The concept of the multiverse has opened up Spider-Man to infinite variations in the comics and now in the movies as the MCU progresses. Some versions of Spider-Man are more powerful than others, with subtle and sometimes glaring differences in not just the degree of their power, but in the kind of powers they have.
Several of the most powerful Spider-Man versions exist with the main continuity of Earth-616 in the Marvel Universe, including arguably the most powerful. But many of them come from different branches of the multiverse, representing new and powerful takes on the classic comic book superhero.
Updated on November 27th, 2021 by Darby Harn: The latest trailer for Spider-Man: No Way Home throws villains from across the multiverse at Spider-Man. Speculation remains high there will be other versions of Spider-Man in the movie as well. While it's unclear at this point if the Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield versions of the character will make a return appearance, there are many other powerful versions of Spider-Man from the comics who could appear.
If the movie decides to break open the multiverse completely, then some of the most powerful versions of Spider-Man from Marvel Comics could make their live-action debuts in what promises to be one of the most jam-packed MCU movies yet.
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is one of the most powerful characters in Marvel Comics, in terms of sheer strength. Though his power level has crept over the years, he has shown the ability to lift up to 25 tons, including very heavy machinery that had fallen on him.
He is also extremely fast, much quicker than most people can see but nowhere near the speed of someone like the comic book Flash. Peter Parker is absolutely someone villains don't want to mess with, but he's not the most powerful Spider-Man by far.
Spider-Punisher
Infinite versions of Spider-Man exist throughout the Marvel multiverse in the comics. In one of the strangest alternate realities from What If..? comics, Spider-Man becomes The Punisher. He has the same powers as the Earth-616 Peter Parker, but none of the morality or aversion to using guns, making him one of the deadliest iterations of the character.
He applies his ingenuity and inventiveness to making web-shooters that shoot actual bullets, and becomes a true vigilante in his reality, and even succeeds in saving Gwen Stacy by killing the Green Goblin.
Six-Arm Spider-Man
Comic book fans know The Lizard can regenerate his limbs, and but they may not know he's linked to one of the most powerful versions of Spider-Man. In The Amazing Spider-Man #100, Peter Parker was exposed to The Lizard formula and he grew four extra arms, increasing his super strength and dexterity substantially.
With six arms in total, Spider-Man equalized things against some of his strongest enemies, though it wasn't exactly practical for him. While he eventually lost the extra limbs, a version from Earth-92100 had them as a feature rather than a bug.
Spider-Gwen
For the most part, Spider-Man and Spider-Gwen are essentially the same. Both were bitten by the same radioactive spider in their respective realities, and both inherited spider-powers including strength, speed, and agility. But as comic fans know, Spider-Gwen has been shown to be even more agile than Peter Parker in certain situations.
She is also arguably more inventive. Whereas the comic Spider-Man relies on reloadable web cartridges, Gwen designed a system where her web-shooters actually replenish webbing by drawing moisture from the air.
Superior Spider-Man
The Superior Spider-Man might have all the variants of Spider-Man beat when it comes to inventiveness. The Superior Spider-Man is actually Doctor Octopus's mind in the body of Peter Parker. His cruel intellect and reliance on gadgets make him one of the most powerful versions of Spider-Man.
He once invented a series of mind-control devices that put the other members of the Sinister Six under his control, making him for a brief time one of the most terrifying iterations of the Wall-Crawler.
Silk
Silk was bitten by the exact same radioactive spider that Peter Parker was bitten by in Earth-616, but she developed some different powers. One of the most powerful abilities she has is her Spider-Sense. Silk can actually see into the future, whereas other versions can only perceive imminent danger.
She is also able to shoot webbing out of her fingertips naturally, and is generally faster than Peter Parker, as he discovered in their very first encounter in Silk #1 from 2015.
Spider-Man 2099
Miguel O'Hara is Spider-Man 2099, from one of the darkest future timelines in Marvel Comics. He's also one of the most powerful versions of Spider-Man. He shares most of the powers and abilities of Peter Parker, with some key distinctions.
