Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)

Spider-Woman
Artwork from the cover of Spider-Woman #11 (April 2021). Art by Junggeun Yoon.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Marvel Spotlight #32 (February 1977)
Created by	Archie Goodwin Marie Severin
In-story information
Alter ego	Jessica Miriam Drew
Team affiliations	Avengers Daughters of Liberty HYDRA Lady Liberators New Avengers S.H.I.E.L.D. Strikeforce S.W.O.R.D. Secret Avengers[1] Spider-Army/Web-Warriors
Partnerships	Captain Marvel Porcupine (Roger Gocking)
Notable aliases	Arachne, Ariadne Hyde, Hunter
Abilities	Master spy Superhuman strength, speed, durability, reflexes, and senses Gliding/Flying Pheromone manipulation Bio-electric energy projection Wallcrawling Venom blasts

Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #32 (cover-dated February 1977), and 50 issues of an ongoing series titled Spider-Woman followed. At its conclusion, she was killed, and though later resurrected, she fell into disuse, supplanted by other characters using the name Spider-Woman.

Her origin story relates that she was a brainwashed spy working for HYDRA. Writer Brian Michael Bendis added Spider-Woman to the roster of The New Avengers, which leads to her involvement in the "Secret Invasion" storyline. In 2009, the character received her second self-titled limited series, written by Bendis, which ran for seven issues. As part of the 2014 "Spider-Verse" event, Spider-Woman began her third ongoing series, written by Dennis Hopeless. The series was interrupted by Marvel's 2015 "Secret Wars" event, and ended with issue #10. Spider-Woman was relaunched several months later with a new issue #1, still written by Hopeless and it continued the story from the previous volume.

Concept and creation[]

Marvel Comics' then-publisher Stan Lee, said in 1978, shortly after Spider-Woman's debut in Marvel Spotlight #32 and the start of the character's 50-issue, self-titled series (April 1978 - June 1983), that the character originated because

I suddenly realized that some other company may quickly put out a book like that and claim they have the right to use the name, and I thought we'd better do it real fast to copyright the name. So we just batted one quickly, and that's exactly what happened. I wanted to protect the name, because it's the type of thing [where] someone else might say, 'Hey, why don't we put out a Spider-Woman; they can't stop us.' ... You know, years ago we brought out Wonder Man, and [DC Comics] sued us because they had Wonder Woman, and... I said okay, I'll discontinue Wonder Man. And all of a sudden they've got Power Girl [after Marvel had introduced Power Man]. Oh, boy. How unfair.^[2]

Spider-Woman's origin and basic character were designed by Archie Goodwin, while her visual appearance was designed by freelancer Marie Severin.^[3]

Publication history[]

Original series[]

Though by most accounts, Spider-Woman was originally intended as a one-off character for the sake of simply establishing trademark, Marvel Spotlight #32 sold unexpectedly well and writer/editor Marv Wolfman was asked to take the character to an ongoing series.^[3]

In her first appearance, Spider-Woman was to be an actual spider evolved into a human as imagined by writer/co-creator Goodwin.^[4] Her debut was shortly followed by a four-issue story arc in Marvel Two-in-One in which Wolfman presented a different origin retcon as he felt her original origin was too implausible for mid-1970s readers.^[3] During this arc and the premiere issue of her own comic, Spider-Woman was identified as the human, Jessica Drew (combining the first name of Wolfman's daughter and the last name of fictional detective Nancy Drew^[3]), who had memories of being a spider implanted into her by the terrorist group HYDRA. Her costume was also redesigned for her series so that her long hair was uncovered, becoming a prominent part of the character's appearance.

Jessica Drew's feelings of isolation from other people were a major theme of the first year and a half of her series. Scene from Spider-Woman #2 (May 1978); story by Marv Wolfman, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Tony DeZuniga.

Wolfman introduced Spider-Woman's mentor Charles Magnus and archenemies Morgan le Fay and the Brothers Grimm. He left the series after issue #8, citing a heavy workload,^[5] but later admitted "If truth be told, I never felt comfortable writing her. I never found a handle for her and kept trying until I finally decided to leave the book".^[3] Neophyte Mark Gruenwald became the writer, while the series's regular penciler, comics legend Carmine Infantino, remained on board, having developed a fondness for the character and her stories.^[3] Gruenwald continued with the macabre themes Wolfman had used, while putting more focus on Drew's struggles to deal with her social awkwardness, shyness, and the negative reactions she produced in nearly everyone she met. The last of these is revealed to be caused by fear-inducing pheromones, a previously unrevealed ability. Gruenwald also introduced outgoing aspiring actress Lindsay McCabe, who became Drew's best friend and the mainstay of her supporting cast.^[6]

