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Thanks to Summer Game Fest we know that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is officially coming to PlayStation on October 20. This news comes days after Sony gave an in-depth look at the highly anticipated sequel. That in-depth look included a look at the latest villain wreaking havoc on Peter Parker and Miles Morales’ lives: Kraven the Hunter. This Marvel villain has some big connections to other Marvel heroes that could potentially pop up in the game. Let’s dive into this character and the heroes he could potentially bring to Spider-Man 2.
Kraven The Hunter
Sergei Dimitri Symostivych Kravinoff, better known as Kraven the Hunter, made his Marvel debut in 1964’s The Amazing Spider-Man #15. The fanatical big-game hunter aims to prove he is the greatest hunter in the world by taking down the biggest and most dangerous prey. This leads him to set his sights on heroes like Spider-Man.
Using various jungle herbs and remedies, Kraven gains superhuman physical abilities. This includes superhuman strength, enhanced senses, and durability that make it difficult to injure him. However, even without the superpowered enhancements, Kraven is a gifted athlete and tactician. He excels at hand-to-hand combat and hunting/tracking as well.
Using these abilities, Kraven is first recruited to take down Spider-Man by his brother, the Chameleon. However, his first encounter with the web-slinger ends in his defeat. This is the beginning of a longtime rivalry between the two and sees Kraven become one of Spidey’s most formidable foes within the comics. Of course, Kraven ends up setting his sights on other heroes as he attempts to prove he is the greatest hunter in the world.
Kraven the Hunter’s connection to other Marvel characters would be a great way to introduce some surprise cameos in Spider-Man 2. While the possibilities are endless, here are five of the potential Marvel characters that Kraven could bring with him.
Daredevil
After trying, and failing, to defeat Spider-Man, Kraven the Hunter set his sights on another Marvel hero in New York: Daredevil. During the “Prey of the Hunter” storyline in Daredevil issues #104 and #105, Kraven is hired to eliminate The Man Without Fear. During that time, Matt Murdock is teamed up with Black Widow on another case and the two contended with the relentless hunter. Luckily, they were able to come out on top and not end up as a trophy on Kraven’s mantle.
After that storyline wrapped up, Kraven occasionally popped back up to be a thorn in Daredevil’s side. With Spider-Man 2 bringing Kraven to New York, a run-in with the Devil from Hell’s Kitchen is not out of the realm of possibility.
Tigra
Another Marvel character that hasn’t had the chance to shine outside the comics is Tigra. This vigilante-turned-superpowered hybrid is a staple in the West Coast Avengers team. After a stint with the Fantastic Four, she found herself kidnapped by Kraven the Hunter. He used a high-tech collar to control Tigra and make her do his bidding. The goal of this kidnapping/brainwashing was to have Tigra fight Spider-Man to the death. All for Kraven’s enjoyment.
Thankfully, Spider-Man noticed the collar and was able to free Tigra. The two then teamed up to defeat Kraven. However, this stint went down as one of Kraven’s more villainous plans and solidified him as Tigra’s enemy. So, seeing Tigra pop up in Spider-Man 2 would not be that surprising. Perhaps even having her under the influence of a similar technology and under Kraven’s control as he tries to eliminate Spider-Man. I am no video game writer but that would make for a pretty great story.
Kraven VS The X-Men
Kraven has had several run-ins with the X-Men over the years. One of the biggest storylines is the “Hunted” series that sees Kraven teaming up with X-Men villain Arcade. Together, the two create a sinister theme park where heroes and villains are trapped and hunted down. The people taken by Kraven are linked by the fact that they have an animal codename or costume, like Wolverine. Although Kraven never got the chance to actually fight Wolverine. That occurred in last year’s X-Force.
Speaking of, Kraven put a big hurt on the X-Men with his assault on Krakoa in X-Force #32. He was able to single-handedly eliminate some of the more powerful mutants. And he was able to damage the Krakoan resurrection protocols. His appearance in New York would certainly grab the attention of the mutant superhero team.
Not to mention the upcoming Wolverine game from the same studio as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. What better way to set up that title than to have Logan pop up in this sequel?
Squirrel Girl
In an odd turn of events, one of Kraven’s biggest comic interactions comes from Doreen Green AKA Squirrel Girl. During the run of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, the titular hero faces off against Kraven after he harms some squirrels in New York. During the battle, Squirrel Girl reasons with Kraven that he should be hunting larger prey like the sea monster Giganto. Kraven takes the suggestion to heart and eventually vows to only hunt those that are being hunted.
He would later come to Squirrel Girl’s aid in battling Melissa Morbeck. He would also thank her for the advice and all she did to help him. Seeing as these two share a connection, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Squirrel Girl make an appearance. Especially if Kraven’s hunt for Spidey harms any squirrels along the way.
Kraven And The Sinister Six
As a founding member of the original Sinister Six, Kraven the Hunter could easily bring in the baddies that have yet to make an appearance. This includes Mysterio and Sandman, who have yet to make their debut in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 gaming universe. So, who do you think is coming along for the ride this time?