The Sinister Six[1] was a team of super-criminals and an antagonistic faction of Marvel's Spider-Man series.
Doctor Octopus functions as their creator and leader. He forms the group in an attempt to take revenge on his former business partner, Norman Osborn, and they clash with Spider-Man when he interferes in their actions.
History[]
Marvel's Spider-Man[]
After Mayor Osborn claims credit for the capture of Mister Negative, this infuriates Otto Octavius and pushes him over the edge. Osborn had already removed funding from his projects at this point and, according to Octavius, stolen his ideas and technology. Past history showed that, while they had worked together as scientists and co-founded Oscorp, Osborn was quick to break the rules, such as when he used an untested substance called "Devil's Breath" on a young Martin Li and inadvertently created Mister Negative.
The increasingly unstable Octavius assumes the mantle of Doctor Octopus to exact his revenge, breaking criminals out of Ryker's Island and the Raft. He had researched all of the most violent, offering each of them something unique if they were to help him. For Scorpion, he would clear Gargan's remaining debts and expunge his criminal record. Octavius also develops a corrosive agent that would free Rhino from his suit, which according to Peter a certain government agency had been trying to do for years, the process of which only takes Octavius a few days. Vulture, who now suffers from spinal cancer due to the power source for his wings, is offered a new form of treatment by Doctor Octopus. Finally, Octavius gives Electro a newly modified version of his harness to get him closer to becoming "pure energy", which is Electro's dream. For Mister Negative, he was revealed to have been in touch with him for a while, offering him medications to help with his condition in addition to both of them sharing the same goal of revenge against Osborn. Thus, they form the Sinister Six, with the singular goal of destroying Mayor Osborn and Oscorp. The group first clashes with Spider-Man when they gang up on him at the Raft; Doctor Octopus warns Spider-Man to stay out of their way and throws him off the edge of the Raft.
Afterwards, Vulture teams up with Electro and together they set up a trap for Spider-Man, although he manages to defeat them. He then has an encounter with Scorpion, who poisons him. After having to fight against the hallucinations of his own mind and barely escaping, Spider-Man has a second encounter with Scorpion, who is now accompanied by Rhino. He ultimately defeats the duo, leaving only Mister Negative and Doctor Octopus left. Spider-Man finds Mister Negative inside the Devil's Breath lab, where Li attempts to kill Osborn and claim his revenge. After defeating him in the resulting battle, Spider-Man is confronted by Doctor Octopus, who soundly thrashes him and recaptures Osborn. To fight the supervillain, Spider-Man builds an armored version of his suit via materials that were used to create Doctor Octopus's mechanical appendages. He then rescues Osborn before engaging in a showdown with Doctor Octopus atop Oscorp Tower, where Spider-Man defeats him.
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales[]
With Li's Inner Demon has been defunct because of the rise of a high-tech group of young criminals Underground, Roxxon secretly made Rhino their enforcer, before their crimes of using unstable Nuform that can kill millions of people in New York is exposed, with Rhino being arrested to the real authorities once more.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2[]
Two years after their failed attempt to take down Norman Osborn and his company, the supervillains who once formed the Sinister Six are still being held in captivity on The Raft or elsewhere in New York City. Their infamous notoriety and extensive criminal record came to the attention of Kraven the Hunter, who hunted down several of them shortly after his arrival.
While Kraven does not appear to pursue Doctor Octopus or the Rhino, he finds and kills Electro, Scorpion, Vulture and Shocker. He also captures Mister Negative, but does not fight him, instead making him fight the second Spider-Man in a death duel, though he escapes. Mister Negative eventually has a change of heart and gives up his criminal ways, giving his powers to Spider-Man to break him free from the symbiote's control. This action creates the Anti-Venom symbiote suit.
Norman Osborn later makes contact with Otto Octavius, asking for his help in going after the Spider-Men. Octavius refuses, instead musing on a plan he has to enact.
Gallery[]
Original appearance[]
The Sinister Six first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (October 1964).