The 90s were a fantastic time for superhero cartoons. In addition to Batman: The Animated Series and X-Men, there was also the classic Spider-Man. This show ran between 1994 and 1998, introducing a whole new generation to Spider-Man, his friends, and his incredible rogue's gallery.
Due to the length of the series and the show’s format of spreading story arcs over several episodes, the show was able to explore villains in an unprecedented depth, giving the audience a good introduction to those classic foes.
Carnage
Carnage is one of the most iconic Spider-Man villains of all time. The fan-favorite villain is a result of serial killer Cletus Cassidy combining with the venom symbiote’s offspring, leading to the terrifying Carnage.
Carnage first appears in a story concerning Dormammu, with the villain enlisting the help of both Venom and Carnage in order to gain access to Earth. Arguably, Carnage is the scariest villain in the show, with his unhinged voice and terrifying array of lethal weaponry making the villain an intimidating and unpredictable foe.
Vulture
One of the classic members of the Sinister Six, Adrian Toomes appears in the show after the Tablet of Time had been discovered in a prior episode, with Toomes taking on the identity of the vulture and using the tablet in order to suck the youth out of the innocent.
Vulture’s appearance in the cartoon not only offered an interesting new villain but also showed us different perspectives on supporting characters such as Aunt May. Furthermore, the vulture’s attack on Spider-Man also left the memorable image of the old man Peter Parker.
Mysterio
Another classic villain, Mysterio was one of the first villains to appear in the TV show, with the Master of Illusions first appearing in the episode entitled ‘the Menace Of Mysterio’.
This episode gave us an in-depth origin for Mysterio, showing how the character came to be a costume-wearing villain before his ultimate defeat at the hands of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
Michael Morbius
Censorship had a huge influence on the design and purpose of this character. Naturally, being a children’s show, the creators weren’t allowed to show Morbius biting and sucking the blood out of people.
So, the creators gave Morbius some octopus-like suction pads on his hands that were used to suck plasma from people. The story of the living vampire is compelling and emotional and easily one of the best stories in the show.
Hydro Man
Despite introducing some of Spider-Man’s most notorious enemies, the creators of the show never had the chance to introduce Sand Man to their world, instead only being given the chance to introduce Hydro Man.
While the villain could’ve been easily forgettable, they tied his back story to that of Mary Jane, making the villain a creepy, super-powered stalker in the process.
Venom
Another fan favorite, Venom was another character that had a fantastic origin in the TV series. Acting as the conclusion to the black suit story arc, the show explored the symbiote in fantastic detail before introducing Venom.
Eventually, when Venom was introduced, he was given a characterization that is arguably the best adaptation of the comic book villain. Venom also had some fantastic character development over the series, with the villain ultimately helping Spider-Man prevent Dormammu from coming to Earth.
Doc Ock
Another member of the Sinister Six to make this list, Doc Ock was another character that was a perfect adaptation of the comic book character, with the cartoon version challenging even Alfred Molina’s portrayal of the iconic villain.
The villain appears in some of the best stories in the series, with a highlight being the episode in which Spider-Man visits a terminally ill child, ultimately requiring the child’s help in order to defeat the iconic villain.
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin didn’t feature as much as the villain deserved, with the Hobgoblin being the first goblin themed villain to appear in the show. However, the Green Goblin certainly had the biggest impact on the Webhead.
The Green Goblin kidnapped Mary Jane and, after an accident involving the Goblin’s interdimensional teleportation device, Mary Jane would ultimately fall into a different dimension, with Spider-Man unable to save her.
Hobgoblin
Despite not being the most iconic goblin villain in the Spider-Man rogues gallery, the Hobgoblin appeared far more often than the Green Goblin and, arguably, was far more intimidating due to the nature of the villain.
Voiced by the legendary Mark Hamill, the villain’s voice has a terrifying similarity to the Joker’s, making him sound unhinged and unnerving. Furthermore, the character’s secret identity would also prove to be an interesting plot point, resulting in an interesting twist towards the end of the series.
Kingpin
Despite being more of a Daredevil villain than a Spider-Man villain, the Kingpin was one of the most memorable and interesting villains to appear in the show, with the crime lord acting as the puppet master behind most of the villainous activity on the show.
The audience got to see the Kingpin’s origin story, showing how the character became the most powerful crime lord in New York, as well as how the Kingpin would ultimately become Daredevil’s greatest enemy.