| Julia Carpenter Spider-Woman | |
|---|---|
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | As Spider-Woman: Cameo appearance:Secret Wars #6 (October 1984) Full appearance:Secret Wars #7 (November 1984) As Arachne: Ms. Marvel #6 (August 2006) As Madame Web: The Amazing Spider-Man #637 (July 2010) |
| Created by | |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Julia Eugenia Cornwall Carpenter[1] |
| Species | Human mutate |
| Team affiliations | |
| Notable aliases | Spider-Woman Arachne Madame Web |
| Abilities |
|
Julia Carpenter is asuperhero appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. Created byJim Shooter andMike Zeck, the character first appeared inSecret Wars #6 (October 1984). Julia Carpenter was known as the secondSpider-Woman, later as the secondArachne, and then as the secondMadame Web.
Julia Carpenter as Spider-Woman appears inSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023),[2] and theSony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) filmMadame Web (2024) under her maiden nameJulia Cornwall, portrayed bySydney Sweeney.[3]
As Spider-Woman, the character debuted in issue 6 of the firstSecret Wars limited series in 1984.[4] She was among the villains and was unknown to all other characters. Since that series, she has appeared as a starring character inAvengers West Coast andForce Works as well as a supporting character in the thirdSpider-Woman series, whose main character wasMattie Franklin. Julia starred in her own four-partSpider-Woman miniseries which explained her origin and the origin of her enemies,Death Web.
A secretive government group calledThe Commission decided to create their own superhero.Val Cooper met college friend Julia Carpenter in Julia's hometown ofDenver, and convinced her to be part of an "athletic study." She was unknowingly a test subject in their experiments. During the experiment, they "accidentally" injected Julia with a mix of spider venom and exotic plant extracts, which gave Julia powers very similar to those ofSpider-Man.[5]
Not long after she was given the identity of Spider-Woman, she was drawn into the firstSecret Wars, where she met Spider-Man and theAvengers for the first time, and allied herself with the superhuman champions. She battled theAbsorbing Man,Doctor Doom, and theHulk. She was killed and resurrected by Doom with the power of theBeyonder.[6] After returning to Earth, Julia joinedFreedom Force[7] (a government-sponsored super team made up primarily of former members of theBrotherhood of Evil Mutants who enlisted into government service to avoid prison terms). In an early mission with Freedom Force, the team was sent to arrest theX-Men. During this conflict with the X-Men, Julia also began to question her teammates' exceedingly brutal attitudes that they held over from their criminal pasts.[7] Subsequently, Freedom Force was sent to arrest theAvengers after a disgruntledQuicksilver made false accusations against them. Freedom Force actually defeated the combined East andWest Coast Avengers teams and helped bring the Avengers into custody at theVault without a trial. Spider-Woman once again found her loyalties divided; she had a change of heart and eventually chose to break into the Vault and freeing them, battling theGuardsmen and thus becoming a fugitive from the law herself.[8] Alongside Spider-Man, she battled theWrecking Crew as a government assignment.[9] In another adventure she teamed withIron Man to battle renegadeA.I.M. agents named the Seekers, who sought to capture Valerie Cooper doing undercover solo work.[10] In gratitude for her earlier assistance with the Avengers, Iron Man worked with the government to get her pardoned.
