| Sinister Six | |
|---|---|
 The original Sinister Six –Kraven the Hunter,Mysterio,Doctor Octopus,Vulture,Sandman, andElectro – battlingSpider-Man. Art byAlex Ross. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (January 1964)[1] |
| Created by | |
| In-story information | |
| Base(s) | New York City |
| Member(s) | List of Sinister Six members |
TheSinister Six are a group ofsupervillains inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics, mainly those featuringSpider-Man. The members are drawn from the character'slist of enemies, with the original members forming the team inThe Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (October 1964). Led byDoctor Octopus (introduced in issue #3), the team in its premiere followed swiftly the very early appearances of many of the most enduring members of Spider-Man's rogues gallery: theVulture (issue #2), theSandman (issue #4),Electro (issue #9),Mysterio (issue #13), andKraven the Hunter (issue #15). While Doctor Octopus has generally remained its leader, the Sinister Six has had multiple variations of composition.
The team has been adapted into various forms of media, mainly in animated series and video games.
The Sinister Six first appeared inThe Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (January 1964).[2]
After suffering two defeats from Spider-Man,[a]Doctor Octopus is separated from his tentacle pack. After his tentacle pack breaks free and helps Doctor Octopus get out of prison, he contacts every known supervillain who had crossed paths with Spider-Man. OnlyElectro,Kraven the Hunter, the originalMysterio,Sandman, and the originalVulture respond. As none of the members are willing to relinquish the honor of killing Spider-Man themselves, they decide to challenge Spider-Man individually with the order in which they face him determined by a random drawing.[3] The Sinister Six kidnapAunt May andDaily BuglesecretaryBetty Brant, holding them hostage in order to force Spider-Man to confront them. Spider-Man defeats the Sinister Six members one-by-one, mocking their decision to battle him individually instead of as a team in front of Doctor Octopus, the last one to be defeated.[4]
InThe Amazing Spider-Man #334–339, Doctor Octopus recruits Electro, Sandman, Mysterio, and Vulture, along with the demonicJason Macendale version ofHobgoblin (since Kraven the Hunter hadrecently died), as part of his plan to take over the world. However, this was a trick, part of a larger plan by which Doc Ock alone would be the master of the world, by releasing a chemical into the atmosphere that would cause pain in anyone who attempted to use cocaine; he would then sell his cure for the chemical to the rich and powerful. Sandman, who at this point in his career had reformed and was blackmailed into joining, aids Spider-Man in defeating the Sinister Six, and ultimately stopping Doc Ock's plans to conquer the world. Because Octopus' chemical is eating away the ozone layer, Spider-Man has no choice but to release the cure into the atmosphere.[citation needed]
InSpider-Man #18-23, Electro, Mysterio, Vulture, and Hobgoblin reunite in a bid to take revenge on Doctor Octopus. To trick Sandman into joining them, they hit his foster family with a bomb, leading him to believe Doctor Octopus attacked them as punishment for betraying him. Sandman contacts Spider-Man and asks him to shadow the group as insurance against him being double-crossed. Doctor Octopus easily defeats the other members of the six with his newly reacquiredadamantium arms, then zaps Sandman with a weapon that transforms his body into glass and beats Spider-Man nearly to death. When police surround the building, the other members of the Sinister Six agree to serve Doctor Octopus in exchange for his helping them escape. The assembled Sinister Six go off on a rampage, stealing advanced weapons and technology from several sources, including an alien dimension and a facility specializing in cybernetics. To again complete their quorum of six, they recruitGog. Eventually, Spider-Man and several other heroes (including theGhost Rider,Deathlok,Nova, theHulk, andSolo) confront the villains as they are seizing aHydra base to gain access to deadly, world-devastating weapons. Most of the members are again incarcerated, but Vulture and Hobgoblin escape.[5]
A variation known as the Sinister Seven is formed by Hobgoblin to fightKaine after he killed Doctor Octopus and theGrim Hunter (Kraven the Hunter's son Vladimir). Hobgoblin's Sinister Seven includesBeetle, Electro, Mysterio,Scorpia,Shocker, and Vulture. They finally find Kaine and a battle erupts. Spider-Man saves Kaine from being executed; the two then work together and defeat the Sinister Seven.[6]
Eventually, the Sandman (who had been turned back into a villain by his former allyWizard) and the secondMysterio (the original hadcommitted suicide following his fight withDaredevil) form a new version of the Sinister Six, withVenom temporarily replacing Doctor Octopus and the other members consisting of Electro, the secondKraven the Hunter (another son of the dead original), and Vulture. The Sandman uses the Sinister Six in order to get revenge on Doctor Octopus for turning him into glass in "The Revenge of the Sinister Six" storyline. The Sinister Six are defeated again, and Venom subsequently attacks the various members of the group after being betrayed by them. He nearly kills the Sandman and badly injures Electro and Kraven the Hunter before he and his symbiote are briefly separated from each other by the mysterious Senator Ward.
