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Kaine Parker

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Kaine Parker
Scarlet Spider
Cover to Scarlet Spider vol. 2 #24 (Nov. 2013). Art by Ryan Stegman. Colors by Marte Gracia Pazuzu.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceAs Kaine:
Web of Spider-Man #119 (December 1994)
As Tarantula:
The Amazing Spider-Man #637 (September 2010)
As Scarlet Spider:
Scarlet Spider #2 (April 2012)
Created byTerry Kavanagh (writer)
Steven Butler (artist)
In-story information
Full nameKaine Parker
SpeciesHuman mutate
Team affiliationsNew Warriors[1]
Notable aliasesPeter Parker
Spider-Man
Tarantula
Scarlet Spider
The Other
AbilitiesAs Kaine:
  • Superhuman strength, speed, agility, stamina, durability, reflexes and equilibrium
  • Precognitive Spider Sense
  • Mark of Kaine
  • Regenerative healing factor
  • Immunity to the world-wide mind purging of Spider-Man's identity
  • Ability to stick to walls

As Tarantula:

  • Four large spider legs
  • Organic webbing generation
  • Forearm stingers

Kaine Parker is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been depicted as a superhero and former supervillain who serves as an ally, an enemy, and foil to Peter Parker/Spider-Man and Ben Reilly. Created by Terry Kavanagh and Steven Butler, the character first appeared in Web of Spider-Man #119 (December 1994) as the Jackal's first failed attempt of a clone of Spider-Man.[2] He later appeared as the new Scarlet Spider in the Marvel Point One one-shot in November 2011 before starring in his own series.

Kaine Parker/Scarlet Spider made his cinematic debut in the 2023 feature film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.[3]

Fictional character biography

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Kaine's debut

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Kaine, as he originally appears during the Clone Saga. Interior artwork from Amazing Spider-Man vol. 1, #397 (January 1995, Marvel Comics)
Art by Mark Bagley

Kaine is the Jackal's first temporary success to clone Peter Parker but the flawed cloning process left him deformed and mentally unstable. The Jackal discards Kaine due to him showing early signs of degeneration, which will eventually kill him. Kaine experiences a strong feeling of rejection similar to that between a father and son. Kaine's degeneration gives him an enhanced version of Peter's powers, including a "precognitive sense" that shows him flashes of the future (an amplified version of Peter's spider-sense). He also possesses a "Mark of Kaine", a burning touch that he uses to leave eaten away hand prints on his victims' faces. Though never explicitly stated within the story, in a later interview former Spider-Man editor/writer Glenn Greenberg revealed that the Mark of Kaine was meant to be another analog of one of Spider-Man's powers, namely the ability to cling to walls.[4]

The Jackal goes on to create a new, better clone which would be known as Ben Reilly. When the Jackal uses Reilly against Peter, the ensuing battle leaves Reilly and the Jackal for dead. They both manage to survive; the Jackal places himself into suspended animation in a cloning pod to awaken later; and Reilly leaves New York.[5]

Trial of Peter Parker

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Due to Norman Osborn manipulating them, Ben and Kaine each believe themselves to be the original and Peter Parker to be the clone. Kaine frames Ben for a number of murders he commits since they have identical fingerprints, and Peter Parker is convicted for Kaine's crimes.[6] The two are placed in a mock trial where Peter is on trial, Kaine is his attorney, Carnage is the prosecutor, several Ravencroft inmates are the jury, and Judas Traveller is the judge.[7] However, Kaine refuses to confess to his crimes, so Peter considers revealing his secret identity to the courtroom. Kaine convinces Peter not to do this and eventually reveals the truth about the murders.[8]

Maximum Clonage

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After Peter Parker gives in to the news of being a clone and Ben Reilly is the true individual, he allies himself with the Jackal. Kaine refuses to let him throw his life away. He confronts the Jackal with the intent of destroying him, but the Jackal manipulates Kaine into believing he will be cured of the degeneration process. Once Jackal reveals he has lied again, Kaine leaves feeling dejected. He goes back to Mary Jane Watson for answers, and after a conversation of power and responsibility, Kaine returns to the Jackal's lab in time to assist Ben in a battle against numerous Spider-clones. In the ensuing battle, Spidercide fatally injures Kaine, but the Jackal places him in a pod to heal him.[9]

