Spider-Slayer
The Spider-Slayers are a series of fictional robots appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The robots are depicted as being specifically designed to hunt down, capture, or kill Spider-Man.
Publication history
The Spider-Slayers first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #25 and were created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.Fictional character biography
The first series of robots were originally designed and built by Dr. Spencer Smythe with the financial backing of J. Jonah Jameson who piloted them for the pleasure of personally hunting the superhero he hated for capture. However, Spider-Man always managed to defeat each robot in turn. Smythe's continual efforts to perfect his machines backfired on him, leading to himself being fatally contaminated by radiation poisoning from the building materials of his creations. Blaming both Jameson and Spider-Man for this, he attempted, as a final act, to murder them both, but died just before Spider-Man thwarted the attempt.Later, Jameson commissioned another scientist, Dr. Marla Madison, to create a new and improved Spider-Slayer. While that attempt failed, he eventually fell in love with her and married her.
In Amazing Spider-Man Annual #19, Smythe's son, Alistair, emerged as the new builder of Spider-Slayers. He swore revenge on Spider-Man, repeatedly attacking the superhero with his own series of Slayers. Smythe later mutated into a humanoid Spider-Slayer, but remains a minor foe.
The original Spider-Slayer was seen among the robots and machines in the Reanimator's collection. Wolverine later destroyed the Spider-Slayer when the Reanimator attempted to use it against him. It was later used by J. Jonah Jameson to attack the She-Hulk after she had married his son John, but it was destroyed.
In Amazing Spider-Man #603, Jameson has some old Spider-Slayers sent to him from storage, to better equip his "Anti-Spider Squad" to take down Spider-Man. The Spider-Slayer technology is combined with that of the Mandroid suits. However, the "Spider-Slayer Squad" wearing the suits quit their jobs after Spider-Man saves them and New York from a dirty bomb.
Despite not being technically related to the Smythe's and Madison's creations, when Spider-Man refits all the Octobots confiscated from Doctor Octopus and kept in the New York Police Precinct to carry an antidote able to reverse the mutations turning all the New York population into Man-Spiders, he humorously renames them his own Spider-Slayers.
When the Goblin King and his Goblin Underground group cause havoc in Manhattan, Mayor J. Jonah Jameson unveils the Goblin-Slayers which he plans to use against the Goblin-related threats. Mary Jane Watson voices her concern that the Goblin-Slayers used to be former Spider-Slayers. Mayor J. Jonah Jameson orders Chief Pratchett to send one of the Goblin Slayers to the robbery location and then head to chase the Superior Spider-Man. After Don Lamaze sacrifices his life to get out of the Goblin King's trap, the Superior Spider-Man confronted by a legion of Spider-Slayers with Mayor J. Jonah Jameson's face projected on the front faceplate. Mayor J. Jonah Jameson replies that he's done with being blackmailed by him and he doesn't care if he loses everything as long as he can finally bring down Spider-Man. The Superior Spider-Man tries to fight the Spider-Slayers, but discovers that they're far stronger than all the previous ones. Suddenly, the Spider-Slayers are deactivated remotely by Spider-Man 2099, who confronts the Superior Spider-Man about who he really is and the reasons behind his actions of late. Suddenly, the Spider-Slayers are reactivated to Spider-Man 2099's shock. The Goblin King's voice rings out declaring that he has taken control of the Spider-Slayers as well which grab both Spider-Men by their heads as the Goblin King comments that Norman Osborn now runs this city.
In a Spider-Man 2099 storyline following Smythe's death, dealers illegally sell Spider-Slayers to foreign nations. However, after Miguel accompanies Tiberus Stone on one such deal, he ends up fighting the Scorpion as Stone is captured by the local rebels, Miguel defeating the Scorpion by tricking the Spider-Slayers into attacking him, while Stone's encounter with the rebels prompts him to change his mind about the original deal.
