The 5 Most Powerful Spider-Man Costumes In The Marvel Multiverse
Spider-Man has sported many different looks over the years. However, his black, blue, and red ensemble remains his most iconic permanent look that's remained largely the same since the character's debut in "Amazing Fantasy" #15 by Steve Ditko, Stan Goldberg, Art Simek, and Stan Lee.
In the more than 60 years since his first appearance, Spider-Man has had the chance to wear some truly spectacular costumes. While many of the hero's costume changes have just been for aesthetic reasons, some of his suits have come with serious power upgrades to Peter Parker's usual powers. From his Captain Universe suit that gave him one of the greatest powers in the Marvel Universe to his Iron Spider armor designed by Tony Stark, Spider-Man has received several upgrades that have enhanced and given him all-new abilities and tech. While Spider-Man has worn many looks across different timelines, continuity, and arcs, several of his most powerful suits stand out as his most impressive ever.
Spider-Man gained the powers of Captain Universe
In "The Amazing Spider-Man" 329 by David Michelinie, Erik Larsen, Andy Mushynsky, Bob Sharen, and Rick Parker, Peter Parker managed to gain the powers of the Engima Force, wielded by those who have become Captain Universe. In the two-part story, Spider-Man used the Uni-Power, the name of the cosmic abilities, to stop Sebastian Shaw and his Tri-Sentinels from destroying him and Marvel's mutants. While he initially noticed enhanced powers such as ultra-hearing, telescope vision, and increased strength, while being attacked, Spider-Man evolved into the new Captain Universe with a colorful, spacey new costume.
Serving as the host of Uni-Power, it's revealed that the Enigma Force chose Spider-Man and gave him cosmic powers that made the hero stronger than ever. As Captain Universe, Spider-Man showcased the epic Uni-Power, taking down three Sentinels before reverting to his usual form. In "What If... Spider-Man Had Not Lost His Cosmic Powers?" by Glenn Herdling, Scott McDaniel, Jim Sanders, Sam De La Rosa, Tom Vincent, and Ken Bruzenak, the issue imagined what would have happened to the web-slinger if he kept the Uni-Power, where the hero nearly becomes corrupted by his cosmic powers, choosing to rid himself of them after coming into conflict with Thor.
Parker wasn't the only spider-hero to become Captain Universe, as Miles Morales gained Uni-Power in the "Spider-Geddon" event. The Enigma Force was last seen during the "King in Black" event, where Eddie Brock became the host of the cosmic force and used them to take down the King in Black, revealing the power was the God of Symbiotes' true opposite.
Beyonder Spider-Man was laughably overpowered
In Marvel's "Spider-Man - Secret Wars" #4 by Paul Tobin, Patrick Scherberger, Clayton Henry, Terry Pallot, Brad Anderson, and Dave Sharpe, readers were introduced to one of the most powerful versions of Spider-Man ever to exist. The comic features Peter Parker in his symbiote suit but contains much more power than the original version. Spider-Man has the reality-rewriting powers of the Beyonder, gained during the events of a similar "Secret War"-like battle. Peter tries to craft the perfect world with his glowing symbiote Beyonder suit. He uses them to resurrect Uncle Ben (multiple times), unmake Venom, turn Doctor Octopus into a plant, and defeat a group of some of Marvel's greatest villains, from Galactus to Ultron, with ease.
However, as the iconic saying goes, with great powers comes great responsibility. Due to gaining Beyonder's powers and using them for his desires, Peter realized that creating a perfect world was a mistake. His godhood didn't last, as Doctor Doom eventually stole the abilities for himself. He would use the Beyonder's powers to make Spider-Man (and Wolverine, who also briefly gained his abilities) forget about ever getting the universe-shaping capabilities. Still, the moment showed that even a hero as great and noble as Spider-Man gaining infinite powers and ascending into a literal god was a bad idea. Leave that stuff to the most extraordinary powers that be.