Redemption

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Kaine is freed from his pod by James Johnsmeyer, a sponsor of the Great Game tournament.[10] During a later encounter with Ben Reilly, Kaine gives up his hatred of Ben and acknowledges him as his brother. At that point, it is revealed that Kaine's degeneration is killing him, and he allows himself to be incarcerated in the Vault to atone for his previous crimes.[11] However, he escapes along with many other criminals in the pages of Thunderbolts.[12]

Grim Hunt

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In the "Grim Hunt" storyline, Kaine is hunted by Ana Kravinoff and Alyosha Kravinoff.[13] The two maul Kaine and sacrifice him to resurrect Kraven the Hunter. However, the resurrection is flawed due to Kaine not truly being Spider-Man and brings back Kraven in an undead state.[14] In the epilogue of "Grim Hunt", Kaine climbs out of his grave with mutated features, including extra eyes in a spider-like pattern on his forehead.[15]

Spider-Island

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During the Spider Island storyline, the Jackal further mutates Kaine into Tarantula, a spider-like creature resembling Man-Spider.[16] As Tarantula, he is put under Adriana Soria's control, acting as a henchman to the Jackal. During a battle with Spider-Man, Kaine is submerged in a pool of highly concentrated cure for the Spider-Virus, breaking his mental link with Soria and curing his degeneration.[17]

Scarlet Spider solo series

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Kaine Parker as Scarlet Spider.
Scarlet Spider vol. 2 #1 variant cover. Art by Mark Bagley.
Further information: Scarlet Spider (comic book) § Volume 2

Having been cured of his mutation, but not his spider-powers, Kaine assumes the Scarlet Spider mantle and moves to Houston. Although planning to simply pass through the city and move on to Mexico, he is distracted when he discovered a human trafficking ring. Kaine saves Aracely Penalba, a girl who was smuggled into America, and decides to protect her.[18][19]

Shortly after, Aracely has prophetic dreams concerning the Sixth Creation, Aztlán, her missing parents, gods, a talking coyote, and the rise of Mictlān. She and Kaine are attacked by the Lobo Brothers, the criminals behind her abduction, who intend to kill her to begin the Sixth Creation. During the fight, Aracely escapes, but Kaine is beaten and eventually killed. His spirit encounters the Other, embraces her power, and is reborn as a monstrous spider creature. Aracely restores Kaine to his human form and proclaims him as her "champion", though he retains his connection to the Other.[20] The two later join the New Warriors.[21]

Spider-Verse

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During the Spider-Verse storyline, Kaine is with the New Warriors when they are attacked by Daemos of the Inheritors. As Daemos realizes that Kaine is the current receptacle of the Other and plans to absorb his essence, he is confronted by several alternate universe versions of Spider-Man, including Old Man Spider-Man, Spider-Man of Earth-70105, and Spider-Woman of Earth-65. Kaine escapes into a portal to Earth-13, also known as the Safe Zone.[22]

While battling the Inheritors, Kaine kills Solus, the group's patriarch. In retaliation, Morlun kills Kaine in his monstrous spider form by ripping off one of his arms and impaling him in the skull.[23] After Karn becomes the Master Weaver and returns all the spiders to their home universes, a human hand bursts out of Kaine's husk, revealing that he is still alive.[24]

Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy

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Kaine returns in the Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy storyline, where he and Spider-Gwen attempt to help Peter escape New U Technologies. It is revealed that Kaine's human body emerged from the corpse of his spider form and was greeted by Karn, who realized that he is no longer connected to the Other and is dying from the Carrion virus.[25] Peter Parker uses the Webware Emergency System to cure the Carrion virus, which heals Kaine and reduces his facial scars.[26]

Spider-Geddon

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During the "Spider-Geddon" storyline, Superior Octopus becomes Superior Spider-Man again and recruits Kaine to help fight the return of the Inheritors.[27] Kaine volunteers for a suicide mission to Earth-3145, where the Inheritors were trapped after the events of Spider-Verse. Kaine recruits Ashley Barton from Earth-807128 and "Charlie", the Peter Parker of Earth-218, to battle Verna of the Inheritors.[28] Kaine sacrifices himself to Verna's hounds so that Ashley and Charlie can escape Earth-3145.[29] However, he is resurrected by Julia Carpenter using a talisman given to her by the spider goddess Neith.[30]

