The Daily Bugle is a mainstay in Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man continuity. It’s the newspaper that employs Peter Parker, it’s operated by the fan-favorite editor-in-chief J. Jonah Jameson, and – most famously of all – it relentlessly criticizes Spider-Man. While criticism is the job of the press in order to hold powerful people accountable for their actions, most of the criticisms of Spider-Man are, unfortunately, complete lies – or, at the very least, half-truths.
Generally speaking, the Daily Bugle is a respectable newspaper staffed with ethically responsible and trustworthy Marvel Comics journalists like Ben Urich, Phil Sheldon, Robbie Robertson, and Betty Brant. Even Jessica Jones worked for the paper for a time in the Pulse section, proving the paper wasn’t inherently anti-superhero. Yet, with all the talent and all the accolades, the Daily Bugle will not hesitate to slap “MENACE” under a picture of Spider-Man for the sole purpose of selling papers, with no regard for the truth whatsoever. Here are 10 of the most outrageous lies about Spider-Man published by the Daily Bugle, ranked.
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10 “Spider-Man: Menace!” The Daily Bugle Labels Spider-Man a ‘Menace’ In His First Issue
Amazing Spider-Man #1 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
This may be the most iconic Daily Bugle headline about Spider-Man in the franchise’s history, as ‘menace’ has always been J. Jonah Jameson’s favorite adjective to describe Spider-Man. It’s also perhaps the most broad, and doesn’t actually accuse Spider-Man of doing any one thing wrong specifically. It’s simply an editorial – or opinion piece – noting why the Daily Bugle thinks Spider-Man is a general menace to society – and it isn’t totally wrong. Spider-Man is a vigilante who takes the law into his own hands, which is undeniably alarming.
The article is a bit unfair, but it’s not the most outrageous piece ever printed. Plus, this was more of a launching-off point for the ongoing editorial position of the Daily Bugle that Spider-Man is a menace, allowing the paper to publish as many of these articles as it wants under the umbrella ‘Spider-Man: Menace’ headline, without having to come up with fresh angles every time.
9 “Spider-Man: Mob Menace” The Daily Bugle Claims Ultimate Spider-Man Is a Mobster
Ultimate Spider-Man #9 by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley
While similar to the Daily Bugle’s original headline about Spider-Man over in the Earth-616 continuity, the Ultimate Universe’s version of events is a bit more specific, making it an outright lie. Or, for the sake of giving the Daily Bugle the benefit of the doubt, a misinformed article. The Daily Bugle’s first Spider-Man headline calls him a “Mob Menace”, as he was seen speaking with high-level mobsters during an FBI raid.
The FBI was the Daily Bugle’s source for this story, which is about as credible as sources go (officially speaking), so this one isn’t so much a salacious lie as it is misinformation that was published before the whole truth was revealed.
8 “Extra! Spider-Man Joins Dr. Octopus!” Daily Bugle Pounces at Spider-Man’s Lowest Point
Amazing Spider-Man #56 by Stan Lee and John Romita
While it may seem like this is a pretty significant lie, it’s actually observably true: Spider-Man did, in fact, join Doc Ock, and the Daily Bugle was right to report it. Now, the full story is that Spider-Man had his memory wiped, and was tricked by Doc Ock into thinking that he was his partner in crime, making the information in this Daily Bugle objectively false. However, even though Spider-Man didn’t ‘break bad’ like Jameson always thought he would, the truth is that he was helping Doc Ock, he was just manipulated into doing so.
The Daily Bugle pounced on Spider-Man at his lowest point, as the paper had been building a narrative that suggests Spider-Man is a villain, and now it finally had enough to publish a breaking headline. The paper was right to report the news, but this was way more of a ‘gotcha’ piece than honest journalism, one that – in the end – turned out to be a lie.
7 “Live! Spider-Man Unmasked!” J. Jonah Jameson Lies on Live TV About Spider-Man
Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 3 #6 by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos
When J. Jonah Jameson gets a job as a television reporter/‘talking head’, Spider-Man swings onto his set right at the start of his very first segment. Spider-Man is fighting a number of villains, and is knocked unconscious, with his mask moments from being torn off his face. Being the action-news journalist he is, Jameson grabs a microphone, jumps in front of the camera, and tells viewers that he has the exclusive on Spider-Man’s true identity. As one could guess, Spider-Man got away, and Jameson was proven a liar on live television.
Jameson didn’t mean to lie, he thought he was being a good journalist, but in doing so he reported false news on live television all because of his obsession with ‘nailing’ Spider-Man, making this instance just as bad as any headline he published in the Daily Bugle. And while this isn’t technically a Daily Bugle publication, there’s no argument that Jameson is the reason the Daily Bugle is synonymous with Spider-Man smearing.
