====== Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman) ======
===== Part 1: The Dossier: An At-a-Glance Summary =====
  *   **Core Identity: Jessica Drew is the original Spider-Woman, a complex hero forged in a crucible of science and espionage, whose spider-based powers and devastating bio-electric attacks are matched only by the scars of her past as a brainwashed HYDRA agent, a key player in the Skrull Secret Invasion, and a fiercely protective Avenger and mother.**
  *   **Key Takeaways:**
  *  **Role in the Universe:** Jessica Drew is a premier intelligence agent and frontline superhero within the Marvel Universe. She serves as a crucial link between the street-level heroes and the cosmic Avengers, often operating in the morally gray world of espionage for organizations like [[shield|S.H.I.E.L.D.]] and [[sword|S.W.O.R.D.]]. She is an icon of resilience, having overcome significant trauma and manipulation.
  *  **Primary Impact:** Her most profound impact was being the central figure in the //Secret Invasion// storyline, where she was replaced by the Skrull Queen Veranke. This event reshaped the trust network of Earth's heroes and thrust Jessica into a new level of prominence upon her return, forcing her to reclaim her identity and life.
  *  **Key Incarnations:** The primary [[#earth-616-prime-comic-universe|Earth-616 Jessica Drew]] has a long and convoluted origin involving radiation, spider-serum, and the High Evolutionary. In contrast, her most famous variant seen in the animated film //Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse// is presented as a seasoned, pragmatic, and pregnant member of the multiverse-protecting Spider-Society, with a more streamlined and less traumatic backstory. As of yet, there is no live-action MCU version.
===== Part 2: Origin and Evolution =====
==== Publication History and Creation ====
Jessica Drew's real-world creation is a fascinating case of corporate strategy intersecting with creative genesis. In the mid-1970s, Filmation was producing a cartoon series called //Tarzan/Lone Ranger Adventure Hour// which planned to feature a new character named "Spider-Woman." To prevent another company from establishing a claim on a potentially valuable name so similar to their flagship character, Spider-Man, Marvel Comics publisher Stan Lee and writer/editor Archie Goodwin moved quickly to secure the trademark.
They commissioned a character to debut in Marvel's comics first. Jessica Drew, as Spider-Woman, made her first appearance in **`Marvel Spotlight #32`**, cover-dated February 1977. She was created by writer Archie Goodwin and artist Marie Severin. Initially conceived as an actual evolved spider, writer Marv Wolfman, who took over scripting her first solo series, `Spider-Woman (Vol. 1) #1` (April 1978), heavily revised her origin to make her a human with spider-like powers. This change was crucial in grounding the character and allowing for more relatable and complex storytelling, moving her from a monstrous figure to a tragic heroine. Her creation, born from a legal necessity, quickly blossomed into one of Marvel's most enduring and complex female characters.
==== In-Universe Origin Story ====
=== Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) ===
Jessica Drew's origin in the primary Marvel continuity is one of the most detailed and frequently revised in comics, reflecting decades of storytelling.
She was born Jessica Miriam Drew, the daughter of geneticists Jonathan and Merriam Drew. Her father's research, funded by [[hydra]] and conducted in a lab on Wundagore Mountain, involved splicing and irradiating genetic material from various species of spiders, hoping to unlock their unique environmental immunities for human application. When a young Jessica fell critically ill from uranium poisoning from the surrounding environment, Jonathan, in a desperate act, injected her with an experimental, untested serum derived from the blood of several irradiated spider species. He then sealed her in a genetic accelerator built by his research partner, the man who would become the [[high_evolutionary|High Evolutionary]], to incubate and allow the serum to cure her.
She remained in the accelerator for decades, aging at a vastly decelerated rate. When she was finally released, she was physically a young woman but had the maturity and life experience of a child. The High Evolutionary's care was short-lived, and Jessica was left to fend for herself in the world. She was eventually found and taken in by the criminal organization [[hydra]]. Under the manipulation of Count Otto Vermis, she was brainwashed, trained as a master assassin, and given the codename "Arachne."
