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Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew,
was born in England before her Hydra parents moved to the America. Much like Blade, Jessica Drew tends to play ball with the Americans more often than the Brits, teaming up with the Avengers and residing in the US of A. In all fairness, she moved out of England when she was only a year old to Transia, which is in southeast Europe.
Spider-Woman's father was a member of Hydra, and her time with them, S.H.I.E.LD., and The Avengers is convoluted, with lots of Skrull and double-agent shenanigans. Nonetheless, she is technically a British hero.
They've played the hell out of SpiderMan, so why not rake in the pink pound?
Bat Woman was not a success. Super Girl (Woman) fared better. While Cat
Woman bombed, even with Halle Berry, leather clad.
Since her debut in 1977’s Marvel Spotlight #32, Spider-Woman has played many different roles across the Marvel Universe from S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent to Avenger. Over the years, her astounding adventures have made her one of Marvel’s most popular Super Heroes, even starring in her very own Saturday morning cartoon now streaming on Disney+. This October, Marvel is proud to celebrate the 100th issue of SPIDER-WOMAN by bringing you a landmark issue that’s full of venom blasts, intrigue, and all the high-stakes Super Hero action Jessica Drew fans love her for!
SPIDER-WOMAN #5, a special giant-sized issue, writer Karla Pacheco and artist Pere Pérez, will have Jessica continuing her feud with Octavia Vermis, the daughter of Spider-Woman’s classic HYDRA foe, Otto Vermis. Just when you thought the complex web that makes up Jessica Drew’s life couldn’t get any more complicated, Spider-Woman discovers long hidden truths about her origin, her family, and her future. These bold revelations will propel Jessica Drew into this redefining chapter of her Super Hero career!
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
re-launched several months later with a new issue #1, still written by Hopeless, which continued the story from the previous volume.
Jessica Drew has been described as one of Marvel's most notable and powerful female heroes. She will make her cinematic debut in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, voiced by Issa Rae.
COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARK
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.
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.
Spider-Woman's origin and basic character were designed by Archie Goodwin, while her visual appearance was designed by freelancer Marie Severin.
Strange, because Spider Woman was firmly established in the original B&W Sherlock Holmes films, inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
POWERS AND ABILITIES
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. 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. 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. Jessica has lost her powers in numerous ways and on several occasions, but after returning to Earth at the end of the Secret Invasion, Jessica's powers were restored and are greater than ever.
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, Karate and Tai chi, learned under the training of the Taskmaster. 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. 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.
CULTURAL IMPACT & LEGACY
James Whitbrook of Gizmodo referred to Jessica Drew as one of the "greatest Spider-Women of all time," writing, "There could only be one at the top of the list, and it’s the one that really started it all. Created in a quick rush so Marvel could squat on the name to avoid rivals capitalizing on Spider-Man’s success, Jessica Drew’s story as Spider-Woman has seen her grow into a role and character that makes her so much more than the “female Spider-Man” her name might imply. Hell, she’s always been her own damn hero—over the years since her debut, Jessica has been a super spy, an Agent of SHIELD, an Avenger, a private investigator, and many other things, but most importantly, she’s never been in Peter Parker’s shadow, willingly far removed from the world of Spiders to do her own thing. She’s always been a kickass, witty hero that’s every-bit deserving of Spider-praise as her distant friend Peter."[109] IGN called Jessica Drew one of the "greatest Avengers of all time," saying, "after living a life full of subterfuge, murder, and entanglements with the terrorist group H.Y.D.R.A., Jessica Drew joined up with the New Avengers during the super villain breakout at the Raft. Ever a controversial member because of her mother (she runs HYDRA), she must constantly deal with the judgment of her teammates (they don't trust her). To make matters worse, during the event Secret Invasion an Earth-shattering twist revealed that the Skrull Queen Veranke had been impersonating her since New Avengers #1. Luck has often not been on Drew's side, but she has proven her ability to rise above adversity and be every bit a hero as the next member. She is not the only member with a soiled reputation; in fact, she is currently romantically involved with the bad boy of the Avengers, Hawkeye.