Later, one of her assignments led her toCalifornia looking for a team ofAsiansupervillains called thePacific Overlords. She met and assisted the Avengers West Coast against the Pacific Overlords and battledU.S. Agent.[11] She was eventually offered membership, joining the Avengers West Coast.[12] As a member, Julia battled some of the Marvel Universe's major foes includingDoctor Demonicus,[13]Ultron[14] andMephisto[15] as well as participating in theInfinity War cosmic crossover.[16] In addition while still a member of the West Coast Avengers, Julia was chosen byDoctor Strange to be a founding member of theSecret Defenders in their first mission alongside Darkhawk (whom she would later recommend for West Coast Avengers membership),Wolverine andNomad.[17] When the West Coast Avengers disbanded,[18] Julia joined their spin-off teamForce Works,[19] whose primary enemies included the alienKree[20] and long time Iron Man foe theMandarin.[21][22] She had a relationship withMoonraker during this time.[23]
Julia's main enemies in her solo adventures were the arachnid-based team calledDeath Web, which consisted of three supervillains who were created by The Commission, using a variation of the same serum which transformed Julia. When Mike Clemson, founder of Death Web, captured Spider-Woman's daughter Rachel, he blackmailed her into fighting Spider-Man. Even though she nearly killed Spider-Man, she would not commit an act of murder, and Spider-Man helped her rescue Rachel.[24] Eventually, Julia walked away from the superhero business to concentrate on raising her daughter. LikeJessica Drew (the original Spider-Woman), Julia was attacked byCharlotte Witter and had her powers stolen.[25] After the loss of her superpowers, Julia returned to the life of a normal mother.
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Julia reappeared in a story arc of the 2006Ms. Marvel series, using the codename Arachne (which she intended to use).[26] Her powers have clearly been restored. DuringCivil War, Julia registers under theSuperhuman Registration Act, and she andWonder Man aid Ms. Marvel in the training of novice superheroes.
Julia is shown to be adouble agent; when she first responded to Iron Man's request, she thought it would be an opportunity to help peopleescape registration; she is shown to have tipped off Hobie Brown, theProwler, moments before aS.H.I.E.L.D. capekiller squadron arrived at his home to arrest him, and she is thought to have warned many more heroes of impending arrests.[27] It is also revealed that she is romantically involved with theShroud, an opponent of the Superhuman Registration Act.[26]
Julia's status is discovered when a captured Prowler reveals under interrogation that she tipped him off. The Shroud, who had been captured by Ms. Marvel,[28] reveals that Julia was paralyzed for several months after she lost her powers, even though all of her other injuries had healed. The Shroud's company had synthesized a duplicate of the serum that provided Julia with her powers, and these returned several days after it was administered to her. With the Shroud's help, Julia underwent intensephysical therapy and was soon able to walk again. It was during this time that she and the Shroud fell in love.
A government strike team led by Ms. Marvel, including Wonder Man andAraña, attacks Julia at her home just as she was about to flee the country with her daughter. Julia is captured and summarily incarcerated. It is revealed inMs. Marvel #13 that Julia escaped captivity during theNegative Zone prison break, and she returned to Colorado in search of Rachel. A S.H.I.E.L.D. Psy Ops team telepathically traces her to Brooklyn, where she furiously confronts and attacks Araña, demanding to know where her daughter has been taken. She is subsequently defeated by Araña with surprising ease due to her instability from losing her daughter. After being rendered unconscious by Araña, she awakens aboard the Minicarrier 13 where Ms. Marvel endeavors to help Julia find Rachel.[29]
Arachne became a member of the new Canada-based teamOmega Flight and was given the option of having outstanding charges dropped in exchange for her participation on the team. After a battle against theWrecking Crew, Julia decided to stay on the team.[30][31][32]
Afterward, Julia (still calling herself Arachne) became a victim of a grudge match between Spider-Man and the Kraven family. After escaping with Spider-Man fromAna andAlyosha Kravinoff, they are confronted by theChameleon disguised asEzekiel Sims, who informs them of a battle between the Spider and Hunter tribes.[33] Julia is then captured by the Kravinoffs, along with Anya Corazon andMadame Web as Kaine (who was dressed as Spider-Man) is sacrificed to resurrectKraven the Hunter. When Madame Web was mortally wounded by Sasha Kravinoff, she transferred her prophetic powers (and blindness) to Julia, to become the new Madame Web. Julia's first action in this role is to prevent Peter from killing Kraven, explaining to Peter that he is the center of a moral web that would be destroyed if he killed Kraven, advising him that this murder, however justified, would turn him into a ruthless destroyer. After buryingKaine and Madame Web in apotter's field, she explains her new purpose to Spider-Man and Araña before teleporting away.[34]