Her first major mission for HYDRA was to assassinate [[nick_fury]], the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. During the confrontation, Fury revealed the true nature of HYDRA to Jessica, shattering her brainwashed reality. Horrified by the truth, she turned on her HYDRA handlers and escaped, now a woman without a past, a home, or an identity. She drifted to London, where she began a new life as a private investigator, eventually adopting the moniker **Spider-Woman** as she used her incredible abilities to help others and atone for her past.
A later retcon by writer Brian Michael Bendis added another layer to her origin. It was revealed that while her mother was pregnant with her on Wundagore, her womb was struck by a beam of magical energy containing the life-force of the imprisoned Elder God Chthon. This event was suggested to be the true source of her powers, with the spider-serum only acting as a catalyst. This magical element tied her more closely to the mystical side of the Marvel Universe and characters like [[scarlet_witch|Wanda Maximoff]], who was also born on Wundagore.
=== Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) ===
To be clear, as of current releases, **Jessica Drew has not appeared in the live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe (Earth-199999).** Her most prominent screen appearance is in the animated Sony film **//Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse//**, which exists in its own distinct cinematic multiverse, separate from the MCU.
In this continuity, Jessica Drew is presented not as an emerging hero but as an established, high-ranking member of Miguel O'Hara's Spider-Society, a multiversal task force of Spider-People. Her origin is not detailed in the film, but her personality and role suggest a history in espionage and crime-fighting. She is portrayed as exceptionally competent, cool-headed, and a respected veteran among her peers.
Key characteristics of this version include:
  *   **Pregnancy:** A major visual and character trait is that she is visibly pregnant throughout the film, performing incredible acrobatic feats and engaging in combat without hesitation. This highlights her toughness and experience.
  *   **Pragmatism:** She is a pragmatist who supports Miguel O'Hara's mission to protect the "canon" of the multiverse, even when it leads to difficult moral choices. She acts as a foil to the more idealistic Gwen Stacy and the rebellious Miles Morales.
  *   **Equipment:** She rides a custom motorcycle which she can drive along walls and ceilings, integrating technology with her natural wall-crawling abilities.
  *   **Design:** Her costume is a stylish re-interpretation of her comic book look, featuring a jacket, sunglasses, and a large afro, creating a distinct and memorable silhouette.
This version of Jessica Drew has been adapted for a different narrative purpose. Rather than focusing on her origin and trauma, //Across the Spider-Verse// uses her as an established pillar of the Spider-Verse, representing a mature, professional version of a Spider-hero.
===== Part 3: Abilities, Equipment & Personality =====
=== Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) ===
==== Powers and Abilities ====
Jessica Drew's powers are a unique blend resulting from the spider-serum, radiation, and potential mystical influence. This makes her power set one of the most distinct among Marvel's "spider-themed" heroes and directly answers the common question, //"What are Spider-Woman's powers?"//
  *   **Superhuman Physiology:** Jessica possesses superhuman strength (sufficient to lift approximately 7 tons), speed, stamina, agility, reflexes, and durability far exceeding that of a peak human athlete. Her senses, particularly hearing, are also enhanced.
  *   **Wall-Crawling:** Like [[spider-man|Spider-Man]], she can adhere to virtually any surface through an unknown bio-magnetic or electrostatic attraction.
  *   **Venom Blasts:** This is her signature offensive ability. Jessica can generate and discharge powerful blasts of focused bio-electricity from her hands. These "Venom Blasts" are potent enough to stun or kill a normal human and can incapacitate powerful superhumans, including the Hulk on rare occasions. She has fine control over their intensity, from a light tap to a full-power discharge.
  *   **Pheromone Secretion:** She naturally produces highly concentrated pheromones that can elicit powerful psychological reactions in others.
    *   **Attraction/Repulsion:** Initially, this manifested as an intense attraction in men and an equally intense revulsion in women. Over time, she has gained almost complete control over this ability.
    *   **Fear Induction:** At high concentrations, her pheromones can induce an overwhelming sense of fear and dread in her targets.
