Spider-Man's Scariest Marvel Comics Form Is Disgusting - And Heartbreaking

Spider-Man stands out among Marvel heroes because he gets a whole multiverse to himself. Thanks to the Spider-Verse, there are infinite variations of Spider-Man in existence, and infinite stories that can be told about them. The "Spider-Verse" movies have shown how creative and gorgeously detailed Spider-Man variations can be, while the comics have shown just how gross they can get.

The strongest Spider-Man variations of all time have reshaped entire universes, but the most disgusting have altered Peter Parker's body to an even greater degree. Comic fans have seen zombie Spider-Man eating human flesh, and a Spider-Man whose body was literally made out of spiders. In a story called "The Other," the canon 616-universe Peter went through a grotesque transformation and grew stingers that he could use in battle.

One of Peter's most horrifying variations could be hitting the big screen. Some believable fan theories about "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" suggest that Spidey's scariest comic book form will be featured in the movie. The Man-Spider puts all other terrifying Spider-Men to shame, but his origin story is more tragic than scary.

The creature that came to be known as Man-Spider first appeared in "Marvel Fanfare" #2 in 1982. In the first issue of the series, Spider-Man accompanied Angel from the X-Men on an expedition to the Savage Land. There they were captured by Brain Child, who used a machine of his own invention to rapidly mutate their bodies. In issue #2, Spider-Man has completely morphed into a giant spider. He's got horrific pincers and eight arms protruding from his back. His costume is in tatters, and the mutation is tearing his mind apart.

Man-Spider and the mutated Angel attack Ka-Zar and try killing him. Peter Parker tragically still exists in the Man-Spider's body, his mind fighting to stay alive. Peter briefly regains control to save Ka-Zar's life, but the Man-Spider takes over and returns to Brain Child's lair. Ka-Zar and Dr. Karl Lykos come to rescue Peter and Angel, but the Man-Spider brutally attacks them. 

After Ka-Zar subdues Man-Spider, Dr. Lykos uses his powers to reverse Peter's mutation, but there's a steep cost. In order to use his powers, Dr. Lykos has to give up his life and transform into the evil pterodactyl-like creature Sauron. He escapes, but Peter and Angel live on to fight another day.

Man-Spider didn't stick around long in the comics, but years after "Marvel Fanfare" #2, the character made his big TV debut. In the fan-favorite "Spider-Man: The Animated Series," Peter (Christopher Daniel Barnes) also goes through a physical transformation and becomes a giant spider creature. However, even though he looks like his comic book counterpart, the TV Man-Spider has a completely different story. 

In the show, Dr. Connors (Joseph Campanella) discovers that the spider bite that gave Peter his powers never stopped mutating his body. The process had been moving slowly for years, but it's now speeding up dramatically. As in the comics, Peter's mind slips away when he becomes the Man-Spider. Propelled by its human host's base instincts, it displays far more violence and aggression than Peter ever would.

Luckily for the animated Peter Parker, reversing his Man-Spider mutation doesn't require another hero's sacrifice. Peter uses the Neogenic Recombinator, a device conveniently constructed by Dr. Michael Morbius (Nick Jameson), to turn himself back into human form. Man-Spider made occasional appearances in other "Spider-Man" episodes, but it's been a long time since he's reared his fangs on TV.