"Just Who Is This Spider-Woman Anyway?" (1970's Beginnings)

Spider-Woman / Jessica Drew first made the scene in "Marvel Spotlight"#32 (Feb. 1977). She was the original version (There have been several others since). She was created by Archie Goodwin (writer) & Marie Severin (artist). Spider-Woman is not directly affiliated with Spider-Man, although they have teamed-up various times. Their origins are completely different. Spider-Woman gained her own title after her 1st appearance, which lasted for 50 issues (through many great writers & artists).

Jessica Drew (the young daughter of a scientist and his wife, Jonathan & Merriam) was dying of uranium exposure.Her parents then took her to her father's laboratory near Mt. Wundagore (Transia), where he gave Jessica an experimental serum that contained irradiated spider's blood. To incubate the serum, Jessica was placed in a genetic accellerator. When she came out, Jessica was several decades older although her body had only aged to 17 years old. Her mother had died and her father had left (for unknown reasons) for the U.S., so she was cared for by her father's lab partner; Herbert Wyndham. As an adult, Jessica decided to leave Mt. Wundagore behind. She was then captured and brainwashed by Count Otto Vermis, the leader of a branch of the evil organization, HYDRA (she was given the code name 'Arachne'). Jessica was soon coerced into attacking Nick Fury and his S.H.I.E.L.D. organization. During that time, she discovered HYDRA's true nature, and helped to destroy their base (along with Otto). But, she was soon re-captured by HYDRA, and re-hypnotized into continuing to serve them. As Spider-Woman, (under HYDRA's orders) Jessica  was sent to kidnap Ben Grimm's (The Thing's) girlfriend, Alicia Masters. During her battle with The Thing (and due to the help of Mordred the Mystic), Jessica's memories returned; freeing her from HYDRA's control.

Spider-Woman's career as a full-time superheroine had begun. Her powers and abilities consisted of---superhuman strength, speed & agility; flight; ability to induce fear through pheromones; could climb walls by bio-electric attraction; could shoot beams of bio-electric energy from her hands; and possessed a resistance to all poisons & radiation.

In later years, Spider-Woman joined The Avengers and other superhero organizations.

Spider-Woman had her own animated series in 1979 (she was voiced by Joan Van Ark). She also made a live-action cameo appearance in the series "Once A Hero" and was spoofed on "Saturday Night Live".

Although there have been different versions of Spider-Woman; the original (Jessica Drew) returned in the 2000's. You just can't keep a good woman down!!!