    *   **Immunity:** An important side-effect of her powers is a vastly accelerated metabolism and a powerful immune system, granting her a high degree of immunity to all terrestrial poisons, toxins, drugs, and radiation.
  *   **Gliding/Flight:** For most of her career, Jessica could not truly fly. Her original costume included small "web-wings" under her arms that caught air currents, allowing her to glide for long distances. After significant power fluctuations, this ability evolved into true, self-propelled flight.
==== Skills and Intellect ====
Beyond her powers, Jessica is one of the most skilled covert operatives on the planet.
  *   **Master Spy & Tactician:** Trained by both HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D., she is an expert in espionage, infiltration, stealth, and intelligence gathering.
  *   **Expert Martial Artist:** She is a master of several forms of hand-to-hand combat, including Boxing, Judo, Karate, and Capoeira. When combined with her superhuman strength and agility, she is a formidable combatant.
  *   **Multilingual:** She is fluent in several languages, including Russian, Japanese, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean.
  *   **Skilled Detective:** Her experience as a private investigator has honed her deductive reasoning and observational skills.
==== Personality ====
Jessica Drew's personality is a direct result of her tumultuous life. She is often guarded, cynical, and pragmatic, with a dry, sarcastic wit that she uses as a defense mechanism. Having been betrayed by organizations and individuals she trusted, she is slow to trust others but is fiercely, almost violently, loyal to the few she considers friends, like [[captain_marvel|Carol Danvers]]. The trauma of being replaced by a Skrull left deep psychological scars, heightening her sense of alienation. However, becoming a single mother to her son, Gerry, brought out a new, softer, and more protective side of her, giving her a renewed sense of purpose beyond the capes and masks.
=== Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) / //Across the Spider-Verse// ===
As she is not in the live-action MCU, this analysis focuses on her //Across the Spider-Verse// incarnation.
==== Powers and Abilities ====
The film showcases a streamlined version of her powers, focusing on what is visually dynamic.
  *   **Superhuman Physiology:** Her superhuman strength, agility, and reflexes are on full display as she engages in high-speed chases and combat, often while on her motorcycle.
  *   **Wall-Crawling:** She is shown effortlessly driving her motorcycle on ceilings and walls, indicating her powers extend to objects she is in direct, concentrated contact with.
  *   **Venom Blasts:** While not explicitly used in the film, it is highly probable she possesses them as they are her most iconic power.
==== Skills and Equipment ====
Her skills are emphasized more than her raw power in the film.
  *   **Veteran Hero:** She is portrayed as a seasoned and highly competent crime-fighter and leader within the Spider-Society.
  *   **Expert Motorcyclist:** Her primary piece of equipment is her custom red motorcycle, which she uses as an extension of her own abilities, incorporating it seamlessly into combat and traversal.
==== Personality ====
This Jessica is confident, authoritative, and unflappable. She is the "adult in the room" compared to the younger, more conflicted Spider-People like Gwen and Miles. Her pregnancy is not treated as a vulnerability but as a fact of her life that doesn't slow her down, reinforcing her image as a capable and tough-as-nails hero. She is loyal to Miguel O'Hara's mission, believing in the necessity of sacrifice for the greater good of the multiverse, a viewpoint that puts her in direct opposition to Miles Morales.
===== Part 4: Key Relationships & Network =====
==== Core Allies ====
  *   **[[captain_marvel|Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel)]]:** Jessica's closest and most important friend. Their bond is one of the strongest in the Marvel Universe. They have supported each other through immense trauma—Carol's loss of memory and power to Rogue, and Jessica's abduction and replacement by the Skrulls. Their friendship is built on mutual respect, shared experiences as powerful women in the superhero community, and a candid, no-nonsense rapport. Carol was one of the first people to support Jessica's decision to become a mother and is a constant presence in her and her son's life.
  *   **[[spider-man|Peter Parker (Spider-Man)]]:** Jessica's relationship with Peter Parker answers the frequent fan question: //"Is Spider-Woman related to Spider-Man?"// The answer is **no**, they are not related and have completely different origins. Their relationship is one of mutual professional respect and a shared, slightly exasperated understanding of the burdens of a spider-themed identity. They have teamed up on numerous occasions, with Jessica often acting as the more world-weary and pragmatic veteran compared to Peter's enduring idealism.
