Kaine
Encyclopedia
Kaine is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics
supervillain
and antihero who serves as both an ally and an enemy of Spider-Man
. He first appeared in Web of Spider-Man
#119, and is the Jackal
's first failed attempt at cloning Peter Parker. The character was created by Terry Kavanagh and Steven Butler.
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.
The Jackal goes on to create a new, better clone, the man who would become 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.
Behind the scenes, Norman Osborn
manages to have the files on Ben and Peter switched, so the Jackal would think Peter is the clone and Ben is the real deal. Consulting the Jackal's files, Kaine also believes the same, so he follows Ben Reilly through his "exile". For a time, he finds love in the arms of police detective Louise Kennedy of Salt Lake City, until he discovers she is working for the criminals. This revelation, coupled with Kaine's increased cellular degeneration, pushes Kaine even further towards insanity and he kills Louise. Kaine continues to stalk Ben, making it appear as though Janine Godbe, Ben's new love, has committed suicide. Kaine, hoping to give the man who he thinks is the clone (Peter) the life he could never have, frames Ben for a number of murders he commits since both men have the same fingerprints.
Later flashback scenes reveal that Kaine worked as a bounty hunter for a time, being briefly dispatched to eliminate Kraven the Hunter
, also experiencing a 'vision' via his enhanced spider-sense that Kraven would kill him in future. Despite the two engaging in a brutal confrontation- Kraven even briefly mistaking Kaine for Spider-Man due to a vague recognition of his template in Kaine, although he dismisses it as nothing due to the obvious differences between the two-, both survive despite Kaine burying Kraven alive- Kraven digging himself out after three days-, although Kraven's friend and manservant is killed by Kaine during the fight.
Kaine wanders New York, defeating and executing scores of Spider-Man's enemies, including the Grim Hunter
and Doctor Octopus
(Although Doctor Octopus would later be resurrected). They grow fearful of him and form coalitions to protect themselves proactively- including the short-lived 'Sinister Seven', but meet with little success.
Peter wants Kaine to stand for what he has done, but Kaine initially refuses. The two fight and end up getting dragged into a mock-trial where Spider-Man is on trial, Kaine is his defense attorney, Carnage
is the prosecutor, several Ravencroft inmates are the jury, and a powerful being known as Judas Traveller
is the judge. During the one-sided trial, Kaine tries to physically fight off all those who are against Spider-Man before Traveller returns them to their previous place of battle.
After an incident involving a superpowered villainess named Stunner
, a weakened Kaine still refuses to confess to his crimes. Spider-Man responds by knocking Kaine out and webbing him up before heading to the courthouse. Kaine reawakens before they arrive and struggles again with Spider-Man in refusing to confess. At this point, Kaine admits that he's done everything to protect Peter's life and reveals that he is the first clone of Peter, now partially degenerated. Spider-Man decides that if Kaine will not reveal the truth, then he will reveal his true identity to the entire courtroom and end everything. Kaine pleads for Peter not to do this and eventually gives into revealing the real truth about the murders and the "Mark of Kaine".
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
impales him with a spike taken from nearby machinery, seriously injuring and possibly killing him. The Jackal, in a momentary pang of fatherly guilt, then places Kaine in a regeneration pod.
One of the Game's main sponsors, James Johnsmeyer, finds the pod containing the revived Kaine, and decides to initiate him into the competition, sending the Rhino
to fight him. After Kaine's refusal and escape, thanks to temporary partner Shannon, Johnsmeyer still attempts to involve Kaine by allowing other Game competitors to attack him (Joystick
and Polestar).
Spider-Man interferes in the skirmish and gets sidetracked by Joystick and Polestar while Kaine puts a near-fatal beating on Rhino and escapes with Shannon. Before they are able to get away, Spider-Man manages to tag Shannon with a tracer and he pursues them once Polestar and Rhino are taken into custody. He finds them moments before the police, but after an incident that threatened to kill the officers, Kaine and Shannon escape again.
This time, Kaine's destination is Johnsmeyer's headquarters. Spider-Man finds them once again after Kaine manages to single-handedly destroy all of Johnsmeyer's rooftop security defenses, but once inside, Johnsmeyer reveals that Shannon—who was still working for Johnsmeyer during the entire ordeal—has been manipulating and deceiving Kaine. Kaine, not wanting to become a puppet of anyone ever again, tries to kill Shannon but was persuaded by Spider-Man not to do so. Kaine leaves and vows to take down every sponsor of the Great Game.
During a later encounter with Ben Reilly, in which Janine Godbe returns to the man she loved, Kaine finally brings himself to let go of his hatred for his brother, even saving Ben's life after nearly leaving him to die in a burning diner. Encouraged by his brother's example (as well as finally acknowledging Ben as his brother rather than his foe), Kaine hands himself over to the law, as Janine (who was wanted for the murder of her abusive father) does the same, both accepting that they have to face their pasts to find any peace with themselves.
At that point, it is revealed that his degeneration is killing him, and Kaine is incarcerated in some type of hospital-prison with other killers. Initially lamenting his situation and accepting his imminent death, Kaine resolves to fight after seeing hallucinations of Ben Reilly
, Jackal
, Louise, himself, and Peter Parker.