List of Spider-Slayers
Other versions
Ultimate Marvel
The Ultimate Marvel version of Spider-Slayers are eight foot robots that balance on a large sphere, wield two arm-cannons and have a sphere for heads, and built and controlled remotely by the Tinkerer. In case Spider-Man ever went rogue, clones of Spider-Man begin running rampant to which Nick Fury and a battalion of Spider-Slayers travel to the Parker residence to arrest Peter Parker, only to encounter the Fantastic Four and Carnage which reverts back to Gwen Stacy after the Spider-Slayers take down. The Spider-Slayers later kill a disfigured clone and imprisoned another unstable clone in S.H.I.E.L.D.MC2
While trying to apprehend a dimension-hopping supervillain in the MC2 reality, Spider-Girl is accidentally sent into Earth-616's past, where she encounters the first Spider-Slayer. Mistaking her for its quarry, the Spider-Slayer attacks Spider-Girl who manages to evade the machine due to being distracted by how different "Spider-Man" looks. Spider-Girl later returns to her own universe and time, while Spider-Man defeats the Spider-Slayer in the same way he did in the original story.House of M
In the House of M reality, J. Jonah Jameson has Alistair Smythe construct a Spider-Slayer as protection. When Peter's family breaks into Jonah's home looking for Peter's journal Jonah, using the Spider-Slayer, attacks. Hitting Gwen Stacy just as Peter arrives, Jonah's Spider-Slayer is ripped to shreds by the hero.What If
After May Parker and John Jameson are killed in a space shuttle crash caused by the Chameleon, J. Jonah Jameson adopts Peter Parker, and blames the deaths of their loved ones on Spider-Man. Obsessed with taking Spider-Man down, Jameson commissions the creation of the Spider-Slayer and the Scorpion formula, the latter of which is ingested by Flash Thompson. The serum warps Flash's mind and causes Flash to go on a rampage, which ends when subdued by Spider-Man and the Spider-Slayer, controlled by Jameson. Jameson realizes how irrational his hatred of Spider-Man is, and decides to help his adopted son fight crime using the Spider-Slayer.In other media
Television
- The first Spider-Slayer appeared in the 1960s Spider-Man animated series. This version was built by Henry Smythe. In this adaptation instead of steel coils that shoot out of the robots body, it only has two metallic tentacle-like arms, and also possesses a periscope. In the episode "Captured by J. Jonah Jameson", it pursued Spider-Man all over the city. After Spider-Man tricked the Spider-Slayer with a dummy of himself, Henry takes the Spider-Slayer back to his house to work on it.
- The Spider-Slayers appear in the 1990s Spider-Man animated series. Various versions are created by the Smythe family to eliminate Spider-Man. In "The Spider Slayer", the Spider-Slayers being commissioned by Norman Osborn for hunting Spider-Man with Spencer Smythe at the controls. The 'Black Widow' Spider-Slayer was finally destroyed and the factory exploded with Spencer still inside. This culminated in Alistair Smythe working for the Kingpin when his father was presumed dead. In "Return of the Spider-Slayers", Alistair would go on to not only recreate the 'Black Widow' Spider-Slayer, but simultaneously created the 'Tarantula' Spider-Slayers and 'Scorpion' Spider-Slayer. In this depiction, the three Spider-Slayers could join together as a massive engine of destruction. In "Tablet of Time", Alistair would build the 'Mega Slayer' Spider-Slayer, a heavily armed humanoid robot operated by remote. As punishment for repeated failures, chief scientist Herbert Landon genetically mutated Alistair into the Ultimate Spider-Slayer as seen in "The Ultimate Slayer". Now having twin horns growing from his shoulders where both have organic laser guns, Alistair's capable of walking again and incredibly strong and resilient. Though Alistair broke free from Kingpin's controls when Spider-Man revealed what really happened to Spencer. In "The Wedding", Kingpin used a duplicate of the 'Mega Slayer' Spider-Slayer to stop Goblin Glider-riding Robots sent by Alistair and the second Green Goblin to crash Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson's wedding. It was destroyed while helping Spider-Man and Black Cat. The Alien Spider Slayer was removed from the 1990s Spider-Man TV series but the design was featured in both the Animated Series Toy Line by Toy Biz and the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis Spider-Man video game released in 1995.