  *   **Lindsay McCabe:** Jessica's original best friend and business partner from her first solo series. A non-powered human, Lindsay was an actress who co-founded a private investigation agency with Jessica. She provided a crucial grounding force in Jessica's early, chaotic life, helping her navigate a world she barely understood and acting as her first true human connection outside the world of super-spies and demigods.
==== Arch-Enemies ====
  *   **Veranke, the Skrull Queen:** Arguably Jessica's most significant and damaging adversary. Veranke was the religious zealot who masterminded the [[secret_invasion|Secret Invasion]] of Earth. To sow maximum discord, she personally replaced Jessica Drew, using her position within the New Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. to dismantle the superhero community from within. She perfectly mimicked Jessica's personality and memories, making the deception almost flawless. The trauma of this violation—having her life, reputation, and relationships stolen—haunted Jessica for years after her return.
  *   **Morgan le Fay:** An ancient and powerful sorceress from Arthurian legend, Morgan le Fay was Jessica's primary nemesis in her early career. Their conflict was a classic clash of science vs. magic. Morgan, trapped in her physical body but able to project her astral form, sought to reclaim her power and her lost kingdom of Camelot, often clashing with Spider-Woman in modern-day London.
  *   **Viper (Ophelia Sarkissian / Madame Hydra):** A deeply personal foe. Viper, a leader of [[hydra]], has a long and twisted history with Jessica. She claimed to be Jessica's mother, Merriam Drew, for a time, a psychological manipulation that deeply affected Jessica. She has repeatedly tried to recruit or kill Jessica, seeing her as a valuable but unruly asset of HYDRA.
==== Affiliations ====
  *   **[[hydra|HYDRA]]:** Jessica's first "family," though one built on lies and brainwashing. Her time as the assassin Arachne is a source of constant guilt and a past she can never fully escape.
  *   **[[shield|S.H.I.E.L.D.]]:** After breaking from HYDRA, Jessica became a valuable, if sometimes reluctant, agent for S.H.I.E.L.D. Her skillset made her a perfect operative, and her relationship with Nick Fury has been a cornerstone of her career.
  *   **[[avengers|The Avengers]]:** Jessica became a core member of the //New Avengers// following the team's reformation. Her role was initially complicated as she was secretly acting as a triple agent (for S.H.I.E.L.D., for HYDRA, and for herself). After her return from Skrull captivity, she rejoined the team, having proven her loyalty and become a trusted senior member of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
  *   **[[sword|S.W.O.R.D.]]:** Following the Secret Invasion, Jessica joined S.W.O.R.D. (Sentient World Observation and Response Department) under Abigail Brand. Using her knowledge of alien races gleaned from her time in Skrull captivity, she became an expert alien-hunter, a role that helped her process her trauma.
===== Part 5: Iconic Events & Storylines =====
==== The Original //Spider-Woman// (1978-1983) ====
This foundational 50-issue series established Jessica's core identity. Moving from London to Los Angeles, she renounced espionage to become a private investigator with her friend Lindsay McCabe. This era defined her as a noir-style hero, dealing with street-level crime, bizarre mystical threats from Morgan le Fay, and grappling with the alienation caused by her pheromone powers. It was here that she developed from a confused victim into a proactive, independent hero, laying all the groundwork for her future character development.
==== Bendis's //New Avengers// and //Secret Invasion// (2005-2009) ====
This period is arguably the most significant in Jessica Drew's modern history. Recruited by Captain America for his new, unsanctioned team of Avengers, Jessica's loyalties were immediately tested when it was revealed she was a triple agent for S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA. However, the ultimate twist came in the //Secret Invasion// event, where it was revealed that this Jessica Drew was, and had been for years, the Skrull Queen Veranke in disguise. The real Jessica was recovered from a Skrull ship at the invasion's conclusion, physically and emotionally shattered. This storyline elevated her to A-list status and made her recovery and quest to reclaim her life a central theme for the next decade of her stories.