Marvel had been heavily advertising the series from the start, and during Gruenwald's run an animated TV series began airing. But Roger Stern, who replaced Wolfman as editor, recounted that Spider-Woman had already lost her status as a top seller by this time. Despite her differing origin and powers and Wolfman's deliberate effort to avoid Spider-Man guest appearances or crossovers, readers still tended to see the character as a female Spider-Man. "They saw her, and later the She-Hulk", Stern explained, "as running a good idea into the ground, much as DC had done in the ’60s with its then-ever-growing families of Super- and Bat-characters".^[3]

Issue #20 saw the departure of Gruenwald, Infantino, and Stern. New writer Michael Fleisher gave Spider-Woman a career as a bounty hunter, abandoned both the series' macabre tone and outstanding subplots such as Charles Magnus' mysterious disappearance, and replaced them with such superhero standbys as criminal masterminds and a love interest who is enamored with the protagonist's costumed guise but oblivious to her in her civilian identity. Many fans criticized that Fleisher had taken away everything that made the character special.^[7] Fleisher would be retained on the series up until #32, after which Chris Claremont, already a big-name writer for his work on Uncanny X-Men, took over and switched Jessica Drew's occupation from bounty hunter to private investigator. Steve Leialoha was drawing the series by this time.

The series had already come under criticism for its rapid turnover of writers,^[8] and like all of its writers, Claremont had a fairly short stay on Spider-Woman. After 13 issues, both he and Leialoha were compelled to leave for other projects.^[9] Their final issue marked the return of Gruenwald, this time as editor. He was promptly informed that due to dwindling sales, Marvel was canceling the series, and issue #50 would be the last.^[10] Gruenwald hired comic book novices Ann Nocenti and Brian Postman as writer and penciler for the final four issues, under the theory that their inexperience in the medium would give them a unique perspective and perhaps take the series out with a bang.^[3] Under Gruenwald's direction, the series returned to its macabre roots and resumed the long-abandoned subplot of Magnus's disappearance. The final issue used a photo cover of Marvel staffers (including Gruenwald and Nocenti) in costume as the issue's cast,^[3] and had Spider-Woman perish in a climactic battle with her nemesis Morgan le Fay. Nocenti reasoned, "These are licensed characters and you want them to have a forever life. At the same time, they live in a violent world and occasionally you feel like someone has to die, otherwise it’s too unreal".^[3]

Readers were outraged at the character being killed, and Nocenti and Gruenwald both came to feel remorse over their decision.^[3] Gruenwald took the readers' reaction especially to heart, and became determined to fix what he saw as a major mistake. He and Stern had been paired up again on Avengers, but with their jobs swapped, and he instructed Stern to write a story reviving Drew.^[3] Less than a year after her death, Spider-Woman was resurrected in The Avengers #240-241 (Feb.-March 1984).^[11]

Decline[]

For the next four years she was limited to a handful of guest appearances. In 1988, she and Lindsay McCabe joined the supporting cast of Wolverine, appearing through the first 16 issues of the character's series, followed by brief returns in issues #27 and 125-128. She was never depicted in costume during her appearances in Wolverine, sticking with her civilian identity, though she did often use her powers to aid Wolverine.^[12]

In 1996, Mark Gruenwald returned to the character with a short back-up feature in Sensational Spider-Man Annual '96. Titled "The Return of Spider-Woman", it put Drew back in costume for the first time in over a decade and ended with a teaser for further Spider-Woman adventures in Spider-Man Team Up. Gruenwald died, however, before these stories could be written, and subsequent appearances treated "The Return of Spider-Woman" as non-canon. In 1999, Drew was again placed in the role of non-costumed supporting character, this time to the third Spider-Woman, Mattie Franklin, for the first 11 issues of Spider-Woman volume 3.^[13]

Drew made an appearance in a 2003 story arc in Alias, a series written by Brian Michael Bendis.^[14] Bendis would write most of the character's adventures for the next decade.^[15]

Revival through New Avengers[]

In January 2005, The New Avengers was launched, ostensibly with Jessica Drew as a member of the titular supergroup, back in costume as Spider-Woman. Though this Jessica Drew would later be revealed as an imposter, this prominent exposure of the character opened the door for new attention to her original adventures. Firstly, on 21 December 2005, Marvel released the first issue of Spider-Woman: Origin, a five-part miniseries co-written by Brian Michael Bendis and Brian Reed, illustrated by the art team of the Luna Brothers, Jonathan and Joshua Luna. It was largely an extended retelling of Marvel Spotlight #32, though some details were changed.^[4]

Secondly, the original Spider-Woman series was reprinted in its entirety, along with Marvel Spotlight #32 and all her contemporaneous guest appearances, in a pair of Essentials trade paperbacks, the first released simultaneously with Spider-Woman: Origin #1, the second in 2007.^[16]

In 2009, the "Secret Invasion" storyline introduced the concept that, with the exception of some flashback scenes, all of Jessica Drew's appearances in New Avengers over the past four years were actually made by a Skrull imposter. Writer Bendis said he had this planned since New Avengers #1.

