Peter Parker is one of the most beloved heroes in Spider-Man, he often represents the ideal that every man can be a hero, no matter who they are. Still, there are many others who have donned the mask, including Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy, and Ben Reilly.
Yet, despite it all, Peter is often regarded as the definitive Spider-Man. Given how many Spider-Men across the multiverse are versions of Peter, it isn't hard to see why. Yet, it has to be itted, even among those Peters, there have been some pretty wild alternates.
Assassin Spider-Man
The Peter Parker of the Marvel Comics universe tends to be a wise-cracking guy with a strong desire to be a Friendly Neighborhood hero. Not every Parker has the same desires. The Assassin Spider-Man, for instance, is a brutal killer without any of the humor that 616 Peter carries in spades.
This Peter is still incredibly intelligent and longs to protect his loved ones — to the point where he abandoned New York City entirely just to keep them safe. Still, his cruel tendencies make him a close friend to Wolverine but precious few others.
Savage Spider-Man
In the mainline universe, losing Uncle Ben was one of the worst things that ever happened to Spider-Man, but another Peter lost his entire family in a Wilson Fisk orchestrated plane crash over the Savage Lands. This Peter, taken in by giant spiders after the crash, was the sole survivor.
After being bitten by the spiders, he developed powers of his own and quickly managed to avenge his family. Considerably more brutal than mainline Peter, killing isn't exactly out of this Peter's comfort zone. In fact, he considers it just a natural part of life as a Savage Land hunter.
Spider-Hulk
A former student of Bruce Banner, Peter Parker discovered that he was the victim of an incurable illness. He and his teacher worked together to try to resolve it, eventually creating a spider with gamma properties that turned Peter into Spider-Hulk. While slightly contrived, the procedure created one of the most powerful Marvel multiverse characters.
Given how powerful regular Peter Parker already is, infusing him with gamma radiation is creating the perfect cocktail of horrifying monster. It made Parker even harder to kill while adding considerably to his strength and giving him spider claws. Oh, and it decreased his intelligence and verbosity in Hulk form. While it didn't end well for Spider-Hulk, it was certainly a terrifying sight.
Spider-Man Cyborg
What's better than a genius with spider powers and a wicked sense of humor? A genius cyborg with spider powers and a wicked sense of humor. One Peter Parker es by day as seemingly just any other human, but once he's in the line of fire, he has considerable cybernetic enhancements that grant him additional powers.
While fans haven't had the chance to see much from Spider-Cyborg, his enhancements seem amazing and his design is fantastic. With one hand completely replaced by a gun and two cybernetic eyes, it's incredible to imagine what he can do — especially with his spider-sense fully active.
Spider-Man Noir
A character that many fans are clamoring to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse as a version of Peter Parker that stepped right out of the Great Depression. In the comics, Noir has entire runs dedicated to his adventures as a private investigator, struggling to solve crime in a dark and gloomy atmosphere.
Noir's adventures include taking down Norman Osborn, working alongside the Black Cat, and helping to fight Nazis in the early days of World War II. In every one of his stories, Noir tackles the dark adventures the mainline Peter Parker rarely attempts, while trying to make the world a better place for all.
Web-Slinger
The nephew of a former sheriff and the Peter Parker from the Wild West, the Web-Slinger isn't exactly afraid to use a web-pistol to help save the day. Appearing on Ultimate Spider-Man, the Web-Slinger was an outlaw doing his best to fight back against his town's sheriff.
Not one to stay if a fight is beyond winning, the Web-Slinger is willing to retreat if it means fighting another day. Though he may be more cowardly than other Peters, he still has the profound desire to do what's right, even if he has to do it alone.
Man-Spider
Unlike most versions of Peter Parker, most spiders don't actually have only four limbs. They also don't shoot webs from their arms, but that tends to be beside the point. One version of Peter Parker, Man-Spider, grew four extra arms after being bitten by a radioactive spider.
While he has all of the abilities that 616 Peter Parker has, he also has additional web-shooting capabilities thanks to his additional arms. Beyond that, there are really no differences, and somehow that's one of the stranger things about Man-Spider. Well, that and why he changed his name to Man-Spider.
Spider-Punisher
After being bit by a spider with an extremely convenient skull mark on its back, Peter Parker took to the streets with guns alongside his webslingers. One of many Marvel heroes darker than their villains, the Spider-Punisher killed gang and drug traffickers across New York City, making the city a terrifying place for criminals.
While his efforts did slow crime, this version of Peter was a particularly brutal one without any of the humor that comes from the 616 Peter. Though colder and more calculating than the rest of the spiders, he did still eventually lay down the webs and chose to settle down after saving Gwen Stacy's life.
Radioactive Spider-Man
In the real world, getting bitten by a radioactive spider isn't actually going to give people spider powers. It's probably just going to give them radiation burns or worse. But one Peter Parker suffered an even worse fate. After being bitten, he mutated into a giant spider with severe hunger.
Desperate for blood and meat, Peter drove Gwen Stacy and their son away, leaving him just desperate to find a cure. Though Peter failed, he tried to reassure his infected son, even in his dying moments. It was a tragic end for the Radioactive Spider-Man, but at least he provided some comfort for his child.
Cosmic Spider-Man
While mainline 616 Peter Parker gave up the Uni-Power, one version of the character held onto it and remained the Cosmic Spider-Man. Far from being a mere Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, this hero defended his entire universe from multiversal threats, while helping to ensure peace on his home planet.
One of the most powerful heroes in any universe, it wasn't wise to get on Cosmic Spider-Man's bad side. Still, some villains were able to get the jump on him. Peter lost his life in the fight against the Inheritors, raising the stakes considerably. Yet, as one of the most powerful spiders, this hero is often still ed as a noble savior, even if a fallen one.