Several months later, he is shown escaping from jail alongside many other superpowered criminals in an issue of Thunderbolts
. Kaine breaks out to try to stop Norman Osborn after finding out that he is still alive, has masterminded the Clone Saga, and killed his brother Ben. A few issues of Spider-Man briefly mention Kaine working against Osborn's agents in southern Europe. The last mention of Kaine is an offhand line from one of Osborn's men saying that Kaine has been "dealt with", without elaborating on what that meant.
after the the worldwide mindwipe of this knowledge by Dr. Strange, Mr. Fantastic, and Iron Man, (Peter noting that he should have expected his clone to remember his true identity if anyone would).
When Raptor attacks Harry Osborn
and Peter's cousins at Aunt May
's house, Kaine appears, having been working with Raptor the whole time. He exposes Peter's identity as Spider-Man and states that Peter is a clone of Reilly and should be killed since he's the closest thing to Ben. Peter beats Raptor unconscious and escapes. It is later shown that Raptor lied to Kaine about being able to cure his degeneration to gain an ally in his quest for revenge. Furious, Kaine started to choke Raptor, seemingly killing him.
against the Kraven clan. After the Kravens abduct Araña and Arachne, Kaine tells Peter to 'run. Run and screw the rest.' Disgusted at Kaine's selfishness even when the two of them share DNA and memory, Spider-Man bluntly informs Kaine that the difference between them is the fact that he doesn't use his life's misery as an excuse to give up the good fight. After Spider-Man is lying, defeated, in an open grave with the Kravens advancing, Kaine knocks him unconscious, puts on his costume, and fights the Kravens in his place. He is mauled, stabbed, and ultimately sacrificed to bring Kraven the Hunter back from the dead, thus achieving redemption with his last acts to save his 'brother.' The Kravens do not realize they have killed the wrong 'spider' until later that night when Kraven recognizes the scent of Kaine, and they unmask the dead Spider-Man. As a result of this, Kraven is now undead
and can only be killed by the original Spider-Man.
After the battle with the Kravinoffs, Kaine is buried under the name "Kaine Parker". However, in the epilogue of Grim Hunt Kaine is shown climbing out of his own grave with mutated features, including extra eyes in a spider-like pattern on his forehead, with the narrative box saying 'Rise, cursed one. Rise... Tarantula'. This is later shown to have been spoken by The Jackal, who was present at Kaine's resurrection.
and dubs him "Tarantula"
As Tarantula, he is put under the control of the Queen, acting as a personal bodyguard and henchman to the Jackal during Spider-Island. Knowing about the genetic relationship between Kaine and Peter Parker, the Queen sends Kaine to Horizon Labs, to tamper with a cure being developed there for the "Spider-Virus". This culminates in a battle with Peter Parker (made aware of the recent access to his private fingerprint locked lab), after which he's forcefully submerged in the pool of highly concentrated cure. Kaine re-emerges, his mind-link with the Queen broken, a fully healed clone of Peter Parker. Despite the serum somehow curing him of every trace of his former degeneration, including his heavily scarred skin, Kaine claims to have retained his powers and abilities. In the final chapter of Spider-Island Kaine, now fully cured and seemingly a perfect clone in every way Ben Reilly was, helps take down The Queen. Kaine and Peter grab costumes from Peter's lab, Kaine opting for the sonic-shield "Big-Time" outfit as the two head off. While Peter goes to the Empire State Building with Mary Jane to cure New York, Kaine stays behind with the Avengers to fight The Queen. As Peter weakens the Queen, Kaine and Ms. Marvel attempt a move that she had originally perfected with Spider-Man. She swings Kaine by a web and launches him at the Queen. Kaine turns on his sonic-shield to protect himself from the Queen's sonic scream as stingers (like Peter's from The Other arc) erupt from his arms and he goes through her throat, delivering the killing blow.Afterwards, Kaine evades the other heroes during the aftermath of the battle using the suit, but Madame Web
is able to 'see' him regardless, and talks to him about his future. Kaine meets up with Peter at the airport where he is seeing off Aunt May
, unmasked and free of his former degeneration. Kaine informs Peter he is leaving New York, and that he is keeping the stealth suit due to Madame Web's advice.
Having been cured of his mutation, but not his spider-powers, he takes up the mantle Scarlet Spider, and moves to Houston, Texas.
The true limit of his strength is unknown, but he has proven able to beat the Rhino
unconscious and to hold his own against three Spider-Men at the same time (Peter Parker
, Ben Reilly
, and Spidercide
).
His precognitive spider-sense is more developed than that of Spider-Man; where Parker and Reilly can sense immediate danger, Kaine can actually see short glimpses of the future. Kaine also doesn't set off Parker or Reilly's spider-senses, but they don't set off his either.
He uses his clinging ability primarily to burn a distinctive scarring into surfaces (and people), which he calls the "Mark of Kaine". After defeating an enemy, usually resulting in death such as breaking their neck using his superhuman strength, he would burn the "Mark of Kaine" onto their face. Notable characters to have been defeated in such a fashion include Doctor Octopus
(he was later resurrected). This ability also allows him to melt Spider-Man's webbing, and on at least one occasion he was able to use this 'talent' to cauterize a potentially fatal throat wound. Additionally, Kaine possesses two retractable claws on the backs of each hand reminiscent of Wolverine
's bone claws, though their exact composition is unknown.
Kaine also uses his ability to stick to walls in other ways. In one instance, he fashioned a weapon out of a large section of a building by simply sticking to the building and then pulling away with his superhuman strength, bringing a large chunk of it with him.