InMarvel Knights Spider-Man,Norman Osborn is unmasked to the public as the Green Goblin and imprisoned. Osborn contacts a group of supervillains who also bear grudges against Spider-Man, all of whom had been financed by Osborn's fortunes for years. Eager to retaliate, the villains agree to band together, and the Sinister Twelve is formed.
Mac Gargan is the de facto leader of the Twelve while Osborn is in prison, and he kidnaps Peter Parker's Aunt May and threatens to kill her if Spider-Man does not help Osborn escape from jail. Spider-Man, with help fromBlack Cat, breaks Osborn out only to be confronted by Vulture, Sandman, Electro,Chameleon,Lizard,Hydro-Man, Shocker,Hammerhead,Boomerang, andTombstone. Osborn, now in the guise of the Goblin, introduces them as the Sinister Twelve.
Spider-Man and Black Cat are rescued byCaptain America,Iron Man,Daredevil,Yellowjacket and theFantastic Four. Furious, Goblin rockets away and kidnapsMary Jane Watson and Spider-Man pursues him. Spider-Man and the Goblin clash upon a bridge (not the one whereGwen Stacy was killed). Finally, Osborn gives a vital clue as to Aunt May's whereabouts before being knocked into the river below. In the aftermath, Aunt May is found and saved. The rest of the Sinister Twelve are subdued by the other heroes and arrested.
A new version of the Sinister Six apparently bands together during theCivil War storyline. The line-up consists of Doctor Octopus,Grim Reaper, Lizard, Shocker,Trapster, and Vulture. They are stopped by Captain America and his Secret Avengers off-panel and discovered bound and subdued byS.H.I.E.L.D.[7]
Following the events of the "Origin of the Species" storyline which involves Doctor Octopus assembling Spider-Man's enemies into targetingHarry Osborn's baby (who Doctor Octopus thought had some of Norman Osborn's DNA), only the Chameleon, Electro, Mysterio, theRhino, and the Sandman remain with Doctor Octopus to reform the Sinister Six when the baby does not inherit Norman Osborn's DNA. Their first plot involves sending Micro-Octobots to blow up an Air Force base. This is prevented by Spider-Man, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four.[8]
Spider-Man and theFuture Foundation stumble on a plot on a Caribbean Island by the Sinister Six which involves the use of a zombie pirate crew.[9] During the fight with the Sinister Six, Spider-Man realizes that the Doctor Octopus, Electro, Rhino and Sandman that they are fighting are robots, while Mysterio and the Chameleon are the only real ones present. Meanwhile, the real Doctor Octopus infiltrates theBaxter Building to look for specific technology plans.[10]
While the adult Avengers are dealing with the eruption of Mount Etna,Tigra and theAvengers Academy students learn that Electro has broken into a French laboratory. Once on the scene, the students discover that Electro is accompanied by the rest of the Sinister Six. The Sinister Six overpower the students and Doctor Octopus steals a device containing self-sustaining power.[11] Doctor Octopus and the Sinister Six later fight the Intelligencia where the Chameleon had infiltrated the group disguised asKlaw. After the Intelligencia members are defeated, the Sinister Six steal their Zero Cannon (a weapon which changes Earth's gravity field to send specific objects into space). Doctor Octopus later appears in a robot suit which would help to keep him alive.[12]
Doctor Octopus and Mysterio coordinate the Octobots who have infiltrated the Apogee 1 Space Station and taken over some of the crew members. When Mysterio notices that some of the Octobots were disabled, Doctor Octopus orders the Octobots to finish their mission and then destroy the space station.[13] When Spider-Man arrives on the Apogee 1 Space Station, Doctor Octopus pushes a button that starts to move the Apogee 1 Space Station close to Earth. After Apogee 1 Space Station is destroyed and the crew is evacuated by Spider-Man, theHuman Torch andJohn Jameson, Doctor Octopus tells the rest of the Sinister Six that his master plan is about to begin.[14]
