Just as there are multiple superheroes named Spider-Man and several superheroines known as Spider-Woman, there are also two members within the Spider-Verse who took the mantle of Scarlet Spider. And they are both clones of Peter Parker. We already covered the life (and multiple deaths) of Ben Reilly. Today, we are covering the superior Scarlet Spider (in my own personal opinion), aka Kaine.
Created by Terry Kavanagh and Steven Butler, Kaine Parker made his first appearance in Web of Spider-Man #119, during the infamous Clone Saga. It was then revealed that Kaine was the initial unsuccessful experiment by Jackal to clone Spider-Man. Dying from day one, Kaine’s life was marked by violence and villainy until Spider-Man intervened and offered him a second chance.
Sometimes presented as a sort of mash-up between Punisher and Spider-Man, Kaine has evolved a lot throughout the years as a character, from his mysterious introduction to his murderous actions, his redemption, and his own cool run as Scarlet Spider.
Let’s dive into his story with this Kaine Reading Order!
Scarlet Spider (Kaine Parker) Comics Reading Order
Kaine in The Clone Saga (Optional)
Want to know everything about Kaine and his origins? Look no further than his introduction in The Clone Saga. Know that this is not required reading to appreciate the character. But if you like your Spider-Man stories a bit convoluted and with clones, this is for you!
If you want to know more about it (an issue-by-issue reading order), you can go to our Spider-Man Clone Saga Complete Reading Order.
- Spider-Man: The Complete Clone Saga Epic Book 1
Collects Spider-Man: The Lost Years #0-3, Web Of Spider-Man #117-119, Amazing Spider-Man #394, Spider-Man #51-53, Spectacular Spider-Man #217, Material From Spider-Man Unlimited #7.- You’ll find Kaine in Web of Spider-Man (1985) #119, Spider-Man (1990) #53, Spider-Man: The Lost Years (1995) #1-3
- Spider-Man: The Complete Clone Saga Epic Book 2
Collects Amazing Spider-Man #395-399, Spectacular Spider-Man #218-221, Spider-Man #54-56, Spider-Man Unlimited #8, Web Of Spider-Man #120-122, Spider-Man: Funeral For An Octopus #1-3.- You’ll find Kaine in Web of Spider-Man (1985) #120, Spider-Man (1990) #54, Web of Spider-Man (1985) #121, Spider-Man (1990) #55, Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #397, The Spectacular Spider-Man (1988) #220, Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #398, The Spectacular Spider-Man (1988) #221, Spider-Man: Funeral for an Octopus (1995) #2-3, Web of Spider-Man (1985) #122, Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #399, Spider-Man (1990) #56,
- Spider-Man: The Complete Clone Saga Epic Book 3
Collects Amazing Spider-Man #400-401, Super Special, Spectacular Spider-Man #222-224, Super Special, Spider-Man #57-58, Super Special, Spider-Man Unlimited #9, Web of Spider-Man #123-124, Super Special, Spider-Man: The Clone Journal and Venom Super Special.- You’ll find Kaine in almost every issue as this book contains ‘The Mark of Kaine’ story-arc.
- Spider-Man: The Complete Clone Saga Epic Book 4
Collects Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #402-404; Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #225-227; Spider-Man (1990) #59-61; Web of Spider-Man #125-127; New Warriors (1990) #61; Spider-Man: The Jackal Files; Spider-Man: Maximum Clonage Alpha, Omega.- You’ll find Kaine in Web of Spider-Man (1985) #126, Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #403, Spider-Man (1990) #60, The Spectacular Spider-Man (1988) #226, Spider-Man: Maximum Clonage Alpha (1995), Web of Spider-Man (1985) #127, Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #404, Spider-Man (1990) #61, The Spectacular Spider-Man (1988) #22.
- Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #227 is Kaine’s last issue during this event, as he is placed in a regeneration pod. The pod is next seen empty on Scarlet Spider Unlimited #1, collected in The Amazing Spider-Man – The Complete Ben Reilly Epic vol. 1.
The controversial end of The Clone Saga saw Peter Parker giving up being Spider-Man in order to retire with his pregnant wife Mary Jane, Ben Reilly/the Scarlet Spider took on his duties and became the main spider hero… The Amazing Spider-Man. Kaine reappeared, forced to be involved in a competition game, before taking responsibilities for his actions.
- The Amazing Spider-Man – The Complete Ben Reilly Epic vol. 3
Collects Amazing Spider-Man #409-410, Sensational Spider-Man #2-3, Spectacular Spider-Man #231-233, Spider-Man #66-67, Spider-Man: The Final Adventure #1-4, Spider-Man Team-Up #2 and Spider-Man Unlimited #11.- Collects The Return of Kaine story-arc: The Spectacular Spider-Man (1988) #231, Sensational Spider-Man (1996) #2, Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #409, Spider-Man (1990) #66.
- The Amazing Spider-Man – The Complete Ben Reilly Epic vol. 4
Collects Amazing Spider-Man #411-413, Daredevil #354, Sensational Spider-Man #4-6, Spectacular Spider-Man #234, Spider-Man #68-70, Spider-Man: Redemption #1-4, Spider-Man Team-Up #3 And Spider-Man Unlimited #12.- You’ll find Kaine in: Spider-Man: Redemption #1-4
Kaine appeared as a shadow in Amazing Spider-Man #434–435, before mostly disappearing for ten years.
Kaine Ten Years Later…
More than ten years after his last appearance, Kaine made his return to New York during the Dark Reign era, in The Amazing Spider-Man #608 in his quest to cure his cellular degeneration. Soon after, he found himself entangled in the Grim Hunt storyline, leading to his transformation as Tarantula.