Due to flaws in his genetic make-up Kaine does not look like an ordinary human, his skin covered with a web-like mass of disfiguring scars. The costume that Kaine typically wears has been said to slow the degeneration process in his body. However it was recently suggested in Spider-Island: Deadly Foes #1 that Kaine has a regeneration factor.
Being a clone of Spider-Man, Kaine is apparently immune to the world-wide mind purging of Spider-Man's identity and retains this knowledge.
Following the loss of his Tarantula form during Spider-Island, his degeneration is currently reversed. Kaine now looks to be a perfect clone of Peter Parker (as Ben Reilly was), and while he cryptically claims to have retained his Spider-Powers, it's still unknown if he maintained them at the same power level prior to being resurrected as Tarantula. He also had a similar rebirth to Peter Parker was during the events of The Other
, as Kaine is shown exhibiting forearm stingers and organic webbing near the end of the Spider-Island story.
(Peter and Mary Jane's baby) from Norman Osborn
and returns her to her parents. This is the main point of divergence from the Marvel Universe.
Later, Kaine allies himself with the Kingpin of Crime
, but is betrayed by him during a confrontation with Daredevil
. Daredevil sacrifices his own life to save Kaine. Kaine takes Daredevil's body to a regeneration chamber, where he is also attempting to assist Reilly Tyne, the son of Ben Reilly, who is degenerating as a result of his imperfectly cloned father's DNA. He attempts to summon the demon Zarathos
to aid him in saving the two, but in the end, Zarathos turns on him and attempts to claim the boy's body as his human vessel. The soul of Daredevil fights the demon, and in the end Reilly Tyne is transformed into Darkdevil
, with the soul of a hero and the powers of a demon.
Kaine attempts to kill the Kingpin but is stopped by Spider-Girl
and sent to prison. There, he is recruited by Special Agent Arthur Whedon as part of a team of captured supervillains given the opportunity to redeem themselves by working for the government (similar to the Thunderbolts
). Those under his command include Big Man (the son of Henry Pym
and the Wasp
, former member of the Revengers
) and Quickwire (former villain, first appearing in Spider-Girl #53), and formerly Raptor
(now fully pardoned and released from duty) and Normie Osborn
(agreed to use his powers to work for them in place of Raptor, and since de-powered upon the death of the Venom
-symbiote
, can be presumed to have been released from duty).
Kaine appears to be genuinely interested in reformation, and has since been supportive of Spider-Girl and acted as an adviser to her.
Spider-Girl is clueless about her genetic relationship with Kaine, although Kaine hinted at it in their first encounter. It's implied that Darkdevil does know the truth, however, once commenting on Kaine's "twisted notions of simple concepts like family". Later on it has been revealed that Darkdevil indeed does know about Kaine's connection to his deceased father, going as far as to refer to Kaine as "Uncle Kaine". He however has not mentioned any of this to his cousin/sister May.
as it was originally conceived. He is working for both a shadowy figure and Jackal for unknown reasons and attacks Ben Reilly and Peter Parker when they first meet. After Jackal targets Mary Jane, Kaine leads them to Jackal's lair, only for all three to be captured. It is at this point that the two learn that Kaine is another Parker clone. When Kaine sees Gwen Stacy being cloned, he breaks all three free before burning the Mark of Kaine into Jackal's face and breaking his neck. When the building explodes, Kaine escapes, having stolen both Jackal's clone stabilizing agent and a second pod containing an unknown clone for his shadowy boss. The figure is later revealed to be a still-living Harry Osborn
, with the pod containing a clone of his father
. The duo have Doctor Octopus
make a clone-stabilizing agent. Later, Kaine is shown obtaining the infant May
from Allison Mongrain for Harry. He begins having doubts over Harry's plans when he holds the baby.
Ultimate Marvel
imprint, Ultimate Spider-Man
, Kaine is a misguided and disfigured clone of Peter Parker. He kidnaps Mary Jane and attempts to give her superpowers. He is killed after Fury's
Spider Slayers
shoot while he tries to prevent them from taking Mary Jane. Although never stated in the comic his 'name' is revealed in Ultimate Secrets. He also wears a tattered version of Ben Reilly's Spider-Man costume.
Kaine possessed superhuman strength, reflexes, and equilibrium. Like Spider-Man he can stick to most surfaces and had a danger warning "spider-sense".
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
and antihero who serves as both an ally and an enemy of Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
. He first appeared in Web of Spider-Man
Web of Spider-Man
Web of Spider-Man is the name of two different monthly comic book series starring Spider-Man that have been published by Marvel Comics since 1985, the first volume of which ran for 129 issues between 1985 and 1995, and the second of which ran for 12 issues between 2009 and 2010.-Volume 1:The first...
#119, and is the Jackal
Jackal (Marvel Comics)
The Jackal is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 , and was created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Ross Andru. In The Amazing Spider-Man #148 The Jackal is a fictional character that appears in...
's first failed attempt at cloning Peter Parker. The character was created by Terry Kavanagh and Steven Butler.
