Spider-Woman
Spider-Woman is the code name of several fictional characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first and original Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew, had her own animated television series, and the second Spider-Woman, Julia Carpenter, was a regular in the 1990s TV series Iron Man, part of The Marvel Action Hour.
Publication history
' 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, the character originated because,Following that initial Spider-Woman series, more followed. Volume two was a miniseries published from November 1993 through February 1994; volume three was published from July 1999 through December 2000; and volume four, featuring Jessica Drew, the original Spider-Woman, was published from November 2009 through May 2010.
Volume Five ran from November 2014 through the fall of 2015, featuring Jessica Drew as Spider-Woman. In the March 2015 issue of The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 3 #13, Jessica boasts "I have never needed rescuing. Ever. See my wiki entry." In November 2015, Spider-Woman Vol. 6 launched as part of Marvel's All-New, All-Different event with the same creative team as Volume 5. This volume saw her wearing the same costume as in Volume 5, but now she was pregnant and working as a private investigator.
Spider-Women
- Jessica Drew, the original Spider-Woman, who left the role in the early 1980s. By the late 2000s, she returned to it. This version starred in her own animated TV series in 1979.
- Julia Carpenter, a former member of superhero teams who also the Arachne and Madame Web mantles.
- Mattie Franklin, who briefly impersonated the then-retired Spider-Man before receiving her own short-lived comics series. Mattie also appeared in Alias #16–21, before going on to appear in the 2007–2008 Loners miniseries. Currently deceased.
- Charlotte Witter, a supervillain who used the Spider-Woman name.
- Veranke, queen of the shape-shifting extraterrestrial race the Skrulls who impersonated Jessica Drew over a long period of time and was a founding member of a superhero team. Currently deceased.
Other versions
Helen Goddard
An unrelated earlier "Spider-Woman" was published by Harry "A" Chesler's Dynamic Comics in 1944. She was a non-superpowered crime-fighter named Helen Goddard and made her first and only appearance in the Golden Age comic book Major Victory #1.Spider Super Stories
A character called "Spider-Woman" appears in the recurring live-action skit "Spidey Super Stories" on the 1970s PBS children's television series The Electric Company. She also appears as Spider-Woman in the spin-off comic book series Spidey Super Stories #11. She has no superpowers.Mary Jane Watson
There are several alternate versions of Mary Jane Watson known as Spider-Woman. The first version is a ninja of the Spider-clan in the Marvel Mangaverse, and another version is featured in the Exiles series.Ashley Barton
In the pages of Old Man Logan, Ashley Barton is the daughter of Tonya Parker and Hawkeye who did not like the way that Kingpin was running Hammer Falls. She becomes "Spider-B****", allying herself with a new Punisher and Daredevil, and plans to take back Hammer Falls, only for the group to be captured and Daredevil and Punisher to be fed to the carnivorous dinosaurs. Hawkeye breaks his daughter out of her cell. Hawkeye and Ashley confront Kingpin, and Ashley kills him and takes over Hammer Falls. Old Man Logan rescues Hawkeye as Ashley sends her men after them.Ashley appears in the "Spider-Verse" storyline, now called Spider-Woman, and is among the spider-powered characters who are recruited by Superior Spider-Man to help fight the Inheritors. The purpose of the name change from "Spider-B****" to "Spider-Woman" was to make the story more family-friendly.