Powers and abilities

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As Kaine

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As an imperfect clone of Spider-Man, Kaine has superhuman strength, speed, agility, reflexes, and equilibrium all at higher levels than Spider-Man due to his continued mutation.[31]

Kaine's spider-sense is even stronger than Spider-Man's Spider-Sense. Kaine Parker can sense danger, see short glimpses of the future, and can sense Venom unlike Spider-Man. Kaine also does not set off Parker or Reilly's spider-senses, but they do not set off his either.

Like Spider-Man his clinging ability is because of the Van der Waals force, but also left a distinctive scarring into surfaces (and people), which he calls the "Mark of Kaine". Additionally, Kaine possesses a retractable bone spike on the underside of each forearm.[volume & issue needed]

Being a clone of Spider-Man, Kaine is immune to the worldwide mind purging of Spider-Man's identity and retains this knowledge.[32] However, Kaine was never implanted with Peter's memories and thus lacks his scientific knowledge.[33]

As Tarantula

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The extent of Kaine's powers in his Tarantula state are not fully known. Tarantula has four large spider legs that protrude from his back much like Spider-Man's Iron Spider costume. He retained all of the abilities he had as Kaine, with the addition of organic web shooters.

As Scarlet Spider

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As Scarlet Spider, Kaine generate organic webbing from his wrists, similar to Spider-Man's web-shooters, and possesses an accelerated healing factor.[34] He also possesses enhanced vision, which grants him the ability to see in the dark, and a psychic connection with spiders and other arachnids.[35]

After the events of Spider Island, Kaine retained the stealth suit, which Peter Parker created at Horizon Labs and used against the Spider-Queen. This gives Kaine invisibility to both visual and audio means, along with immunity to sonic-based attacks.[34]

Reception

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  • In 2020, CBR.com ranked Kaine 8th in their "Marvel: Dark Spider-Man Villains, Ranked From Lamest To Coolest" list.[36]

Other versions

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MC2

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An alternate universe variant of Kaine Parker from Earth-982 appears in the MC2 imprint. This version is a former ally of the Kingpin who attempted to kill him after being betrayed. However, he is defeated by Spider-Girl and imprisoned.[37][38] There, he is recruited by special agent Arthur Whedon to lead a group of redeemed supervillains consisting of Big Man, Quickwire, Raptor and Normie Osborn.[volume & issue needed]

Spider-Man: Clone Saga

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An alternate universe variant of Kaine Parker from Earth-91101 appears in Spider-Man: The Clone Saga. This version works for the Jackal and Harry Osborn before defying the two after kidnapping May Parker, the infant daughter of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson.[39]

Ultimate Marvel

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An alternate universe variant of Kaine Parker from Earth-1610 appears in Ultimate Spider-Man. This version was created by Doctor Octopus and sports a version of Ben Reilly's Spider-Man costume. Kaine kidnaps Mary Jane Watson and attempts to give her superpowers, causing her to transform into a red goblin-like creature despite the Tarantula's efforts. While trying to prevent Mary Jane from being taken, Kaine is killed by Nick Fury's Spider Slayers.[40]

Collected editions

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Title Material Collected ISBN Release
Scarlet Spider Vol. 1: Life After Death Scarlet Spider Vol. 2 #1–6, material from Marvel Point One 978-0785163107 February 2013
Scarlet Spider Vol. 2: Lone Star Scarlet Spider Vol. 2 #7–9, 12.1, 13–15 978-0785163114 April 2013
Carnage: Minimum Carnage Scarlet Spider Vol. 2 #10–12 978-0785167266 January 2013
Scarlet Spider Vol. 3: The Big Leagues Scarlet Spider Vol. 2 #16–20, Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #2 978-0785166498 November 2013
Scarlet Spider Vol. 4: Into the Grave Scarlet Spider Vol. 2 #21–25 978-0785166504 February 2014
Chasm: Curse of Kaine Chasm: Curse of Kaine #1–4, Web of Spider-Man (2024) #1 978-1302959289 June 2025