The birth of Kaine
Kaine is the Jackal's first temporary success at cloning Peter Parker but, due to the flawed cloning process is left deformed and mentally unstable. Kaine is later identified by the Jackal as "Parker 3.0"; the implications of this are unknown. The Jackal discards Kaine because the clone starts showing early signs of the degeneration process, and Kaine experiences a strong feeling of rejection similar to that between a father and son. Kaine realizes the partial degeneration also caused a slight amplification of the powers he "inherited" from Peter. Not only has his strength, speed, and agility been copied from the original Peter's, but he gains 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 GreenbergGlenn Greenberg
Glenn Greenberg is an American comic book and fiction writer. At the beginning of his career, he became a regular Marvel Comics writer, penning stories for The Spectacular Spider-Man, The Rampaging Hulk, The Silver Surfer, and Dracula.After establishing himself in the comic book industry, he was...
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.
The Jackal goes on to create a new, better clone, the man who would become Ben Reilly
Ben Reilly
Benjamin "Ben" Reilly is a fictional character in the . He is a clone of Peter Parker , and is prominent in the "Clone Saga" story arc...
. 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.
Behind the scenes, Norman Osborn
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
manages to have the files on Ben and Peter switched, so the Jackal would think Peter is the clone and Ben is the real deal. Consulting the Jackal's files, Kaine also believes the same, so he follows Ben Reilly through his "exile". For a time, he finds love in the arms of police detective Louise Kennedy of Salt Lake City, until he discovers she is working for the criminals. This revelation, coupled with Kaine's increased cellular degeneration, pushes Kaine even further towards insanity and he kills Louise. Kaine continues to stalk Ben, making it appear as though Janine Godbe, Ben's new love, has committed suicide. Kaine, hoping to give the man who he thinks is the clone (Peter) the life he could never have, frames Ben for a number of murders he commits since both men have the same fingerprints.
Later flashback scenes reveal that Kaine worked as a bounty hunter for a time, being briefly dispatched to eliminate Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter is a fictional character, a supervillain and enemy of Spider-Man appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Kraven's name is Sergei Kravinoff. He also appears as Xraven, with white-grey skin and red eyes, possessing the powers of X-Men. He is the half-brother of Dmitri...
, also experiencing a 'vision' via his enhanced spider-sense that Kraven would kill him in future. Despite the two engaging in a brutal confrontation- Kraven even briefly mistaking Kaine for Spider-Man due to a vague recognition of his template in Kaine, although he dismisses it as nothing due to the obvious differences between the two-, both survive despite Kaine burying Kraven alive- Kraven digging himself out after three days-, although Kraven's friend and manservant is killed by Kaine during the fight.
Trial of Peter Parker
Peter Parker is eventually tried and convicted for Kaine's crimes because they have the same fingerprints. Although Peter goes to prison for some time, Ben arranges to take his place in prison.Kaine wanders New York, defeating and executing scores of Spider-Man's enemies, including the Grim Hunter
Grim Hunter
Grim Hunter is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe, in which he is an enemy of Spider-Man. He is the son of Kraven the Hunter. His first appearance was in Spider-Man #47.-Fictional character biography:...
and Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics since 1963. A highly intelligent mad scientist, Doctor Octopus is one of Spider-Man's greatest foes...
(Although Doctor Octopus would later be resurrected). They grow fearful of him and form coalitions to protect themselves proactively- including the short-lived 'Sinister Seven', but meet with little success.
Peter wants Kaine to stand for what he has done, but Kaine initially refuses. The two fight and end up getting dragged into a mock-trial where Spider-Man is on trial, Kaine is his defense attorney, Carnage
Carnage (comics)
Carnage is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . The character first appears in The Amazing Spider-Man #344 , and was created by writer David Michelinie and artist Mark Bagley. The character is frequently depicted as an enemy of Spider-Man...
is the prosecutor, several Ravencroft inmates are the jury, and a powerful being known as Judas Traveller
Judas Traveller
Dr. Judas Traveller is a Marvel Comics fictional character. He first appeared in Web of Spider-Man #117 . He was created by writer Terry Kavanagh and artist Steven Butler.-Character Development:...
is the judge. During the one-sided trial, Kaine tries to physically fight off all those who are against Spider-Man before Traveller returns them to their previous place of battle.
After an incident involving a superpowered villainess named Stunner
Stunner (comics)
Angelina Brancale is a supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe. Originally an overweight and lonely receptionist working for Dr. Carolyn Trainer, she was given great strength and beauty through virtual reality technology and became the super-villain known as Stunner.-Fictional character...
, a weakened Kaine still refuses to confess to his crimes. Spider-Man responds by knocking Kaine out and webbing him up before heading to the courthouse. Kaine reawakens before they arrive and struggles again with Spider-Man in refusing to confess. At this point, Kaine admits that he's done everything to protect Peter's life and reveals that he is the first clone of Peter, now partially degenerated. Spider-Man decides that if Kaine will not reveal the truth, then he will reveal his true identity to the entire courtroom and end everything. Kaine pleads for Peter not to do this and eventually gives into revealing the real truth about the murders and the "Mark of Kaine".
Maximum Clonage
After Peter gives in to the news that he is a clone and Ben is the true Peter Parker, he allies himself with the Jackal. Kaine refuses to let him throw his life away. He confronts the Jackal with the full intent of destroying him, when the Jackal manipulates his mind once more by leading Kaine to believe he will be cured of the degeneration process. Once Jackal reveals he's once more lied, Kaine leaves feeling dejected. He goes back to Mary JaneMary Jane Watson
Mary Jane Watson, often shortened to MJ, is a fictional supporting character appearing, originally, in Marvel comic books and, later, in multiple spin-offs and dramatizations of the Spider-Man titles as the best friend, love interest, and one-time wife of Peter Parker, the alter ego of Spider-Man...
