Spider-Women

[lilyinblue]

Joining the Avengers damaged, too. She wasn't meant for a book like that. She's not a commercial hero. Being Spider-Woman was all she knew for a long time. She became a little bland and shallow to fit in the Avengers. Like a circle in a square. Like a circle in a square.

She should go back to LA. It's perfect for gliding.

The frustrating thing is... I think Bendis did actually get how damaged she was, and how she wasn't fitting in. It's just that once her solo series was cut short, he didn't dedicate any time to demonstrating that in the team books.

The best hint we got, and one of the few bits of real character exploration for her that we got once SkrullJess was replaced with RealJess, was during the Fearless tie-ins in the Avengers books. During those talking heads issues that everybody but me hated, there was some statement from Carol about Jessica "going to a dark place" when she was alone.

I appreciated the statements surrounding that as it was some recognition that yes, there IS something going on with her and it is not bright, shiny, nor happy. The real frustration for me was the "resolution" of this. "Ok! She punched the Hulk and kissed Clint Barton. All better now!"

That's why I really wish her solo book had survived. I actually do believe Bendis would have done some interesting exploration of her mindset and some of the darkness that surrounds her, he just never made room for that elsewhere.

[santino27]

You should read the MC2 Spider-Girl(May Parker) as well as the Earth-X that features her alternate version with the Venom Symbiote attached to her.

Honestly, I just don't much care for alt-world stories, which is why I never delved into the May Parker spider-girl.

[Swashbuckler]

Honestly, I just don't much care for alt-world stories, which is why I never delved into the May Parker spider-girl.

A good choice!

[danielsan52]

Jessica Drew would have made more sense as the new Madame Web (if the had to do it) than Julia Carpenter. Julia was a government agent with a daughter. why she'd even be a candidate is beyond me. seems she was just swept out of the way so someone could look less hot in her costume.

No, Jess should always be Spider-Woman. They could have made Charlotte Witter (original Madam Web's niece) into the new Madam Web.

Arachne and Shroud were an awesome couple. I miss seeing them together. They would be perfect candidates for an Avengers West Coast.

[Mark_S]

The frustrating thing is... I think Bendis did actually get how damaged she was, and how she wasn't fitting in. It's just that once her solo series was cut short, he didn't dedicate any time to demonstrating that in the team books.

The best hint we got, and one of the few bits of real character exploration for her that we got once SkrullJess was replaced with RealJess, was during the Fearless tie-ins in the Avengers books. During those talking heads issues that everybody but me hated, there was some statement from Carol about Jessica "going to a dark place" when she was alone.

I appreciated the statements surrounding that as it was some recognition that yes, there IS something going on with her and it is not bright, shiny, nor happy. The real frustration for me was the "resolution" of this. "Ok! She punched the Hulk and kissed Clint Barton. All better now!"

That's why I really wish her solo book had survived. I actually do believe Bendis would have done some interesting exploration of her mindset and some of the darkness that surrounds her, he just never made room for that elsewhere.

As long as Gail Simone's got some free time I wouldn't mind seeing her take a crack at Jessica.

Come to think of it one person who isn't on this list but almost qualifies is Alicia Masters. I remember a marvel two-in-one where she was turned into a drider.

One other thing, what is Jessica's current origin story?

[Monty_Cristo]

She moved to LA (or somewhere in Cali) immediately after her origin story, though. I think she was fine there, but they shouldn't have had her join the Avengers. IIRC, she came to states to get information on her parents. Her parents' stories change every time anyone revisits her origin. I swear Bendis changed it twice, once with each story he wrote. She's a mess.

edit: My bad! She meets the Thing, who chooses to forget her (sad), fights Morgan Le Fey, and she then goes to LA.

Joining the Avengers damaged, too. She wasn't meant for a book like that. She's not a commercial hero. Being Spider-Woman was all she knew for a long time. She became a little bland and shallow to fit in the Avengers. Like a circle in a square. Like a circle in a square.

She should go back to LA. It's perfect for gliding.

sorry. i've just never been fond of L.A. plus, they've set it up so that villains shouldn't be plentiful there (because of the Pride). if she had stayed overseas, they'd have an opportunity to create new villains. but, no, i didn't particularly like her as an Avenger. i found it a bit unrealistic given her prolonged impersonation by Veranke. why would she be comfortable aligning with them?

[danielsan52]

If she stayed in England, she would have been an awesome addition to Excalibur.

What bothered me about Bendis's origin for her is that it muddles Marvel history. It takes away from the stories involving Wundagore, Mountain, The Evolutionary War, Jack Russell, The High Evolutionary, Wanda And Pietro, Nick Fury, Hydra, Otto Vermis.