You can go back to issue #1 and see hints. [...] Now you know why the Spider-Woman series didn't happen. We thought about doing it and having her revealed as a Skrull in the first issue of her series. [...] I wrote it, but in the end I just thought it wasn't selling somebody what they thought you were selling them.^[17]

Following this story, the real Drew supplanted her doppelganger as a regular member of The New Avengers.^[18] She was also featured in another solo limited series during this time, which was published both in printed form and as a motion comic. It was written by Bendis with art by Alex Maleev and lasted 7 issues.^[19] Following the cancellation of New Avengers, Spider-Woman appeared as a regular character throughout the 2010-2013 Avengers series, from issue #1 (July 2010) through its final issue #34 (January 2013). She appears as a regular character in the 2014 Secret Avengers.^[20]

Spider-Verse and a new solo series[]

In 2014, Jessica was a key player in the Spider-Verse event. Spinning out of that event, a new fifth volume Spider-Woman series was started, written by Dennis Hopeless. In issue #5 the series featured the first redesign of Jessica's costume since it was created in the 1970s.^[21] This series was interrupted by Marvel's 2015 Secret Wars event, and ended with issue #10. Spider-Woman Volume 6 was relaunched several months later with a new issue #1, still written by Hopeless and continues the story from the previous volume.^[22] Spider-Woman, Gwen Stacy and Silk were the protagonists of the Spider-Women event. Spider-Woman issues #6 and #7 were the tie-ins.^[23] The ongoing was cancelled after 17 issues.^[24]

Fictional character biography[]

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Origins[]

Spider-Woman was born Jessica Miriam Drew, daughter of Jonathan Drew and Merriam Drew, in London, England. At a young age, her family moves to a lab built by her father and Herbert Wyndham near Mount Wundagore in Transia, where she becomes gravely ill from months of uranium exposure. To save her life, her father injects her with an experimental serum based on irradiated spiders' blood. Because the serum requires a month's incubation, Wyndham places her in a genetic accelerator. Shortly after, her mother dies and her father leaves for the United States, leaving Wyndham to care for her.^[25] While in the accelerator, she ages at a decelerated rate. When she is finally released, decades later, Drew is only 17 years old.

Drew is ostracized by the other residents of Mount Wundagore, the High Evolutionary's New Men, since she was originally human while they were animals. Because of this, she eventually leaves to seek human civilization. She is captured by a HYDRA reserve unit under Count Otto Vermis's leadership who erases her memories, brainwashes her, and recruits her as a HYDRA agent under the codename Arachne.^[25] One of HYDRA's top agents, Jared, is assigned to train her in combat and espionage and to seduce her. Once Jessica has become his lover, he allows himself to be captured by S.H.I.E.L.D. so that she can be goaded into assassinating S.H.I.E.L.D. commander Nick Fury.^[26]

While battling Fury, Jessica accidentally kills Jared and learns HYDRA's true nature. She quits HYDRA and assaults the unit's base, sending Count Vermis into a fatal crash, but not before he unlocks memory implants that she was actually an evolved spider and had killed a man before her association with HYDRA.^[26] Despondent from these revelations, she wanders the woods where Vermis crashed until being recaptured and hypnotized by HYDRA.^[27]

Spider-Woman: Origin[]

Origin does away with the spider-blood serum and genetic accelerator elements of the character's previous origin story. Instead, Jessica's powers derive from her mother's womb being hit by a laser beam containing the DNA traits of several different species of spiders while she was carrying Jessica (the Drews were trying to splice and harness spiders' environmental adaptive capabilities to graft them into the human genome).^[28][29]

After Jessica's parents disappear under mysterious circumstances, Jessica is recruited into HYDRA (under false pretenses), where she is made into a formidable fighter and assassin. She is trained and mentored by Taskmaster, who trains her in many martial disciplines and more than seven different fighting styles out of his own "arsenal".^[30]

In this re-telling, Otto Vermis, originally recruiting her into HYDRA, is rather an old, retired HYDRA agent whom Jessica seduces to gain information that will lead her to her father.^[31]

In addition, Origin made the following modifications:

• Merriam Drew was now Miriam Drew.^[28]
• The Drews moved to Wundagore Mountain prior to Jessica's conception, establishing without a doubt that she was born on the European landmark. Afterwards, she was raised by her nanny Bova (human in appearance), as well as her mother.^[28]
• Jessica's father, Jonathan, never found uranium on their land. Instead, their research was funded by HYDRA, and their direct liaison/financier from the group was General Wyndham. It is not clear what connection, if any, he had with Edgar Wyndham (who, in the original Spider-Woman books, was Jonathan's best friend and research partner), nor with the High Evolutionary.^[28]
• Jessica's father worked in large part with Miles Warren who later left the project because he felt that there was more potential in experimenting with the cloning of human cells.^[28]

Spider-Woman[]

As Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew is ordered to abduct Alicia Masters vacationing in London. During the resultant conflict with Ben Grimm, she recovers from her brainwashing and joins him in saving Masters.^[32] She and Grimm then encounter Modred the Mystic, who removes HYDRA's memory implants and restores her memories.^[33]

Jessica moves into an apartment in London, but finds it impossible to get a job due to her complete lack of background and her tendency to inspire dislike and even fear in other people. Following an aborted break-in, she is unmasked by Scotland Yard officer (and S.H.I.E.L.D. agent) Jerry Hunt, who becomes obsessed with her.^[25] During this troubled time, she is approached by the mysterious sorcerer Magnus, who offers help. After defending him from Excaliber, who was sent by Morgan Le Fay to recover the Darkhold, he suggests that she relocate with him to Los Angeles.^[34] Magnus tutors her in the ways of civilization and informs her that her father was murdered, leading her on a hunt for his killer.^[35] She is distracted from this hunt when Morgan Le Fey's ghost again seeks the Darkhold, this time in person. During the battle, Hunt catches up with Jessica and they begin a romantic relationship.^[36] With his help, she identifies her father's murderer who dies immediately after confessing.^[37]

For the time, Jessica chooses to keep her doings as Spider-Woman a secret. Her relationship with Hunt sours, and following a final battle with the Brothers Grimm, he and Magnus part ways with her.^[38] For the next three months, she makes a hand-to-mouth living by working as a receptionist at the Hatros Institute while undergoing group therapy there. Though she ultimately loses the position due to a change in management, during her time there she received medication to suppress her pheromones so that she could exist among other people without producing any unwanted side-effects. Jessica formed a strong friendship with fellow patient and aspiring actress Lindsay McCabe and developed acquaintances with several other superheroes.^[39]

The next few months of Jessica's life are not covered by published stories. During this time, she appears publicly as Spider-Woman, becomes a bounty hunter working in partnership with paraplegic criminologist Scotty McDowell, acquires a full wardrobe of disguises for use in her work, and finds a police liaison in Captain Walsh.^[40] This situation lasts for several months. When her working relationship with Scotty fails, Jessica accepts an offer from Lindsay to move into an apartment with her in San Francisco,^[41] where she begins a romantic relationship with their landlord David Ishima,^[42] and sets up a practice as a licensed private investigator.^[43] Her move there allows Lindsay to deduce her secret identity; she is unbothered by the danger involved in being Spider-Woman's friend, and the shared secret deepens the friendship between them.^[44]

While working as a private investigator, Jessica battles Morgan once again.^[45] Not long after that, she gives up her immunity powers to save Giant-Man.^[46] Her relationship with David Ishima develops to the point where she reveals her Spider-Woman identity to him, only to have him break up with her because he wants to be with an ordinary woman.^[47]

Jessica travels in astral form with Magnus to 6th century England to free her friends' souls in a showdown with Morgan le Fey in the 6th century. She manages to vanquish Morgan, but her human body dies while her spirit was gone.^[48] At her request, Magnus places a spell over humanity to remove all memory of Jessica's existence. This spell is faulty, however; when Tigra and the Shroud discover Jessica's dead body, they contact the Avengers and Doctor Strange. The Avengers and Strange travel to the astral plane to battle Morgan Le Fay, who was trying to claim Jessica's body so she could return to the physical realm. Eventually, Doctor Strange and Magnus reunite Jessica's spirit with her human body, though Magnus's life and Jessica's powers are sacrificed to do so. She thus abandons her Spider-Woman identity^[49] and continues her life as a private investigator in San Francisco, assisted by Lindsay McCabe and, for a time, by Tigra.^[50]

Jessica and Lindsay take a job delivering the Black Blade to Japan, but while passing through Madripoor, she is enchanted by the blade. By this time, her superhuman strength and agility, and ability to cling to walls have returned. She is freed from the blade's power by Lindsay and an underworld figure called Patch,^[51] whom she immediately recognizes as the X-Man Wolverine.^[52] Following the incident, she and Lindsay set up new business lodgings in Madripoor, with Patch as a frequent ally and information source.^[53]

Jessica Drew's life settles down until Charlotte Witter, a villainess going by the Spider-Woman name, steals her powers and leaves her near death.^[54] Jessica is taken from the hospital to New York City by Madame Web who directs her and Mattie Franklin (yet another woman who has assumed the Spider-Woman name) to track down Witter. Under Madame Web's guidance, Franklin absorbs from Witter the powers of all four Spider-Women.^[55] Afterwards, Jessica remains with Madame Web for a time, helping her to watch over Mattie.^[56] Jessica's powers gradually return to her during this time,^[57] but are now unreliable, failing her unexpectedly on occasion.^[58]

For untold reasons, Jessica moves back to San Francisco, resuming her private investigator practice there.^[59] When she hears that Mattie Franklin has gone missing, she goes to New York to find her. With the help of local P.I. Jessica Jones, she rescues Mattie from a drug dealer who had abducted her and was cannibalizing her tissue to make the Mutant Growth Hormone.^[60]