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
Spidercide (comics)
Spidercide is a fictional character from the Marvel Universe, a clone of the super-hero Spider-Man.-Fictional character biography:During the Clone Saga, in addition to Ben Reilly, Kaine, Jack and Guardian another clone of Spider-Man was introduced, Spidercide...
impales him with a spike taken from nearby machinery, seriously injuring and possibly killing him. The Jackal, in a momentary pang of fatherly guilt, then places Kaine in a regeneration pod.
Redemption
During Reilly's time as Spider-Man, some of the world's strongest fighters are pitted against one another in a fighting competition called the Great Game, a fighting tournament in which wealthy people wager on the fighters for their amusement.One of the Game's main sponsors, James Johnsmeyer, finds the pod containing the revived Kaine, and decides to initiate him into the competition, sending the Rhino
Rhino (comics)
The Rhino is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Romita, Sr., the character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #41 The Rhino (Aleksei Mikhailovich Sytsevich) is a fictional character that appears in comic...
to fight him. After Kaine's refusal and escape, thanks to temporary partner Shannon, Johnsmeyer still attempts to involve Kaine by allowing other Game competitors to attack him (Joystick
Joystick (comics)
Joystick is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:Virtually nothing is known of the past of Janice before she first appeared as Joystick, including the origin and nature of her apparent superhuman powers...
and Polestar).
Spider-Man interferes in the skirmish and gets sidetracked by Joystick and Polestar while Kaine puts a near-fatal beating on Rhino and escapes with Shannon. Before they are able to get away, Spider-Man manages to tag Shannon with a tracer and he pursues them once Polestar and Rhino are taken into custody. He finds them moments before the police, but after an incident that threatened to kill the officers, Kaine and Shannon escape again.
This time, Kaine's destination is Johnsmeyer's headquarters. Spider-Man finds them once again after Kaine manages to single-handedly destroy all of Johnsmeyer's rooftop security defenses, but once inside, Johnsmeyer reveals that Shannon—who was still working for Johnsmeyer during the entire ordeal—has been manipulating and deceiving Kaine. Kaine, not wanting to become a puppet of anyone ever again, tries to kill Shannon but was persuaded by Spider-Man not to do so. Kaine leaves and vows to take down every sponsor of the Great Game.
During a later encounter with Ben Reilly, in which Janine Godbe returns to the man she loved, Kaine finally brings himself to let go of his hatred for his brother, even saving Ben's life after nearly leaving him to die in a burning diner. Encouraged by his brother's example (as well as finally acknowledging Ben as his brother rather than his foe), Kaine hands himself over to the law, as Janine (who was wanted for the murder of her abusive father) does the same, both accepting that they have to face their pasts to find any peace with themselves.
At that point, it is revealed that his degeneration is killing him, and Kaine is incarcerated in some type of hospital-prison with other killers. Initially lamenting his situation and accepting his imminent death, Kaine resolves to fight after seeing hallucinations of Ben Reilly
Ben Reilly
Benjamin "Ben" Reilly is a fictional character in the . He is a clone of Peter Parker , and is prominent in the "Clone Saga" story arc...
, Jackal
Jackal (Marvel Comics)
The Jackal is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 , and was created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Ross Andru. In The Amazing Spider-Man #148 The Jackal is a fictional character that appears in...
, Louise, himself, and Peter Parker.
Several months later, he is shown escaping from jail alongside many other superpowered criminals in an issue of Thunderbolts
Thunderbolts (comics)
The Thunderbolts are a Marvel Comics superhero team, which consists mostly of former supervillains. The group first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #449 , and was created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley.-Publication history:...
. Kaine breaks out to try to stop Norman Osborn after finding out that he is still alive, has masterminded the Clone Saga, and killed his brother Ben. A few issues of Spider-Man briefly mention Kaine working against Osborn's agents in southern Europe. The last mention of Kaine is an offhand line from one of Osborn's men saying that Kaine has been "dealt with", without elaborating on what that meant.
Return
Kaine later appears in New York City, attacking Spider-Man as he tried to track down Raptor. He reveals that he has sought Raptor out, hoping that he could cure his cellular degeneration, and attacks Spider-Man to keep him from the villain. He also seems to hold some enmity towards Peter, perhaps after finding out he is the actual original Spider-Man. He also is one of the few people to have remembered Peter's secret identitySecret identity
A secret identity is an element of fiction wherein a character develops a separate persona , while keeping their true identity hidden. The character also may wear a disguise...
after the the worldwide mindwipe of this knowledge by Dr. Strange, Mr. Fantastic, and Iron Man, (Peter noting that he should have expected his clone to remember his true identity if anyone would).
When Raptor attacks Harry Osborn
Harry Osborn
Harry Osborn is a fictional character, a supporting character of Spider-Man in the . In addition to being Peter Parker's best friend, Harry was the second Green Goblin and is the son of Norman Osborn...
and Peter's cousins at Aunt May
Aunt May
May Reilly Parker-Jameson, commonly known as Aunt May, is a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared as May Parker in Amazing Fantasy #15...
's house, Kaine appears, having been working with Raptor the whole time. He exposes Peter's identity as Spider-Man and states that Peter is a clone of Reilly and should be killed since he's the closest thing to Ben. Peter beats Raptor unconscious and escapes. It is later shown that Raptor lied to Kaine about being able to cure his degeneration to gain an ally in his quest for revenge. Furious, Kaine started to choke Raptor, seemingly killing him.
