The Vulture has the distinction of being the first Spider-Man villain to face off against Peter Parker in the MCU. Comic book readers know that Adrian Toomes is also one of the first supervillains to fight Peter Parker in Marvel Comics. His long, fascinating history begins in The Amazing Spider-Man #2 back in 1963.
The Vulture's comic book history is significant, especially considering his ties to the Sinister Six. Given that the Vulture is likely to be part of a potential MCU Sinister Six, revisiting the comic book lore of the classic villain may provide some clues to where the character and the MCU are going in the future.
10 The Vulture Was Originally Based On Sydney Greenstreet
Stan Lee originally conceived of the Vulture as a stocky character in the mold of Sydney Greenstreet, famous for his roles in all-time classics like Casablanca. Artist Steve Ditko, who co-created the villain with writer Stan Lee, wanted a more lithe figure as he thought it was necessary for a character who was supposed to be swift and agile.
Adrian Toomes would appear in The Amazing Spider-Man #2 as the first of several animal-themed supervillains that would take on Spider-Man, including Doctor Octopus, Rhino, and others.
9 Frustrated Inventor
Like many early Spider-Man villains, Toomes was connected to science. Adrian Toomes was an engineer who developed an experimental flight harness he thought would find huge success. When he found out his business partner had embezzled all their company's income, he was without a job.
He struck with his flight harness as the Vulture and began a life of crime. The flight harness also provided Toomes with enormous protection for the stress of flight, as well as additional strength that made him virtually the equal of Spider-Man.
8 Member Of The Sinister Six
The Vulture is one of the founding members of the Sinister Six. He's also one of the most powerful members of the supervillain team. The team debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1, organized by Doctor Octopus in his bid to get revenge on Spider-Man.
The Vulture plays a major role in the story, as he is the one who announces the kidnapping of Betty Brandt, which sets off the story. He is also the penultimate villain to face Spider-Man before the big showdown with Doctor Octopus at the end of the issue.
7 He Once Stole Spider-Man's Youth
Many years later, in The Amazing Spider-Man #387 from 1994, the Vulture scored one of his biggest victories against Spider-Man. The Vulture invented a special device to steal the youth from Peter Parker and transfer it to himself. This rendered the aging Adrian Toomes a young man in mere moments.
His stolen youth wore off in hours, though, so in the next issue, Toomes attempted another method. He tried to restore his youth through another experiment, but this too was a failure and Adrian Toomes reverted back to his normal age.
6 Close Ties With Electro
Though the Sinister Six suggests some measure of cooperation amongst the Spider-Man supervillains, they're generally out for themselves. In the case of the Vulture and his colleague Electro, it's one of the unlikeliest Spider-Man friendships in the comics.
The two frequently team up together to go after Spider-Man, though their efforts aren't always successful. In The Marvel Knights era from the early 2000s, the two severely injure Spider-Man in Marvel Knights Spider-Man #2.
5 Blackie Drago
Adrian Toomes isn't the only version of the Vulture in Marvel Comics. There have been many others, beginning with the second version, Blackie Drago. Raniero "Blackie" Drago first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #48 as the cellmate of Toomes.
He broke out of prison and stole the flight harness and suit Toomes had been using as the Vulture. Drago went after Spider-Man and appeared to defeat him, which won the anger of Kraven The Hunter, who wanted to be the one to finally take down the Wall-Crawler.
4 Clifton Shallot
A third Vulture emerged in Clifton Shallot, a professor who came into the flight harness after getting it from the prison Toomes was incarcerated in. Shallot was one of the most interesting versions of the Vulture as he physically mutated when he put on the flight harness.
His physical form changed so that he had teeth, claws, and actual wings. He murdered the roommate of his research assistant, both of whom knew his secret identity. Spider-Man apprehended him and he would be consigned to the same prison that Toomes served in.
3 The Vulturions
Many of the other Vultures in the main Marvel Comics continuity are connected to Adrian Toomes through his time in prison. Some of the most interesting are The Vulturions, a criminal gang formed by another cellmate of Toomes. They find a set of experimental Vulture costumes and use them to go after Spider-Man.
Upset over the gang 'ripping off' his identity, Toomes breaks out of prison and goes after them himself. Versions of the Vulturions would be a problem for Spider-Man in recent years, including fighting Miles Morales during the Spider-Geddon storyline.
2 Into The Spider-Verse
Miles Morales is a major aspect of the greater Spider-Verse, which is populated by infinite versions of Spider-Man. There are also many iterations of the Vulture throughout the multiverse. In the 2015 Renew Your Vows storyline, the Vulture is a much more animalistic version, looking like a literal vulture.
The Ultimate Comics version is Blackie Drago from the start, who gets his advanced flight suit from The Tinkerer. In the Marvel Noir universe, Toomes is a circus sideshow attraction, locked in a cage and feeding on live chickens.
1 Becoming The Falcon
Many characters have taken turns as the Vulture, but in a strange twist, Adrian Toomes became the Falcon. When Sam Wilson became Captain America in 2016, the role of Falcon was temporarily vacated. There wasn't any noble attempt to become a hero, though. Toomes simply adopted the name to continue his life of crime.
He developed a highly advanced new flight suit with wings that responded to telepathic commands. His stint as Falcon was brief, and Toomes was taken down by Spider-Man after a robbery in New York City.
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