In the "Ends of the Earth" storyline, all of Doctor Octopus' preparations come to fruition in a plan to conquer the world.[15] Doctor Octopus activates a giant antenna array called theOctahedral which, in turn, activates Earth-orbiting satellites he calls theOctavian Lens. The Lens works to speed up thegreenhouse effect, which in turn heats up the Earth. Upon hacking into televisions around the world, Doctor Octopus describes what his satellites are doing, and shuts them down. He says he can save the world "at a price".[16] AtPalazzo Senatorio, an international gathering of world leaders and the planet's greatest minds meet to discuss Doctor Octopus's supposed offer to save the world. The Avengers crash the assembly and Spider-Man captures the Chameleon, who is at the meeting disguised as Vice PresidentAl Gore. Spider-Man lets the Chameleon go, but he secretly places a Spider-Tracer on him, which allows Spider-Man and the Avengers to follow the Chameleon to the Mediterranean Coast where the rest of the Sinister Six is waiting. The Six subdue the Avengers, leaving only Spider-Man standing. Spider-Man is taken down when trying to gain control of Doctor Octopus's tentacles with his helmet.[17]
The Sinister Six then leave the area, and Doctor Octopus issues his demands: control of 200 missile facilities (for use in his plan), as well as two billion dollars for each of the members of the Sinister Six. In response, Spider-Man contactsHorizon Labs for help. Doctor Octopus sends the Sandman to guard one of the missile facilities in the Sahara Desert. After Spider-Man, theBlack Widow, andSilver Sable enter the facility and defeat the Sandman, Doctor Octopus contacts the U.N. once again and orders them to kill Spider-Man in retaliation.[18] In a subsequent missile facility raid, Spider-Man and his allies manage to defeat the Rhino, but they are unable to capture him because they are attacked by S.H.I.E.L.D (under orders from the U.N., via Doctor Octopus's demands). Forced to flee, Spider-Man and his allies then attempt to rally support from Earth's other heroes after theTitanium Man alerts them to the fact that Doctor Octopus has been recruiting other villains. Tracking down a final facility, Spider-Man learns that Doctor Octopus has already launched all of his satellites.[19] However, this is revealed to be a deception created by Mysterio and the Chameleon. Spider-Man defeats the Chameleon when he attempts to attack them in a "Doc-Ock" suit of armor. Spider-Man and his allies then convince Mysterio to help them track down Doctor Octopus's base. While they find the base, they also find themselves pitted against the 'new' Sinister Six—in the form of the mind-controlled Avengers.[20]
Despite Doctor Octopus's confidence, the heroes prevail against their mind-controlled teammates; the Black Widow and Hawkeye are knocked out by Iron Man while he is still under Doctor Octopus's control. Spider-Man's new training, combined with Captain America subconsciously holding back, allows Spider-Man and Silver Sable to defeatSpider-Woman and Captain America, respectively. Finally, Mysterio uses an EMP generator to negate the Octobots controllingThor, Iron Man and theRed Hulk. Now "Octobot" free, these remaining three Avengers set out to take out Doctor Octopus's missiles, while Spider-Man and Silver Sable confront Doctor Octopus in his base. The two are first met by the Rhino, who decides to drown himself and take Sable with him in an attempt to psychologically beat Spider-Man into submission, but Spider-Man musters his strength, manages to destroy Doctor Octopus's arms and equipment and ultimately hauls his foe away to a doctor.[21]
As part of theMarvel NOW! event, theSuperior Spider-Man (Doctor Octopus's mind in Spider-Man's body) encounters a new Sinister Six consisting of Boomerang,Overdrive, Shocker,Speed Demon,Living Brain, and the femaleBeetle who previously foughtCaptain America and the Black Widow. The group of villains attacks Horizon Labs, but the Superior Spider-Man defeats them, using a power-dampening field to disable their equipment. He is preparing to kill Boomerang when the still-living consciousness of Peter Parker stops him. Otto gives the villains to the NYPD and the EMTs upon their arrival.[22]
