Matchup · Hero
Spider-Man vs. Iron Man
Anthony Stark, a fellow hero. In this site's ratings, the classic Peter Parker Spider-Man wins 35% of their one-on-one fights, so Spider-Man is the underdog.
The verdict: Iron Man wins more often than not
Fight rules: both fighters at their peak, no preparation, no allies, only their own powers and personal gear. A win is a knockout, a restraint they can't escape, or a forced surrender. The percentages are fan estimates, not official information.
Spider-Man's edge
Quicker in close quarters and far more agile. Webs choke thrusters, gum up joints and blind sensors, and spider-sense warns before the repulsors fire.
Iron Man's edge
Flight, repulsors, unibeam, missiles, energy shields, sensors that see through camouflage, and armor he redesigns for each opponent. He knows Peter's fighting style well.
Odds for every Spider-Man
Each version of Spider-Man's chance of beating Iron Man. The best placed, Cosmic Spider-Man, wins 73% of the time; the worst placed, Iron Spider Peter, wins 28%. The last column says what moves each version away from classic Peter's 35%.
| Spider-Man | Spidey wins | Bar | Outcome | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Parker Earth-616 comics | 35% | Underdog | The baseline Spider-Man | |
| Miles Morales Earth-616 comics | 35% | Underdog | Overall −3 for this version; +3: Venom strike: one clean jolt can stun or paralyze a living opponent. | |
| Ben Reilly Earth-616 comics | 33% | Underdog | Overall −2 for this version | |
| Superior Spider-Man Earth-616 comics | 41% | Toss-up | Overall +2 for this version; +4: Otto reverse-engineers tech-based opponents faster than anyone alive. | |
| Black-suit Peter Earth-616 comics | 42% | Toss-up | Overall +5 for this version; +2: The symbiote's stamina keeps him going in long fights against very tough opponents. | |
| Iron Spider Peter Earth-616 comics | 28% | Underdog | Overall +3 for this version; −8: Tony built this armor with hidden controls, and he used them on Peter in Civil War.; −3: A hacker can go after the armor's systems. | |
| Cosmic Spider-Man Earth-616 comics | 73% | Favored | Overall +40 for this version | |
| Spider-Woman Earth-616 comics | 39% | Underdog | Overall −3 for this version; +4: Venom blasts stun or knock out living opponents.; +3: She can take the fight into the air with flyers. | |
| Silk Earth-616 comics | 34% | Underdog | Overall −1 for this version | |
| Ultimate Peter Alternate comics | 32% | Underdog | Overall −3 for this version | |
| Ultimate Peter (2024) Alternate comics | 31% | Underdog | Overall −4 for this version | |
| Spider-Gwen Alternate comics | 32% | Underdog | Overall −3 for this version | |
| Spider-Man 2099 Alternate comics | 35% | Underdog | The baseline Spider-Man | |
| Spider-Man Noir Alternate comics | 33% | Underdog | Overall −2 for this version | |
| Spider-Ham Alternate comics | 28% | Underdog | Overall −8 for this version | |
| Spider-Punk Alternate comics | 36% | Underdog | Overall −1 for this version; +2: Sonic blasts stagger living opponents. | |
| Maguire's Peter Film | 33% | Underdog | Overall −4 for this version; +2: Train-stopping strength and stamina keep him standing against heavy hitters. | |
| Garfield's Peter Film | 31% | Underdog | Overall −4 for this version | |
| Holland's Peter Film | 33% | Underdog | Overall −2 for this version | |
| Spider-Verse Miles Film | 33% | Underdog | Overall −5 for this version; +3: Venom strike can stun a living opponent. | |
| Spider-Verse Gwen Film | 31% | Underdog | Overall −5 for this version | |
| Peter B. Parker Film | 29% | Underdog | Overall −5 for this version; −2: He's not quick enough anymore for true speedsters. | |
| 1994 animated Peter TV and animation | 32% | Underdog | Overall −3 for this version | |
| Spectacular Peter TV and animation | 31% | Underdog | Overall −5 for this version | |
| Insomniac Peter Video games | 39% | Underdog | Overall +1 for this version; +3: An engineer with an arsenal built to short out and dismantle tech. | |
| Insomniac Miles Video games | 44% | Toss-up | Overall +1 for this version; +4: His venom blasts hit far harder than the comic version's.; +4: Bio-electric venom fries electronics, shields and drones. |
Tale of the tape
Eight stats on a 1-to-10 scale, classic Spider-Man against Iron Man. How the stat scales work.
Iron Man's power set
- Powered armor9/10
Flight, superhuman strength and durability in a suit he redesigns constantly.
- Repulsors and unibeam8/10
Hand repulsors and a chest beam that can punch through a tank.
- Sensors and targeting8/10
Full-spectrum scanning, tracking and tactical software.
- Super-genius intellect9/10
Engineer, inventor and futurist on Reed Richards's level.
- Specialized armors8/10
Hulkbuster, stealth, space and deep-sea suits for any problem.
Official handbook power grid
| Category | Rating (1 to 7) |
|---|---|
| Intelligence | 6 |
| Strength | 6 |
| Speed | 5 |
| Durability | 6 |
| Energy projection | 6 |
| Fighting skills | 4 |
Who is Iron Man?
Tony Stark was a billionaire weapons maker until a booby trap left shrapnel creeping toward his heart and his captors ordered him to build them a weapon. He built a suit of armor instead, escaped, and became Iron Man, a founding Avenger who has rebuilt his armor countless times since. He is one of the smartest people on Earth, and he has fought alcoholism, run S.H.I.E.L.D. and led the pro-registration side of the superhero Civil War. His armors range from stealth suits to the Hulkbuster.
Affiliations
- Avengers
- Founding member, longtime chairman and the team's financier.
- Stark Industries
- Founder and chief engineer under many company names.
- S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Became its director after the superhero Civil War.
- Illuminati
- Sat on the secret council of the heroes' greatest minds.
Spider-Man vs. Iron Man in the comics
The key comics in their history. Of the fights listed here, Spider-Man came out ahead in 0 and Iron Man in 0.
| Year | Comic | What happened | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Civil War | Tony builds Peter the Iron Spider armor; when Peter switches sides, Tony uses its hidden controls against him. | — |
Iron Man on screen
- Captain America: Civil War (2016)Robert Downey Jr.
- Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)Robert Downey Jr.
More in the Spider-Man movie guide.
More matchups
- Captain AmericaHeroSpider-Man 55%
- WolverineHeroSpider-Man 45%
- DaredevilHeroSpider-Man 75%
- DeadpoolHeroSpider-Man 45%
- PunisherHeroSpider-Man 80%
- HulkHeroSpider-Man 4%
- Black PantherHeroSpider-Man 40%
Further reading
- Every Spider-Man movie in order, and the villains in eachMovie guide
- The toughest opponents Spider-Man has ever faced, rankedPower rankings
- Where to start with Spider-Man: the essential comics, in orderReading guide
Looking for pictures? See official art on the Marvel Database, a fan wiki. This site does not host Marvel artwork.