Spider-Woman (vol. 4) #7
Spider-Woman: Agent of S.W.O.R.D, Part Seven
After tangling with the Thunderbolts, Spider-Woman gets an angry call from Abigale Brand, the director of SWORD. Brand is upset that Jessica has strayed away from her mission to hunt down and liminating Skrull fugatives that have been on the run since their failed invasion of Earth. Jessica explains that she has had a lot on her plate, telling Abigale how both the Madripoor police and Hydra have dead Skrulls in their possession. More over, she was ambushed so the Skrulls already knew she was coming. Jessica insists that she is doing things for a reason, saying that she has been rattling cages in the hopes of the Skrulls to come out of hiding and attack her half-cocked. When she asks if Abigale can get HAMMER off her case, Brand isn’t certain she can given the current political client. Luckily, Abigale was able to get some additional intel. The Skrull that first attacked her was carrying the identification for its human cover and hopes that Jessica can use her detective skills to sniff out her target. Brand tells Jessica to start pulling up her sock and do better, saying that if she wanted someone that bounces around like an idiot, she would have hired Spider-Man.
After getting some rest, Jessica has been investigating the background on the Skrull that attacked her. She discovers that she was dating a woman named Zhang Lee who has subsequently filed a missing person report on him. The woman is convinced that her boyfriend, alias Brandon Kay, is actually Spider-Man and went to the police to try and get in touch with the Avengers. Questioning her, she discovers that “Brandon” would regularly meet with friends at a bar in the 14th district. Jessica follows this lead, discovering the bar in question is a strip club. Keeping close eye on her bioscanner, she is wondering why her resemblance to the Skrull queen isn’t sturring a reaction from any Skrulls in the vacinity.[1]
Growing impatient she calls out Koru Kaviti’s name and suddenly, a man on pervert’s row turns around to face her, shifting back to his true form. Jessica and the Skrull exchange energy blasts, with Jessica hoping the Skrull’s intoxication will work to her advantage. Unfortunately, she eventually runs out of power and the Skrull quickly overpowers her. As Koru smacks Jessica around he is about to tell her why his queen chose her form. That’s when one of the patrons tries to attack the Skrull. Although Kaviti easily knocks the good sameritan aside, it allows Jessica to get free and start beating the Skrull to a bloody pulp with a bar stool. The whole time she is daring the Skrull to explain why his queen chose her face.
Suddenly, Jessica is rocked by an explosion that knocks her outside. Quickly recovering Koru Kaviti tells Jessica that she was chosen because they learned that nobody actually cared about her and that nobody would notice her once she went missing. As he is saing this the New Avengers suddenly arrive to lend her a hand. As Ms. Marvel blasts the Skrull, Jessica fears that they might be impostors and refuses to believe it’s her allies until she can get a reading from her bioscanner. However, the Skrull manages to escape from view. Carol and the other Avengers have many questions, but Jessica can’t give them all the answers they want. She begins scanning the area with her bioscanner and discovers that Koru Kaviti is attempting to disguise himself as one of the locals.
He warns Jessica that he will kill everyone around him if he doesn’t let her go. However, Wolverine manages to get behind him and impale the Skrull with his claws. Jessica then lands the kill shot by blasting the Skrull in the brain with a venom blast. In the aftermath of the battle, Jessica has a moment to sit down and talk with Wolverine. She is able to tell him that she works for SWORD because he has involvement with the organization. Logan figures she got involved in all of this because she wanted to take a beating but reminds her that her friends know that she has been screwed over and that she can rely on them. That’s when Agent Brand sends her a text message asking her what her next mission will be. Dropped off in San Francisco, Spider-Woman flies off to face the next chapter of her life head on.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Woman, Koru Kaviti, New Avengers (Luke Cage, Captain America, Mockingbird, Ms. Marvel, Ronin, Spider-Man, Wolverine) SWORD (Abigale Brand)
Continuity Notes
Jessica was replaced by a Skrull impostor circa Giant-Size Spider-Woman #1. This impostor was exposed and killed and the real Jessica was freed through the course of Secret Invasion #1-8.
