When Spider-Man: Homecoming ushered in Tom Holland's fantastic reign as the MCU's Spider-Man, I was pleasantly surprised to see him squaring off against, of all villains, Michael Keaton's Vulture. But credit where credit is due: the unassuming Vulture has always been a major threat, and now his comic-book showdown with Miles Morales emphasizes how much of a badass the Vulture can really be.
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #25 by Cody Ziglar, Federico Vicentini, Bryan Valenza, and Cory Petit is a major win for the Vulture. After being thrashed by Miles and his newfound vampiric strength in the previous issue, Toomes flies out for revenge with a new suit of his own. Despite the Vulture's advanced age, it is presented as an epic confrontation when the two square off, with the art paying homage to another classic showdown.
The poses and onomatopoeia for this fight are taken straight out of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure - specifically the dramatic showdown between protagonist Jotaro and his rival, Dio - equating the Vulture with one of anime's biggest badasses.
The Vulture Has Always Been One of Spider-Man's Best Villains
Adrian Toomes Is a Force to Be Reckoned With
Of all Spidey's villains, I've always had a soft spot for the Vulture. Adrian Toomes may not have the same track record as Green Goblin or Doctor Octopus, but he's managed to remain one of Spider-Man's oldest and most persistent foes - literally, as he first appears in the second-ever issue of The Amazing Spider-Man. There's a base cunning about Toomes that comes as a hallmark of his age that I can't help but respect: it gives the impression that he stays out of the spotlight not due to lack of skill, but because he's smart enough to not get caught.
The Vulture first appears in 1963's The Amazing Spider-Man #2, by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, Stan Goldberg, and John Duffy.
Let's go over the Vulture's genius. He's lethal enough to have been in almost every iteration of the Sinister Six. He's a brilliant engineer, strategist, and larcenist. He's madly devoted to his family, and while he doesn't push them to follow his criminal path, he'll rain hell on anyone who wrongs them. The Vulture flies quickly, silently, and frequently wins out over enemies who are decades younger and fresher than he is. Adrian Toomes may not be one of Marvel's heavy hitters, but he doesn't need to be: he's found his niche where he's the undisputed champion.
The MCU's Version of the Vulture Is a Top-Tier Take on the Classic Spider-Man Villain
Keaton Nails What It Means to Be the Vulture
Custom Image by Nicolas Ayala This overview brings us to Keaton's excellent depiction of the Vulture in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming. While I thought this casting was a dubious choice at first, Keaton brought the perfect energy to the role, capturing the Vulture's darkness, his protective nature, his opportunism, and his skill. Holland's Spider-Man vs. Keaton's Vulture became a generational conflict, pitting the wide-eyed best of youth against the peak of cynicism that comes with age. Both actors performed brilliantly, but I have to commend Keaton for conveying to modern MCU audiences what makes an old man in a lime-green bird suit so threateningly cool.
It's easy to underestimate the Vulture, but few people in the supervillain game make it to his age, let alone prove themselves to be a match for the younger generations.
Vulture was truly the perfect villain to usher in a new generation's Spider-Man to the big screen. The character's age and guile plays perfectly against Holland's youthful and relatively naive Spider-Man, while at the same time being understated enough to be a viable challenge for the as-of-yet unproven hero. There's symmetry here, too: pairing a fledgling Spider-Man against one of Spider-Man's earliest canonical foes. Keaton's depiction of Vulture in the MCU effectively captures all the traits that make him one of my favorite Spider-Man villains in the comics.
2024 Has Been an Excellent Year for the Vulture in Marvel Comics
Marvel Embraces What Makes One of Its Oldest Villains Great
I've been really happy about Marvel's increased inclusion of the Vulture in recent years. There's this epic showdown with Miles Morales, yes, but also his role as a villain opposite Nightcrawler in 2023's Uncanny Spider-Man and the deeply unsettling Renaissance-sketchbook-style iteration from the critically-acclaimed movie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. It's a shame that he's been replaced by the Mole Man in the Ultimate Universe's new Sinister Six, but the Ultimate Universe can be forgiven for trying something new. If anything, the Ultimate Universe feels even more off-beat and unsettling by virtue of the Vulture's absence.
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Spider-Man’s First MCU Villain is Unknowingly his Greatest Comic Ally
While the Vulture was a deadly foe and the first villain Spider-Man faced in the MCU, he played a vital role in Spider-Man's success in the comics.
It's easy to underestimate the Vulture, but few people in the supervillain game make it to his age, let alone prove themselves to be a match for the younger generations. I love how many recent comics have highlighted the Vulture's strengths without making him feel overpowered or out of character, and it speaks to the force of Toomes' character that he can consistently command such respect. The original Spider-Man film may have debuted with the Green Goblin, but I think the MCU was right to pit the Spider-Man of a new generation against the Vulture: he provides the high caliber of villainy that any hero must rise to if they are to fly at all.
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #25 is available now from Marvel Comics.
After making his MCU debut in Captain America: Civil War, Tom Holland is back as Peter Parker for a new Spider-Man solo film. This time, Peter battles with Adrian Toomes, who takes on the moniker Vulture after profiting off of selling Chitari technology and weapons. Under Tony Stark's guidance, Peter must prove himself a hero while protecting his city from Vulture and the other criminals in New York. Spider-Man: Homecoming was the first of three films in director Jon Watts' MCU journey, dubbed the "Homecoming" trilogy.
Director Jon Watts
Release Date July 7, 2017
Studio(s) Marvel , Sony
Distributor(s) Disney
Writers Christopher Ford , John Francis Daley , Jon Watts , Erik Sommers , Jonathan Goldstein , Chris McKenna
Runtime 133 minutes
Budget $175 Million
Main Genre Superhero
English (US) ·