Spider-Woman Origin should be what Jessica remembers as a result of Hydra's brainwashing, not what truely happened, unless everything I mentioned above was retconned out of continuity.

[lilyinblue]

sorry. i've just never been fond of L.A. plus, they've set it up so that villains shouldn't be plentiful there (because of the Pride). if she had stayed overseas, they'd have an opportunity to create new villains. but, no, i didn't particularly like her as an Avenger. i found it a bit unrealistic given her prolonged impersonation by Veranke. why would she be comfortable aligning with them?

Wasn't it San Fran, anyway?

I think she went with the Avengers, at least initially, because as she told them (truthfully)... she just had nowhere else to go in the moment. She was lost, really disoriented, and probably more than a little scared. And, there were two familiar faces that she knew she could trust: Carol and Logan. (Who were also, understandably, the two we saw reach out to her while they were still in Central Park amidst the wreckage. Pre-existing relationships, etc.)

I think it made sense for her to turn to them initially, so I guess I'd have to wonder... once she was there, why would she leave? Outside of Clint initially being a dick to her, they treated RealJess well enough.

[B. Kuwanger]

Julia was always Spider-Woman to me. I liked her in the Iron Man cartoons and her team comic appearances.

Jessica might have been cool at some point, but I first read her in New Avengers and I never felt compelled to look any further.

[Swashbuckler]

No, Jess should always be Spider-Woman. They could have made Charlotte Witter (original Madam Web's niece) into the new Madam Web.

Arachne and Shroud were an awesome couple. I miss seeing them together. They would be perfect candidates for an Avengers West Coast.

I think they'd be great for a Secret Avengers, even as Madame Web. Better than loud mouth Hawkeye, that's for sure!

[Monty_Cristo]

Wasn't it San Fran, anyway?

I think she went with the Avengers, at least initially, because as she told them (truthfully)... she just had nowhere else to go in the moment. She was lost, really disoriented, and probably more than a little scared. And, there were two familiar faces that she knew she could trust: Carol and Logan. (Who were also, understandably, the two we saw reach out to her while they were still in Central Park amidst the wreckage. Pre-existing relationships, etc.)

I think it made sense for her to turn to them initially, so I guess I'd have to wonder... once she was there, why would she leave? Outside of Clint initially being a dick to her, they treated RealJess well enough.

it was poor form for her to just show up and join. the Avengers is supposed to be invite-only. they recruited a skrull. i would think it'd be awkward for her. and, given her lonerish nature and tendency to travel around, i don't buy the "i had nowhere else to go" excuse. as seen, S.W.O.R.D quickly recruited her.

[lilyinblue]

it was poor form for her to just show up and join. the Avengers is supposed to be invite-only. they recruited a skrull. i would think it'd be awkward for her. and, given her lonerish nature and tendency to travel around, i don't buy the "i had nowhere else to go" excuse. as seen, S.W.O.R.D quickly recruited her.

She did get an invite though. The team was more informal and underground at the time, but Logan invited her.

The "I had nowhere else to go" is why she accepted the invite instead of going anywhere else. (And at this point, it was within hours after the battle... not days or weeks down the road. There wasn't any time to explore options like SWORD yet.)

[Swashbuckler]

it was poor form for her to just show up and join. the Avengers is supposed to be invite-only. they recruited a skrull. i would think it'd be awkward for her. and, given her lonerish nature and tendency to travel around, i don't buy the "i had nowhere else to go" excuse. as seen, S.W.O.R.D quickly recruited her.

But according to Hawkeye, she has GREAT hair "hyuk!". Julia Carpentars hair is far superior. Hell, Deathcry had a better hairstyle.

[The_Greatest_Username]

What bothered me about Bendis's origin for her is that it muddles Marvel history. It takes away from the stories involving Wundagore, Mountain, The Evolutionary War, Jack Russell, The High Evolutionary, Wanda And Pietro, Nick Fury, Hydra, Otto Vermis.

Spider-Woman Origin should be what Jessica remembers as a result of Hydra's brainwashing, not what truely happened, unless everything I mentioned above was retconned out of continuity.

That's what bugged me too. I thought Jessica's original story was just fine. I liked the element of mystery in her story, limiting her to just a spy makes her like everyone else.

[OBrianTallent]

I would love to see a series based around Julia as Madame Web. She could be quite proactive...kind of reminds me of that Tom Cruise movie with the precogs. Something between that and Birds of Prey/Oracle would be awesome!

But then I also need a Jess/Spider Woman series written and drawn by someone who's not going to get bored with her in just a few issues. Gail Simone and Dexter Soy would be awesome perhaps. Jan Van Meter is someone else I would like to see tackle a Spider Woman series.