Secret Invasion[]

One day, a HYDRA agent known as Connely offers her powers back if she would rejoin S.H.I.E.L.D. as a double agent.^[61] Knowing Connely would kill her if she says no, Jessica Drew contacts Nick Fury who confronts her securely and urges her to accept the offer. He tells Jessica that he will feed her limited info until S.H.I.E.L.D. can analyze the HYDRA cell and then use the info to take it down.^[62] The HYDRA cell is in fact a team of Skrulls who made the offer as a trap to abduct Drew, so that their current Queen Veranke could take her place in the New Avengers and assume her role as Fury's spy in preparation for the upcoming invasion.^[63]

After the invasion is repulsed, Tony Stark finds a Skrull ship in orbit with all the replaced heroes, including Drew.^[64]

Avenger and agent of S.W.O.R.D.[]

Jessica Drew joins the New Avengers, claiming she has nowhere else to go.^[65] She also joins the Lady Liberators along with the Invisible Woman, Storm, Valkyrie, Thundra, Tigra, Black Widow, She-Hulk and Hellcat who are trying to discover the identity of the Red Hulk.^[66] Alongside her work with the Avengers, Jessica Drew joins S.W.O.R.D., under an invitation by Abigail Brand. Her membership in the organization takes her on a number of missions eliminating hostile aliens operating on Earth.^[67]

Before the Siege of Asgard, Ronin attempts to assassinate Norman Osborn but is captured by the Dark Avengers. Jessica Drew teams up with Ms. Marvel, Mockingbird and Jessica Jones to rescue him. After he is saved, the New Avengers relocate to a safehouse in Brooklyn where they meet up with Steve Rogers.^[68]

Jessica is then paired with Spider-Man to do reconnaissance on Avengers Tower, where she reveals to him she is an agent of S.W.O.R.D. The duo are then found by Mandrill and Griffin who proceed to attack them. During the fight Mandrill gets close enough to Jessica and controls her into attacking Spider-Man.^[69] Spider-Man appears to be on the losing end of the fight but manages to lure Jessica away from Mandrill and the effects of his control begin to wear off. The duo trick Mandrill and Griffin into thinking Jessica has beaten Spider-Man and when they approach Spider-Woman to give her new commands, Jessica punches Mandrill in the face and shoves her hand in his mouth, firing off a venom blast and knocking him out. Furious, Jessica wants to kill both villains for what they have done but is stopped by Spider-Man. The duo heads back to the safehouse where they head off with the Avengers to help the Asgardians.^[70] Upon arriving in Asgard, Jessica and the rest of the heroes engage Iron Patriot's forces and witnesses the insane Sentry's defeat.^[71]

Jessica is asked by Steve Rogers himself to join his team of Avengers. During their first meeting, Jessica expresses her doubts to Wolverine about being on the team, feeling she has not earned the role. Wolverine advises her if she feels that way, she will then have to work towards earning it then. Suddenly Kang the Conqueror appears in the middle of the meeting with a dire warning about the future and all of reality, blaming the children of the Avengers.^[72] After recruiting the Protector and building a time machine, the time machine is destroyed by a furious Wonder Man. Once the dust has settled, an alternate version of Apocalypse and his Four Horsemen appear.^[73] After Apocalypse's defeat, Jessica and a few of her teammates are sent into New York City to protect its citizens from the attacks coming from the timestream.^[74] While in Washington Square Park, they come across Killraven and join forces to help the citizens.^[75] Once their mission is completed and all the attacks have stopped, Jessica is the first to realize Killraven has not been returned to his proper future.^[76]

Later Jessica is present when Red Hulk comes to warn the Avengers that the Hood is seeking to collect the Infinity Gems.^[77] She is present along with the rest of the Avengers when they confront the Illuminati in Attilan about their existence and goes with a team of Avengers to the ruins of the Xavier Institute to get to Professor Xavier's Infinity gem.^[78]

During the "Fear Itself" storyline, Spider-Woman, Ms. Marvel and Protector arrive in Brazil to help Red She-Hulk fight Hulk, who was transformed into Nul: Breaker of Worlds.^[79]

While on a mission for S.W.O.R.D., Jessica is sent to locate an unusual alien energy surge in Wakanda. Upon finding the remains of a Spaceknight, Jessica is ambushed by the Intelligencia who take her as a prisoner. Abigail Brand approaches the Avengers for help and a team is put together to help locate Jessica. Jessica wakes up naked and is interrogated by two members of the Intelligencia. While the Intelligencia study the Spaceknight, the Avengers interrupt their attempts and the body activates, revealing it was containing Ultron's consciousness. The new Ultron escapes and Jessica is reunited with the Avengers.^[80]

Jessica Drew becomes a member of the new Secret Avengers.^[1]