==== //Spider-Woman: Agent of S.W.O.R.D.// (2009-2010) ====
Directly following //Secret Invasion//, this series saw a traumatized and furious Jessica Drew accept an offer from Abigail Brand to join S.W.O.R.D. She was tasked with hunting down Skrulls still hiding on Earth, a mission that was both a form of therapy and a way to channel her rage. The series explored the psychological toll of her ordeal, her paranoia, and her struggle to trust anyone again. It was a dark but crucial chapter in her journey back to heroism.
==== Motherhood and Private Eye (Dennis Hallum run, 2015-2017) ====
This beloved run represented a massive shift in Jessica's status quo. Feeling unfulfilled by mainstream superheroics, Jessica quit the Avengers, got a new, more practical costume, and returned to her private investigator roots. Most significantly, she decided to have a child on her own via artificial insemination, giving birth to her son, Gerry Drew. The series was acclaimed for its grounded, humorous, and heartfelt portrayal of Jessica balancing dangerous PI work with the chaotic, exhausting, and rewarding life of a single mother. It humanized her in a way no story had before, giving her a new, powerful motivation for everything she did.
===== Part 6: Variants and Alternative Versions =====
  *   **Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610):** This is the most famous alternate version of Jessica Drew. In this reality, she is not a poisoned human but a female clone of Peter Parker, created in a secret project by Dr. Otto Octavius for the CIA. Possessing all of Peter's memories and powers (including organic webbing, unlike 616 Peter), she escaped and sought her own identity. She first took the moniker Spider-Woman, later operated as the Black Widow, and became a key member of the [[ultimates|Ultimates]], the Ultimate Universe's version of the Avengers. Her journey to establish her own identity separate from her male "progenitor" is a central theme of her character.
  *   **//Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse//:** As detailed previously, this animated film presents a tough, experienced, and pregnant Jessica Drew as a leader in the multiversal Spider-Society. She is a powerful and respected hero, whose character design and no-nonsense attitude made her a breakout star of the film.
  *   **Age of X (Earth-11326):** In this reality where mutants have been hunted nearly to extinction, Jessica Drew is not known as Spider-Woman. Instead, she is an agent of General Frank Castle and part of his "Avengers," a team of human-powered individuals tasked with hunting down mutants. This version is a ruthless and efficient soldier, a dark reflection of what Jessica could have become had she remained an assassin.
===== See Also =====
  * [[peter_parker_spider-man|Peter Parker (Spider-Man)]]
  * [[carol_danvers_captain_marvel|Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel)]]
  * [[shield|S.H.I.E.L.D.]]
  * [[hydra|HYDRA]]
  * [[secret_invasion|Secret Invasion]]
  * [[avengers|The Avengers]]
  * [[skrulls|Skrulls]]
  * [[high_evolutionary|The High Evolutionary]]
===== Notes and Trivia =====
((Jessica Drew was created primarily to secure the "Spider-Woman" trademark for Marvel Comics before another company could use it. Her first appearance was in `Marvel Spotlight #32` (1977).))
((Despite her moniker and powers, the Earth-616 Jessica Drew has often expressed a strong dislike or even a phobia of spiders.))
((Her original origin by Marv Wolfman involved being an evolved spider given human form by the High Evolutionary. This was quickly retconned to the human-centric origin involving her parents' experiments.))
((Her son, Gerry Drew, is named in honor of longtime //Spider-Man// writer Gerry Conway. In the alternate future of the MC2 universe (Earth-982), Gerry grows up to become a superhero himself.))
((The question of who the father of her son Gerry is has been a running joke. Jessica has confirmed she used an anonymous sperm donor and does not know the father's identity.))
((Her pheromone powers were often written inconsistently in her early years, sometimes being a major plot point and other times being completely ignored. Modern writers have given her much more conscious control over them.))
((The Skrull Queen Veranke chose to impersonate Jessica specifically because her background as a triple agent made her unpredictable and her potential erratic behavior would be more easily dismissed by her fellow heroes. This is detailed in `New Avengers #42`.))