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No Spider-Man is a Spider-Island.

References to a silly 2011 Marvel Comics storyline aside, there really have been a number of great characters who have made Peter Parker what he is today. Even the most casual fans know about his romantic entanglements, but the ongoing Spider-Story that began in 1962 has involved a whole mess of high school bullies, supportive coworkers, and friends-to-enemies-and-back-again that have made his comics worth reading.

As you probably already know, we're celebrating the wall-crawler with a little Spotlight on Spider-Man this week, and we couldn't think of a better time to highlight the standouts from the masses I mentioned above. Presented for your enrichment, here are the best Spider-Man supporting characters, ranked.

Spider-Man's Supporting Characters Ranked: #9 - Ned Leeds

Dear Ned is at the bottom of this list because, to be honest, the Daily Bugle employee created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko is hardly recognizable today. Still, whether he's the answer to the '80s biggest Marvel Comics mystery or the MCU's wisecracking almost magician, Ned has brought a lot of joy to loyal wall-crawlers.

Spider-Man's Supporting Characters Ranked: #8 - Betty Brant

Another Lee/Ditko creation, Betty Brant is like the Lois Lane of the Daily Bugle, but a lot less consistent. As so many Marvel Comics characters do, Betty made the mistake of dating Peter Parker, and unfortunately, too much of her time has been spent as a damsel in distress. That said, if Marvel wants to do more with the Bugle as a place for investigative reporting, they have a great possible lead in Betty.

Spider-Man's Supporting Characters Ranked: #7 - Robbie Robertson

The only character on this list not to be from the pen of Steve Ditko, Stan Lee, and John Romita Sr., Robbie Robertson is the character that brought credibility to the Daily Bugle. And ever since, Robbie has served a number of important roles in the Spider-Mythos, both as a driving force behind the Bugle's place in the Marvel Universe and as an integral piece of Spider-Man villain Tombstone's backstory.

Spider-Man's Supporting Characters Ranked: #6 - Harry Osborn

Admittedly, Harry Osborn will eventually go on to become a full-on supervillain, but what keeps him on this list is the important role that Harry played during Peter's early years in the suit. Another Lee/Ditko, Harry's friendship with Peter made the Spider-Man/Green Goblin rivalry even more interesting, and the tragic end to the story that began with his father remains one of the most unique friendship arcs in comics.

Spider-Man's Supporting Characters Ranked: #5 - Mary Jane Watson

I bet you expected to see MJ a little higher on this list, didn't you? Let me be honest - the reason that Spider-Man's longest-term romantic relationship isn't further up is that, at this point, I struggle to see MJ as just a Spider-Man side character. It's true that, to some degree, every character on this list has taken on a life of their own outside of Peter's - but Mary Jane is Venom now, for Pete's sake! How many characters have grown that far away from Spidey's inner circle?

Well, there's one in particular, but we'll talk about that in a sec.

Spider-Man's Supporting Characters Ranked: #4 - Aunt May

Whether it's the Miss Marple lookalike that debuted with Peter Parker in Amazing Fantasy #15 or the MCU single parent that flirts with Tony Stark, Aunt May is easily one of Spider-Man's most important side characters for one reason: for all the people Spider-Man takes care of, Aunt May takes care of Spider-Man. Yes, she's been used as bait by New York's supervillains more than once over her many years in comics, but she is also the closest thing Peter has to a mom. 

And that's hero enough.

Spider-Man's Supporting Characters Ranked: #3 - Flash Thompson

Another character probably better known for their own super-powered alter-ego, Flash Thompson, is a great example of how the Spider-Man character can inspire heroism in others. After his bullying days are done, this Lee/Ditko classmate of Peter Parker's is inspired to serve his country and, in a prescient moment for the Spider-saga, is greatly impacted by real-world events, losing his legs in the Iraq War.

But am I going to pretend I wasn't inspired to put Flash up here because I love Agent Venom? I am not.

Spider-Man's Supporting Characters Ranked: #2 - Gwen Stacy

Here's a hot take - what brought Gwen Stacy back from the dead wasn't Spider-Verse shenanigans or some other kind of comic book conjuring: it was the fact that fans loved her. Iconic even in her civilian duds since day one, this Lee/Ditko was so popular, in fact, that Mexican Spider-Man comics downright refused to kill her off in the '70s. Sure, we know Gwen as having taken on a superheroic life of her own these days, but even back when alternate realities were still reserved for one-off Flash comics, Gwen was keeping her own universe alive.

Spider-Man's Supporting Characters Ranked: #1 - J. Jonah Jameson

Speaking of non-suited icons, we wrap up our list with a character who has been friend, foe, and foil to Marvel's webhead since Lee/Ditko published the Amazing Spider-Man #1 in 1963. The subject of a metric ton of memes, JJJ is as eternal a presence to Peter Parker as Alfred Pennyworth is to Bruce Wayne, but with a lot more flexibility in terms of his relationship with the main character. And if we may say so, J. Jonah Jameson has perhaps the best comic book movie casting in the medium's history.

Take that, Paul Rudd.

Marvel's most reliable superhero has proven he can do a whole lot more than just 'whatever a spider can.' Swing into Spidey's history with Popverse's...

• Best Spider-Man comic books 
• The best Spider-Mans (or is it Spider-Men?)
• Spider-Man movie watch order
• Spider-Man's actors, ranked
• The best Spider-Man suits
• and the Spider-verse explained!

Just watch out for that radioactive blood.