| Sergei Nikolaevich Kravinoff Kraven the Hunter | |
|---|---|
.webp) Kraven the Hunter. Textless cover to Venom #157 (November 2017). Art by Mark Bagley, John Dell, and John Rauch. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Amazing Spider-Man #15 (August 1964)[1][2] |
| Created by |
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| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Sergei Nikolaevich Kravinoff |
| Species | Human mutate |
| Team affiliations | Sinister Six Kravinoff Family Avengers 1959 Army of Evil Justice Pals |
| Partnerships | Calypso Ezili Squirrel Girl |
| Notable aliases | Unhuntable Sergei Scarlet Spider Spider-Man The Hunter |
| Abilities |
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Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Nikolaevich Kravinoff; Russian: Сергей Николаевич Кравинов) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #15 (August 1964) as an adversary to the superhero Peter Parker / Spider-Man.[3] He since endured as one of the web-slinger's most formidable foes, and is part of the collective of adversaries that make up Spider-Man's rogues' gallery. Kraven has also come into conflict with other heroes, such as Black Panther and Tigra. He is the half-brother of the supervillain Chameleon,[4] and is one of the founding members of the Sinister Six.[5]
In Kraven's first appearance, he calls Spider-Man "the most dangerous game", a direct reference to the 1924 short story of the same name, in which General Zaroff, a Russian big-game hunter (and a primary inspiration for the character), hunts people for sport.[6]
Kraven is typically portrayed as a renowned big-game hunter whose goal in life is to beat Spider-Man to prove himself as the world's greatest hunter.[7] Though he is often overconfident in his own abilities, about which he likes to boast, he possesses a great sense of honor, and treats his adversaries as equals until proven otherwise. Because of this, Kraven has sometimes been depicted as an antihero and has teamed up with other heroes, including Spider-Man, the Avengers of 1959, and Squirrel Girl, in The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015–2019). The character is widely regarded as one of Spider-Man's most formidable enemies, and has gained considerable attention from storylines such as 1987's "Kraven's Last Hunt," 2010's "Grim Hunt", 2015–2019's "The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl's Friend Kraven", and 2019's "Hunted". The mantle of Kraven the Hunter has also been assumed by Kraven's sons Alyosha and Sergei Kravinoff II, and his daughter Ana Kravinoff.
Since his original introduction in comics, the character has been featured in various other Marvel-licensed products, including video games, animated television series, and merchandise. Aaron Taylor-Johnson will portray Kraven the Hunter in the Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) live-action film Kraven the Hunter (2024).
- ^ Misiroglu, Gina Renée; Eury, Michael (2006). The Supervillain Book: The Evil Side of Comics and Hollywood. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 9780780809772.
- ^ Conroy, Mike (2004). 500 Comicbook Villains. Collins & Brown. ISBN 1-84340-205-X.
- ^ Harn, Darby (June 2, 2021). "Kraven The Hunter: 10 Things Only Comic Book Fans Know About The Spider-Man Villain". Screen Rant. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ Iacobucci, Jordan (June 23, 2023). "Who is Kraven the Hunter And What are His Powers?". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ Ghosh, Artie; Raul, Danilo (November 12, 2023). "Explained: Who is Kraven the Hunter?". MovieWeb. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ Garcia, Mayra (May 26, 2023). "10 Things You Didn't Know About Kraven The Hunter". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
- ^ Richard, Nate (April 27, 2024). "Kraven the Hunter: Everything We Know So Far About the Spider-Man Spinoff". Collider. Retrieved May 13, 2024.