This version of the Sinister Six (minus the Living Brain) then appears in its own seriesThe Superior Foes of Spider-Man.[23] The Sinister Six later assaulted theOwl's base. Overdrive and the Speed Demon were captured by the Owl and interrogated. The Beetle tried to blackmail the Owl into releasing them while covertly dialing for back-up. Unimpressed, the Owl got ready to execute her when reinforcements arrived in the form of Tombstone (who was revealed to be the Beetle's father).[24] At one point to steal valuables from the Chameleon, including a portrait of Doctor Doom, the Sinister Six allied with the Owl, where they expand the group into a "Sinister Sixteen". Besides Boomerang, the Beetle, Overdrive, Owl, and Speed Demon, the group consists ofArmadillo,Bi-Beast,Clown,Cyclone,Human Fly,Kangaroo,Man Mountain Marko,Mirage,Scorcher,Shriek,Spot, andSquid.[25] The team eventually broke up after Boomerang had thoroughly screwed over everyone, including himself.[26]
Following the deletion of Peter Parker's memories and acquiring theRaft as his new base which he renamed Spider-Island, the Superior Spider-Man begins to collect former Sinister Six members and store them in his underwater lab with the implied intention to create a new team as the Superior Spider-Man. First, he acquired the sand grain that contained the Sandman's consciousness.[27] When Electro returned to Earth after being hurled into space by Thor, the Superior Spider-Man enlisted Thor to help defeat Electro.[28] The Superior Spider-Man then confiscated the Chameleon from S.H.I.E.L.D. custody.[29] The Superior Spider-Man came across Mysterion (a villain dressed like Mysterio) robbing the bank. Upon defeating Mysterion, the Superior Spider-Man discovered that the villain he thought was Mysterio was not Quentin Beck, but an unnamed man who bought the Mysterio gear from the Hobgoblin.[30] Finally, the Superior Spider-Man went up against the Vulture, who seeks to get even with the Superior Spider-Man for beating him up twice. The Superior Spider-Man managed to defeat the Vulture.[31]
The Superior Spider-Man debuts with mind-controlled members as the supposedly-reformed "Superior Six" at the time whenLightmaster invadesAlchemax to obtain an invention that would work in sync with his own light powers. The Superior Six ended up fighting theWrecking Crew (who were hired by Lightmaster to assist him).[32] Due to the secondSun Girl's widespread attack, the Superior Spider-Man lost control of the Superior Six and they attacked him.[33] The Superior Spider-Man and Sun Girl had to team up to defeat them.[34]
Mojo and the Chameleon abduct Spider-Man and his X-Men students and force them to star in a show which pits them against the Sinister Sixty-Six. The group, which is not seen in its entirety, consists of holographic stand-ins of various enemies of Spider-Man like Beetle,Carnage,Demogoblin, Doctor Octopus, Duster, Electro,Gibbon, Green Goblin,Grizzly, Hammerhead, Hobgoblin,Jackal,Jack O'Lantern,Kingpin, Kraven the Hunter, Lizard,Morbius the Living Vampire, Mysterio,Puma, Rhino,Ringer, Sandman, Scorpion, Shocker, Shriek, Sludge, Tombstone,Vermin, and Vulture.[35]
Spider-Man and the students of theJean Grey School for Higher Learning encounter the eighth incarnation of the Sinister Six led bySwarm and consisting of the third8-Ball,Delilah,Killer Shrike, the thirdMelter, andSquid. AfterHellion defeats Swarm, the other members of the Sinister Six surrender.[36]
Purchasing a recolored and modified version of theIron Spider armor,Miles Morales' uncleAaron Davis forms an incarnation of the Sinister Six consisting ofBombshell, the Francine Frye version of Electro, theRoderick Kingsley version of the Hobgoblin, Sandman, and Spot. Their first mission was to steal a decommissioned S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.[37]
