is The Amazing Spider-Man which is now on its 7th volume that launched in April 2025. It is written by Joe Kelly. The series is currently in the middle of the “Death Spiral” crossover, featuring Spider-Man with Venom and Mary Jane Watson is hosting a symbiote, against a serial killer known as Torment. This storyline has a heavier tone, following a grittier crime-thriller than any Spider-Man story before. This is co-written by Joe Kelly and Al Ewing. 

Otherwise, if it is a finished modern story you seek rather than an ongoing, Essential Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) by Jonathan Hickman and artist Marco Checchetto just wrapped up in February 2026 after 24 issues — and unlike most superhero runs, it makes an end. This is a what if scenario where Peter Parker is older, married with two kids and just now came out as Spider-Man, which turns the typical “teenager learns responsibility” formula upside down. While the title may be similar, this is genuinely a different take than Bendis’ version above, so don’t get the two confused. 

A Reading Order That Won’t Burn You Out

If you’re the type who wants the best Spider-Man Marvel Comics checklist instead of prose, here’s the actual order to read these in:

1. Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 1 (2000), Bendis/Bagley — your entry point
2. Amazing Spider-Man #121-122, “The Death of Gwen Stacy” (1973) — the emotional gut-punch
3. Kraven’s Last Hunt (1987) — the best single Spider-Man story, full stop
4. Miles Morales: Spider-Man (start with any recent trade) — if you want a different lead character
5. Ultimate Spider-Man (2024) by Hickman/Checchetto — a complete, self-contained modern story
6. The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 7, current issues — if you want to follow what’s coming out monthly right now

That’s five to six books, not five hundred are best Spider-Man Marvel Comics. You’ll walk away understanding why Spider-Man has survived every reboot, every costume change, and every “is this character still relevant” think piece since Kennedy was in office — and you’ll have done it without touching a single clone saga.

If you only pick up one Spider-Man comic this weekend, make it Kraven’s Last Hunt. It’s a self-contained narrative that doesn’t depend on years of continuity or encyclopedic Marvel knowledge, yet it encompasses everything that makes Spider-Man such a timeless character. 

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Conclusion

More than 30 years on, it is still one of the most emotionally resonant and psychologically complex superhero comics ever written—and the best Spider-Man Marvel Comics most likely to have even non-comics readers agreeing that Spider-Man is a bit more than a wisecracking guy who wears a red and blue suit. 

Thanos is the legendary Marvel Supervillains that fans believed yet because the guy wiped out half the universe with one snap. That alone made him a legend. But if you’ve read the comics, you know Marvel’s universe goes much, much further than what we saw in the movies. And then there are much older and scarier creatures – ones that make Thanos look almost diminutive by comparison. One of them is the god of the symbiotes known as Knull who can beat up Thanos.

The Question is: If they go down on the ground then who wins the battle? So, in Knull #3 (Ewing and Waltz, art by Juanan Ramirez), Marvel brings us this very battle and officially confirms who comes out on top.

And trust me, you’re not going to see the ending of this fight. 

The Contenders: A Quick Look at Our Heavyweights

This bloody nitty gritty epic clash between Marvel Supervillains is the most awaited moment to the marvel fans because we have Thanos, the Mad Titan. He is a tactical genius, formidable strength and fully merciless. Thanos has even squared off against the Hulk, Thor, and groups of Avengers without the help of the Infinity Stones. His warped agenda animates him and doesn’t have second thoughts about stamping over whoever hopes to stop him.

On the Other side, we have Knull, the God of the Void. You may not know about him but Comic Book mentioned Knull as an ancient, dark god who created the extraterrestrial species such as Venom and Carnage are also known as Symbiotes. Why Ancient? Because he was one who dwelt in darkness before the light of the universe was. 

Knull almost obliterates the Earth with the 2020 mammoth King in Black comic storyline before he is defeated at last by Eddie Brock. It is an ancient evil, pure darkness that commands a horde of dragons and monsters. 

A Powerless God vs a Dominant Titan

A quick look at these two heavyweights Marvel Supervillains might lead you to think that it will become a long and hotly contested, feel-good war. But that’s not the way it turned out. In Knull series, the self-styled God of Symbiotes was never in a position of strength. He was outnumbered, and not at the peak of his power, in fact. 

Who Can Win Between Marvel Supervillains?