Grim Hunt
Kaine is next seen being hunted by Ana Kravinoff and Alyosha Kravinoff. Their next attempt to hunt Kaine succeeds in brutally beating him; he barely escapes with his life, the Kravinoff's mocking that he will be "The only spider left. Even if you are an ugly one." Kaine manages to get to Peter's apartment to warn Peter that they, the "spiders", are being hunted before he falls unconscious. Later that night, after shaving his beard and cutting his hair, Kaine aids Spider-Man, Arachne, and Anya CorazonAnya Corazon
Anya Sofia Corazon is a fictional half Mexican and half Puerto Rican superheroine in the . She formerly went by the codename Araña, but is currently known as Spider-Girl.-Publication history:...
against the Kraven clan. After the Kravens abduct Araña and Arachne, Kaine tells Peter to 'run. Run and screw the rest.' Disgusted at Kaine's selfishness even when the two of them share DNA and memory, Spider-Man bluntly informs Kaine that the difference between them is the fact that he doesn't use his life's misery as an excuse to give up the good fight. After Spider-Man is lying, defeated, in an open grave with the Kravens advancing, Kaine knocks him unconscious, puts on his costume, and fights the Kravens in his place. He is mauled, stabbed, and ultimately sacrificed to bring Kraven the Hunter back from the dead, thus achieving redemption with his last acts to save his 'brother.' The Kravens do not realize they have killed the wrong 'spider' until later that night when Kraven recognizes the scent of Kaine, and they unmask the dead Spider-Man. As a result of this, Kraven is now undead
Undead
Undead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased and yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...
and can only be killed by the original Spider-Man.
After the battle with the Kravinoffs, Kaine is buried under the name "Kaine Parker". However, in the epilogue of Grim Hunt Kaine is shown climbing out of his own grave with mutated features, including extra eyes in a spider-like pattern on his forehead, with the narrative box saying 'Rise, cursed one. Rise... Tarantula'. This is later shown to have been spoken by The Jackal, who was present at Kaine's resurrection.
Spider-Island
Kaine is then further mutated by the Jackal into a hulking spider-like creature: a man's body, with a spider head, covered head to toe in spider hair, with 4 spider legs projecting from his back. The Jackal makes him the first of his army of individuals to use during Spider-IslandSpider-Island
"Spider-Island" is a comic book storyline starting in The Amazing Spider-Man and crossing over into other comic books published by Marvel Comics in 2011.-Infested:...
and dubs him "Tarantula"
As Tarantula, he is put under the control of the Queen, acting as a personal bodyguard and henchman to the Jackal during Spider-Island. Knowing about the genetic relationship between Kaine and Peter Parker, the Queen sends Kaine to Horizon Labs, to tamper with a cure being developed there for the "Spider-Virus". This culminates in a battle with Peter Parker (made aware of the recent access to his private fingerprint locked lab), after which he's forcefully submerged in the pool of highly concentrated cure. Kaine re-emerges, his mind-link with the Queen broken, a fully healed clone of Peter Parker. Despite the serum somehow curing him of every trace of his former degeneration, including his heavily scarred skin, Kaine claims to have retained his powers and abilities. In the final chapter of Spider-Island Kaine, now fully cured and seemingly a perfect clone in every way Ben Reilly was, helps take down The Queen. Kaine and Peter grab costumes from Peter's lab, Kaine opting for the sonic-shield "Big-Time" outfit as the two head off. While Peter goes to the Empire State Building with Mary Jane to cure New York, Kaine stays behind with the Avengers to fight The Queen. As Peter weakens the Queen, Kaine and Ms. Marvel attempt a move that she had originally perfected with Spider-Man. She swings Kaine by a web and launches him at the Queen. Kaine turns on his sonic-shield to protect himself from the Queen's sonic scream as stingers (like Peter's from The Other arc) erupt from his arms and he goes through her throat, delivering the killing blow.Afterwards, Kaine evades the other heroes during the aftermath of the battle using the suit, but Madame Web
Madame Web
Madame Web is a fictional supporting character in the Spider-Man comic book series.-Fictional character biography:Cassandra Webb was born in Salem, Oregon. She is a paralyzed, blind, telepathic, clairvoyant, and precognitive mutant, allowing her to work as a professional medium...
is able to 'see' him regardless, and talks to him about his future. Kaine meets up with Peter at the airport where he is seeing off Aunt May
Aunt May
May Reilly Parker-Jameson, commonly known as Aunt May, is a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared as May Parker in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, unmasked and free of his former degeneration. Kaine informs Peter he is leaving New York, and that he is keeping the stealth suit due to Madame Web's advice.
Scarlet Spider
It was revealed in Amazing Spider-Man #673 as well as the Marvel "Point One" one shot that Kaine will be the new Scarlet Spider in his own ongoing series. This was confirmed by editor Steve Wacker in the "Letters to the Editor" page of #673.Having been cured of his mutation, but not his spider-powers, he takes up the mantle Scarlet Spider, and moves to Houston, Texas.
As Kaine
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.The true limit of his strength is unknown, but he has proven able to beat the Rhino
Rhino (comics)
The Rhino is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Romita, Sr., the character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #41 The Rhino (Aleksei Mikhailovich Sytsevich) is a fictional character that appears in comic...
unconscious and to hold his own against three Spider-Men at the same time (Peter Parker
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, Ben Reilly
Ben Reilly
Benjamin "Ben" Reilly is a fictional character in the . He is a clone of Peter Parker , and is prominent in the "Clone Saga" story arc...