- A Spider-Slayer like concept called the Sentinel Prowlers appear in the Wolverine and the X-Men animated series. The Sentinel Prowler are a prototype version of Sentinels.
- The Spider-Slayers appear in Ultimate Spider-Man vs. The Sinister 6, voiced by Drake Bell, Scott Porter, Imari Williams, and Roger Craig Smith. They are a part of HYDRA's secret project where Spider-Man's DNA is combined with Arnim Zola's synthezoids, and appear in their self-titled "Spider-Slayers" story-arc as central characters. Kaine is a pale version of Spider-Man with a green mark across his chest spider symbol and highly resistant to damage with the capability of reattaching lost limbs, Bone Spider's additional ability enables him to extend his bony protrusions and claws, Goliath Spider's additional abilities give him super-strength and the ability to turn his body into metal, and Ghost Spider's additional ability enables him to teleport, become intangible and perform bio-electrokinesis moves. They appear in their self-titled "Spider-Slayers" story-arc as central characters. Kaine makes himself known when he feeds off of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson. When the two move through HYDRA's secret lab, Kaine uses more synthezoids of Spider-Man in fighting Spider-Man and Spider-Woman. Following the imperfect synthezoids' defeat, Kaine traps Spider-Man and Spider-Woman until the prototype synthezoid is sliced in half by Scarlet Spider. Perfect synthezoids of Scarlet Spider are used as Doctor Octopus's protection when the three Spiders move further through the secret lab only for the more perfect synthezoids to be beaten by Scarlet Spider and Spider-Woman. When Spider-Man and Scarlet Spider take Doctor Octopus to Hydra Island, the three encounter the Delta-Nine Synthezoids in a showdown. After it's revealed that Scarlet Spider is an advanced Synthezoid with Spider-Man's DNA, Doctor Octopus reveals that Scarlet Spider was originally meant to be the Delta-Nine Synthezoids' leader. As the two heroes struggle against the Delta-Nine Synthezoids, Doctor Octopus comes to aid the Spider-Men and imprisons the Delta-Nine Synthezoids. After Zola's reactivation, Doctor Octopus leave Spider-Man and Scarlet Spider to the clones' wrath. Zola traps Scarlet Spider and Spider-Man, making Scarlet Spider fall into the dark side but convinces the Delta-Nine Synthezoids to not attack Spider-Man as the Web Warriors arrived. With help from the newfound allies, Spider-Man was able to defeat Zola. Escaping the HYDRA Island's destruction and placing the Delta-Nine Synthezoids into stasis pods, the Web Warriors and the Delta Nine Synthezoids go off to the Triskelion. However, Kaine later returns in a mutated, misshapen form with spiked tentacles out of his sides and infiltrates the Triskelion, attacking S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy and feeding off energy. When Scarlet Spider attempts to overload Kaine with an energy transmitter, the process is interrupted which makes Kaine stronger. Powered up with a bulkier physique, Kaine begins dominating over the Web-Warriors, making Spider-Man and Scarlet Spider resort to assistance from the Delta-Nine Synthezoids. But having gained enough intelligence to be disdainful towards humans, Kaine is able to coerce the Delta-Nine Synthezoids as the new alpha into turning on the Web Warriors. Although the Delta-Nine Synthezoids are eventually defeated by the Web Warriors, Kaine absorbs the Delta-Nine Synthezoids into his body mass, transforming into the Ultimate Spider-Slayer. The nigh-unstoppable, hulking synthezoid hybrid attempts to absorb Scarlet Spider but Agent Venom rushes with the energy transmitter and enters the hybrid Spider-Slayer, successfully managing to overload the hulking Spider-Slayer to explode into synthetic goop.