In other media

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Television

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Several variations of Kaine Parker appear in Ultimate Spider-Man:

  • The comic version's aggressive personality and Scarlet Spider costume are amalgamated with Ben Reilly (voiced by Scott Porter).[41]
  • Kaine appears in the three-part episode "The Spider-Slayers", voiced by Drake Bell.[42] This version is an imperfect synthezoid Spider-Slayer created by Doctor Octopus using Peter Parker's DNA and Arnim Zola's technology who is highly resistant to damage, can reattach lost limbs, and absorb life energy from Spider-themed individuals or other synthezoids. He first emerges after Spider-Man and Spider-Woman find one of Hydra's abandoned labs and they seemingly defeat him. Kaine reemerges as a deformed, mutated monster, absorbs the other synthezoids, and becomes the Ultimate Spider-Slayer, only to be defeated by Agent Venom.

Film

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Kaine Parker/Scarlet Spider appears in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse as a member of Miguel O'Hara's Spider-Society.[3]

Video games

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References

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  1. ^ New Warriors vol. 5
  2. ^ DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 202. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
  3. ^ a b Team LatestLY (December 14, 2022). "Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse Trailer: From Insomniac's Spider-Man to Kaine Parker, Fans Find Crazy Easter Eggs in Promo of the Animated Marvel Film!". LatestLY. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  4. ^ "The Life of Reilly: Part 9". March 5, 2008.
  5. ^ The Spectacular Spider-Man #223 (April 1995)
  6. ^ The Spectacular Spider-Man #224 (May 1995)
  7. ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #403 (July 1995)
  8. ^ Spider-Man #60 (July 1995)
  9. ^ The Spectacular Spider-Man #227 (August 1995)
  10. ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #409 (March 1996)
  11. ^ Spider-Man: Redemption #1 - 4 (September - December 1996)
  12. ^ Thunderbolts '97 one-shot (August 1997)
  13. ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #632 (July 2010)
  14. ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #636 (August 2010)
  15. ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #637 (September 2010)
  16. ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #666 (September 2011)
  17. ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #671 (December 2011)
  18. ^ Scarlet Spider (vol. 2) #1 (January 2012)
  19. ^ Scarlet Spider (vol. 2) #2 (February 2012)
  20. ^ Scarlet Spider (vol. 2) #13 - 15 (January - March 2013)
  21. ^ The New Warriors (vol. 5) #1 (February 2014)
  22. ^ The Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 3) #9 (January 2015)
  23. ^ The Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 3) #13 (March 2015)
  24. ^ The Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 3) #15 (April 2015)
  25. ^ The Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 4) #21 (January 2017)
  26. ^ Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy #2–5 (January - April 2017)
  27. ^ Spider-Geddon #2 (December 2018)
  28. ^ Spider-Force #1 (December 2018)
  29. ^ Spider-Force #3 (February 2019)
  30. ^ Spider-Man (vol. 4) #7 (June 2023)
  31. ^ Web of Spider-Man (vol. 2) #1 (December 2009)
  32. ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #609 (December 2009)
  33. ^ Scarlet Spider (vol. 2) #5 (March 2012)
  34. ^ a b The Amazing Spider-Man #672 (December 2011)
  35. ^ The New Warriors (vol. 5) #3 (June 2014)
  36. ^ Motwani, Nishid (September 20, 2020). "Marvel: Dark Spider-Man Villains, Ranked From Lamest To Coolest". CBR. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  37. ^ Spider-Girl #17 (February 2000)
  38. ^ Spider-Girl #48–49 (August - September 2002)
  39. ^ Spider-Man Clone Saga #1–6 (November 2009 - April 2010)
  40. ^ Ultimate Spider-Man #103–107 (February - May 2007)
  41. ^ "Scarlet Spider Voice - Ultimate Spider-Man (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved May 28, 2025. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  42. ^ "Kaine Voice - Ultimate Spider-Man (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved May 28, 2025. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  43. ^ "Scarlet Spider Costume Announced For The Amazing Spider-Man". Just Push Start. June 23, 2012. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013.
  44. ^ Wales, Matt (October 16, 2018). "Insomniac shows off Spidey's new suits from next week's The City That Never Sleeps DLC". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
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