Spider-Man plays with a cancer patient named Nathan where they envision that Nathan becomes Spider-Bite and they "fight" theStilt-Man's Sinister Sixty who wish to obtain Spider-Bite's action figure of Spider-Man. The line-up consists ofAbsorbing Man,Big Man,Black Cat,Black Tarantula,Boomerang,Calypso,Carrion,Carnage, theChameleon,Demogoblin,Doctor Octopus,Doppelganger,Electro,Enforcers,Fusion,Green Goblin,Grey Goblin,Hammerhead,Hobgoblin,Hydro-Man,Jack O'Lantern,Jackal,Joystick,Juggernaut,Kaine, theKingpin,Kraven the Hunter,Kraven the Hunter (Alyosha Kravinoff),Kraven the Hunter (Ava Kravinoff),Lady Octopus,Lizard,Mephisto,Mister Negative,Molten Man,Morbius the Living Vampire,Morlun,Mysterio,Raptor,Rhino,Sandman, Sasha Kravinoff,Scorpia,Scorpion,Scream,Screwball,Shocker,Shriek,Silvermane,Sin-Eater,Alistair Smythe,Stunner,Swarm,Tarantula,Venom,Vermin, andVulture. Spider-Man and Spider-Bite defeat the Sinister Sixty atGrand Central Station and keep the Stilt-Man from claiming the Spider-Man action figure.[38]
While Doctor Octopus is discovering clues to some of his missing memories, he exhumes an unexpectedly empty casket in a cemetery.Kindred sends one of his centipedes to enter Doctor Octopus' ear, rendering him unconscious.[39]
In a lead-up to "Sinister War", Kindred tells Doctor Octopus that he can help him with his memories, but he will need to gather five more people.[40] At an unknown beach, Doctor Octopus helps Sandman with his loss of direction and promises to solve Sandman's immortality problem.[41] Upon building a special machine, Doctor Octopus resurrects Electro with his powers intact as Kindred comments on Electro's abilities while stating that Doctor Octopus is getting closer to his true self.[42] Doctor Octopus and Electro findKraven the Hunter in theSavage Land hunting a dinosaur. Electro shocks the dinosaur, and Doctor Octopus recruits Kraven the Hunter into the Sinister Six by promising him to hunt down the Lizard.[43] Doctor Octopus coerces Curt Connors into using the Isotope Genome Accelerator on himself which separates him from his Lizard side. Kindred then completes the Sinister Six by having Mysterio join him as Kindred notes that his endgame with Spider-Man is approaching.[44]
When theSavage Six attacks the world premiere of a film that Mary Jane Watson and a disguised Mysterio were involved in, the Sinister Six intervenes in order to get Mysterio in their ranks despite Spider-Man's intervention. Mysterio complies with Doctor Octopus and teleports Mary Jane away while Doctor Octopus knocks out Spider-Man.[45] Kindred kept the Savage Six on the reserve should theForeigner's group, the Superior Foes, and theSinister Syndicate fail to eliminate Spider-Man.[46] Badly wounded, Peter is relieved to find the Black Cat, Wolverine, and the Human Torch have arrived to help, unaware that they are Mysterio, the Lizard, and Electro in illusion disguises created by the former. The Lizard springs their trap too early by attacking Peter, much to Mysterio's annoyance. Peter fends off the Sinister Six until Doctor Octopus ensnares him with his tentacles. Peter attempts to appeal to Doctor Octopus' better nature, telling him that he is not like this anymore. Doctor Octopus briefly hesitates, but mounting pressure from the rest of the Sinister Six compels him to act, though this buys Peter enough time to break free. The Savage Six then attack the Sinister Six, giving Peter time to escape.[47] Ultimately, Doctor Octopus knocks all the other villains out using Black Ant's technology when he determines that Kindred planted some of his centipedes in the brains of every villain present, Octavius declaring that he dislikes being used even if he declines to help Peter further.[48]
A.I.M. operative and self-proclaimedScientist Supreme Squid Kid later formed his incarnation of the Sinister Six and consisted of Apostate, Mysteriant, Rhinoceress, Willow-Wasp, and an amnesiacBilly Connors who operated as Lizard Boy. They targeted Stanley Osborn only to fight the students ofAvengers Academy.[49]
An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six appears in the "Age of Apocalypse" 10th anniversary limited series. This version of the group is assembled byMister Sinister and consists ofCloak and Dagger,Sonique,Sauron, theBlob, andPhoenix.