- The Spider-Slayers appear in the 2010s Spider-Man animated series. There are several variations with Spencer Smythe and Alistair Smythe as creators. In the episode "Horizon High" Pt. 2, the first mechanical spider invades Horizon High to steal Harry Osborn's devices. After two different difficult battles, Spider-Man is able to destroy the Spider-Slayer. In the episode "Party Animals", a second mechanical spider fights with Spider-Man. After its fight with Spider-Man, Alistair has the Spider-Slayer self-destruct, causing Spider-Man to fling the different parts high into the sky. In the episode "Ultimate Spider-Man", a third mechanical spider invades Oscorp to confront Norman Osborn. When Spider-Man arrives, Osborn manipulates Spider-Man into flinging the robot into Oscorp's roof before self-destructing. The two mecha Spider-Slayers later try to collect the Ultimate Spider-Man, unintentionally endangering Jefferson Davis's life during this. In the episodes "The Rise of Doc Ock" , an Oscorp Spider-Slayer is used by Alistair. In the episode "Spider-Island" , Oscorp's Spider-Slayers were used by Harry, Anya Corazon and the Spider-Men against the Man-Spiders within Oscorp but eventually deactivated by the Jackal. In the episode "Goblin War" , miniature Spider-Slayers were used by Alistair as security against Spider-Man, Spider-Woman and Spider-Girl when the three were initially investigating the Goblin Nation.
Film
- A viral marketing for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 shows a reference of Spider-Slayers as significant advancements in robotics by Spencer Smythe but has been taken over by his son.
- The Spider Slayers were to be featured in future follow ups to The Amazing Spider-Man series.
Video games
- The Spider-Slayers appeared in both the SNES and Sega Genesis versions of the Spider-Man Animated Series video game. In the SNES version, the Spider-Slayer Mark X appears as a mini-boss in the construction zone level, while the Spider-Slayer Mark XIV was the boss of that same level. The Mark XVI and Mark XVII also appear as regular enemies in the same level with the Mark XV joining in Spectacular mode. The Mark X, XIV, XVI, and XVII also reappear in the final level Ravencroft Prison. The Mark X also appears in the secret room in the sewer in Spectacular mode. In the Genesis version, the Mark XV appears in the "Deconstruction Zone" level while the Mark X was the boss of the "Mean Streets of the City" level.
- In the Super Famicom game ', both Mark X and XI Spider-Slayers appear as regular enemies in the game.
- The Spider-Slayers appeared in the Game Boy game '.
- The Spider-Slayers appeared in the Spider-Man video game adaptation. They had been created by Oscorp to hunt down Spider-Man but they wound up hunting the Scorpion instead. They resembled mechanical spiders.
- Humanoid Spider-Slayers armed with flame throwers appear as enemies in the final Ultimate segment in . In-game, it is stated that these Spider-Slayers were built with the intention of handling the Venom and Carnage symbiotes. When Carnage escapes and begins wreaking havoc throughout the Triskelion, S.H.I.E.L.D. releases them to handle the situation, but they also end up attacking Spider-Man as well due to the black suit. During the final battle, S.H.I.E.L.D. operative Welling reprograms a group of Spider-Slayers to recognize Spider-Man as an ally and help defeat Carnage.
- Four Spider-Slayer models called the S-Bots series appears in The Amazing Spider-Man. The S-Bots consisted of Sentries, Seekers, and Hunters. There were also three larger robots were created by Oscorp R&D head Alistair Smythe. The first is the S-01 which was released into Central Park after the outbreak of the Cross-Species outbreak where Spider-Man defeats it by getting it fire one of its own missiles into its mouth. The second is the S-02 released to kill Spider-Man after Smythe injected himself with the failed cure which Spider-Man defeated by getting it to suck up a radio antenna. The third and final is the S-03 which can be best described as a Colosseum with legs that Spider-Man and the Lizard were able to defeat via taking out its legs.