Spider-Man hasn’t had many enduring sidekicks, but he has teamed up with individuals who share similar powers, abilities, or backgrounds, fighting crime under similar aliases. While some have distinct secret identities, several female allies have adopted the name “Spider-Woman” at different points. Each Spider-Woman possesses unique traits, yet a select few have left a more indelible mark on Marvel’s tapestry. As two of them prepare for their live-action debuts in Madame Web, it’s prime time to delve into the intricate history of Spider-Woman.
Jessica Drew, Originator of Spider-Woman
Initially conceived by Archie Goodwin and Marie Severin, the original Spider-Woman, later known as Jessica Drew, swung onto the scene in Marvel Spotlight #32 in 1977 before landing her own series. Goodwin initially depicted Jessica as a human-spider hybrid, but Marv Wolfman, the inaugural writer of her solo comic, revised this origin. According to Wolfman, Jessica was a human girl afflicted by uranium exposure. Her scientist father, linked with the High Evolutionary, treated her with a serum derived from irradiated spider blood, granting her superhuman abilities.
Later, Jessica fell into Hydra’s clutches, becoming a super-powered assassin under their sway. Hydra’s manipulations led her to believe she was a mutated spider, aligning with Goodwin’s original concept. Brian Michael Bendis revitalized Jessica’s character in the Avengers series, co-writing the aptly titled Spider-Woman: Origin miniseries. This retconned her origin again, attributing her powers to her mother’s exposure to a specialized laser during pregnancy, simplifying her ties to Hydra.
Spider-Woman Paves the Way for Jessica Jones
After breaking free from Hydra’s grasp, Jessica continued her crime-fighting career as Spider-Woman, often moonlighting as a private investigator. Initially intended as the protagonist of Bendis’s noir detective series Alias, Jessica Drew paved the way for the creation of Jessica Jones instead. Despite guest-starring in Alias, Jessica Drew’s association with Peter Parker/Spider-Man grew when they both joined the New Avengers.
During the Secret Invasion, Jessica was replaced by the Skrull queen Veranke, leading to suspicion upon her return. Despite this setback, her popularity soared, leading to numerous solo titles, continued ties with the Avengers, and deeper involvement in Spider-Man’s narrative, including a memorable storyline featuring her crime-fighting while pregnant.
Julia Carpenter, Avengers’ First Spider-Woman
Devised by Jim Shooter and Mike Zeck, Julia Carpenter made her debut as Spider-Woman in Marvel Superheroes Secret Wars #6 in 1984. Engaged in the Beyonder’s Battleworld conflict, Julia’s origin revealed she was unwittingly subjected to a super-soldier experiment by her friend Val Cooper. Injected with spider venom and plant extracts, Julia gained powers akin to Spider-Man’s, marking her as the Avengers’ inaugural Spider-Woman.
