Spider-Woman is the code name of several fictional superheroines appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first and most prominent version, Jessica Drew, was created by writer Archie Goodwin and artist Marie Severin, making her debut in Marvel Spotlight #32 in February 1977. The character was rapidly developed to secure a trademark, as Marvel learned that Filmation was producing a cartoon called Web Woman, prompting the company to establish its own female spider-themed hero.
Jessica Drew's origin involves a childhood exposure to uranium and a life-saving injection of an experimental spider serum, granting her superhuman strength, speed, agility, the ability to cling to walls, and a unique bio-electric venom blast. Unlike Spider-Man, her powers are not purely spider-like; she can also glide using web-like extensions under her arms. Over the decades, the mantle of Spider-Woman has been held by several other characters, including Julia Carpenter, Mattie Franklin, and Charlotte Witter, each with distinct origins and abilities.
The original Spider-Woman series ran for 50 issues from 1978 to 1983, and the character has since been a mainstay in the Marvel Universe, appearing in numerous solo series, limited series, and team books. She has been a member of the Avengers, a double agent for S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra, and a central figure in major crossover events like Secret Invasion, where she was replaced by the Skrull queen Veranke. Spider-Woman remains one of Marvel's most enduring and multifaceted heroines, celebrated for her complex history and resilience.