- Spider-Man: Return of the Black Cat
Collects The Amazing Spider-Man #606-611 and material from Web of Spider-Man #1.- You’ll find Kaine in: The Amazing Spider-Man #608-610
- Spider-Man: The Gauntlet – The Complete Collection Vol. 2
Collects Amazing Spider-Man (1999) #627-637, Grim Hunt: The Kraven Saga (2010) #1, Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Black Cat (2010) #1-4, material from Web of Spider-Man (2009) #6-7.- You’ll find Kaine in: The Amazing Spider-Man #631, #634-637.
- Kaine took on the alias Tarantula on Amazing Spider-Man #637.
Welcome to Spider-Island, where a million New Yorkers suddenly possess Spider-Man’s powers – but none of the responsibility! This is an important event for Kaine, once again a victim of Jackal’s actions.
- Spider-Island
Collects Amazing Spider-Man issues #666–673, Venom #6–9, Spider-Island: Deadly Foes, material from Amazing Spider-Man #659–660, #662–665, Spider-Island Spotlight. See our Spider-Island reading order for a complete issue-by-issue order.
Kaine is the Scarlet Spider!
Great entry point! The conclusion of Spider-Island sees Kaine leaving New York to become the Spider-Man of Houston, Texas! Written by Christopher Yost, with art from Ryan Stegman, this run is full of fun and adventures, a great time for Kaine who took on the alias The Scarlet Spider and teamed up with the young Aracely (aka Hummingbird).
- Scarlet Spider Vol. 1: Life After Death
Collects Scarlet Spider (2012) #1-6 And Material From Point One #1. - Scarlet Spider Vol. 2: Lone Star
Collects Scarlet Spider #7-9, 12.1 & 13-15.- Minimum Carnage
Collects Minimum Carnage: Alpha and Omega, Scarlet Spider (2012) #10-12, Venom (2011) #26-27.
- Minimum Carnage
- Scarlet Spider Vol. 3: Big Leagues
Collects Scarlet Spider (2012) #16-20 And Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #2. - Scarlet Spider Vol. 4: Into The Grave
Collects Scarlet Spider (2012) #21-25.
Scarlet-Spider doesn’t have the most satisfying ending. Scarlet-Spider and Hummingbird moved to Mexico where they encountered the New Warrios. After a little bit of convincing for Kaine, he joined, with Aracely, the team of young heroes:
- New Warriors, Vol. 1: The Kids are All Right
Collects New Warriors (2014) #1-6, Amazing Spider-Man 1 (New Warriors story) - New Warriors Volume 2: Always and Forever
Collects New Warriors (2014) #7-12
When the evil Inheritors begin exterminating spider-characters throughout the multiverse in order to feed on their force, every single Spider-Man ever is needed to save the day! You guessed it, this is Spider-Verse, the must-read event for all spider-people out there. Naturally, Kaine was present and starred in a miniseries where he teams up with a Ben Reilly from another earth, and Jessica Drew of the Ultimate Universe.
- Spider-verse
Collects Amazing Spider-Man (2014) #7-15, Superior Spider-Man #32-33, Spider-Verse #1-2, Spider-Verse Team-Up #1-3, Scarlet Spiders #1-3, Spider-Woman (2014) #1-4, Spider-Man 2099 (2014) #6-8 And Material From Free Comic Book Day 2014 (Guardians Of The Galaxy) #1.
Following the events of Spider-Verse, Kaine’s story continues in another event marking the Jackal’s return: The Clone Conspiracy! With a name like that, you know that Kaine will play his part and you’ll be right! You’ll find him in the main event mostly.
- Amazing Spider-Man: The Clone Conspiracy
Collects Amazing Spider-Man #19-24; The Clone Conspiracy #1-5; The Clone Conspiracy: Omega; Silk #14-17; Prowler #1-5; Material from Free Comic Book Day 2016 (Captain America) 1.
Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider… featuring Kaine
Two Clones is better than one, right? Or two Scarler-Spiders are better than one! This is what Marvel thought, at least, with the new series Ben Reilly: Scarlet-Spider. In the aftermath of The Clone Conspiracy, Ben Reilly has a whole new take on life…and he’s not the same Scarlet Spider he was before. Kaine is tracking him down and finds him in Las Vegas. He has a supporting role in the series.
- Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider Vol. 1: Back in the Hood
Collects Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #1-5 and material from Clone Conspiracy Omega #1. - Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider Vol. 2: Death’s Sting
Collects Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #6-9, Slingers (1998) #0.
- Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider Vol. 3: Slingers Return
Collects Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #10-14. - Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider Vol. 4: Damnation
Collects Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #15-19.- #15-17 are part of the Damnation crossover also collected in Doctor Strange: Damnation – Complete Collection.
- Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider Vol. 5: Deal With The Devil
Collects Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #20-25.
The follow-up to Spider-Verse! After the end of Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider, Ben Reilly and Kaine Parker made their comeback during the Spider-Geddon event, the sequel to Spider-Verse. Once again, Kaine is part of a team – consisting of Ashley Barton, Jessica Drew, and Spider-Kid – in order to stop one member of the Inheritors, in the miniseries Spider-Force. For more, you can find the complete reading order here.
- Amazing Spider-Man: Spider-Geddon
Collects Spider-Geddon #0-5, Spider-Geddon: Vault of Spiders #1-2. Kaine appears in issues #2 and #5 of the main event.- Spider-Geddon: Covert Ops
Collects Spider-Force #1-3, Spider-Girls #1-3.
- Spider-Geddon: Covert Ops
At this date, Scarlet-Spider/Kaine’s last appearance is in Spider-Man (2022) #7, the conclusion to the End of the Spider-Verse arc, in which, all you have to know is that the character, cut from the Web of Life and Destiny, was restored. So, right now, he’s alive and well!