Spider-Verse and Post-Avenger life[]

During the "Spider-Verse" storyline, Spider-Woman joins Spider-Girl and Spider-Man 2099 in confronting Spider-Man about Spider-Man 2099 witnessing his counterpart being killed by Morlun. She is among the spider-themed superheroes brought to Earth-13 by Spider-UK, Spider-Girl of Earth-982, and Spider-Ham, to form a resistance against Morlun and his family, the Inheritors.^[81] When the resistance was visiting Earth-928 and encountered a past version of Superior Spider-Man (Doctor Octopus' mind in Peter Parker's body) with his own army, they attracted the attention of the Inheritors.^[82] Spider-Woman followed Silk with Spider-Man Noir to an unknown reality where they were being tracked by the Inheritors Brix and Bora. Spider-Man Noir was wounded and the trio escaped to his home world to allow him to recover from his injuries. After this, she was sent by Spider-Man to the Loomworld, home of the Inheritors to gather more information on the Inheritors.^[83] After encountering and replacing her doppelganger from Loomworld, who was Morlun's lover, she was able to gather intelligence in regards to the Master Weaver and his role in the conflict, which helped the Spider Army ultimately win the battle against the Inheritors.^{[volume & issue needed]}

After the battle with the Inheritors, Jessica decided to quit the Avengers in order to start a new life and to focus on helping ordinary civilians.^[84] Jessica decides to help common people solve crimes, and enlists Ben Urich and Roger Gocking, the Porcupine.

Secret Wars[]

Jessica Drew's new look in the aftermath of Spider-Verse was the first costume change in more than 35 years since the character's creation. Spider-Woman vol. 5, #9. Cover art by Javier Rodríguez.

Knowing the universe will end soon, Reed Richards and Susan Storm choose Jessica and Natasha Romanoff to copilot a ship that will contain a handpicked few to restart humanity and escape the destruction of the universe. Their ship is shot down when the Children of Tomorrow from the Ultimate Universe invade, and she and the ship's passengers are killed in the ensuing explosion.^[85] This timeline and the resulting deaths were later undone.^[86]

Post-Secret Wars[]

In the debut issue of the new volume set after the Secret Wars, Jessica is in the second trimester of pregnancy and still works as a private investigator.^[87] Although there were various debates about the father's identity, after the baby's birth, Jessica admitted that, while she had been in a relationship over nine months ago that started her interest in a family, the man left before she could bring it up directly, prompting her to go to a sperm bank instead.^[88] She eventually gives birth to a son whom she names Gerry.^[89] Gerry also inherited her power set.^{[volume & issue needed]} After Porcupine is nearly killed by the Hobgoblin, Jessica and Roger fall in love and start dating while continuing to raise Gerry.^{[volume & issue needed]}

During the "Secret Empire" storyline, Spider-Woman is among the heroes that are trapped in the Darkforce dome that surrounds Manhattan following a fight with Hydra's Army of Evil.^[90] Spider-Woman was attracted to a signal flare fired by Jennie Sheldon and J. Jonah Jameson as she saves them from Kraven the Hunter. Jennie Sheldon took pictures of the fight.^[91] She, along with Ben Urich and the Kingpin, also helped Doctor Strange reclaim his Sanctum Santorum from Baron Mordo, who had also captured Daredevil, Iron Fist, Luke Cage and Cloak.^[92]

During the "Spider-Geddon" storyline, Spider-Woman comes together with the Spider-Army again as she is part of Kaine Parker's group on their mission to claim the crystal containing Solus' lifeforce before Verna claims it. She was able to escape with it during the fight with Verna and the Hounds.^[93] Spider-Woman makes it back to Earth-616 where she has the crystal. Unfortunately, she arrived at New U Technologies where she is grabbed by Jennix. After being hit by Spider-Woman's venom blasts, Jennix instructs Daemos to share his food with Brix and Bora. As Daemos starts to feed off of Spider-Woman, she states that she got her powers from a radiation blast which Daemos notices the radiation in her lifeforce. Jennix has a change of plans and instructs Daemos to place Spider-Woman in stasis so that Jennix can study her later. Right now, Jennix places the crystal in the cloning machine enabling Solus to live again.^[94] In the end, the Spider-Army manages to free Jessica and defeat the Inheritors, by using the cloning technologies to revert them into babies.^[95]

During the "Empyre" storyline, Spider-Woman is recruited to Captain Marvel's personal Accuser Corps and receives a copy of the Universal Weapon that was made by Doctor Strange.^[96]

Powers and abilities[]

Jessica's venom blasts. Variant cover of Spider-Woman #5.

