Spider-Verse Character Profile: Kaine

Back in  December 1994 at the start of the clone saga, we were introduced to a mysterious new character known only as Kaine. 

Making a brief appearance in Web of Spider-Man #119 it transpired that Kaine was the first of professor Miles Warren's failed attempts at cloning Peter Parker. The second and first success however was Ben Reilly who made his debut in Amazing Spider-Man #151.


However, Web of Spider-Man was where we first met Kaine. Who was the brain-child of then writer Terry Kavanagh  and artist Steven Butler.


Kaine was initially presented as an antagonist who believed that Ben Reilly was the original Peter Parker and that the Peter who was living in New York was a fellow clone. it later turned out that this was based on information gained from files of Miles Warren, that had been switched by Norman Osborn. Still how was he to know? for awhile even Ben and Peter didn't know who was real and who was a clone. 

Based on the information he'd garnered from the Jackal's files, Kaine set about ensuring that Peter could have the life that he never could, which meant he acted as a sort of guardian Angel of clones. Kaine set about his task by killing Spider-Man enemies such as Doctor Octopus and The Grim Hunter, leaving them with an imprint of his hand burned into their faces. This was known as "The Mark Of Kaine" an enhanced ability caused by the onset of Kaine's cellular degeneration. affecting his spider abilities. The Mark was caused by Kaine's ability to stick to walls, he also possessed quicker speeds reflexes and visions of future events as an advanced version of Spider-Man's Spider-Sense. 
 
In the first instance Kaine is portrayed an as tortured soul. rejected and imperfect he is cast aside as an outcast neither a human nor an acceptable clone, who is filled with bitterness and pain. mainly caused by the degenerative disease that is slowly killing him.

Eventually revealed as a deteriorating clone of Peter Parker, Kaine is set on protecting the perfect clone that he believes is Peter from the Jackal's manipulations, unaware that they all had been manipulated. A form of redemption is realized for Kaine when in the height of the Clone saga, he battles alongside long-time nemesis Ben Reilly against an army of clones created by The Jackal. Although it is during this battle that Kaine is fatally wounded by Spidercide yet another clone. Horrified and momentarily feeling the pangs of fatherly guilt The Jackal manages to save Kaine by placing him in a clone regeneration pod, preventing him from dying.

Kaine spends the next few years trying to find a cure to his degeneration process and is manipulated by a number of people one of which is the villain Raptor, whom Kaine Kills after discovering that a promised cure that Raptor says he has doesn't exist. Kaine during his travels is then pursued by the offspring of Kraven the Hunter who capture and kill Kaine (Believing him to be Spider-Man, with whom Kaine traded places) in a ritualistic sacrifice, intending to resurrect their dead father. At the end of the Grim Hunt story arc it's is shown that Kaine digs himself free of the grave marked Kaine Parker. we learn that The Jackal had once again resurfaced and had resurrected his fallen son. needing him as part of his plot to turn New York into giant Spiders. 

An interesting faucet of Grim Hunt is Peter Parker's acceptance of Kaine as his brother as is his anger when he burns the mark of Kaine into one of the kravinov's. Grim Hunt is one of those story arcs that is polarising. I personally enjoyed the arc and found Jim Kelly's tale an interesting look into the occult. but there are some that feel the story is a bit too self-important. make up your own minds, you can pick up Grim Hunt in trade paperback, in most good comic shops or amazon

After Grim Hunt and Kaine's resurrection at the hands of the Jackal. Kaine had a pivotal role to play within Spider-Island. this was also the arc that reinvented Kaine and cured his long running degeneration disease, Not too mention it's also the story arc that set's the character on his way from villain to.....if not hero, then certainly anti-hero. 

Throughout the story line in Spider-Island, The new Madame Web keeps telling Peter Parker that she has foreseen that he will need to put aside his moralistic vow. and that an event is coming that will see the webslinger take a life Peter is adamant that he will not kill, and that any time he does he'd hang up his webs for good. Madame Web is insistent that she has seen him commit the act. whilst at the end of Spider-Island the truth is revealed and she actually witnessed Kaine's redemption becoming almost complete as it is he who kills the Spider Queen and helps put an end to the plague of Spider infected New Yorkers. 

The Spider-Island arc ends as we see Kaine, who is wanted for murder by the Avengers and various other authorities, make his exit and escape to Mexico, free from the cellular degenerative disease that had plagued him since his inception. With a new lease on life and also a new costume.

Unfortunately though he doesn't quite make it to Mexico. and finds himself in Houston Texas. his conversion from Villain to Hero complete as he embarks on the next phase of his journey. under the guise of The Scarlet Spider. and as such is set to play a major role in the current story arc Spider-Verse. meaning if a cold unscrupulous bitter killing machine can find redemption, friendship and hope in his existence. then there is perhaps some hope for us all.

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