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Ever hear of the story Kravens Last Hunt? It is a classic Spider-Man story, spanning across six issues. It is considered to be one of the best Spider-Man stories ever written. The series of comics consisted of issues of Web of Spider-Man, Amazing Spider-Man, and Spectacular Spider-Man (Affiliate Link). Thanks for the inconvenience, Marvel.
Kraven’s Last Hunt is the story where Kraven defeats Spider-Man. He shoots him and buries his body in the ground. Then he dresses up like Spider-Man, and pretends to be him. Why, you ask? Because he sees it as being the ultimate revenge. Like kicking a guy’s butt, then taking his girlfriend. You would do it just to prove that you won.
Needless to say, Kraven does not really kill Spider-Man. He was just tranquilized or something… for two weeks. And buried, with no air. Yep, makes sense to me! Do you want to know what else made sense? Spider-Man forces his way out of his grave and goes home immediately to make love to his wife. On the next page, it shows how Spider-Man is so weak that he can barely even talk. I guess he just lied there and let his wife do all the work.
All kidding aside, Kraven’s Last Hunt is one of the best. A testament to this is knowing how often the story has been republished in hardcover and softcover editions. At the time of this writing, there are at least two versions in graphic novel form. Some have even been recolored and stuff. That has always amazed me. Why bother recoloring it? Does it really matter that much? I can tell you first hand that the original coloring was fine. Whatever. Just read it.
Kraven’s Last Hunt is widely known as one of the most psychologically intense story arcs in all of Spider-Man’s lore. The graphic novel, written by J. M. DeMatteis and illustrated by Mike Zeck, was released in 1987 and has since become a staple read for comic book enthusiasts. But what is it about this comic book that captivated and haunted readers for decades? The answer lies in its portrayal of Spider-Man’s arch-nemesis, Kraven the Hunter, and his descent into madness as he attempts to prove himself better than Spider-Man in every way possible.
Kraven’s Last Hunt is undoubtedly a masterpiece, but some people just don’t like good things; you know, the kind of people who would rather watch Transformers instead of Goodfellas. Despite its acclaim and influence in the Spider-Man mythos, some argue that this story arc is overrated and that Kraven is an uninteresting villain. However, those people are simply wrong. It is clear that the creators put a lot of thought and care into this story, and that shines through in every panel.
Are you a fan of Kraven’s Last Hunt? Leave a comment and tell me what you like best about it.