When the population of Manhattan develops spider-powers during theSpider-Island storyline, Julia observes the crisis withShang-Chi, preventing him from intervening until Spider-Man is accidentally attacked by the New Avengers when he tries to help out.[35] Later, asAnti-Venom works on curing the individuals affected of their spider-powers, reflects on the need for bothVenom and Anti-Venom to fix the Spider-Island problem, but also notes that for one of them, "your story ends here."[36] At the conclusion of the crisis, she offers the spider-powers cure to Spider-Man himself, but he rejects it. As she departs, she apologizes for the suffering that is to come.[37]
While taking her daughter Rachel to summer school, Julia gets a vision telling her that the Great Web is unraveling. She then changes into her Madame Web gear and leaves to go speak to Spider-Man.[38] While Spider-Man is fightingMorbius, the Living Vampire, Madame Web visits Spider-Man telling him that his life is in great danger. Although Spider-Man is concerned about Morbius, Madame Web states that Morbius is not the problem. She tells Spider-Man to return to Horizon Labs for a great tragedy lies in his future. She even tells Spider-Man thatSilver Sable did not perish in the fight atDoctor Octopus' underwater hideout.[39] Julia later detected that a new spider-based character has connected to the Web of Life as it shows that formerHobgoblinRoderick Kingsley was now working as Devil Spider.[40]
After having a particularly strong vision of the future of the Marvel Universe, Julia enters into a comatose state.[41]
In the finale of theSpider-Verse storyline, Julia wakes out of her coma, and distresses over the Great Web's strands being severed by theSuperior Spider-Man (Doctor Octopus' mind in Peter Parker's body) in a desperate attempt to alter his fate and prevent Peter Parker from returning. Though his attempt was thwarted, the damage caused to the Great Web had weakened every Spider's spider-sense and left Julia bereft of her precognition.[42]
During theDead No More: The Clone Conspiracy storyline, Julia Carpenter is shown to be the one hacking into the computers ofJackal's company New U Technologies from her hideout inAlcatraz as seen when she has a clone ofProwler as her prisoner. It is also revealed that she has been doing this withShroud's technology. Prowler angers Julia by severing the connection to stop her from looking more into New U Technologies. Julia finds out Madame Web was alive from telepathic feedback resulting from the attack of the female Electro. Prowler tells Julia what New U Technologies has accomplished and tries to get her to join them. She refuses and escapes in a puff of black smoke.[43] After Prowler escapes from Electro, Julia finds him and takes him on her boat, where they head towards New U Technologies to get his New U Pills.[44] Julia helps Prowler break into New U Technologies and takes Prowler to his room to get his pills. Julia uses the opportunity to investigate the near-abandoned facility. She is led to Madame Web, who refuses to take her medication to aid her in healing from Electro's attack. Madame Web has seen the future and refuses to be a part of it, and warns Julia to save Prowler before she dies from clone degeneration. Julia confronts Prowler in the facility, who is breaking down from clone degeneration and accuses her ofbeing the culprit. He tries to defeat her and Julia is left no choice but to fight back. She knocks him down as Prowler's body continues deteriorating.[45] Prowler was in an alley when he proves too weak to continue and he was found by the murderous Electro, Julia Carpenter arrives and fends Electro off as she tells Prowler that Spider-Man's stabilized the human and clone cells. When Electro gets the upper hand on Julia, Prowler sacrifices himself to stop Electro and dies in Julia's arms. Later, Julia talks to the real Prowler who just emerged from cryo-sleep and tells him about his clone's actions.[46]
Spider-Woman possesses superhuman strength, speed, stamina, agility, and reflexes. She also possesses the ability to spin a "psi-web" ofpsionic energy between two surfaces. This web, once solidified, possesses sufficient tensile strength to support a 10-ton weight. It remains in effect for up to approximately 1 hour. She can also project and release sufficient psionic energy through her hands and feet to enable her to walk on walls and ceilings.
