Published Jul 2, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT
Jason is an award-winning journalist whose writing career dates back to when he developed the ability to use a crayon. He, most notably, worked previously as a "professional fan," as he likes to call it, at CinemaBlend, for which he wrote about anything and everything under the pop culture umbrella... especially Batman. His passion for the art of cinema began even earlier, stemming from repeat viewings of The Wizard of Oz.
This initially led him to pursue a career in filmmaking -- and even work briefly in the industry as an extra in the straight-to-video family film, Alice Upside Down -- before deciding that his talents would be better served discussing and showing appreciation for the various forms of entertainment he is passionate about.
Keeping up with the latest alternate reality in a comic book publisher's multiverse can prove very tedious and time-consuming. However, it is fun every once in a while to take a quick peek at how one's favorite superheroes and villains could have turned out with a series like What If...?
The anthology comic book has treated fans with amusing and even shocking reinterpretations of key moments from the Marvel Universe for decades. This year, the series is taking another look at the most iconic story featuring Spider-Man foe Kraven the Hunter.
What If...? Tackles Kraven's Last Hunt
The next, highly anticipated installment of Marvel Comics' What If...? is officially titled What If...? Spider-Man #1. However, the story itself is called, "What If Kraven Survived His 'Last Hunt'?"
The issue puts a new spin on one of the most famous Spider-Man storylines, collectively known as "Kraven's Last Hunt." The official synopsis teases that things will go in a whole different direction for the webslinger and one of his fiercest adversaries, otherwise known as Sergei Kravinoff.
WHAT IF...KRAVEN SURVIVED HIS "LAST HUNT"?! Leaving SPIDER-MAN broken, insane and vulnerable to the influence of an old enemy...and who better to fill the void left by the spider than KRAVEN THE HUNTER?! One way or another, both Kraven and Peter will become something more - and finally settle the score between them! The author of the greatest SPIDER-MAN story of all time, J.M. DeMatteis, returns for a bold reimagining of the aftermath of "Kraven's Last Hunt"!
Image via Marvel ComicsAs the synopsis reveals, the original author of "Kraven's Last Hunt," J.M. DeMatteis, is the mastermind behind this remix. Filling in for original artist Mike Zeck is Turkish penciler Yildiray Cinar of Weapon X-Men and Superior Iron Man fame, to name a few notable examples. The main cover art, featuring Kraven in a black suit peering over Spider-Man's grave, is designed by Lucas Werneck, who has illustrated the cover art for many of this year's What If...? releases.
Marvel is celebrating 50 years of What If...? this year with a slew of new one-shots, including a few others with a connection to Spider-Man. The festivities also include the release of special variant covers designed by the current class of Marvel's Stormbreakers program.
The Original Story Of Kraven's Last Hunt
Credit: Marvel ComicsThe Oct. 1987 release of Web of Spider-Man #31 saw the debut of "Kraven's Last Hunt," which would be concluded five issues later in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #132. The storyline has long been considered by fans and critics to be a game-changing Spider-Man comic, especially because it is one of the few that actually sees a villain achieve victory... at least at first.
After years of eluding Sergei Kravinoff's many attacks, the cunning big game hunter finally manages to claim his ultimate prey when he successfully shoots and buries Spider-Man. However, Kraven decides to take things a step further by taking his black suit, assuming his identity, and setting out to be a better hero than he ever was.
Little does Kraven know, however, that he has accidentally buried Peter Parker alive, which is confirmed when the webslinger emerges from his tranquilizer dart-induced slumber after two weeks underground, the survival of which seems unlikely, but that is beside the point. Spidey, furious at his foe for stealing his identity and ruining his reputation while he was incapacitated for an inexplicably long time, prepares to give his impostor a taste of his medicine.
Yet, the confrontation does not turn out as he anticipated, because Kraven is forbidden by his own code of honor from reciprocating Spider-Man's attacks, having already achieved his goal of claiming him, even if it did not result in his ultimate demise. Parker decides to walk away, at which point Kraven chooses to take a rifle and ends his own life... only to be resurrected by his wife, Sasha, in The Amazing Spider-Man #635.
What If...? Spider-Man #1 hits the shelves on July 29, 2026.
Comic The Amazing Spider-Man
First Film Spider-Man
First TV Show Spider-Man
English (US) · 