Her super strength and agility combined with her Venom Blast stunning ability make her a formidable opponent, and her personality adds a refreshing lightness to the team." Chase Magnett of Comicbook.com described Jessica Drew as a "classic character," stating, "Spider-Woman's new costume replaces a skintight spandex suit from the 70's with a more wearable look including a customized leather jacket. This superficial adjustment reflects a much deeper change to the character. It has been decades since Jessica Drew was featured in an ongoing solo title (Spider-Woman: Agent of SWORD was originally planned as an ongoing in 2009, but altered to a mini-series) and Spider-Woman #5 is concerned primarily with defining her without the Avengers or a team-up. Spider-Woman is striking out from her previous affiliations in order to "try living a normal life". Normal is a relative concept though, and it appears that working as an urban crimefighter and investigator may be as close as it comes. Rodriguez's gorgeous new costume design is not the only part of Spider-Woman that looks great. He toys with panel compositions and sound effects in such a way as to make the entire reading experience a joy. He is a comics craftsman with a style that is still entirely his own. Just like Jessica Drew he is showing off the flexibility and potential of someone who has been involved in superhero comics for many years. [...] Spider-characters like Silk, Spider-Gwen, and Spider-Woman are filling the gap left behind by a grown-up Peter Parker; they're also more reflective of the readers who are interested in comics and superheroes.
There's still a place for Spider-Man and his classic friends like The Human Torch and Daredevil, but there are more opportunities new heroes to join them. All of these women and other new characters like Ms. Marvel and the All-New Ghost Rider represent a new wave of superheroes. They are following in the footsteps of Spider-Man: a hero of the people who reflects our own concerns and worries (while going on fantastic adventures). And as time goes on they are reflecting the men and women who love those adventures better every year." Abdul R. Siddiqui of Mic stated, "Critics love to argue that comics follow the traditional extremes of either portraying a damsel in distress or a femme fatale. However, if they were to actually study many of the prominent characters, they would see just how false this notion is.
The best example to argue against such criticisms would be the role of Spider-Woman in Agent of S.W.O.R.D. In terms of portrayal, protagonist Jessica Drew neither dons the virtuous garb of the diminutive, shy lady in waiting nor the leather-clad battle armor of the fighting vixen. Instead, the protagonist spends much of the series in loose trench coats or wife beater shirts more suited to a cage fighter than an attractive woman. At numerous points, she is shown bloodied and beaten to an inch of her life. Certainly, the portrayal does not make her physically beautiful but there is an abstract allure. Also, in terms of characterization, she is neither entirely pure of heart nor is she the conniving type that so strangely fascinates men in power. Instead, she is a woman whose drive for revenge actually demonstrates deep-seated fears of loneliness and betrayal. Even the motion comic picks a voice actress whose take on the character is in no way sultry, yet it is strangely unique and filled with emotion. Therefore, it is safe to say that no traditional criticism of the unrealistic standards or insulting portrayal of women in comics applies to this character and she can therefore not be called a sexist caricature. Instead, she is an individual with so much depth beyond that material that she instead represents ideals. Plus, keep in mind that she also has the ability to control the men around her through pheromones she secretes from her body, once again demonstrating the Petrarchan desire for the female to rule the man who finds her beautiful."
Kath Leroy of CBR.com referred to Jessica Drew as an "iconic superheroine," saying, "Marvel Comics has a very long tradition and during its decades of existence, they created hundreds of memorable stories, superheroes, and villains. One of the most popular Marvel superheroes is Spider-Man but he's not the only person with this set of powers, not by a long shot. There's also Spider-Woman. Multiple women have held this name but Jessica Drew is the most famous of them all. It will hardly come as a surprise she teamed up with Spider-Man on more than one occasion but she has a lot of going on in her life. Many fans like the courageous Spider-Woman and created amazing fan arts of her. Jessica Drew clearly knows where she stands, and it's not on the side of evil.