6 ““Defeat Of Spider-Man Imminent” Says Kraven” Daily Bugle Openly Backs a Super-Villain
Amazing Spider-Man #15 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
This headline is wrong on so many more levels than just the fact that it’s a lie said by a super-villain like Kraven the Hunter, as it’s riddled with unfair bias against Spider-Man while giving a platform to an unhinged maniac. To be fair, the headline isn’t a lie told by the paper itself, it’s simply publishing a quote said by a villain during his efforts to take Spider-Man down. However, just because it’s technically not a lie, does not mean this headline isn’t absolutely outrageous.
J. Jonah Jameson has been known to work alongside people who turn out to be super-villains in his quest to destroy Spider-Man, but this was one of his most shameful to date, as he put the integrity of his entire paper on the line just for the chance to smear Spider-Man’s name.
5 “Spider-Man A Coward! Flees In Terror!” Daily Bugle Jumps To Incorrect Conclusions
Amazing Spider-Man #18 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
While this is in the realm of the observable truth, the assertion that Spider-Man ran away during this particular fight against the obviously villainous Green Goblin because he is a coward is a completely unjustified fabrication. It’s true that Spider-Man ran away after the Goblin’s threat level was effectively neutralized (even if Gobey was still at large in the end), but he only did so after finding out Aunt May had a heart attack and was in the hospital.
This is an example of irresponsible reporting by the Daily Bugle, as it fixated on an angle that suited the paper’s ongoing bias against Spider-Man rather than reporting the truth.
4 “Scorpion Caught! Jameson Is Hero!” Daily Bugle Lies About Spider-Man By Omitting Him
Amazing Spider-Man #20 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
This is a rare occasion where the Daily Bugle prints a lie about Spider-Man by simply printing nothing about him at all in lieu of a totally made-up narrative. The real story behind this headline is that Scorpion (who Jameson helped create) attacked J.J. in his office, and Spider-Man saved him. Yes, the villain was caught, but it was because of the bravery of Spider-Man, not Jameson.
This headline becomes even more outrageous when considering that the whole thing was Jameson’s fault to begin with. And even when the person he swears is a villain actually saves his life, Jameson would rather make up a story where he’s the hero rather than do his job and report the news – even if that does go against his crusade to take down Spider-Man.
3 “J. Jonah Jameson and Fred Foswell Heroes in Case of Spider-Man and Kingpin!” Daily Bugle Reports Spider-Man is a Villain After Saving Jameson’s Life
Amazing Spider-Man #53 by Stan Lee and John Romita
This example is similar to the previous headline reporting that Jameson stopping Scorpion with no mention of Spider-Man. However, this one is much worse, as it doesn’t just leave out the fact that Spider-Man was the hero, it actively paints him as a villain right next to the Kingpin. This was the issue printed immediately following the three-part ‘Spider-Man No More’ event, which ended with Spider-Man saving J. Jonah Jameson from drowning while simultaneously taking down the Kingpin.
Framing Spider-Man as a villain when he was so obviously the hero is one of the more serious lies told by Jameson and the Daily Bugle to fit their ‘Spider-Man: Menace’ profile.
2 “Electro Is Really Spider-Man!” Daily Bugle Makes Its Most Absurd Baseless Claim
Amazing Spider-Man #9 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
After the Daily Bugle’s initial piece calling Spider-Man a menace, J. Jonah Jameson turned that single article into a column where he was free to rant about the dangers Spider-Man poses to the public. No really grabby headlines or specific claims were printed, just a tirade under the consistent “Menace” headline. That is, until this issue, where Electro is introduced as one of the more serious of Spider-Man’s rogues, and the Daily Bugle baselessly asserts that Electro is actually Spider-Man himself.
This is the first truly outrageous lie the Bugle came up with about Spider-Man just to sell papers, and it’s easily one of the most outrageous ever printed in the paper.
1 “Spider-Man Murders Prominent Businessman!” Daily Bugle Commits Full-On Libel
Amazing Spider-Man #124 by Gerry Conway and Gil Kane
It’s one thing to print a theory about the true identities of two costumed superhumans, but it’s another to ‘convict’ someone of murder in print when they haven’t even been tried in a court of law. Saying matter-of-factly in print that Spider-Man murdered Norman Osborn (which he didn’t, the Green Goblin accidentally sealed his own fate) is libel, plain and simple. The only reason the Daily Bugle could print something like that and get away with it is because Spider-Man is a costumed vigilante, and therefore, it would be impossible for him to take legal action.
The absurdity of this headline is put on full display in this issue as well, with another – clearly more reputable – paper’s headline that reads “Spider-Man… Killer Or Victim?…” shown right next to the Daily Bugle’s front page. That paper posed a question that needed answering, while the Daily Bugle answered that question with a blatant lie. That’s why this is the most outrageous lie about Spider-Man printed by the Daily Bugle in Marvel Comics history.