The Future Foundation suit
One of the coolest-looking suits Spider-Man has ever used comes from the Fantastic Four. In the "FF" series from Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting, Spider-Man joined the Fantastic Four following the death of Johnny Storm, who wanted the web-slinger on the team during his tragic absence. The costume Spider-Man received might not have the most firepower of any of his suits, but the technology used to make it was more advanced than most he's ever worn.
The Future Foundation suit came from Reed Richards, with the advanced tech being the same unstable molecule materials used by Marvel's First Family. The costume could repair itself when damaged and change its appearance whenever Spider-Man wanted to return to his old look. It was an impressive look aesthetically and technologically.
While comic book readers will never forget the costume for the time when Spider-Man joined the Fantastic Four, its ability to live on beyond the comics has been a complete surprise. The Future Foundation suit has become one of Spider-Man's most beloved looks, with the costume appearing in the "Marvel's Spider-Man" PS4 game as an unlockable costume while also being a skin in the video game, "Fortnite." It won't be surprising if it appears again in the comics someday, as it's become one of his unlikeliest recognizable looks.
Spider-Man's symibote suit was from another world
The original "Secret Wars" event by Jim Shooter, Mike Zeck, and Bob Layton happened basically for Marvel to sell more toys. Still, one of the most long-lasting effects of the event was the introduction of the symbiote, first seen on Spider-Man. Spider-Man would bond with an alien symbiote, giving him one of his most classic looks. Unfortunately for the web-slinger, the power proved too much to handle, affecting his mood upon returning to Earth. After learning he was hosting a living organism, Spider-Man opted to shed himself of the symbiote, despite its incredible, transformative powers.
Famously, once ridding himself of the symbiote, journalist Eddie Brock would gain the alien power as its new host. As the villain Venom, Brock showed how deadly the symbiote could be under the wrong hands. Venom would eventually become an anti-hero, while more symbiotes, such as Carnage, would be introduced and cause problems for both Eddie and Spider-Man in the Marvel Universe.
Like the Captain Universe "What If...?" story, "What If the Alien Costume Had Possessed Spider-Man?" imagined what would have happened if Spider-Man had kept the alien suit. The answer isn't pretty, as it would control Spider-Man even more, rapidly age Peter Parker, and lead to his death. Thankfully, Peter avoided that from happening in the real universe by quickly ditching the powerful alien costume, even if it would continue to cause him headaches for years to come.
Fans will be able to see the Spider-Man suit in the upcoming "Marvel's Spider-Man 2" video game which will see Parker in the symbiote suit.
The Iron Spider gave Peter Parker more capabilities
Before the events of "Civil War," Tony Stark decided to give Peter Parker a significant suit upgrade. In "The Amazing Spider-Man" #529 by J. Michael Straczynski, Ron Garney, Bill Reinhold, Matt Milla, and Cory Petit, Stark offers Parker a technological marvel in the Iron Spider suit in the wake of the upcoming battle between heroes. The Iron Spider armor gave Spider-Man several major design upgrades, including three supplemental arms with advanced nano-technological material that could be stored in the suit. It allowed Spider-Man to crawl with his arms and glide in the air, could generate energy, and had several life support features which allowed him to survive underwater and in space. The suit's capabilities are truly advanced, making the wall-crawler a spider-version of Iron Man.
The suit has been seen in many alternate universe stories, including in the live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe, where Tom Holland's Spider-Man sported the Iron Spider armor in the Infinity Saga after it was teased in "Spider-Man: Homecoming." Additionally, Miles Morales was recently given his own version of the Iron Spider suit from Stark and wore the armor during the recent "Extreme Carnage" event. The suit kept Morales alive after he was gravely wounded. But, unlike Parker, Tony didn't let Miles keep the suit beyond its initial use.
While some comic book readers and MCU fans want to keep Spider-Man's costume much lower tech than the Iron Spider armor is, it's hard to deny its technological prowess and advanced capabilities. It was truly a suit Iron Man was proud to create and see in action.