Again, she might not be as famous as Spider-Man but that doesn't make her any less formidable, and it also doesn't mean she should be underestimated. Spider-Woman is very well able to protect those she cares about, whether it's the people around her, or the city she lives in." Joshua Isaak of Screen Rant described Jessica Drew as a "beloved fan-favorite," stating, "The superhero is unique among others within the Marvel Universe; Jessica Drew has a network of friends who know her true identity, she's a single mother, and her book routinely break the fourth wall without a Deadpool-like awareness of the medium or the reader. [...] Outside of the Skrull Veranke, Drew's most famous foes are enemies that already belong to other franchises, such as Juggernaut, the Enchantress and Madame Hydra. Others such as the Brothers Grimm are shadows of their former selves. This is perhaps why Drew is not as popular as her male counterpart. Spider-Woman is an excellent character cursed with a subpar rogues gallery and casual fans assuming a relationship with Spider-Man (as Drew herself reminds everyone, the two have different powers and aren't related except in name). Spider-Woman's villains have the right idea in attacking their enemy together, perhaps because they believe they won't be recognized alone."
Stephanie Williams of Syfy said, "Behind every great woman is an even greater friend. In the case of Carol Danvers, this friend is none other than Jessica Drew. Their friendship isn’t at all one-sided, however. Jessica is great in her own right and Carol is right behind her when she needs the support. Spider-Woman and Captain Marvel are two women who were brought together by dire circumstances but instead of remaining stagnant in misery, a beautiful life-long friendship blossomed from their unthinkable pain. [...] Jessica or Carol are perfect superheroines, but their love for another regardless of each of their own shortcomings is a great reflection of their loving friendship. Hopefully, we continue to get much more bestie action from Jessica and Carol in the future. Superheroes make a job out of being there for those in need, but they can always use people in their corner for support as well. It's always refreshing to see them be there for one another." Anthony Orlando of BuzzFeed stated, "Jessica Drew, aka Spider-Woman, has yet to receive the big-screen treatment she deserves. Though her origins have experienced confusing changes over the years, the main story is that she was given her superpowers before she was born and was recruited into HYDRA, fighting for the group until she discovered its true nature. Her character has recently grown more popular, and she has become a prominent member of the Avengers, making her an ideal new addition to the MCU or Sony's Spider-Verse."
Ryan Scott of SlashFilm wrote, "With the MCU showing absolutely no signs of slowing down, we recently decided to poll some fans to determine which superhero they would most like to see join the MCU down the line. While there are many options, one hero stood well above the rest of the competition, and it is a wish that may well come true down the line, if the stars align. Coming out on top of those we polled was Spider-Woman, with just over 32% of the vote. Jasmine Shanelle of The Mary Sue asserted, "In all the Spidey reboots out there, we’ve never been blessed with a film surrounding Spider-Woman. Sure, we got a glimpse of Gwen Stacy’s Spider-Woman in an alternate universe from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and while that movie was one of the best Spider-Man films we’ve been given, it was still ultimately just that—a Spider-Man film. Introducing Jessica Drew’s Spider-Woman is just the shake-up the MCU needs. Not only does Drew have the same powers as Peter Parker’s Spider-Man, but she’s also a super spy and private investigator. Think Natasha Romanoff’s Black Widow meets Jessica Jones.
