Mysterio’s always been one of the more interesting Spider-Man villains by virtue of his idiosyncratic approach to crime. In a rogues gallery full of animal-powers (Rhino, Scorpion, Lizard), goblins (Green, Hob, etc), and Octopi with advanced degrees, the dramatic actor with a half fish bowl helmet and relatively vague power of trickery certainly stands out.
Threats like Norman Osborn and Carnage may throw Spider-Man’s life upside down, but it’s always nice to know Spidey’s got his own personal Gob Bluth running around:
Mysterio, aka Quentin Beck, is a member of the original Sinister Six, and maintains ties to that group whenever Doctor Octopus is looking to get the band together. The magical Marvel manipulator also plays a pivotal role in Spider-Men, the original meetcute between Miles Morales and Peter Parker.
Personally, my favorite take on Mysterio – and one that feels particularly pertinent following his MCU debut – comes from the video game Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions. The game features Mysterio questing after the mysterious tablet of life and time across the Spider-Verse, and introduced me to the concept of a Quentin Beck as interested in manipulating reality as he was more familiar parlor tricks.
Below you’ll find a guide to the best Mysterio comics in the Marvel Universe, including the Comic Book Herald logo placed next to my personal favorites.
Related Reading Orders:
Mysterio Reading Order
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man (1963) 13, 66-67, 141-142, 311; Web Of Spider-Man (1985) 90; Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2005) 11-13; Amazing Spider-Man (1999) 618-620; Material From Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) 50-51
Marvel’s put together a Mysterio specific collected edition (in conjunction with his on-screen debut in Spider-Man: Far From Home), and it does a nice job capturing much of the character’s biggest showdowns with Spidey. I’ve listed the issues out in chronological order below, alongside a handful of Mysterio stories that didn’t make the cut in this particular collection (these items are bolded).
I’ll also note before you get rolling that the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and Amazing Spider-Man (1999) issues don’t take place until you’ve hit the 2000’s section of the guide below. I’d hold off reading those stories until then!
Amazing Spider-Man #13
Amazing Spider-Man #24
AMS #66-67
Amazing Spider-Man #141 to #142
Amazing Spider-Man #198 to #200
Spectacular Spider-Man #50-#51
Frank Miller covers!
Web Of Spider-Man (1985) #90
Collects: Insert New
Collects: Insert New
Mysterio in the 90’s
Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: Return of the Sinister Six
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man (1963) 334-350
Spider-Man: Webspinners – The Complete Collection
Collects: Webspinners: Tales Of Spider-Man #1-18, Material From Shadows & Light (1998) #2-3
First three issues star Mysterio.
Collects: Daredevil (1998) #1 To #8
The Kevin Smith written Daredevil series that helped revive the character and launch Marvel Knights has some surprising relevance for Mysterio.
Mysterio in the 2000’s
Spider-Man: Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man by Peter David – The Complete Collection
Collects: Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #5-23, Annual #1
Most notable issues to read are #11 to #13, which are also included in the Spider-Man vs. Mysterio collection.
Collects: Wolverine #66-72, Wolverine Giant-Size Old Man Logan
Just trust me on this one.
Spider-Man: The Gauntlet, Vol. 2 – Rhino & Mysterio
Collects: Amazine Spider-Man #617-621, Material From Web Of Spider-Man #3-4
Marcos Martin!!!! My favorite looking Mysterio of all time.
Spider-Man: Big Time Ultimate Collection
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man 648, 649-662, 654.1
659 – 660 are particularly relevant for Mysterio.
Collects: Ends of Earth 1, Amazing Spider-Man 682-687, Avenging Spider-Man 8
The Sinister Six reunite for Doctor Octopus’s final plan!
Mysterio Comics In The 2010s
Collects: Spider-Men 1-5
Spider-Man/Deadpool Vol. 1: Isn’t it Bromantic
Collects: Spider-Man/Deadpool 1-5, 8
Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider Vol. 2: Death’s Sting
Collects: Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider 6-10, 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 15-20
Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider Vol. 5: Deal with the Devil
Collects: Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider 20-25
Amazing Spider-Man by Nick Spencer Vol. 1: Back to Basics
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man 1-6
Latest Additions:
Collects: Symbiote Spider-Man (2019A) #1 to #5
The Amazing Spider-Man by Wells & Spencer Vol. 5: Behind the Scenes
Collects: Amazing Spider-Man (2018) #24 to #28
Collects: Amazing Mary Jane (2019) #1 to #5
Collects: Sinister War (2021) #1 to #4
Peter Parker & Miles Morales: Spider-Men Double Trouble
Collects: Peter Parker & Miles Morales: Spider-Men Double Trouble #1 to #4, Spider-Man & Venom: Double Trouble #1