Gwen Stacy
In the 2014 series "Spider-Verse", Gwen Stacy of Earth-65 is bitten by the radioactive spider instead of Peter Parker, being her universe's version of Spider-Woman. She is featured in her own solo series Spider-Gwen.Ultimate Marvel
An Ultimate Marvel version of Spider-Woman is featured with the Ultimate continuity. This version of Jessica Drew is a gender-swapped clone of the Peter Parker of the Ultimate Universe. She joins the avengers and takes on the mantle of Black Widow.Mayday Parker
Peter and MJ's daughter from the alternate future MC2, commonly known as Spider-Girl, began calling herself Spider-Woman after her father's death.Earth X
On Earth X, a character named Spidra appears. She was one of the last survivors of the Microverse following Psycho-Man's attempt to drive the entire realm mad. Escaping with the rest of the Ant Men, who were formerly known as the Microns, Spidra and the rest of the Ant Men would be charged with watching Immortus, and would later be present at the wedding of King Britain and Medusa.Squadron Supreme
In the Squadron Supreme series, Nell Ruggles was a young troubled girl, who upon gaining her powers killed her classmates, who had bullied her in the past. However, her superhuman powers allowed her to be traced back to a device which the Icarus One astronauts brought back from the Moon. Running away from home, she was captured by the Blur and turned over to Nick Fury's S.H.I.E.L.D.. Thanks to an electroshock collar, she has been prevented from leaving, though she appears to be making the best of the situation, having made friends and eventually falling in love with Tucker Ford, Biogeneral.In other media
Television
- The Jessica Drew version of Spider-Woman was featured in a 1979 Spider-Woman cartoon, voiced by Joan Van Ark.
- In the 1981 episode "The Triumph of the Green Goblin" from the Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends animated series, Firestar dresses as the Jessica Drew version of Spider-Woman at a costume party. The episode was adapted in the comic book Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends #1. Similarly, Spidey Super Stories #56 features Mary Jane Watson dressed as the Jessica Drew version at a costume party. Both stories feature Peter Parker wearing Halloween costume versions of his traditional Spider-Man costume to the parties, as well as the Green Goblin interrupting both parties.
- The Julia Carpenter version of Spider-Woman appeared regularly in the 1994 Iron Man animated series, voiced by Casey DeFranco in Season One and Jennifer Hale in Season Two.
- Spider-Woman motion comics have also been made as part of the Marvel Knights Animated line, based on the series written by Brian Michael Bendis. They are called Spider-Woman: Agent of S.W.O.R.D. and came out June 14, 2011. In the series, Spider-Woman has an English accent and is voiced by actress Nicolette Reed.
- The Mary Jane Watson version of Spider-Woman appears in Ultimate Spider-Man vs. The Sinister Six, voiced by Tara Strong. In this incarnation, she becomes Spider-Woman after a small fragment of the Carnage Symbiote is converted to her control thanks to an experiment by Dr. Curt Connors.
Film
- The Gwen Stacy version of Spider-Woman appears in ', voiced by Hailee Steinfeld.
- Jessica Drew, Gwen Stacy and Cindy Moon will appear in a female-centered spin-off to the 2018 animated film '.
Video games
- Spider-Woman is a playable character in the video game ' voiced by Tasia Valenza. She possesses all of the powers she has in the comic book except super-strength and her alternate costumes are a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent variant costume, Julia Carpenter's Arachne attire, and Spider-Girl's costume. Originally, Mattie Franklin's Spider-Woman attire was intended to be one of the alternate costumes but was replaced by Spider-Girl's.
- Spider-Woman appears in the PlayStation 2 and PSP versions of ' voiced by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn. At one point, she has become infected with the symbiote and trying to fight the symbiotic control.
- Spider-Woman appears in ' voiced by Elizabeth Daily.
- Ultimate Spider-Woman was mentioned in '.
- Both Spider-Woman and Arachne are playable characters in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online.
- Spider-Woman is a playable character in the Facebook game '.
- Spider-Woman is a playable character in the video game Lego Marvel Super Heroes, voiced by Kari Wahlgren.
- Gwen Stacy, May Parker, Julia Carpenter, Charlotte Witter, Mattie Franklin, both Jessica Drew and her Ultimate version all appear in Spider-Man Unlimited as playable characters, where Jessica Drew is voiced by Laura Bailey.
- Jessica Drew and Gwen Stacy appear in Marvel Heroes as playable characters, voiced by Ashley Johnson.
- Jessica Drew and Gwen Stacy are playable characters in the match-three mobile game Marvel Puzzle Quest.
- The Ultimate version of Spider-Woman is playable in the Spider-Man DLC pack for Lego Marvel's Avengers, but is referred to as Spider-Girl.
- Gwen Stacy version appears as a playable character in '.
Miscellaneous
- Spider-Woman was among the ten Marvel characters on a set of Marvel Comics Super Heroes commemorative postage stamps that were issued in 2007.