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Marvel’s Spider-Man may adapt one of Kraven the Hunter’s most well-known stories for his first appearance in the franchise: Kraven’s Last Hunt.
Like an animal leaping from the bushes, Insomniac’s announcement trailer for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 took everyone by surprise. The trailer seemingly confirmed two iconic villains for the video game sequel: Venom and Kraven the Hunter. While the symbiote can be worked into any story without much trouble, Kraven has a very particular drive, alongside a very particular wardrobe. What that means for the sequel is there’s a strong chance comic book fans will already know where Insomniac may have drawn inspiration for Kraven’s arc.
The obvious choice would be “Kraven’s Last Hunt,” the comic book arc written by J. M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck back in 1987. It is one of the supervillain’s most memorable appearances and is still considered to be one of the greatest Spider-Man stories ever told. It also perfectly captures all the essentials of Kraven and brings him to his inevitable conclusion. While Insomniac could never adapt this tale in its entirety, elements of “Kraven’s Last Hunt” would work perfectly for the upcoming sequel. After all, the game does have to follow up the heartwrenching conclusion to Doc Ock’s arc and his relationship with Spider-Man.
“Fearful Symmetry: Kraven’s Last Hunt” was a storyline that stretched across Web of Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man and The Spectacular Spider-Man. It begins with Kraven the Hunter struggling to come to terms with his age, believing that he must rise to the challenge he perceives Spider-Man to be before death comes for him. He is able to hunt the wall-crawler, drug him using a dart and defeat him using a rifle and powers granted to him by a mystical serum. To make doubly sure of his victory, Kraven buries his old foe alive. Two weeks later, Spider-Man claws his way out from underground and discovers that the Hunter has been posing as Spider-Man, all in an effort to prove that he is superior.
Kraven goes so far as to hunt down and capture Vermin, the one adversary Spider-Man was never able to beat alone. When Spidey finally tracks Kraven down, he strikes him across the face, furious about everything that has transpired. Sergei doesn’t fight. Instead, he tells Spider-Man that his point has been made: he is the greater of the two and he has bested Spider-Man. He toys with Spider-Man further by releasing Vermin from his electrified cage, allowing him to attack.
Vermin beats Spidey easily, but just before the creature kills the superhero, Kraven whips Vermin, pins his hand to a wall with a knife and then lets him run away. He then gives Spider-Man a place in his mansion to recuperate and promises, “From this night forward, Kraven the Hunter — will never hunt again.” Having achieved what he believes to be happiness, by beating the spider and proving himself, Kraven grabs his rifle, puts the barrel in his mouth and pulls the trigger.
For years, Kraven was depicted as a maniacal big-game hunter, adamant about using his bare hands to take down his prey. His villainy and association with other members of Spidey’s rogues’ gallery was only ever about becoming the world’s greatest hunter. He had no interest in money or political power. “Kraven’s Last Hunt” even showed how he was, to some extent, driven by death and aware of the madness that seemed to be lurking somewhere in his future. In that way, the storyline offers a depiction of Kraven that is complex and dramatic enough for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
But “Kraven’s Last Hunt” is just one story the upcoming video game could draw from. The more recent storyline, “Hunted,” (written by Nick Spencer, with art by Ryan Ottley and Humberto Ramos) would also make sense. During this storyline, Kraven traps Spider-Man, Black Cat and a variety of animal-themed supervillains in Central Park inside a forcefield with dozens of killer bots controlled by rich game hunters. This particular event would be useful to the game, considering it would more than likely need more than a single villain involved. It also lends itself more readily to the inclusion of other superheroes, like Miles Morales. But, importantly, it serves to emphasize the fact that Kraven’s story could only ever end in one way. He is the greatest hunter in the world and has only ever felt that as his purpose.
Adapting “Kraven’s Last Hunt” and “Hunted” would bring Kraven’s two biggest assaults on Spider-Man together in a fittingly sizeable and exciting plot. At least, in theory. It’s uncertain how Insomniac will shape the plot, and how Venom will be involved in Kraven’s journey. What is almost certain is that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will likely see Kraven’s first and last hunt. Maybe his conclusion won’t be as grim as it was in “Kraven’s Last Hunt,” but it will likely see the end of the villain in some form. Kraven as a character has never offered much room for development in any other direction. He has always perished because of the hunt, only ever surviving through his legacy.
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