While there are some hero and villain duos that only the most die-hard comics fans would know, there are the iconic, epic Marvel Comics rivalries that have not only been ingrained in popular culture but have shaped comics history. When one says, "Marvel," it's hard not to imagine Spider-Man battling the Green Goblin. The same could be said for many of the renowned rivalries between a special selection of Marvel heroes and villains.
These epic rivalries are impactful for a number of reasons. One reason is that each rivalry set in motion a trend that would go on to be seen in other comics, regardless of the publishing house. Another reason is that these rivalries have impacted the events of the comics and their narratives in a meaningful and consequential way. Whatever the reason, the Marvel villains who could never be heroes and their contrasting superpowered opposites have delighted viewers for years and affected comics as a whole.
10 Wolverine & Sabretooth
Archenemies, Wolverine and Sabretooth have a long-standing feud with each other. Their volatile relationship is made all the more interesting by the dark mirror Sabretooth is to Wolverine, showing Logan's repressed savage instincts.
Their decades-spanning conflict has gone through a number of phases, one of which even included Sabretooth staying in the X-Men's mansion when Professor X was trying to help him. This relationship has impacted the Marvel Comics history greatly, showing readers how easily Wolverine could have become a villain like Sabretooth had things been a little different for Logan. Likewise, the antagonistic tendencies between the two have the ability to bring out the worst in Wolverine, giving viewers a glimpse of what Logan is capable of if pushed enough. The strong vitriol they have for each other has understandably spawned intrigue, causing stories outside the mainstream timeline, namely X-Men Forever, to distinguish Sabretooth as Wolverine's father in an interesting twist.
9 Abomination & The Hulk
After intentionally blasting himself with a lethal dose of gamma radiation in order to gain superpowers like the Hulk, Emil Blonksy turns into the Abomination. The Abomination and the Hulk may have similar powers, but their years of being adversaries show that they differ in their moral comes, with Abomination embracing his villainy.
The determination by Abomination to defeat the Hulk eventually results in him getting lost in space and needing assistance from MODOK. Abomination has also battled She-Hulk, Spider-Man, and Thor. As a result, Abomination weaves throughout other Marvel characters' stories, impacting the comics as a whole. Moreover, having the character of Abomination be physically stronger than the Hulk but still be defeated by him multiple times enforces how powerful the Hulk can be due to his rage and tenacity.
8 Thor & Loki
The version of Loki audiences are familiar with today first appeared in Journey into Mystery #85 by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby in 1962. Raised as brothers, Thor and Loki have long had bad blood, no doubt stemming from the long-held jealousy Loki has felt toward the Norse God of Thunder.
The sibling rivalry between the pair is responsible for one of the most important comics teams ever (and a deserved MCU spinoff for the villainous character): The Avengers. In 1963's Avengers #1 by Lee and Kirby, the combined efforts of the Avengers defeated Loki, something that would've been impossible if Thor was on his own. Without Loki and his scheming ways, the Avengers never would have assembled.
7 Daredevil & Kingpin
First appearing in The Amazing Spider-Man #50 by Stan Lee and John Romita, Kingpin started out as a villain to the web-slinger but eventually became the nemesis to Matt Murdoch's Daredevil. Operating on the wrong side of the law, Kingpin has massive control over New York City's underground, making him the center of many of the city's crimes and wrongs.
Since Kingpin is one of the most powerful, corrupt figures of NYC, he often causes the carnage and crime that Daredevil as well as other Marvel heroes have to combat. While some may wish that the MCU move on from Kingpin, the importance of the fraught rivalry between Daredevil and Kingpin can't be denied. Likewise, Kingpin is the reason for the formation of one of the incarnations of the Defenders consisting of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, who banded together in hopes of taking down the Kingpin and his organization.
6 X-Men & Phoenix Force
While frequently linked to Jean Grey, the Phoenix Force is an immortal cosmic entity that has also used the X-Men of Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magik, and Colossus as hosts. It's safe to say that through the many hosts the Phoenix Force has encumbered, it has torn apart the X-Men and wreaked unequivocal havoc.
