5 Times Spider-Man Overcame Great Odds (And 5 Times He Quit)

3. Pulling Himself Out Of The Grave

Kraven the Hunter found a way to elevate himself from B-list villain to upper crust baddie very quickly during the critically acclaimed 1987 storyline, 'Kraven's Last Hunt by J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck. In it, Kraven shoots Spider-Man with a tranquilizer, buries him alive, and then dons his costume in attempt to prove he is superior.

Kraven's diabolical scheme traps Spider-Man underground for two whole weeks (when Spidey is fresh off his nuptials to Mary Jane, to boot). While in the ground, Spidey hallucinates that he sees his long-term friend, Ned Leeds, who was just recently revealed as the Hobgoblin and killed (his role as the Hobgoblin would be later retconned).

Seeing Ned makes Spider-Man think he's dead himself. He goes into fetal position and sees himself turn into a spider. Thinking about how much he loves MJ, Peter musters the strength to emerge from the spider and pull himself out of the ground. Kraven, content with how he conquered his foe, kills himself, robbing Spider-Man of the satisfaction of apprehending the man who buried him alive. But, emerging from the grave is one of the defining moments in the history of Spider-Man comics and a demonstration that Spidey's love for Mary Jane conquered all.