Ballad of the Spider Clan

Ballad of the Spider Clan is a series published by Tales from The Spider-Verse. The series follows Asian-American high school student Peter Parker who lives in a world that mixes American and Japanese cultures and is the last remaining member of the ninja group known as the Spider Clan. Throughout the series, Peter attempts to both resurrect his clan and get revenge on those that destroyed it.
== Characters ==
=== Main Characters ===
* Peter Parker/Spider-Man - the last remaining member of the Spider Clan ninja group who was trained from an early age in their ways, learning how to "move and fight like a spider". After the massacre of his clan, he was left as the sole member and was forced to flee and enroll at Midtown High in order to hide his identity. In present day, he has made it his goal to hunt the people who killed his friends and family and restore his clan.
=== Supporting Characters ===
* Mary Jane "MJ" Watson/Spider-Woman - Peter's classmate and love interest who is a fun-loving tomboy. She eventually discovers Peter's secret identity and becomes the first person recruited into his reforming of the Spider Clan, with Peter being her mentor.
* Harold "Harry" Osborn/Iron Spider - the son of the criminal Norman Osborn and the closest thing Peter has to a best friend at Midtown High. After discovering his father's criminal nature, he turns against him and begins working with Peter, mixing traditional Spider Clan teachings with high-tech equipment, which Peter has mixed feelings about.
* Kaine Parker/Scarlet Spider - an attempt at cloning Peter by his enemies, the Shadow Clan. Initially a villain of Peter's, he eventually switches sides after he begins developing emotions and feelings similar to Peter. However, while he has a strong sense of justice, he is filled with anger due to his belief he isn't the "true" Peter.
* Ezekiel Sims - the original founder of the Spider Clan, having survived over a hundred years via unknown means. He is one of the most skilled combatants in the series and serves as Peter's mentor. Later in the series, he also usurps Peter as the new leader of the reformed Spider Clan.
* Eugene "Flash" Thompson/Man-Spider - Peter's bully at Midtown High who is a star football player and one of the school's most popular students. Ironically, he is a fan of Spider-Man. He eventually sacrifices himself to save Spider-Man's life, but comes back in the form of a spider demon with multiple arms and spider-like abilities.
* Kiri - Peter's mother who he claims was a wise and fair leader, but who was killed during the Spider Clan massacre. However, due to her mysticism, she is able to stay in Peter's life as a specter, though he has trouble communicating with her ghost form.
=== Villains ===
* Shadow Clan - a splinter group of the Spider Clan and the people responsible for their slaughter. They are the masters of a mysterious force known as Klin-Ta, which gives them mystic power from their own malice.
**Baal - the leader of the Shadow Clan and one of its most dangerous members. He is a sadist who mocks his enemies throughout battle and, while preferring to operate from behind the scenes, is more than capable of battling head-to-head with some of the most skilled martial artists alive.
** Venom - Baal's son and the heir of the Shadow Clan, as well as the person who headed the massacre of the Spider Clan, which has made him the archenemy of Peter. He is claimed to be the Shadow Clan's most dangerous member, even more so than his father. Later in the series, he dies and comes back in a demon form, gaining several new abilities and personality alterations.
** Felicia Hardy/Black Cat - a master thief and assassin who was recruited by the Shadow Clan after the massacre of the Spider Clan. After Peter first surfaces as Spider-Man, she is initially hired to kill him but falls in love with him in the process, creating a chaotic and sometimes awkward dynamic between the two.
* Norman Osborn/The Goblin - the owner of the organization Oscorp who is on a quest to resurrect his deceased wife, Kay. Using a combination of dark magic and science, he does everything in his power to bring her back and cuts down anything in his way. Due to a magic ritual gone wrong, he is deformed, with green, goblin-like skin that he hides with a latex mask of his old face.
* The Four - a team of four ancient and powerful warriors who once attempted to conquer the world. Each of their members is made out of one of the four elements.
** André Gerard/Wind - the pseudo-leader of the Four who is the oldest and wisest of them all. The other members turn to him for advice, though it is often vague. He is able to control the wind, evaporate into air, and rides on top of a cloud.
** Flint Marko/Earth - a man made of sand who is able to shift his body into any form he wants. He is the most manic of the Four, constantly smiling and making twisted jokes at the expense of others.
** Mark Raxton/Fire - the Four's embodiment of fire who is the cool-headed, strong, silent type and often butts heads with the other members. His body is made of magma and he is able to light almost anything on fire.
** Mildred Bench/Water - a woman who is dangerously loyal to André, who she refers to as "boss". She is egotistical, constantly bragging about her abilities, and sadistic. She is able to transform her body into water at will.
* Lonnie Lincoln/Tombstone - the head of the New York Yakuza and a mob boss with a sadistic streak. He is an albino man with indestructible skin and superhuman strength. He is one of the primary heads of New York crime and has his hands in all forms of organized crime, such as drug dealing, shipping of illegal goods, and even human trafficking.
* Thunder & Lightning - a criminal duo who mostly work as underlings to other villains as assassins/mercenaries. They are also master thieves that constantly go after expensive items. Using technology strapped to their bodies, Thunder is able to create sonic bursts while Lightning can generate and fire electricity. They are based on the Spider-Man villains Shocker and Electro.
== Issues ==
Category:Comics
Category:Marvel Comics