For instance, under the Phoenix Force, Cyclops killed Professor X. Similarly, when Magik and Colossus each possessed parts of the Phoenix Force, they turned on each other, forcing brother and sister into great conflict. Through the Phoenix Force's different hosts, its ability to turn the tight-knit X-Men against each other has shown comic readers that even the most seemingly cohesive group of heroes could be torn apart under the wrong circumstances.
5 The Avengers & Thanos
A supervillain as powerful as Thanos could not be taken down by just one superhero due to his super strength, speed, stamina, immortality, invulnerability, telepathy, and super genius capabilities among others. His constant attacks have necessitated the teamwork of the Avengers to band together and stop him.
The showdown between the Avengers and Thanos resulted in one of the most popular Marvel storylines ever created, namely 1991's The Infinity Gauntlet by Jim Starlin, George Pérez and Ron Lim. This famous storyline has been featured in the MCU and remains an enduring picture of how powerful a foe Thanos is, even to a group as lauded and capable as the Avengers. The Infinity Gauntlet storyline and the setup that focused on the rivalry between Thanos and the Avengers showed that heroes don't always win and are not always guaranteed a safe, happy ending.
4 Dr. Doom & Mr. Fantastic
The rivalry between Dr. Doom and Mr. Fantastic is so fierce that it stands out decades after its introduction. The two have a long-time rivalry that started as somewhat innocent competitiveness and plain dislike between the two at school and has evolved into a serious battle between good and evil.
The rivalry between Dr. Doom and Mr. Fantastic and the Fantastic Four has been represented in multiple forms of media as well as action figures and trading cards, with Doom serving as the figurehead for the villains of the Fantastic Four. By having such a brilliant and magical arch nemesis (who has not appeared in the MCU) to the incredibly intelligent Reed Richards, it could be argued that Dr. Doom is actually the smarter of the two. However, Doom's arrogance and perfectionism are consistently his downfall, communicating that it isn't the abilities that someone has but how they use them that determines one's success and potential.
3 Captain America & The Red Skull
The Red Skull and his most recognized persona of Johann Shmidt, has a vicious rivalry with Captain America that further extends to the Red Skull being an enemy to S.H.I.E.L.D and the Avengers. With a Nazi background, Shmidt schemes for world domination and genocide, displaying unparalleled cruelty.
The rivalry between Captain America and the Red Skull demonstrated to readers that Marvel Comics do not only have characters who are fantastical or unrealistic. The Red Skull may be amplified and exaggerated to fit in the comic book landscape. However, the evil ideologies of the character are based in reality, showing that comic book villains can be based on real-life evils.
2 Professor X & Magneto
Meeting at a Holocaust trauma victims' clinic, Professor X and Magneto become friends at first. In spite of that, the duo discovered that their views on mutants and humanity are too incompatible and eventually became opposing enemies.
While Professor X has traditionally fought for a world where mutants and humans can live together in harmony, Magneto has been determined not to let mutants become the victims of human aggression. This has led to numerous attacks against the world, with only Xavier's X-Men standing in his way. The antagonistic pairing of Professor X and Magneto has been impactful on Marvel and on comics in general as it shows that comics could be used to parallel real societal trends and tensions.
1 Spider-Man & The Green Goblin
A pairing as iconic to comics readers as peanut butter and jelly, Spider-Man and the Green Goblin have had an antagonistic affiliation that has seen representations in the comics of course, but has also followed into film adaptations, animated series, video games, and even a Broadway musical. As a result, the importance of this relationship has been cemented to not only Marvel but comics in general.
The rivalry between Green Goblin and Spider-Man untimely consumes both of their lives. Knowing each other as civilians and also as their super alter-egos, the two cannot escape the effect they have on each other. Norman Osborn has not only terrorized Spider-Man and New York, but he expanded his evil to the wider Marvel Universe when he became director of the S.H.I.E.L.D replacement, H.A.M.M.E.R, and attacked Asgard when leading the Dark Avengers.