Spider-Man 2099 has razor-sharp talons he can use against enemies in the future, as well as sharp fangs he can bite with if he has to. His webbing is also organic in nature, as opposed to manufactured like Peter Parker's is.
Miles Morales
Miles Morales is one of the most powerful versions of Spider-Man thanks to a group of powers particular to him. While he has most of the regular spider-powers associated with other versions, he also has the ability to become invisible. He can camouflage not just himself, but his clothes as well.
Miles also has the venom-strike, which is an electrical charge he can build up. The venom-strike has the power to break metal and render others unconscious, giving him a powerful offensive capability other Spiders don't have.
Kaine
Kaine is an evil clone of Peter Parker from The Clone Saga, a '90s comic book crossover the MCU should probably avoid adapting. He is one of the most powerful versions of the character thanks to the fact that he never stopped mutating.
Kaine's strength, speed, and stamina all continue to accelerate, well beyond that of Peter Parker and other versions and with no apparent limits. Kaine has also at times had a precognitive Spider-Sense similar to Silk, able to see into the future.
Spider-Carnage
Spider-Carnage is the twisted form of Ben Reilly, the clone of Spider-Man, bonded to the Carnage symbiote. He possesses the power of both Spider-Man and Carnage, making him one of the most powerful versions of Spider-Man in the comics.
As one of the most powerful symbiotes in Marvel Comics, Carnage has a broad range of abilities, including a healing factor and the ability to use tentacles as daggers and other projectiles. He's also immune to Spider-Sense, making him especially dangerous to Spider-Man.
Spider-Hulk
The Spider-Hulk is no surprise as one of the most powerful versions of the Wall-Crawler. Not only does he have all the powers of Spider-Man, but he also has all the power of the Incredible Hulk, too. The Spider-Hulk is actually a one-off from Web Of Spider-Man #70 back in 1990.
In that issue, Peter Parker is accidentally struck by bio-electric energy from the Hulk. He then develops the powers of the Hulk and regresses intellectually like the Hulk of that era. A version of the character also recently appeared in the King in Black crossover event.
Ghost Spider
The Ghost Spider is the Spider-Man of Earth-11638 and became one of the most powerful versions of the character by absorbing the powers of other Spider-Men from other dimensions. It got worse from there. He died and then gained the powers of the Ghost Rider, becoming a powerful mystical version of the Wall-Crawler.
In addition to having increased powers across the board thanks to absorbing the energy of other Spider-Men, Ghost Spider also possessed the powers of Ghost Rider, including Hellfire manipulation, dimensional travel, and demon magic.
Captain Universe Spider-Man
The Captain Universe Spider-Man is not just one of the most powerful versions of the Wall-Crawler, he's also one of the most powerful cosmic beings in the Marvel Universe. Peter Parker gained the Uni-Power during the Acts Of Vengence storyline in the early 90s orchestrated by Loki against the Avengers.
The cosmic power selected Parker as its host and with it, he gained extraordinary abilities. He could travel faster than the speed of light, alter and manipulate reality, and also subsist of the latent cosmic energy of the universe.
Marvel Zombies Spider-Man
The version of Spider-Man from the Marvel Zombies universe of Earth-2149 is one of the most powerful versions of Spider-Man for a number of reasons. One is the mere fact he's a zombie, infected with a virus that makes him an unstoppable killing machine that retains all of Spider-Man's abilities and also his high degree of intelligence.
This Spider-Man became even more powerful when he acquired the Power Cosmic. When he and other zombies devoured the Silver Surfer, one of the most powerful heralds of Galactus, the Zombie Spider-Man became powerful enough to challenge even Galactus himself.
Secret Wars Spider-Man
Even more powerful than the Captain Universe Spider-Man was the Spider-Man from the Secret Wars crossover from 1985. For a brief time, Spider-Man gained the powers of the all-powerful cosmic being known as The Beyonder including omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence.
For the time he had these powers, he was essentially the strongest being in the Marvel Universe as The Beyonder was said to have a power greater than even some of the most powerful cosmic beings like Galactus and The Living Tribunal.