#kraven #spiderman #themarvels
Classic Spider-Man antagonist Sergei Kravinoff aka Kraven the Hunter will finally make his cinematic debut in 2023's self-titled film starring former "Quicksilver" and "Kick-Ass" Aaron Taylor Johnson. In the lead-up to Sony Pictures' upcoming Kraven film, Marvel Comics has gone and made the formerly ludicrous Kraven a much more serious threat for another street-level comic book hero.
Upon his introduction by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in 1964's The Amazing Spider-Man #15, Kraven the Hunter surely stood out but did not make the same impression on readers as previous villains. A human "big game hunter" in peak physical shape, Kraven's access to obscure poisons, herbs, and guns were the assets that gave him an edge over his greatest challenge yet... Spider-Man. While Spidey foes like Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, and the Lizard quickly soared to new heights, Kraven was largely more of an inconvenience than a serious obstacle. Even the Ultimate Universe interpretation of Kraven managed to poke fun at the fact that without powers, Kraven poses little to no serious threat to the wall-crawler. It was not until 1987's Kraven's Last Hunt from J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck that Kraven became an enemy who could go toe to toe with Marvel's finest. Upon the character's resurrection from the dead, Kraven the Hunter has been given a new lease on life that finally positions the character alongside the likes of Spider-Man's greatest villains.