After her mother, pregnant with Jessica, was struck with a beam of radiation containing the DNA of several different types of spiders, Jessica Drew developed superhuman powers patterned after several different types of spiders when she was born. Jessica is super-humanly strong and is able to lift around seven tons at her peak. She also possesses superhuman speed, stamina, agility, and reflexes. Jessica's body is more resistant to injury than an ordinary person's, allowing her to take far more physical punishment compared to the average human. Jessica also possesses superhuman hearing and smell, the latter of which allowed her to distinguish a life-model decoy from the real Nick Fury.^[97] Jessica's palms and soles secrete a special fluid that allows her to cling to solid objects, like a true spider. Jessica's physical makeup also makes her highly resistant to all terrestrial poisons, toxins, and completely immune to radiation. While she is typically rendered dizzy by the initial dose, she is completely immune to it after being exposed again. She also exudes a high concentration of pheromones that elicit pleasure and attraction from others, depending on unknown factors which might include gender and mood, although she typically uses a chemical "perfume" that renders these pheromones inert. This ability appears to be passive.^[98] Jessica's body also produces an inordinate amount of bio-electrical energy which she can discharge from her hands. She refers to these discharges as "venom blasts," although they actually have nothing to do with poison and typically cause pain and unconsciousness. Jessica can kill a person in the same way that a lightning bolt would and can pierce solid metals like steel by using her blasts at their greatest intensity. Jessica was also able to glide through unknown means using the web-like extensions of her costume but she seems to have gained the ability to fly after being replaced by the Skrull Queen, Veranke.^{[volume & issue needed]} Jessica has lost her powers in numerous ways and on several occasions,^{[volume & issue needed]} but after returning to Earth at the end of the Secret Invasion, Jessica's powers were restored and are greater than ever.^{[volume & issue needed]}

In addition to her powers, she is a superb hand-to-hand combat fighter, and has trained in several styles of fighting including Boxing, Capoeira, Judo,^[99] Karate and Tai chi,^[100] learned under the training of the Taskmaster.^[101] She has also had training in fencing and the use of many other weapons. Jessica was trained by HYDRA (and later on by S.H.I.E.L.D.) in covert operations, stealth, espionage, and information gathering and is a superb athlete.^{[volume & issue needed]} She speaks several foreign languages, including Korean, Russian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German. Jessica has also received vocational training in undercover detective work and sometimes carries a Walther PPK handgun.

Other versions[]

Age of X[]

In the Age of X reality, Jessica Drew is a member of the Avengers, mutant hunters who answer to General Frank Castle. Going by the codename Redback, Jessica is one of America's top killers and has been for eight years. She uses lethal force during fights and has never uttered a word, she uses hisses to communicate on occasion.^[102] She finally sacrifices herself using a gauntlet from the now-deceased Iron Man to stop the Hulk from destroying a mutant sanctuary with a chemical bomb, having come to recognize that their persecution of mutants is wrong.^[103]

Earth-65[]

During the 2016 Spider-Women event, Spider-Gwen's interdimensional transporter is stolen by Jessica's male Earth-65 counterpart, Jesse Drew.^[104] In this universe, Jesse is married with a son and daughter who are unaware he is actually Agent 77 of the criminal organization S.I.L.K.^[105] Jesse's backstory is discovered by Gwen while searching files stolen by Cindy Moon's Earth-65 doppelgänger. It is revealed he is the son of two S.H.I.E.L.D. astronaut spies who had been sent to the moon to live on a secret base for ten years, during which they gave birth to Jesse. However, Jesse's father was a Russian double agent who is eventually killed by Jesse's mother.

Joining S.H.I.E.L.D. after high school, Jesse is sent back to the moon to renovate the base where he and his crew were attacked by alien spider creatures. Jesse escapes, but the spider's saliva poisons his blood and turning it into black goo. He is saved by the head of S.I.L.K., Cindy Moon, who uses her spider formula to fix his blood and grant him spider powers. She deceives Jesse into thinking he needs two doses of the formula a day to survive, but it is discovered by Gwen that he is already cured and the doses are just maintaining his superhuman powers.^[106] After learning of this, he quits S.I.L.K. and escapes the state with his family, but not before he aids the three Spider-Women by giving them access codes to Earth-65 Cindy's home base.^[107]

Marvel Adventures Spider-Man[]

In this version, Jessica Drew appeared in issue 52 and is a freelance agent who arrived at Peter's school as a substitute teacher when she discovered Peter's biology report mixed up with HYDRA's bio-weapons plan. She is one of the few people who knew Peter's secret identity.^[108]

Marvel Zombies[]

Spider-Woman is seen on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier after the beginning of the zombie infection. She fights alongside the other uninfected heroes but is eventually infected herself.^[109] She is then seen in Ultimate Fantastic Four #23 along with the other zombies.^[110]

MC2[]

In the MC2 reality, Jessica does not regain her powers after losing them. She marries and has a child Gerald (or Gerry for short). She learns that her radioactive blood caused Gerry to develop a crippling illness. She attempts to use the same genetic treatments her father gave her to save him. As Gerry "incubated" in a genetic accelerator, Jessica's husband blames her for Gerry's health and divorces her.