Drew is as strong as her male counterpart, but tactically and intellectually superior." Mark Peters of Salon.com said, "Since Marvel is now sharing Spider-Man with Sony, presumably Spider-Woman is available too. She’s a character who’s been an Avenger more often than Spider-Man in the comics, and she’s extremely powerful, thanks to her venom blasts. She’s also recently been pregnant—a rare status for a superhero. I doubt that condition would make it to the big screen, but Jessica Drew should." Rosie Knight of Nerdist stated, "The O.G. Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew, was first introduced in 1977’s Marvel Spotlight #32. She was invented simply to make sure that no one else took the moniker first, but after her popularity surprised Marvel she was given an ongoing series. Jessica has an interesting origin as she was originally written as a woman who evolved from a literal spider, but that was retconned within five issues, and in current continuity she’s actually a clone of Peter Parker. Her iconic red and yellow costume, flowing hair, and her own animated series have made her a fan favorite and most likely to be the first Spider-Woman to appear on screen! So if you’re looking for a place to get to know her, the 2015 Spider-Woman series by Dennis Hopeless and Javier Rodriguez is a great place to start."
SPIDER WOMAN POLL
According to Diamond Comics Distributors, Spider-Woman #1 was the best selling comic book in March 2020.
Joe Grunenwald of ComicsBeat stated, This series marks her first ongoing work for Marvel, and the two tales in this issue display Pacheco’s deft ear for dialogue and a skill for characterization. Jess narrates both stories, and newcomers to the character will really get a sense of who she is as a result. The first story is nearly all action, while the second is more dialogue-heavy and character-driven, and Pacheco’s scripting on both of them is clever and solidly entertaining. The visuals in this issue are equally strong. Pere Pérez illustrates the opening, more action-oriented tale, and he does so wonderfully. His action is dynamic and easy to follow, and his facial expressions are also spot-on, driving home the humor and the intensity of Pacheco’s script. The issue’s second story, illustrated by Paulo Siqueira and Oren Junior, is just as well-done, with clean lines and interesting page layouts keeping the dialogue-heavier story visually interesting. Colors by Frank D’Armata unify both stories, and he noticeably adjusts his work to match each artist/art team to great effect. The result is a visually-cohesive package that’s a pleasure to take in. [...] Spider-Woman #1 is an engaging and entertaining debut issue for the series. It raises several questions I’m interested in getting answers for, and it sets up Jessica Drew’s new goings-on in a way that’s clever, and that enhances the reading experience. This is worth checking out. Final Verdict: BUY this book if you like solid writing and art that tells an intriguing story with a fan-favorite character."
Matthew Aguilar of Comicbook.com gave Spider-Woman #1 a grade of 5 out of 5, saying, "Spider-Woman's new series is finally here and it absolutely delivers. We've never seen a take on Spider-Woman quite like this, and we mean that in the best possible way. Writer Karla Pacheco brings Drew's trademark banter to the series in spades but gives it all some welcome edge, like say when she uses a jerky kid as an impromptu projectile in the middle of a fight. Spider-Woman is also made to look like the true badass she is thanks to Pere Perez and Frank D'Armata, who find inventive ways to showcase her power set throughout the issue. It should also be said that the new costume looks pretty slick in their capable hands, though we also have to mention the second story explaining the new suit. The story itself is great, providing proper context for the new suit and a compelling hook along with it, but the cheesecake style art here is going to be too much for some, looking way out of proportion to the version earlier in the book. That aside, this is one hell of a debut, and Spider-Woman couldn't be in better hands."
COMIC
BRITISH SUPER HEROES - A TO Z
Black
Knight, Dane Whitman (British, American, Ebony Blade Cursed Sword
Strong, Marvel)
Blade, Eric Brooks (Vampire Hunter Born Soho, London MI-13* [Wesley Snipes] British SuperHero,
Marvel)
Captain Avalon, Brian Braddock (Protects mystical Omniverse, Britain Corps,
Excalibur, Marvel)
Captain Midlands,
'Rambling' Sid Ridley (British Army Super Soldier Program MI-13*)
Dark
Angel, Shevaun Haldane (Psylocke, British Superhero Darkmoor, England,
Marvel Comics)
Dr Druid, Anthony Ludgate (Raised England, studied magic Harvard Medical Degree,
British Superhero)
Dr. Faiza Hussain (England, London - Sword Of Arthur
Excalibur Stone [Marvel Disney])
Elsa
Bloodstone, Monster Hunter (Marvel Comics)
Elizabeth 'Betsy' Braddock (Super heroine Captain Britain, mutant Psylocke Amulet of Right
Excalibur Knights)
John
Storm - Storm Force, ex army captain, soldier turned mercenary with
cybernetic arm 1987 Eagle comics
Ka-Zar,
Lord Kevin Plunder (British Royal Heritage England [Tarzan] Raised By Mutant Sabretooth Tiger
Zabu)
Motormouth and Killpower Harley Davis & Julius Mullarkey, Marvel UK Stories British Super Heroes
Mys-Tech Organization
Pete Wisdom (British Secret Agent Mutant Mi-13*
Excalibur X-Force S.T.R.I.K.E.)
Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew (London, England - Avengers Hydra
S.H.I.E.LD British
Superhero, Marvel)
Spitfire, Lady Jacqueline Falsworth Crichton (Vampiric Speedster Marvel Comics,
Immortal MI-13*)
Union Jack, Joseph 'Joey' Chapman (Patriotic Legacy Hero World War One [Liverpool, England] Marvel)
MARVEL
COMICS US SUPERHEROES - A TO Z
Ant
Man,
Captain
America,
Doctor
Strange,
Hulk,
Iron
Man,
Spider-Man,
Thor, and
Wolverine,
*
Military
Intelligence, Section 13 (MI-13), is the United Kingdom's (fictional) agency set up to deal with paranormal occurrences and is part of its intelligence machinery alongside MI5,
MI6, GCHQ, and DI. MI13 is directed by the JIC (Joint Intelligence Committee). The service is directed to protect Britain from mystical, extra-terrestrial and superhuman threats.
HISTORICAL LEGENDS
Saint George is based on a soldier in the Roman army who was martyred in 303 CE (Patron saint of knights)
Sir Galahad - Knight of the Round Table 12-15th century CE literature (King
Arthur legend)
Siegfried - Brunhilde & King Gunter (Kriemhild, Burgundian [Nibelung] princess) c. 1200 CE
RECORDED HISTORICAL KNIGHTS
Robert
Guiscard - 'The Crafty' (c. 1015-1085 CE) [Norman]
Rodrigo
Díaz de Vivar - 'El Cid' (1043-1099 CE)
Godfrey
of Bouillon (circa 1060-1100)
Sir William Marshal - 'The Greatest Knight that Ever Lived' (c. 1146-1219
CE)
Richard I - 'The Lionhearted' (1157-1199 CE) King of England from 1189 to
1199 CE
Sir William Wallace (c. 1270-1305 CE)
Sir James Douglas - 'The Black Douglas' (c. 1286-1330 CE)
Bertrand du Guesclin - 'The Eagle of Brittany' (c. 1320-1380 CE)
Edward
of Woodstock - 'The Black Prince [of Wales]' (1330-1376 CE)
Sir
Henry Percy - 'Hotspur' (1364-1403 CE)
John
Storm is a hybrid character. A new breed of modern Knight, fighting to protect the
natural world and the archaeology that defines man's development, from
Tanzania, to the Moon and beyond. Storm's ace in the hole is the Elizabeth
Swann, the onboard
AI, Hal, and his enhanced performance via a brain implant and genetic
modification. Thus, just about keeping pace with what the market expects in
a modern world: A technological super secret agent. In this case, for Blue
Shield & UNESCO.
John
Storm is a new breed of British super hero, a modern Knight. Seen here with Dan Hawk, at the helm of the Elizabeth
Swann. The formidable high tech duo discover they have
no way to make it in the book or film world, but discover that they make
excellent comic characters, ideal for publication as graphic novels. George
Franks, mentor, is held to be a descendant of King Arthur, a knight of the
fabled Round Table. The Swann's onboard weapons early warning and targeting system
is called: Merlin. The laser cannon: Excalibur. And the tazer anti-piracy
boarding system: Pendragon.
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