The Sinister Twelve was a fictional group of supervillains from the Marvel comics universe, some of the greatest foes of Spider-Man. Marvel Comics, sometimes called by the nickname House of Ideas, is an American comic book company. ... In comic books, first appearance refers to the date or issue of a characters first appearance. ... Marvel Knights is an imprint of Marvel Comics. ... Mark Millar (born December 24, 1969) is a Scottish comic book writer. ... Terrence Terry Dodson is an American comic book artist and penciller. ... Stan Lee and his most famous co-creation, Spider-Man. ... Steve Ditko (born 2 November 1927 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania) is a renowned comic book artist and writer best known as the co-creator of Spider-Man. ... John Romita, Sr. ... Cover of Amazing Spider-Man #136 which was written by Conway. ... Dennis ONeil (A.K.A. Denny ONeil) is a comic book writer and editor, principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics in the 1970s. ... John Romita, Jr. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the United States, and is at the center of international finance, politics, communications, music, fashion, and culture. ... The Green Goblin is a Marvel Comics supervillain who is the arch-enemy of Spider-Man. ... The Vulture(Adrian Toomes) is a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe, and an elderly enemy of Spider-Man. ... There are two Scorpion characters in the Marvel Universe. ... Venom (Eddie Brock) is a comic book supervillain (sometimes referred to as an anti-hero) in the Marvel Comics universe, and an enemy of Spider-Man. ... The Chameleon is a fictional supervillain in Marvel Comics universe, in which he is an enemy of Spider-Man. ... The Lizard is a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe, and an enemy of Spider-Man. ... Spoiler warning: The Sandman (William Baker, alias Flint Marko) is a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe, and an enemy of Spider-Man. ... Electro is either a) a prefix used to indicate a relationship to electricity, as in electro-mechanical, or electro-magnet, or b) a stand-alone word. ... Hydro-Man is the name of a fictional character, a supervillain in Marvel Comics universe. ... Hammerhead is a supervillain in the Spider-Man comics published by Marvel Comics. ... Shocker is the name of a fictional character from the Spider-Man comic book published by Marvel Comics. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... The Green Goblin, a supervillain and enemy of Spider-Man. ... Marvel Comics, sometimes called by the nickname House of Ideas, is an American comic book company. ... Spider-Man swinging around his hometown, New York City. ...

Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, had been unmasked to the public and imprisoned after losing a battle to Spider-Man. Defeated but unbowed, Osborn concocted a fiendish contingency plan. He contacted a group of supervillains who also bore grudges against Spider-Man, and all of them had been financed by Osborn's fortunes for years. (It was revealed that most supervillains have corporate funding in the Marvel Universe) Eager for revenge, the villains agreed to band together, and the Sinister Twelve was formed.

The Sinister Twelve was the largest gathering of Spider-Man's enemies of all time. The major villains not part of the Twelve were either deceased (Mysterio, Kraven the Hunter, Carnage), retired (Molten Man, Hobgoblin), or were not considered worthy of Osborn's attention (Rhino). The only notable absentee was Doctor Octopus, who was at the time in police custody and subjected to mind-control drugs for reasons at the time unrevealed. Cover to Spider-Man Unlimited #4. ... Kraven The Hunter. ... Carnage (Cletus Kasady) is the name of a supervillain in the Spider-Man comic book published by Marvel Comics. ... The Hobgoblin is a comic book supervillain appearing in the Marvel Comics universe as an enemy of Spider-Man who uses a variant of the persona of the Green Goblin. ... The Rhino (Aleksei Mikhailovich Sytsevich) is a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe, and an enemy of Spider-Man. ... Doctor Octopus (Otto Octavius) is a comic book supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe and one of the greatest foes of Spider-Man. ...

Mac Gargan, the Scorpion, was the de facto leader of the Twelve while Osborn was in prison, and it was he who kidnapped Peter Parker's Aunt May and threatened to kill her if Spider-Man did not help Osborn escape from jail. A desperate Spider-Man, with help from the Black Cat, broke Osborn out, only to be confronted with the Vulture, Sandman, Electro, Chameleon, Lizard, Hydro-Man, Shocker, Hammerhead, Boomerang, and Tombstone. Osborn, now in the guise of the Green Goblin, introduced them as the Sinister Twelve. The final member of the group, Scorpion, shocked everybody present when he arrived, revealing that he had bonded with Eddie Brock's alien symbiote, becoming the new Venom. Although Osborn was displeased with Gargan's new power, he nevertheless watched with glee as the assembled villains converged on the hopelessly outnumbered Spider-Man and Black Cat. Aunt May. ... The Black Cat, real name Felicia Hardy, is a fictional character in the Marvel comics universe. ...

Despite the odds, Spider-Man continued to fight back in a heroic last stand. Just when all seemed lost, salvation arrived in the form of Captain America, Iron Man, Daredevil and the Fantastic Four, who struck back at the astonished villains. Spider-Man's wife, Mary Jane Watson, had called S.H.I.E.L.D. to aid him, as she knew he was headed into a trap. A furious Green Goblin rocketed away and kidnapped her, and Spider-Man pursued him, fighting off Venom, who was trying to stop him. Spider-Man and the Goblin clashed once again upon the Brooklyn Bridge, with Mary Jane's life at stake. Captain America, the alter ego of Steve Rogers (in some accounts Steven Grant Rogers), is a Marvel Comics superhero. ... Iron Man is a Marvel Comics superhero. ... For people who perform risky stunts as a profession, see stunt performer. ... The Fantastic Four are a Marvel Comics superhero group. ... Mary Jane Watson is a fictional supporting character in the Marvel Comics universe who was created by Stan Lee. ... S.H.I.E.L.D. (originally an acronym for Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law Enforcement Division, subsequently changed to Strategic Hazard Intervention, Espionage and Logistics Directorate) is a fictional counterterrorism and intelligence agency in the Marvel Universe that often deals with superhuman threats. ... View from the East River (2002) Plan of one tower for the Brooklyn Bridge, 1867. ...

Finally Osborn gave a vital clue as to Aunt May's whereabouts, and was defeated by a combination of being shot by Mary Jane, struck by lightning, and attacked by Doctor Octopus, who was brainwashed by the police into trying to kill him. The Goblin fell into the river below, and Aunt May was found and saved.

In the aftermath, Peter received a letter from the very much alive Osborn, thanking him for all the "excitement" their rivalry has provided over the years and telling him to rest easy until they meet again. The rest of the Sinister Twelve were subdued by the heroes and arrested; Gargan ended up, ironically, in Osborn's old cell.

While it is most likely that all of these villains will clash with Spider-Man in the future, it is unknown if they will ever team up like this again.