When Gerry emerges from the genetic accelerator, Jessica learns that her son had gained spider-like powers (superhuman strength and agility as well as the ability to organically produce webs), but he still had his disease.^{[volume & issue needed]} Teenaged Gerry uses his powers to become Spider-Man,^{[volume & issue needed]} and has several run-ins with Spider-Girl (Spider-Man's daughter).^{[volume & issue needed]} He was pushing his body beyond its limits, and Jessica asks Spider-Man to convince her son to give up his "career" as Spider-Man.^{[volume & issue needed]} Peter Parker attempts to find someone capable of finding a cure to Gerry's disease,^{[volume & issue needed]} and apparently succeeds (at least that is suggested in the Spider-Girl series^{[volume & issue needed]}).^[111]

What If...?[]

In What If...? #17, which is set during the events of Marvel Spotlight #32, Jessica succeeded in killing Nick Fury after the accidental death of Jared. She escaped and came back to HYDRA headquarters but was pursued by S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents led by agent Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Spider-Woman (still known as Arachne) became a supervillain who wanted to know her real origin, just like Earth-616 version. Count Otto Vermis is still alive but captured by S.H.I.E.L.D. and Agent Val chase Arachne to get revenge for Fury's death.^[112] This parallel universe is known as Earth-79101.^[113]

Spider-Verse[]

During the Spider-Verse storyline, the Earth-001 version of Jessica Drew is a servant of the Inheritors. She was sent to pick up the wine from Robbie Robertson's import company which is needed for the feast that the Inheritors will be having.^[81] Spider-Woman of Earth-616 met her counterpart while in Earth-001. She and Morlun are in relationship in which Bora describes her as "...one of Morlun's toys".^[114]

Ultimate Marvel[]

The Ultimate Marvel incarnation of Jessica Drew, known as Spider-Woman primarily and the Black Widow for a time, has been an agent of SHIELD, a member of the Ultimates and New Ultimates, and a supporting character for both Peter Parker and Miles Morales.^[115] A clone of the former, she has heightened agility, strength, reflexes, a precognitive danger sense (spider sense), the ability to stick to walls, and organic webbing she can shoot from her fingertips.^[116][117]

Reception[]

The character was ranked 20th in IGN's list of "The Top 50 Avengers",^[118] and 54th in Comics Buyer's Guide's "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list.^[119]

Collected editions[]

In other media[]

Television[]

• Spider-Woman appears in Spider-Woman, voiced by Joan Van Ark.^[120]

Film[]

• Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman will appear in a female-centered spin-off to the 2018 animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.^[121] It was reported in June 2021 that Issa Rae would voice the character in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One).^[122]

Video games[]

• Spider-Woman appears as a playable character in Marvel Ultimate Alliance, voiced by Tasia Valenza.^[123] This version possesses all of her comic book counterpart's powers except super-strength.
• Jessica Drew appears as a boss and assist character in the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable versions of Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, voiced by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn.^[123] In the story, Spider-Man arrives at the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier to complete a sonic generator to stop a symbiote invasion in New York. He finds Drew in danger, fights infected S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, and rescues her. She later calls Spider-Man to inform him that the helicarrier is going down. He encounters her possessed by a symbiote, though he fights and eventually saves her.
• Spider-Woman appears in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, voiced by E. G. Daily.^[124][125] This version is allied with Captain America's Anti-Registration movement and assists players before being captured by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. She also serves as a boss for the Pro-Registration campaign.
• Spider-Woman appeared as an unlockable playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online,^[126] voiced by Grey DeLisle.^[123]
• Spider-Woman appeared as an unlockable playable character in Marvel Avengers Alliance.^[127] Spider-Woman later appeared as Kurth, Breaker of Stones.
• Spider-Woman appeared as an unlockable playable character in Marvel Heroes.^[128]
• Spider-Woman appears as an unlockable playable character in Lego Marvel Super Heroes,^[129] voiced by Kari Wahlgren.^[130]
• Multiple versions of Jessica Drew appeared as unloackable playable characters in Spider-Man Unlimited, voiced by Laura Bailey.^[123]
• Spider-Woman appears on the A-Force table in Marvel Pinball, as part of the "Women of Power" DLC pack.^[131][132]
• Spider-Woman appeared as an unlockable playable character in Marvel Avengers Academy, voiced by Kiernan Shipka.^[133]
• Spider-Woman appeared as an unlockable playable character in Marvel Avengers Alliance 2.^[134]
• Spider-Woman appears as an unlockable playable character in Marvel Puzzle Quest.^[135]
• Spider-Woman appears an unlockable playable character in Marvel Future Fight.^[136]

See also[]

• Julia Carpenter/Spider-Woman/Arachne/Madame Web

References[]

External links[]

• Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) at the Marvel Universe wiki
• Jessica Drew on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki
• Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on August 2, 2017.
• Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) at Spiderfan.org
• Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)