Julia's powers required considerable concentration for her to manifest them, and she found that physical gesturing aids her in the weaving of her psionic webs. By using psychokinetic energy, Spider-Woman can bind ambient free-floating molecules into strands of solid force. Her psi-webs can be used to wrap enemies, or focused into narrow web-lines that she can swing from. Due to their psychic nature, her psi-webs can form from a distance, and she can mentally control the movement of her webbing.
In addition to her natural superhuman advantages, she has been extensively trained by theCommission on Superhuman Activities in espionage and hand-to-hand combat. Although she lost her powers at one time,[volume & issue needed] she regained them through a duplicate serum[volume & issue needed]. She has heightened senses, and feels vibrations as does a spider in its web. Her senses allow her to detect a hollow area under a solid steel floor by walking over it.
In addition to her own powers, Julia now possesses the powers ofMadame Web, including telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, and the ability to sense the presence of psionic powers in others. However, she has lost her eyesight in the process of gaining these new powers.[34] Despite her blindness, she is able to stalemate Spider-Man (with his new training in martial arts taught to him byShang Chi, but lacking his Spider-Sense) using her clairvoyance in battle.[47]
When, in the Secret Wars storyline, Spider-Man first laid eyes on the symbiote black costume that would eventually become thesymbiote-charged villain known asVenom, he surmised that he had subconsciously redesigned his costume to look more like Julia's.[48] During her brief tenure with Omega Flight, Julia began wearing a redesigned costume similar to her original one.[49] After gaining Madame Web's mental powers, she passed her Arachne costume on toAnya Corazon, who then goes on to wear it as Spider-Girl.[34]
In theX-Men Forever comics, Julia is Spider-Woman in her classic black-and-white costume, and a core member of the Avengers. However, she displays the powers of Jessica Drew as she is able to fire venom-blasts atGambit when theX-Men are ordered to be arrested. She is also able to fly by unknown means as she does not have the glider-webs Jessica Drew uses to glide.[55]
In a possible future, Julia is seen wearing a modified version of her original costume, with belts and straps and silver duplicates of theBlack Widow's gauntlets. She is a member of a superhero team whose members includePunisher,Daredevil, andRhino.[56]
A monstrous spider-like version of Arachne originates from a dark reality where Death has no power called the Cancerverse, and is killed byRonan the Accuser when she attempts to invade the Earth-616 reality.[57]
TheUltimate Marvel equivalent ofSpider-Woman posed as Julia Carpenter for a time.[58]
Julia exists in the alternate future ofEarth-982. She has retired as Spider-Woman, and seeks Peter Parker's aid in order to convince Jessica Drew's child, Gerry Drew to halt his identity as Spider-Man, due to his terminal illness.[59]
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| Title | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spider-Woman: Deathweb | Spider-Woman (vol. 2) #1–4 ("Deathweb, Be Not Proud", "You Can't Go Home Again (Especially If You Weren't Really There the First Time!)", "Avenger on the Amazon", and "Tangled Web") | 1994 | |
| Spider-Woman/Avengers:The Death of Mockingbird | Avengers West Coast #92–100, 102;Spider-Woman (vol. 2) #1–4; material fromMarvel Comics Presents (1988) #143-144 | 978-0785196891 | |
| Spider-Woman: Force Works | Force Works #1–15,Force Works: Ashcan Edition;Century: Distant Sons #1; material fromIron Man/Force Works Collectors' Preview | May 2016 | 978-1302900564 |
| Marvel-Verse: Spider-Man & Madame Web | Marvel-Verse: Spider-Man & Madame Web (vol. 1) | 2024 |
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