Content Warning: This article contains discussions and references to violence and murder.
While it’s much more eventful when heroes pass the torch, many of Marvel’s villains have taken their cue and followed suit. For every reinterpretation of an established hero, there have been brand new characters wielding familiar villainous identities to challenge them.
Some have gone on to acquire iconic character status in their own right, while others are memorable simply for their absurdity. As new generations of Marvel heroes continue to inherit past roles, there will always, inevitably, be new villains to assume the identities of their greatest enemies.
Callie Ryan
Armed with one of the more esoteric powers among Marvel’s villains, the original Stilt-Man was a recurring foe of Daredevil, who possessed a high-tech mechanical suit with hydraulic extendable legs, allowing him to literally tower over his opponents.
After his death at the hands of the Punisher, his costume was repurposed by Callie Ryan, who would go on to wield the abilities as the creatively named Lady Stilt-Man. Considering the original’s status as one of Daredevil’s least successful villains, Callie inherited a legacy with an admittedly low bar, which has only made her tenure in the role more memorable in comparison.
Unknown Jack O’Lantern
The sadistic arch-nemesis of Agent Venom, the man known only as Jack is an immoral serial killer, with a reputation for hollowing out the skulls of his victims and placing a candle inside their decapitated heads (leaving his own morbid “jack o’lanterns” on display at the scenes of his crimes).
Equipped with the arsenal of the original Jack O’Lantern, this Jack would become the primary antagonist during Flash’s tenure as Venom, deducing his identity and systematically targeting all who were close to him. His true identity unknown, Jack has volunteered little personal information regarding his past, save for the fact that he relishes destruction and allegedly murdered his own parents as a child.
Jimmy Natale
Jimmy Natale was a former NYC mob “fixer” who was converted into a half-human, half vulture creature. Gifted with incredible strength and the ability to fly, Jimmy was also cursed with an insatiable craving for flesh and blood.
Assuming the role of The Vulture, Jimmy would try at first to be a force of vengeance against those who created him, only attacking and consuming other criminals. Over time, however, his new instincts would begin to overtake him, leading to multiple confrontations and conflicts with the heroic Spider-Man.
Donny Gill
The second Blizzard, Donny Gill has always been portrayed as less confident and self-assured than his predecessor but has frequently utilized his sub-zero temperature control and everyman personality for more creative ends. Often seen as a B-list villain, Donny has been able to utilize this unassuming persona to gain the trust of heroes, such as She-Hulk and Iron Man, convincing them that he was ready to turn a new leaf. However, he inevitably reverted to villainy.
Donny is more misguided than evil, a man with nothing to lose, and willing to step over others for personal gain. While he has occasionally entertained thoughts of legitimate reformation, they have mostly been motivated by a self-centered desire to be respected by the same public, whom he regularly terrorizes.
Aaron Davis
The uncle of Miles Morales, Aaron Davis is a man who craves power but lacks any sense of responsibility. As the world’s villainous Prowler, Aaron was eventually killed in battle with his nephew, only to be revived when Marvel’s Ultimate and original universes eventually unified.
Picking up where he left off, Aaron assumed the identity of Peter Parker’s recently deceased enemy-turned-ally, the original Prowler, and resumed his devious ways. Building a brand new arsenal of weaponry, and assembling his own version of the classic villain team, The Sinister Six, Aaron used his second chance at life to immediately set out upon a campaign of revenge against his nephew.
Harry Osborn
In a tragic twist, Peter Parker’s best friend Harry would also turn out to be the son of his greatest nemesis, The Green Goblin. After the seeming death of his father Norman, Harry soon discovered both his father’s and best friend’s alter egos. Blaming Peter for his father’s death, and battling his own mental illnesses, Harry went on to assume the role of the new Green Goblin.
Utilizing his knowledge of Peter’s personal connections, combined with his vast inherited wealth, Harry set out to dismantle both of Spider-Man’s identities. Although he was never as sadistic as his predecessor, Harry’s close ties to Peter dealt a much more emotionally devastating blow as their conflict escalated. It was the worst betrayal Spider-Man has faced in his heroic career.
Janice Lincoln
When the original Beetle, Abner Jenkins, reformed as a member of The Thunderbolts, a series of successors would go on to modify and assume his discarded supervillain identity. The current, and by far most notable usurper of the Beetle persona is Janice Lincoln.
Daughter of the superpowered criminal Tombstone, Janice grew up idolizing her estranged father from afar. After a successful career as a defense attorney, Janice became bored with the highly structured grind of practicing law and sought out the excitement and freedom of life, outside the rigidity of society’s rules. Ruthless, cunning, and highly intelligent, Janice has since gone on to outwit some of Marvel’s most recognizable heroes while never hesitating to doublecross her allies if it suits her ends.
Mac Gargan
Traditionally associated with his role as The Scorpion, Mac Gargan found his greatest success after bonding with Eddie Brock’s recently abandoned Venom symbiote. While merged with the alien suit, Gargan would finally gain a sense of personal importance and self-worth, (feelings that had eluded him throughout his life).
Unfortunately, the creature’s will would turn out to be more than Gargan could handle, and he often relinquished control, allowing it to make a series of escalating cannibalistic actions that he would later regret. As Venom, Gargan joined Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers and, for a time, operated as an imposter Spider-Man (all the while battling the impulses of the alien he allowed to share his body).
Phil Urich
Nephew of famed reporter Ben Urich, Phil’s origin story contained many deliberate parallels to the earliest adventures of Peter Parker. Financial struggle, a beloved uncle Ben, and the desire to use his suddenly acquired powers responsibly, Phil was originally set to be the first truly heroic Green Goblin.
Like all Goblins before him, however, his exposure to Norman’s strength-enhancing serum ended up having severe side effects on his mental health. Recognizing his unhealthy obsession with his newfound powers, Phil attempted to retire from the costumed life and started a support group for other former teen heroes. However, it didn’t take long before he returned to the mantle and became The Hobgoblin again.
When Phil assumed the role of the most recent Hobgoblin, he finally reached his full potential. Taking a freelance job with The Daily Bugle, and using his press resources to identify easily exploited targets, Phil slowly evolved into Peter Parker’s evil mirror image, maintaining a similar balance between his costumed and personal lives, but ignoring all of the assumed moral responsibilities.
Helmut Zemo
The son of WWII-era Captain America villain, Heinrich Zemo, Helmut began his tenure as a villain obsessed with the destruction of Steve Rogers. Over time, this hatred would evolve from a desire to destroy. Eschewing his father’s hateful ideologies, the most recent inheritor of the historical legacy of Baron Zemo believes that society doesn’t understand its own best interests, taking it upon himself to save a world that doesn’t realize it needs rescue.
To this end, Zemo has infiltrated Marvel’s heroic ranks, assembled his own “hero” teams, and aligned himself with the universe’s more traditional do-gooders when their goals have aligned. As one of Captain America’s most enduring foes, Zemo has always believed himself to be the protagonist of his own story. However, this couldn’t be further than the truth.