A medieval fantasy-inspired iteration of the Sinister Six called theSix Most Sinister appear inAvataars: Covenant of the Shield #2, led by the Goblin King and consisting of the Huntsman, Jolt, Mysterium, Sandstorm, Talon, and Tentaclus. This version of the group operate a tollbooth in the Webwood.[50]
An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six fromEarth-311 called theSinister Sextet appears inThe Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 4) #1, consisting of Canice Cassidy, Electro, the Hobgoblin, Karnov, Magus, and the Serpent.[51]
A future iteration of the Sinister Six from aMarvel 2099-related timeline appears inSpider-Man 2099 (vol. 3) #11-12, consisting ofVenom 2099, theGoblin 2099,Doctor Octopus 2099, theVulture 2099,Electro 2099, and the Sandwoman.[52] After the Goblin is revealed to be a mole helpingSpider-Man 2099, he is killed by Doctor Octopus and replaced with Venture.[53]
Three iterations of the Sinister Six fromBattleworld appear in "Secret Wars" (2015).
An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six appear in theSpider-Man: Spider's Shadow miniseries, formed and led by J. Jonah Jameson / Spider-Slayer and consisting of Doctor Octopus, the Rhino, Electro, Mysterio, and Kraven the Hunter. This version of the group was formed in response to Peter Parker fully bonding to his symbiote suit and killing or assaulting his enemies.[56] After Eddie Brock kills Octavius in an attempt to join the group, Parker grievously injures him and kills the Rhino, Electro, and Mysterio before a burning building forces the symbiote off of Parker. Realizing he was wrong about him, Jameson saves Parker while Kraven retreats.[57]
A possible future iteration of the Sinister Six called the "Sinner Six" appears inSpider-Man: Reign, consisting of the Scorpion, Electro, Mysterio, Kraven the Hunter, the Sandman, and Hydro-Man. This version of the group were forcibly recruited by New York's fascist mayor Mayor Waters via microchips implanted in their bodies that are rigged to detonate should they attempt to leave the city and tasked with killing Spider-Man in exchange for their freedom. Over the course of the series, Spider-Man defenestrates the Scorpion and kills Electro and Hydro-Man before subduing Kraven and Mysterio. While Spider-Man is confronting Waters, Sandman sacrifices himself to get the former the detonator.
An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six appears in theSpider-Man Adventures magazine, formed byDoctor Doom and consisting of Doctor Octopus, the Vulture, Electro, the Rhino, the Sandman, and Eddie Brock / Venom.