The King in Black event shows that Knull gets the devastating defeat that makes him completely destroyed. But in comics, you can never keep a good villain down permanently. He was just recently resurrected after Venom relinquished his King in Black title. But there was a major catch — Knull was recovered in a significantly diminished state. To make matters worse, he wound up as a miserable captive of the Asgardian Goddess of Death.

Hela being the power-hungry goddess she was, desired to steal Knull’s dark powers for herself. For her grand plan, she also brought in a familiar face, her ex-boyfriend: Thanos.

To rub even more salt in Knull’s wounds, Thanos was heavily armed. He carried the Spear of Light (also called the All-Light), a mythical and potent weapon that was once wielded by Knull’s cosmic antithesis. So, the stage was set for a nearly powerless Knull, cut off from his normal source of power shadows to square off against an all-powerful Thanos wielding a weapon created of pure light. From just reading the name, Thanos was supposed to win this fight easily. 

The Brutal Showdown: Knull Pulls Off the Unthinkable

As the Marvel Supervillains battle began, it appeared exactly as it should have. The Mad Titan was the clear favorite. Thanos wielded the cruel physical force and blinding might of the Spear of Light to drive the debilitated Symbiote God back. But Knull isn’t just powerful, he is ancient, intelligent and absolutely terrifying.

Since Thanos bright weapon was illuminating the battle field, Knull couldn’t use his shadowy and dark related weapons. But Knull soon learned that there was at least one place the light couldn’t reach: the darkness within Thanos.

In a cruel, horrifying turn of events, Knull weaponized the dark essence of Thanos’ own body against him. Knull suddenly explodes from Thanos, unexpectedly. The scene is so graphic and brutal. It finishes with the almighty, unbeaten Thanos collapsing to the ground with his organs in his hands, as the most devastating defeat physically, and emotionally, he has ever known. 

Did Marvel Just Use the Viral Ant-Man Theory?

If that entire “Knull annihilates Thanos from the inside” thing sounds strangely familiar to you, that’s because it is. Just before Avengers: Endgame came out in 2019, a gross fan theory went viral on the internet.

Fans also joked that the simplest way to stop Thanos would be to have Scott Lang (Ant-Man) to shrink down, get inside him and then expand out again — taking out the Mad Titan from within. It was silly, over the top, and for some reason became one of the most talked about jokes in the fandom back then. 

While Knull’s dark magic technique from the comic is not quite the same (and oh so much less bizarre), the heart of it definitely remains. He got inside Thanos and destroyed him from the inside out. You can’t help but wonder if the creative minds at Marvel borrowed a little bit from that iconic Internet meme to give Thanos his most brutal defeat yet. It’s the sort of brutal finisher you’d expect from the God of the Void. 

The Aftermath: A New King Rises to Power

What makes Marvel Supervillains victory all the more impressive is that Knull was at his absolute weakest. He didn’t just defeat Thanos in a fistfight, he humiliated him and destroyed then left with the Spear of Light. 

And then he also took full control of Thanos’ brutal Outrider army. It’s quite clear now that the God of the Void has no more games to play. In short, he is taking the weapons and armies of his enemies to become again the most powerful thing ever, and the rest of the Marvel Universe really should be shaking in their boots about what he does next. 

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Will We Ever See Marvel Supervillains Epic Clash in the Movies?

Now that it is established that Knull is stronger than Thanos in comics, the question is: Will this legendary rivalry ever make it to the big screen?

To be blunt, it’s somewhat confusing right now. Thanos has a significant edge in this department when it comes to the movies. After years of development through MCU storytelling, he’s become a household name.

Knull isn’t exactly new to everyone, as he made his debut in Sony’s 2024 movie Venom: The Last Dance. While Andy Serkis portrayed the character, we let a quick look at him captive on Klyntar, the symbiote homeworld. Fans were clearly left wanting more, but it was a fun little nod to the comics. 

Given all the noise about reboots and major changes coming to Sony’s Spider-Man universe, where that leaves Knull on the big screen is anyone’s guess. Drag if that is all for his live-action story before it really started. The King in Black has all the ingredients needed to be a frightening, universe-ending villain in the movies, just as dynamic and evil as Thanos himself. 

Conclusion

Comic Book readers can rejoice for the ultimate Marvel Supervillains Knull has joined the MCU finally. In a cosmic villain throwdown, Knull the Symbiote God reigns supreme, crushing a fallen Mad Titan in a pool of blood. As the new Knull comic series progresses, there is no telling what the God of the Void will do next with his newly stolen powers. 

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