Spider-Island: Spider-Woman #1
Spider-Island continues from Herc #8…
Jessica Drew has had the same nightmare since she learned of her origins. That her mother was exposed to spider DNA while still in her mother’s womb.[1] However, in this dream, she is only 0.1% human and all spider.
Now, in the third day of the Spider-Island crisis, Spider-Woman finds herself living her worst nightmare as the people of New York infected with the spider-plague begin transforming into spider-creatures. Now she has been sent on a mission to recover Alicia Masters on the behalf of Reed Richards. This is because Spider-Woman was present when Hydra transformed Masters into a spider-creature.[2] In theory, Alicia should be immune to the spider-plague and she could hold the key to finding a cure.
As she glides across the city, Spider-Woman wonders what the real reason Reed Richards sent her out on this mission for. She figures Reed chose her because of her unique nature. While the other Avengers are unnerved by these transformations, Jessica had spider DNA in her body and she could view this situation like coming home. However, her mission is interrupted by her old foe the Gypsy moth.[3] At first, Jessica doesn’t recognize her old foe until she starts attacking.[4] Gypsy Moth says that she was hired by the mastermind behind all of this and seeks to thwart her mission to find Alicia Masters.[5][6] Spider-Woman doesn’t have time for this and manages to evade her attacker and get to Alicia Master’s apartment building.
There she finds Alicia and tells her that she is a friend and has come to rescue her.[7] Unfortunately, before Jessica can get Alicia out of her apartment she is ambushed by Gypsy Moth. Gagging Spider-Woman, Gypsy Moth tells Alicia not to trust her because she is one of the spider-people. Unable to pull the tightly wound cloth off her face, Spider-Woman desperately tries to knock out Gypsy Moth before she can poison Alicia’s mind with lies. Gypsy Moth proves the victor when she pins Spider-Woman under some debris and absconds with Alicia.
Moments later, the Thing arrives just as Spider-Woman blasts herself free from the rubble. As a parting gift, Jessica’s foe used her ability to alter fabric to change her costume and make it look like Gypsy Moth’s outfirt. Unable to talk because she is still gaged, she cannot explain the situation to the Thing. Thinking that “Gypsy Moth” has done something to Alicia, the Thing attacks. Unable to get away from the Thing, Jessica takes a gamble and allows Ben Grimm to take a swing at her. At the last second, she evades the blow just enough so the Thing’s punch shatters the Gypsy Moth helmet and cuts through her gag. Seeing that it’s really Spider-Woman, the Thing quickly realized that he was tricked into fighting an ally. Ben then holds off the attacking horde of spider-mutates so Jessica can go after Gypsy Moth.
She catches up to Gypsy Moth and knocks Alicia free. She ends up grabbing onto the ledge of a clock tower. Both Gypsy Moth and Spider-Woman offer the blind woman their hands trying to convince her that the other should not be trusted. Gypsy Moth tries to use the fact that Spider-Woman has spider-powers to convince Alicia that she is really the enemy. Jessica admits that she does have spider DNA but that doesn’t define who she is on the inside, likening herself to Ben Grimm. This is enough for Alicia to trust Spider-Woman, who knocks out Gypsy Moth with a venom blast after pulling Alicia to safety.
… Spider-Island continues in Amazing Spider-Man #670.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Woman, Gypsy Moth, Mister Fantastic, Thing, Alicia Masters
Continuity Notes
This flashback is based on the alternate origin provided in Spider-Woman: Origin #1-5, putting it at odds to the long-standing origin told in Marvel Spotlight #32/Spider-Woman #1 (and multiple other sources) as I write this (January 2021) there has yet to be an explanation clarifying why there are two conflicting accounts.
For more on Alicia Masters transformation into a spider-creature and Spider-Woman’s involvement in curing her see Marvel Two-in-One #29-32.
Gypsy Moth refers to Spider-Woman as the “Dark Angel of San Francisco” this is a reference to the fact that Spider-Woman operated out of San Fran from Spider-Woman #33 until Wolverine (vol. 2) #2.
Jessica mentions that Gypsy Moth went straight. She joined the Thunderbolts as Skein back in Thunderbolts #65. This issue marks her return to villainy.
Gypsy Moth mentions how Spider-Woman used to be a Hydra agent. For more on this see (again) Marvel Spotlight #32, Spider-Woman #1, Marvel Two-in-One #29-32 and Spider-Woman: Origin #1-5.
Gypsy Moth’s employer is the Queen, who is revealed to behind the Spider-Island crisis in Amazing Spider-Man #669.
Spider-Woman states here that she and Alicia met “years ago”. Per the Sliding Timescale, the length of time between Marvel Two-in-One #32 and this story is about 9 years.