, and Spidercide
Spidercide (comics)
Spidercide is a fictional character from the Marvel Universe, a clone of the super-hero Spider-Man.-Fictional character biography:During the Clone Saga, in addition to Ben Reilly, Kaine, Jack and Guardian another clone of Spider-Man was introduced, Spidercide...
).
His precognitive spider-sense is more developed than that of Spider-Man; where Parker and Reilly can sense immediate danger, Kaine can actually see short glimpses of the future. Kaine also doesn't set off Parker or Reilly's spider-senses, but they don't set off his either.
He uses his clinging ability primarily to burn a distinctive scarring into surfaces (and people), which he calls the "Mark of Kaine". After defeating an enemy, usually resulting in death such as breaking their neck using his superhuman strength, he would burn the "Mark of Kaine" onto their face. Notable characters to have been defeated in such a fashion include Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics since 1963. A highly intelligent mad scientist, Doctor Octopus is one of Spider-Man's greatest foes...
(he was later resurrected). This ability also allows him to melt Spider-Man's webbing, and on at least one occasion he was able to use this 'talent' to cauterize a potentially fatal throat wound. Additionally, Kaine possesses two retractable claws on the backs of each hand reminiscent of Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
's bone claws, though their exact composition is unknown.
Kaine also uses his ability to stick to walls in other ways. In one instance, he fashioned a weapon out of a large section of a building by simply sticking to the building and then pulling away with his superhuman strength, bringing a large chunk of it with him.
Due to flaws in his genetic make-up Kaine does not look like an ordinary human, his skin covered with a web-like mass of disfiguring scars. The costume that Kaine typically wears has been said to slow the degeneration process in his body. However it was recently suggested in Spider-Island: Deadly Foes #1 that Kaine has a regeneration factor.
Being a clone of Spider-Man, Kaine is apparently immune to the world-wide mind purging of Spider-Man's identity and retains this knowledge.
As Tarantula
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 and presumably enhanced strength.Following the loss of his Tarantula form during Spider-Island, his degeneration is currently reversed. Kaine now looks to be a perfect clone of Peter Parker (as Ben Reilly was), and while he cryptically claims to have retained his Spider-Powers, it's still unknown if he maintained them at the same power level prior to being resurrected as Tarantula. He also had a similar rebirth to Peter Parker was during the events of The Other
Spider-Man: The Other
"The Other" is a comic book crossover story arc published by Marvel Comics from October 2005 to January 2006. It was the first Spider-Man crossover since 2001, and was published in Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1-4, Marvel Knights Spider-Man #19-22, The Amazing Spider-Man #525-528.-Publication...
, as Kaine is shown exhibiting forearm stingers and organic webbing near the end of the Spider-Island story.
As the Scarlet Spider
In addition to having augmented levels of strength, speed, and agility, he has organic webbing and spider stingers. After the events of Spider Island, Kaine retains the stealth suit which Peter Parker created at Horizon Labs and used against the Spider-Queen, which allows Kaine to have invisibility to both visual and audio means along with immunity to sonic-based attacks. Kaine is no longer able to use his enhanced Spider-Sense to see future events due to the events of Spider-Island resetting his power levels to around Spider-Man's level.MC2
In the alternate future known as MC2, Kaine successfully rescues baby MaySpider-Girl
Spider-Girl is a superheroine in Marvel Comics' MC2 universe. The character was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz as the teenage daughter of Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson, and first appeared in What If #105...
(Peter and Mary Jane's baby) from Norman Osborn
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
and returns her to her parents. This is the main point of divergence from the Marvel Universe.
Later, Kaine allies himself with the Kingpin of Crime
Kingpin (comics)
The Kingpin is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Kingpin is one of the most feared and powerful crime lords in the Marvel Universe. The character is a major adversary of Daredevil, the Punisher, and Spider-Man...
, but is betrayed by him during a confrontation with Daredevil
Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
. Daredevil sacrifices his own life to save Kaine. Kaine takes Daredevil's body to a regeneration chamber, where he is also attempting to assist Reilly Tyne, the son of Ben Reilly, who is degenerating as a result of his imperfectly cloned father's DNA. He attempts to summon the demon Zarathos
Zarathos
Zarathos is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics series Ghost Rider. He is a demonic being who tortures and devours souls. He first appears in Marvel Spotlight #5 .-Fictional character biography:...
to aid him in saving the two, but in the end, Zarathos turns on him and attempts to claim the boy's body as his human vessel. The soul of Daredevil fights the demon, and in the end Reilly Tyne is transformed into Darkdevil
Darkdevil
Darkdevil is a fictional character, a superhero in the "MC2" future of the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Tom DeFalco and Pat Olliffe and first appeared in Spider-Girl #2. -Fictional character biography:...
, with the soul of a hero and the powers of a demon.
Kaine attempts to kill the Kingpin but is stopped by Spider-Girl
Spider-Girl
Spider-Girl is a superheroine in Marvel Comics' MC2 universe. The character was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz as the teenage daughter of Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson, and first appeared in What If #105...
and sent to prison. There, he is recruited by Special Agent Arthur Whedon as part of a team of captured supervillains given the opportunity to redeem themselves by working for the government (similar to the Thunderbolts
Thunderbolts (comics)
The Thunderbolts are a Marvel Comics superhero team, which consists mostly of former supervillains. The group first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #449 , and was created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley.-Publication history:...
