The Raft

**The Raft** is a super-maximum security prison located near Ryker's Island, New York in *Marvel's Spider-Man* series. Described as the premier wonder of New York's prison system, it is primarily reserved only for super-powered criminals.

## History

### Before *Marvel's Spider-Man*

During Peter Parker's first eight years as Spider-Man, he fought many of his most dangerous enemies, including Electro, Rhino, Vulture, and Scorpion. Following the respective defeats of each of these supervillains, the NYPD had them imprisoned in the Raft, a maximum-security institution that specializes in housing meta-humans such as these.

### *Marvel's Spider-Man*

Upon his arrest, criminal mastermind Wilson Fisk is brought to the Raft for imprisonment. Despite the subsequent efforts of his men, Fisk's escape attempts are unsuccessful. After Spider-Man foils Mister Negative and his plot to release the first dose of Devil's Breath, he is imprisoned in the Raft as well.

The Raft is seen in the mission "Out of the Frying Pan...". Following the prison break at Ryker's, Otto Octavius, now having completed his transformation into Doctor Octopus, starts a riot during which he releases Electro, Rhino, Vulture, Scorpion, and the recently incarcerated Mister Negative along with many other criminals imprisoned in both the Raft and in Ryker's. The aforementioned meta-human villains then rally together, becoming the Sinister Six, with Otto as their supreme leader, promising his fellow members to give them something in return in exchange for their help in exacting his revenge against Mayor Norman Osborn.

Eventually, however, these villains are all recaptured and returned to their cells in the Raft due to the efforts of Spider-Man. Doctor Octopus is also sent here as well after his defeat, with his mechanical arms removed.

### *Miles Morales*

One year later, it is revealed that only Rhino and the remaining escapees are left to be brought to Raft. Miles, the new Spider-Man attempts to stop Rhino from escaping the prison capsule carried below by a police chopper, but unknowingly, one of his webs caused the chopper to fall into the street with no casualties, in which the younger spider almost got himself chopped by the chopper's blade, until his mentor and the original Spider-Man saved him. This cause Rhino and the other prisoners to escape once again.

Although some of the escapees are still at large, the new Spider-Man manages to defeat Rhino with a newly awakened bio-electric Venom powers, until Simon Krieger and his Roxxon troops arrive to apprehend Rhino and bring him to Raft, or so everyone including the Spider-Men believe.

In reality, Roxxon made Rhino into their secret enforcer to kidnap the new Spider-Man and the Underground leader Tinkerer, causing Prowler, Roxxon's hired thief begin to defect the company because Simon broke the deal they made on leaving the new Spider-Man alone, and recall his witness from a footage given by new Spider-Man of what Simon did to Tinkerer's brother, Rick Mason. Four weeks after Tinkerer's redemption and sacrifice on saving Harlem from being destroyed, Prowler turns himself in to the police in exchange for a reduced sentence by testifying against Roxxon's corruptions, allowing the authorities to apprehend Simon.

### *Marvel's Spider-Man 2*

10 months later, Otto Octavius, Electro, Rhino, Mister Negative, Scorpion and the Kingpin remain captive within the walls of the prison and come to the interest of Kraven and his Hunters. The group ambush Mister Negative and the Scorpion's transfer from the Raft, capturing them, despite Miles Morales and Peter Parker (as Spider-Man) trying to stop them.

A few days later, the Raft is spared from the chaos Venom unleashes upon the city with his symbiotes. After the Spider-Men defeat Venom, Norman Osborn goes to the Raft to visit Octavius in his cell. He tries to ask him the identity of the Spider-Men, but Octavius refuses to tell him.

## Original appearance

For more background of The Raft throughout comic book history, see **all appearances of The Raft** on the **Marvel Database**
The Raft first appeared in *Alias* #26 (November 2003).