Throughout the history of Marvel Comics, there have been stories that utilize a plethora of science fiction tropes involving the company's superhero characters. One such trope is the body swap, in which two seemingly opposite characters wind up in the bodies of each other, similar to films like Freaky Friday, The Change-Up, or Freaky.
As one can expect, characters in Marvel Comics switching bodies can often lead to disastrous scenarios as heroes are forced to learn to use powers they're not used to. There have been many body swap storylines throughout Marvel Comics, but these are among the most interesting, as well as the most dramatically compelling.
6 Spider-Gwen & X-23
All New Wolverine Annual #1
One of the more famous examples of body swapping in Marvel Comics came in the Ultimate Universe, when Peter Parker swapped bodies with Wolverine as a result of Jean Grey using her powers to get back at Logan for constantly hitting on her. A tribute to this iconic storyline came recently in 2016, when Spider-Gwen and X-23 also swapped bodies.
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In All-New Wolverine Annual #1, Spider-Gwen and X-23 meet across the multiverse after the villain Red Hornet mistakenly forces them to switch bodies while trying to target Logan. It's quite entertaining to see a character like Gwen Stacy struggle to understand her new mutant powers, but the two end up making a pretty great team in each other's bodies.
5 Spider-Man & Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel Team-Up Vol. 1
Kamala Khan, a.k.a. Ms. Marvel, has become one of the most iconic Marvel Comics characters of recent history, eventually spawning her own Disney+ series in the MCU. Before that, in 2019, the character got to cross paths with Peter Parker in a story pitting the two heroes against Jackal, though Kamala gets far too familiar with Spider-Man.
After a failed experiment from the Jackal, Peter and Kamala end up switching bodies, having to get used to each other's powers as they team up to stop the Jackal. It's a great opportunity to pit together two iconic Marvel Comics characters that are beloved by fans. For a superhero fanatic like Kamala Khan, it's also interesting to see her be a Spider-Woman, albeit briefly.
4 Loki & Sif
Thor #601
Thor's trickster brother Loki is no stranger to disguising himself as others for his own nefarious purposes. However, one example of Loki going a step further was in issue #601 of the original Thor comic run, which released in 2009. Following Ragnarok, Loki's soul ended up in a body meant for Lady Sif, while Sif's was placed in that of a dying human.
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With Sif's life in peril, Thor was tasked with finding her with help from Jane Foster and revived her as the human host died. It's a rare moment where Loki helped Thor in the comics. It's particularly notable that he was also helping out Sif, with whom Loki has always had a contentious relationship in both the comics and in real-life Norse mythology.
3 Daredevil & Doctor Doom
Daredevil #37
One of the oldest examples of body swapping in Marvel Comics came in issue #37 of the original Daredevil comic run, which released in 1967. In the comic, Matt Murdock faces off against the iconic Fantastic Four enemy Victor von Doom, who ambushes the blind lawyer in a New York City subway. However, Daredevil is only a pawn in Doom's grand scheme.
Defeated by Doctor Doom, the Latverian monarch uses a device to force the two to switch bodies. As Daredevil is imprisoned in a Latverian embassy in Doom's body, Doom uses Daredevil's powers to get revenge against The Fantastic Four. By the time Daredevil gets back in his own body, he's accrued the ire of Marvel's First Family, whom he must face.
2 Emma Frost & Iceman
The Uncanny X-Men #313
Emma Frost is one of the more formidable enemies of Charles Xavier's X-Men, uniting rebel mutants into a group known as the Hellions. In one of her villainous arcs from The Uncanny X-Men in the mid-90s, Frost used her telekinetic powers to project herself into the mind of Iceman, learning to abuse his powers better than Iceman ever could.
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However, while Frost was creating terror as Bobby Drake, the X-Men had found her actual body and had begun holding her captive. She later relinquished control of Iceman's body and became a prisoner of the X-Men, which eventually resulted in the former enemy becoming an ally and helping establish a team of superheroes known as Generation X.
1 Doctor Octopus & Spider-Man
Superior Spider-Man (2019) #12
One of the most famous examples of body-swapping in the Marvel Comics universe comes after Otto Octavius, better known as Doc Ock, switches brains with his nemesis Peter Parker. While Parker ends up dying in Otto's body, Otto's inhabiting of Spider-Man's body causes the former villain to understand the importance of being a superhero and has a change of heart.
As a result, Otto Octavius in Peter Parker's body becomes the Superior Spider-Man, striving to improve on the heroism of Peter Parker. He's eventually returned to his own body by the Green Goblin, while Peter returns to his own body as the worthier Spider-Man. However, Otto would later find a new body to inhabit as Superior Spider-Man.