Asteampunk-themed iteration of the Sinister Six from Earth-803 called theSix Men of Sinestry appears inSpider-Verse #1 and the accompanyingSpider-Man 2099 tie-in, led by the Green Goblin and consisting of Doctor Octopus, Electro, Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio, and the Vulture.[58][59]
An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six called theSwinester Six from Earth-8311 appear in theSpider-Ham 25th Anniversary Special, consisting of the Green Gobbler, Doctor Octopuss, Sandmanatee, Eelectro, the Buzzard, and Mysteriape.[60]
An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six from Earth-1610 called theUltimate Six appears in theUltimate Marvel imprint, initially consisting of theSandman,Doctor Octopus,Kraven the Hunter,Electro, and theGreen Goblin, withSpider-Man as a temporary member. This version of the group illegally altered their genetic codes, which led to them being defeated by Spider-Man and theUltimates and incarcerated byS.H.I.E.L.D.[61] They would later break out of prison and recruit theVulture to help them seek revenge on Spider-Man.[62] When Doctor Octopus starts to have second thoughts due to his and the Goblin's role in creating Spider-Man, the Goblin kills Doctor Octopus[63] before the remaining members receive help fromElijah Stern. However, all but the Goblin are defeated by Spider-Man,Johnny Storm,Bobby Drake,[64] andMay Parker[65] while Spider-Man eventually kills the Goblin.[66]
An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six fromEarth-6160 appears inUltimate Spider-Man (vol. 3), led byWilson Fisk and consisting ofMister Negative,Walter Hardy,Sergei Kravinoff,Mysterio, andMole Man. This version of the group control New York's criminal underworld via its boroughs, with Fisk controlling Manhattan, Negative controlling Queens, Hardy controlling the Bronx, Kravinoff controlling Staten Island, Mysterio controlling Brooklyn, and Mole Man controlling New York's underground. Additionally, Fisk forms the group to counter emerging vigilantesSpider-Man andGreen Goblin.[67][68]
In December 2013, Sony announced two spin-offs ofThe Amazing Spider-Man franchise,The Sinister Six andVenom, withDrew Goddard attached to write and direct the former. Throughout the live-action filmThe Amazing Spider-Man 2, a line-up for the team was teased. During the end credits, weapons and technology belonging to theRhino, theVulture,Doctor Octopus,Mysterio, andKraven the Hunter were revealed, confirming them as members, with theGreen Goblin serving as the leader. However, this line-up is left to be debated as Goddard stated he wanted to adopt a more classic adaptation of the group which would have includedSandman and Doc Ock as the leader. The film was said to be a redemption story for the characters, and would probably not featureSpider-Man. As the Sinister Six's original goal, however, was to kill him, there would seem to be a chance that he would appear.[72][73][74][75] The film was originally scheduled for release on November 11, 2016. However, following the announcement in February 2015 of a new Spider-Man franchise withMarvel Studios, the spin-offs were postponed and eventually canceled.
In an email fromAmy Pascal leaked during theSony Pictures hack, Pascal revealed that she planned for Tom Holland'sSpider-Man to appear in aSinister Six film set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe dependent on the success of the then-upcoming licensing agreement with Marvel Studios.[76][77]
Following the collaboration betweenMarvel Studios and Sony Pictures, many spin-offs that had been in development before were revived, with the first of these, the live-action filmVenom, being released on October 5, 2018. Sony's December 2013 plans for their own expanded universe included a film based on the Sinister Six, withDrew Goddard attached to write and potentially direct.[78] Goddard was confirmed to be directing the film in April 2014.[79] The film was believed to have been canceled by November 2015 when Sony was focusing on its new reboot with Marvel.[80] In October 2018, Goddard acknowledged that his script could eventually be used for a film.[81] By December of the same year, producer Amy Pascal confirmed that the studio intends to use the script in an upcoming project and expressed the company's desire for the filmmaker to direct the film as well.[82]
In thepost-credits scene ofMorbius (2022),Adrian Toomes from the MCU approaches Dr.Michael Morbius in an effort to form a team. The team is intended to be the Sinister Six, with directorDaniel Espinosa expressing interest in havingNorman Osborn be part of the group.[83][84]
Following the financial failures ofMadame Web andKraven the Hunter, and the underperformance ofVenom: The Last Dance, it was announced that Sony would cease making spin-off films that did not feature Spider-Man, most likely including this film.[85][86]
Spidey faced his first true team of super villains in an oversized 73-pages extravaganza written by [Stan] Lee with art by [Steve] Ditko.
{{cite book}}:|first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)Well, he is recruiting teammates, and he has enticed one already. So it sure looks like a start.
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