Few supervillain teams are more iconic thanSpider-Man’s nemeses’ Sinister Six. The team is a loose organization of villains who gather for short periods to achieve their common goals. While certain villains like Doctor Octopus and the Vulture frequently reappear throughout future iterations, the Sinister Six has hosted a wide-spanning rotating cast. Despite the team’s name, there has been a shocking number of villains who have joined this criminal collective.
Debuting inAmazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (1964) -by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko - Doctor Octopus gathered the original Sinister Six following a string of embarrassing defeats at the hands of Spider-Man. Otto contactedSpidey’s most frequent nemeses - Vulture, Electro, Kraven, Mysterio, and Sandman- with the promise of personal fortune and Spider-Man’s death. Naturally, Spider-Man prevailed but not before the “Sinister Six” became a rallying call for the Web-Slinger’s worst enemies. Both powerful and meek, dozens of Spider-Man villains have gathered solely to take down their least favorite neighborhood hero. Here isevery member of the Sinister Six, ranked by strength.
50Owl / Leland Owlsley
He Has the Proportional Powers of an Owl
Following a life of successfully embezzling money from the IRS, Leland Owlsely abandoned his regular life to instead run a criminal enterprise. After discovering the “Owl Serum,” Leland gained the power to fly short distances. Technically, most of his physiology has been altered to be like an owl’s, but practically all he can do is fly a little. Repeated use of the Owl Serum early in his career has warped Owl’s mind, making him noticeably more owl-like. Following a confrontation with Boomerang’s Sinister Six,Own instead joined forces with his enemiesto create the Sinister Sixteen, all for the sake of retrieving a picture of Doctor Doom.
49Clown
He’s Funny Cuckoo, Not Funny Haha
The Clown is a low-level petty criminal and part of a Circus-themed crime family called the Circus of Crime. The Clown is a psychopath who lives purely for his own violent whims. Despite his fantastical themes, he doesn’t really do anything clown-related besides dress like the saddest clown you’ve ever seen. Clown has no powers, primarily opting to shoot people.He was invited into the Sinister Sixteen, the least strict on villainous requirements among the various iterations of the team. Not so tragically, Clown was killed by the criminal anarchist, the “Zodiac.”
48Tombstone / Alonzo Lincoln
One of Spider-Man’s Many Gangster Enemies
Tombstone is a textbook gangster. Having been brought into the organized crime industry at an early age, Alonzo has always been a criminal. However, despite his criminal tendencies, Tombstone isn’t much more interesting of a villain than that. He does receive a small bump in physical strength after being exposed to a mysterious chemical, but that’s about it for the career hit-man.Tombstone was invited to join the Sinister Twelvein a last-ditch effort to destroy Spider-Man. The team’s leader, the Green Goblin, held nothing back with this team, even if it meant scraping the bottom of the barrel.
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47Hammerhead
An Old-School Mafioso With an Evenly Level Head
Hammerhead isn’t much of a worthy villain to be placed on this list. Hammerhead became a career hit-man early in his life after joining the criminal organization Maggia. After nearly losing his life, Hammerhead was given a cybernetic adamantium skeleton which bolstered his already dense noggin. However, the criminal reallydoesn’t have any powers or special abilitiesbeyond that. Realistically, the only reason Hammerhead gets invited to some of the Sinister Six teams is becausehe’s fought Spider-Manoccasionally. Honestly, Hammerhead isn’t all that interesting of a character.
46Mirage / Desmond Charne
He’ll Make You See Things at a Slight Distance Away
Desmond always wanted to be a super-criminal when he grew up. He mastered the art and science of holographic projections and set off on a path of petty crime. Mirage has tried his best hand at thievery but is promptly defeated by the heroes every time. Like many of Marvel’s small-scale silly villains, Mirage joined Supervillains Anonymous looking for a second chance. However, fellow support group member Boomerangconscripted Mirage to join the Sinister Sixteen.Boomerang later pushed Desmond off a roof, killing him instantly. Technically, Mirage doesn’t possess any notable powers or abilities besides his ability to cast holographic projections.
45The Trapster / Pete Petruski
A Seriously Sticky Scoundrel
Originally known as “Paste-Pot Pete,” Peter was once a brilliant scientist who specialized in the research of multi-polymer adhesives. After creating a particularly potent glue, Peter became wildly rich. However, Pete wanted more and became the ridiculously dressed and laughably named villain Paste-Pot Pete. Despite his ridiculous gimmick, the Trapster has actually proven to have some serious staying power in the comics. He, like many of the villains on this list, was an earlier villain for Spider-Man during a time whenmost Marvel villainswere one-shot goofballs. Yet it seems that as long as a criminal fights Spider-Man at least a few times,they get a ticket to the Sinister Six eventually.
44Human Fly / Richard Deacon
Spider-Man’s Grossest Foe Yet
Following a violent altercation with Spider-Man and the police, Richard Deacon discovered a plot to create a superhero to rival Spider-Man. Deacon, critically injured by police gunfire, forced the scientist in charge to give him superpowers. Deacon was soon altered with the genetic material of a housefly and thus the Human Fly was born. The Fly, as expected, has the proportional powers and strength of the average fly. Along with the standard super upgrades, Deacon now sports a pair of high-speed wings and multifaceted eyes that let him see in all directions. Most disgustingly, the Human Fly can vomit acid strong enough to eat through metal. Sometime in his meager criminal career,Deacon was invited to join the Sinister Sixteen.
438-Ball
A Criminal Who Steals Identities
Not much is known about this version of the villain. After the original 8-Ball was killed, the Hobgoblin sold the villain’s equipment to an unnamed villain who became the next 8-Ball. This unknown criminal. This 8-Ball is severely lacking in character and has only ever beenthe backup henchman for another villain.Because his low-level thug is copying an already unimpressive villain, he doesn’t have much in the realm of firepower. 8-Ball’s costume is supposedly bulletproof, and he is equipped with a pool cue stick that can absorb and amplify any force applied to it. 8-Ball was recruited to join the Boomerang’s Sinister Sixteen.
42Man Mountain Marko / Michael Marko
In No Way Related to the Juggernaut or Sandman
Michael Mountain is little more than a street-level goon who became obsessed with gaining power after being accidentally pushed aside by a puny-looking Peter Parker. Michael joined the Maggia, who enhanced the mobster’s physical strength. Now, Mountain has swollen in size due to the syndicate’s steroids. He can lift thousands of pounds and punch through doors,even handling Luke Cage in a fight.But past that, he isn’t much more than a brute. The steroids he takes to gain his power deal debilitating damage to him over time. Man Mountian, alongside many other low-level villains, was invited to join Boomerang’s Sinister Sixteen. However, Marko has done little fighting since having his eyes gouged out by Moon Knight.
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41Squid / Donald Callahan
More Arms Means More Guns
Yet another petty criminal with animal-themed powers, Donald Callahan gained his abilities from a mysterious criminal organization. Now, the Squid can shift between a normal human form and a bi-pedal squid-like form. As his skin turns green, four large tentacles sprout from Donald’s back which he primarily utilizes to shoot multiple guns. As could be expected, the Squid can shoot ink at his enemies and can breathe underwater. The Squid isn’t honestly all that impressive and is usually drafted as a last-ditch effort. Donaldteamed up with the Swarm’s version of the Sinister Sixbut gave up after the team’s leader was defeated by the Hellions.