). Those under his command include Big Man (the son of Henry Pym
Henry Pym
Dr. Henry "Hank" Pym is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. Created by editor and plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber and penciler Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27...
and the Wasp
Wasp (comics)
The Wasp is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics universe and founding member of The Avengers. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #44 ....
, former member of the Revengers
Revengers
The Revengers are a fictional team of supervillains who were formed to fight A-Next in Marvel Comics' MC2 series A-Next. It is also the name of a comical parody of the Avengers in Earth-665, the setting of Marvel's parody comic Not Brand Echh....
) and Quickwire (former villain, first appearing in Spider-Girl #53), and formerly Raptor
Raptor (comics)
Raptor is the name of two fictional characters in the Marvel Comics' universe.The first Raptor appeared in the Spider-Girl series in the alternative future MC2 universe. She is the daughter of the criminal Blackie Drago .The second Raptor appears in the The Amazing Spider-Man...
(now fully pardoned and released from duty) and Normie Osborn
Normie Osborn
Normie Osborn is the grandson of Norman Osborn and the son of Harry Osborn, the first and second Green Goblin, respectively. As Harry Osborn and Peter Parker were best friends, he is also Spider-Man's godson.-Fictional character biography:...
(agreed to use his powers to work for them in place of Raptor, and since de-powered upon the death of the Venom
Venom (comics)
Eddie Brock is a fictional character created by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane. A comic book supervillain, Brock's earliest appearance is a cameo in Web of Spider-Man #18 before making his first full appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #299 as Venom...
-symbiote
Symbiote (comics)
In the Marvel Comics universe, The Symbiote is a specific parasitic species of extraterrestrial organism...
, can be presumed to have been released from duty).
Kaine appears to be genuinely interested in reformation, and has since been supportive of Spider-Girl and acted as an adviser to her.
Spider-Girl is clueless about her genetic relationship with Kaine, although Kaine hinted at it in their first encounter. It's implied that Darkdevil does know the truth, however, once commenting on Kaine's "twisted notions of simple concepts like family". Later on it has been revealed that Darkdevil indeed does know about Kaine's connection to his deceased father, going as far as to refer to Kaine as "Uncle Kaine". He however has not mentioned any of this to his cousin/sister May.
Spider-Man: Clone Saga
Kaine appears during the miniseries exploring the Clone SagaClone Saga
The Clone Saga or Spider-Clone Saga was a major story arc in Marvel Comics which ran from 1994 to 1996 involving many clones of Spider-Man.The story is considered to be one of the most controversial Spider-Man stories ever told...
as it was originally conceived. He is working for both a shadowy figure and Jackal for unknown reasons and attacks Ben Reilly and Peter Parker when they first meet. After Jackal targets Mary Jane, Kaine leads them to Jackal's lair, only for all three to be captured. It is at this point that the two learn that Kaine is another Parker clone. When Kaine sees Gwen Stacy being cloned, he breaks all three free before burning the Mark of Kaine into Jackal's face and breaking his neck. When the building explodes, Kaine escapes, having stolen both Jackal's clone stabilizing agent and a second pod containing an unknown clone for his shadowy boss. The figure is later revealed to be a still-living Harry Osborn
Harry Osborn
Harry Osborn is a fictional character, a supporting character of Spider-Man in the . In addition to being Peter Parker's best friend, Harry was the second Green Goblin and is the son of Norman Osborn...
, with the pod containing a clone of his father
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
. The duo have Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics since 1963. A highly intelligent mad scientist, Doctor Octopus is one of Spider-Man's greatest foes...
make a clone-stabilizing agent. Later, Kaine is shown obtaining the infant May
Spider-Girl
Spider-Girl is a superheroine in Marvel Comics' MC2 universe. The character was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz as the teenage daughter of Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson, and first appeared in What If #105...
from Allison Mongrain for Harry. He begins having doubts over Harry's plans when he holds the baby.
Ultimate Kaine
In the alternate universeParallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
Ultimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel is an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and updated versions of the company's superhero characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. The imprint was launched in 2000 with the publication of the series...
imprint, Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man was a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
, Kaine is a misguided and disfigured clone of Peter Parker. He kidnaps Mary Jane and attempts to give her superpowers. He is killed after Fury's
Ultimate Nick Fury
General Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional character published by Marvel Comics. A reinterpretation of the character Nick Fury, one of the most notable differences between the two is that the mainstream Nick Fury is an Italian American colonel with graying brown hair, while this Nick Fury...
Spider Slayers
Spider-Slayer
The Spider-Slayers are a series of fictional robots in the Marvel Comics universe that were specifically designed to hunt down, capture, and/or kill Spider-Man.-Fictional character biography:...
shoot while he tries to prevent them from taking Mary Jane. Although never stated in the comic his 'name' is revealed in Ultimate Secrets. He also wears a tattered version of Ben Reilly's Spider-Man costume.
Kaine possessed superhuman strength, reflexes, and equilibrium. Like Spider-Man he can stick to most surfaces and had a danger warning "spider-sense".
External links
- Kaine at Marvel.com
- Kaine at Marvel wikia
- Kaine's profile at Spiderfan.org
- The Clone Saga Timeline