Of Marvel’s many heroes,Spider-Manhas the most varied and unique rogues’ gallery. However, of all his villains, theSinister Sixremains Spider-Man’s most iconic collection of evildoers, each darkly reflecting an aspect of Peter Parker. As Marvel continues to delve into the Spider-Verse, fans are experiencing more and more variants of Spider-Man’s classic enemies. Some fans have decided to join in the fun and create their own Spider-villains.
Artist@badmemorybrianon Instagram, who goes by Brian, took to the popular #spidersona trend online where artists have been designing their own original Spider-like characters. However, the artist decided to take it a step further and introduce an entirelyrefreshed version of the Sinister Six.
In designing these beautifully designed villainous variants, Brian leaned heavily into his love ofInto the Spider-Verse, while finding new and unique spins that honor the original depictions of each villain. When speaking with the artist, he admitted that he wanted his redesigns to feel familiar yet foreign; something fans could recognize easily while still being distinctive.
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One of the greatest overhauls to their original character design is Doctor Curt Connors. Brian mentioned that he wanted his take, which he calls the Salamander, to fit within the vibe ofConnors’s original animalistic and feral behavior.However, not wanting to rehash another lizard, the artist researched other regenerative animals, eventually landing on axolotls.
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In their research, Bran discovered that axolotls actually possess greater regenerative abilities than most lizards. If only Connors could have done the same research. One major detail the artist wanted to mention is thatCurt Connors’s missing arm is made stylistically presentin his animalist form.
Another example of Brian’s terrifying visionfor his Sinister Sixis his Doctor Otto Octavius, who has endured a significantly greater harrowing fate. Taking direct inspiration from Otto’s story in the PlayStationSpider-Mangame,this Doc Ocksignificantly relies on his mechanical appendagesto compensate for his physical disabilities. This version ofthe classic Spider-Man villainendured a similar fate to Alfred Molina’s depiction inSpider-Man 2, having drowned in the bay following his atomic experimentation. According to the artist, “I imagine this version of Dr. Octavius as more brutal and, at times, deeply tragic.”
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Anotherbold stylistic redesign, this version of Mysterio,or in this case “Myster-ION,” leans into the character’s more grandiose and self-aggrandizing qualities. Taking inspiration from the MCU’s depiction of Mysterio, Myster-ION is a tech-savvy villain who “portrays himself as a grand, honorable superhero.” Indulging in Myster-ION’s need to feel like a hero, the design intentionally bulked him up and added an obviously heroic cape into the mix. When asked about his inclusion of the floating eye, Brian noted that he just thought it would be fun to see in motion and to give the character a more expressive “face.”
Brian’s depiction ofSpot is a terrifying otherworldly monsterthat shares a similar horrific aesthetic with hisAcross the Spider-Versecounterpart. While Spot has traditionally been considered a comedic-relief character, in reality, he is a man torn apart by a dimensional void that is constantly overwriting his existence with that dimension’s infinite nothingness.
The artist’s version of Spot shows a mastery over the Spotted Dimension.
The artist’s version of Spot shows a mastery over the Spotted Dimension,fully able to harness its powers to create dark constructs. Spot’s overall blending into the voided reality fully shows off the level of control he has over himself and his dimensional prison.
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Probably the artist’s greatest stylistic deviation, besides the Salamander, is his version of Electro. Taking influence from the various versions of Electro that are depicted as beings of pure energy, this Electro follows suit. Becausethe villain no longer possesses a tangible body, he relies on his suit to contain his form and channel his unpredictable powers. Therearen’t many Marvel characterswhose powers make them so inhuman that they require a specific containment unit to exist, so it’s refreshing to see a take on a classic villain that leans into the practical problems of being an amorphous being.
Brian’s final redesign of the Sinister Six is Mr. Negative. The artist admits that his Mr. Negative can be difficult to recognize at first, but he notes that he “never liked his traditional suit” and that “it was simple and effective but didn’t excite [him].” Instead, thisMr. Negative adheres to a traditionaal Chinese aesthetic, adopting a pulled-back bun and dao sword, often associated with ancient Chinese youxia warriors. Additionally, Brian chose to give the villain a few pops of color to better express the boldness of his inverted transformations.
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Just about every kid who grew up reading comics or watching comic book shows and movies has wished that they could grow up to beSpider-Man. As Stan Lee once said, “Any kid could imagine he’s Spider-Man because no color of his skin shows.” This mantra has inspired many artists to craft their own Spider-Sonas, taking the artistic leap that most wish they could in real life. @badmemorybrian, however, took his love forSpider-Manjust one step further, leading to an extraordinary depiction of theSinister Sixthat could easily thrive within the Spider-Verse.
Source:@badmemorybrian (1,2,3,4,5,6,7)
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is the name given to several individuals who have employed a spider-moniker throughout Marvel Comics. Typically gaining their powers through a bite from a radioactive spider, the different Spider-Man heroes employ super-strength, agility, and intellect while utilizing webbing to swing and tangle up their foes. The most notable of these Spider-Men is Peter Parker, who remains one of the most popular superheroes throughout the world.
