Summary
Spider-Man has one of the best rogues' galleries in all superhero history, and over the last 60+ years, every villain has gotten their own time in the spotlight. While many long-time Spidey fans will have their own particular favorite comic runs that they think best showcase each villain, there are a handful that are just considered too influential to not read. For theGreen Goblin, it’s the originalNight That Gwen Stacy Diedarc. For Venom, it’s theSeparation Anxietyrun. For Doc Ock, it’s theSuperior Spider-Mancomic. And for Kraven the Hunter, it’sKraven’s Last Hunt, a story thatMarvel’s Spider-Man 2could’ve easily leaned on.
With the vast majority ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2’s story revolving around the Symbiote suit and Venom, it’s only natural that the game draws on the decades of comics that came before it for inspiration on how to tackle such an iconic Spidey arc, andMarvel’s Spider-Man 2isn’t afraid to wear its influences on its sleeve. Lines of dialogue, cinematic camera angles, and match-ups between specific characters in certain arenas all reference various Spidey comics, TV shows, or movies that came before it, but it refuses to lean too heavily intoKraven’s Last Huntfor the better.
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The Story of Kraven’s Last Hunt
First published in 1987,Kraven’s Last Huntwas originally a six-part, mostly standalone arc that interrupted three separate Spider-Man comic stories at the time, but for good reason. Widely regarded as the quintessential Kraven story,Kraven’s Last Huntpicks up soon after the death of Ned Leeds and opens with Spider-Man reflecting on whether he’s doing enough for the people he cares about. Spider-Man’s reflection is cut short when Kraven takes him by surprise, and shoots with a tranquilizer rifle, knocking him unconscious.
Growing older and more bitter with the changing world around him, Kraven had sworn to himself that this would be the time he finally defeats Spider-Man, who he views as his arch-nemesis. While unconscious, Spider-Man is buried in the ground, and Kraven puts on an identical costume to his. To ultimately defeat Spider-Man, Kraven believes that he must be a better version of the hero, and wearing his Spidey suit he sets off to stop some crime in the city. Believing that Spider-Man never goes far enough, Kraven—still pretending to be the Wall-Crawler—brutally beats up and even kills a few thugs, before managing to single-handedly take downthe villain Vermin.
With the effects of the tranquilizer starting to wear off, Spider-Man bursts from the ground and staggers his way to confront Kraven. Upon finding the hunter, Kraven refuses to fight Spider-Man, claiming that he’s already proven himself as the final victor in their ongoing battle.
Kraven releases Vermin but stops the villain before he can land a killing blow on Spider-Man, then releases him back into the wild to wreak havoc once again. Kraven gives Spider-Man the option to take him down or go after Vermin, but either way, Kraven has won in his eyes, and at long last his hunt is over. As Spidey rushes off to take down Vermin, Kraven reflects on his life, and with a newfound sense of peace, he commits suicide.
How Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s Story Stays Unique with Kraven
A surprisingly dark story for a normally quite light-hearted hero,Kraven’s Last Huntis one of the most influential Spider-Man comics ever made. It may have been easy for Insomniac to adapt it inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2’s main story, but aside from Kraven’s cancer, there isn’t any explicit connection or inspiration between the two.
Kraven heading to New York to find the perfect rival, who he eventually finds in Spider-Man, isn’t mutually exclusive to that storyline, for example. Kraven killing different Sinister Six members is exciting to see as characters genuinely have high stakes, but without Kraven putting Peter down or donning a rendition of the black cloth suit, there isn’t anything that bonds the two.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2does have Kraven facing off against the Spider-Man in the rain, but even then the Symbiote isn’t a factor inKraven’s Last Hunt. This comic is a culmination of a rich history, too, whileMarvel’s Spider-Man 2showcases Peter and Kraven’s first and last encounters. Kraven’s iterations also have a much different conclusion in each. Insomniac’s Kraven doesn’t commit suicide at the end ofSpider-Man 2, though he does willingly let himself die at the hands of Venom, believing it to be his one true rival and the end of his lifelong hunt.
