Since his debut in Amazing Fantasy #15 in 1962, Spider-Man has been on many adventures and has fought a vast list of supervillains. From Rhino to the Spot, there are plenty of iconic rogues, but two who are contenders for Spider-Man's greatest foes are Green Goblin and Venom.
Green Goblin is an iconic baddie that has been around since the 60s, causing decades of trouble for the web-slinger. However, despite being introduced in the 90s, Venom has quickly garnered love from fans as the greatest rival thanks to his stand-out comic book arcs. But both have reasons to be considered the best.
Green Goblin:
Brings Out The Worst In Peter Parker
It's pretty universal that despite all of the bad things that happened in his life, Peter Parker remains the likable young hero who puts on a smile while dishing out some quips. However, a few villains have pushed him to his breaking point, and the Green Goblin is easily the worst of them.
As the Green Goblin, Norman Osborn has done whatever it takes to destroy Spider-Man both physically and emotionally. From attacking loved ones to turning the people of New York City against him, in some instances, he has driven Peter Parker into a dark and murderous rage.
Like Father, Like Son
Spider-Man and Green Goblin were rivals, but Peter Parker and Norman Osborn had a surprisingly pleasant relationship. Perhaps a little too pleasant, because Norman Osborn openly admitted that Peter was like the son he never had, something that is just cruel to say since he does have a son in the form of Harry Osborn.
Though they often return to being friends, there has always been a tension between Peter and Harry that slowly built into a rivalry. When Spider-Man was seemingly responsible for the death of Green Goblin, Harry Osborn took on the mantle, cursing Peter to keep fighting Green Goblin, even in other forms.
Battle Of Classes
Despite having some similarities between Peter Parker and Norman Osborn, there is a definite contrast between the two characters. Peter Parker is the working-class young man trying to survive in New York City while Norman Osborn is one of the richest people in the Marvel universe. Peter Parker develops everything he has on a minimal budget whereas Norman has seemingly unlimited resources.
This theme of the middle-class versus the upper-class has been a more subtle part of their rivalry. Spider-Man represents the everyman who respects his power, whereas Goblin is the 1% of the 1% who lets their wealth and power corrupt them.
Pure Evil And Chaos
There are the villains who perform evil deeds for a cause, Doctor Doom or Magneto for example. Green Goblin, however, simply does things because he relishes in the chaos and enjoys inflicting pain while gaining power. It's corruption at its finest, which Willem Dafoe's portrayal in the films embraces perfectly.
Now the lack of a sympathetic backstory or motivation might seem lackluster, but Green Goblin has always found a way to make it work. From his chaotic personality to the dark humor to the genuinely disturbing actions he takes, he is the polar opposite of the truly good Peter Parker.
Killed Gwen Stacy
Venom has been a deadly villain who has committed many atrocities to get at Spider-Man, but none have left quite the impact that Green Goblin did on a certain night. In one of Green Goblin's most famous arcs, he killed a woman that Peter Parker genuinely loved: Gwen Stacy.
Gwen's death was controversial at first, but fans have recognized its importance, showing that Peter will not always get the happy ending as well as just how truly evil Green Goblin is. It was one of the events that drove Peter into nearly killing Norman until he was killed by his own glider.
Venom:
Corrupted Spider-Man
In one of the most famous Spider-Man comic book arcs, the Venom symbiote fed on Peter Parker's negative emotions to give him power but also send him down a slow path to evil. Even before he turned into the Klyntarian monster that he's most famous for, Venom was harmful to Peter.
The symbiote sent Spider-Man down a spiral that made him into a brutal vigilante that even the likes of Batman would be ashamed of. He was hostile to everyone, even his friends, family, and loved ones, driving him over the edge while trying to take over his body. As a result, he removed the symbiote suit for the greater good, which ended up creating an enemy of the alien creature.
More Dangerous Depending On The Host
As much trouble as being bonded with the Venom symbiote has been for Peter Parker, Eddie Brock is actually one of the more heroic hosts. Venom has bonded with other characters such as Flash Thompson, creating more of an anti-hero, but it was the opposite when bonded with Mac Gargan.
Mac Gargan AKA Scorpion did not even try to resist the corruption of the Venom symbiote. As a result, Mac Gargan's Venom was the most monstrous, murderous, and maniacal, providing Spider-Man and even other Marvel heroes with the difficult task of defeating him.
More Powerful Than Goblin
There's no denying that Green Goblin is a powerful villain who has caused a lot of damage to Spider-Man and other heroes. However, Venom has been proven to be an even stronger physical and psychological threat for Spider-Man. Venom's raw power alone has allowed him to contend with the Hulk and the Juggernaut.
His shapeshifting, assimilation of Spider-Man's web-slinging abilities, having one of the strongest healing factors in comics, and his tendrils also showcase more abilities than the Green Goblin. However, one passive ability helps turn Venom into Spider-Man's most dangerous foe: he can bypass Peter's Spider-Sense.
Spawned Other Villains
Part of what makes Venom so dangerous is that he is part of a hivemind race known as the Klyntar, and each Klyntar symbiote can reproduce. Venom spawned a plethora of deadly children including Riot, Lasher, Phage, Agony, and Scream, but probably the most famous and dangerous offspring is none other than Carnage.
This reproduction of the symbiote has been nothing but a downward spiral, with each child of Venom seemingly becoming eviler. Over the years, it's only gotten worse and worse, especially when Venom's grandson Toxin was spawned from Carnage, making for one of the most powerful symbiotes.
A Literal Anti-Spider-Man
Not only did the symbiote turn Peter Parker into the opposite of what he usually is, but when Venom first bonded with Eddie Brock, he also turned Spider-Man into a wanted man. Venom acted as a doppelganger and framed Spider-Man as a means to get back at Peter Parker for breaking their bond.
As a result, from the similar eyes to the white spider symbol that he retains to the massive body build compared to Spider-Man's lean physique, Venom is essentially the anti-Spider-Man in nearly every way.