[4] The Sinister Six kidnap Aunt May and Daily Bugle secretary Betty Brant, holding them hostage in order to force Spider-Man to confront them.

[5] In The Amazing Spider-Man #334–339, Doctor Octopus recruits Electro, Sandman, Mysterio, and Vulture, along with the demonic Hobgoblin (since Kraven the Hunter had recently died), as part of his plan to take over the world.

Sandman, who at this point in his career had reformed and was blackmailed into joining, aids Spider-Man in defeating the Sinister Six, and ultimately stopping Doc Ock's plans to conquer the world.

To trick Sandman into joining them, they hit his foster family with a bomb, leading him to believe Doctor Octopus attacked them as punishment for betraying him.

Doctor Octopus easily defeats the other members of the six with his newly reacquired adamantium arms, then zaps Sandman with a weapon that transforms his body into glass and beats Spider-Man nearly to death.

The assembled Sinister Six go off on a rampage, stealing advanced weapons and technology from several sources, including an alien dimension and a facility specializing in cybernetics.

Eventually, Spider-Man and several other heroes (including the Ghost Rider, Deathlok, Nova, the Hulk, and Solo) confront the villains as they are seizing a HYDRA base to gain access to deadly, world-devastating weapons.

[6] A variation known as the Sinister Seven is formed by Hobgoblin to fight Kaine after he killed Doctor Octopus and the Grim Hunter (Kraven's son Vladimir).

Spider-Man, with help from Black Cat, breaks Osborn out only to be confronted by the Vulture, the Sandman, Electro, the Chameleon, the Lizard, Hydro-Man, the Shocker, Hammerhead, Boomerang and Tombstone.

After the Intelligencia members are defeated, the Sinister Six steal their Zero Cannon (a weapon which changes Earth's gravity field to send specific objects into space).

After Apogee 1 Space Station is destroyed and the crew is evacuated by Spider-Man, the Human Torch and John Jameson, Doctor Octopus tells the rest of the Sinister Six that his master plan is about to begin.

[20] In a subsequent missile facility raid, Spider-Man and his allies manage to defeat the Rhino, but they are unable to capture him because they are attacked by S.H.I.E.L.D (under orders from the U.N., via Doctor Octopus's demands).

Forced to flee, Spider-Man and his allies then attempt to rally support from Earth's other heroes after the Titanium Man alerts them to the fact that Doctor Octopus has been recruiting other villains.

Besides Boomerang, the Beetle, Overdrive, the Owl, and the Speed Demon, the group consists of the Armadillo, the Bi-Beast, the Clown, the Cyclone, the Human Fly, the Kangaroo, Man Mountain Marko, the Mirage, Scorcher, Shriek, the Spot and the Squid.

The group, which is not seen in its entirety, consists of holographic stand-ins of various enemies of Spider-Man like the Beetle, Carnage, the Demogoblin, Doctor Octopus, the Duster, Electro, the Gibbon, the Green Goblin, the Grizzly, Hammerhead, the Hobgoblin, the Jackal, Jack O'Lantern, the Kingpin, Kraven the Hunter, the Sludge, the Lizard, Morbius the Living Vampire, Mysterio, the Puma, the Rhino, the Ringer, the Sandman, the Scorpion, the Shocker, Shriek, Tombstone, Vermin and the Vulture.

[37] Spider-Man and the students of the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning encounter the eighth incarnation of the Sinister Six led by Swarm and consisting of the third 8-Ball, Delilah, Killer Shrike, the third Melter and the Squid.

The line-up consists of the Absorbing Man, the Big Man, the Black Cat, the Black Tarantula, Boomerang, Calypso, Carrion, Carnage, the Chameleon, the Demogoblin, Doctor Octopus, the Doppelganger, Electro, the Enforcers, Fusion, the Green Goblin, the Grey Goblin, Hammerhead, the Hobgoblin, Hydro-Man, Jack O'Lantern, the Jackal, Joystick, the Juggernaut, Kaine, the Kingpin, Kraven the Hunter, Kraven the Hunter II, Kraven the Hunter III, Lady Octopus, the Lizard, Mephisto, Mister Negative, the Molten Man, Morbius the Living Vampire, Morlun, Mysterio, the Raptor, the Rhino, the Sandman, Sasha Kravinoff, Scorpia, the Scorpion, Scream, Screwball, the Shocker, Shriek, Silvermane, the Sin-Eater, Alistair Smythe, Stunner, Swarm, the Tarantula, Venom, Vermin, and the Vulture.

[48] Badly wounded, Peter is relieved to find the Black Cat, Wolverine, and the Human Torch have arrived to help, unaware that they are Mysterio, the Lizard, and Electro in illusion disguises created by the former.

Doctor Octopus briefly hesitates, but mounting pressure from the rest of the Sinister Six compels him to act, though this buys Peter enough time to break free.

An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six appear in the Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow miniseries, formed and led by J. Jonah Jameson / Spider-Slayer and consisting of Doctor Octopus, the Rhino, Electro, Mysterio, and Kraven the Hunter.

This version of the group was formed in response to Peter Parker fully bonding to his symbiote suit and killing or assaulting his enemies.

[58] A possible future iteration of the Sinister Six called the "Sinner Six" appears in Spider-Man: Reign, consisting of the Scorpion, Electro, Mysterio, Kraven the Hunter, the Sandman, and Hydro-Man.

A steampunk-themed iteration of the Sinister Six from Earth-803 called the Six Men of Sinestry appears in Spider-Verse #1 and the accompanying Spider-Man 2099 tie-in, led by the Green Goblin and consisting of Doctor Octopus, Electro, Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio, and the Vulture.

[59][60] An alternate universe iteration of the Sinister Six called the Swinester Six from Earth-8311 appear in the Spider-Ham 25th Anniversary Special, consisting of the Green Gobbler, Doctor Octopuss, Sandmanatee, Eelectro, the Buzzard, and Mysteriape.

[68][69] In December 2013, Sony announced two spin-offs of The Amazing Spider-Man franchise, The Sinister Six and Venom, with Drew Goddard attached to write and direct the former.

During the end credits, weapons and technology belonging to the Rhino, the Vulture, Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, and Kraven the Hunter were revealed, confirming them as members, with the Green Goblin serving as the leader.

However, this line-up is left to be debated as Goddard stated he wanted to adopt a more classic adaptation of the group which would have included Sandman and Doc Ock as the leader.

[77][78] Following the collaboration between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures, many spin-offs that had been in development before were revived, with the first of these, the live-action film Venom, being released on October 5, 2018.

Sony's December 2013 plans for their own expanded universe included a film based on the Sinister Six, with Drew Goddard attached to write and potentially direct.

[82] By December of the same year, producer Amy Pascal confirmed that the studio intends to use the script in an upcoming project and expressed the company's desire for the filmmaker to direct the film as well.