Spider-Woman #1
...A Future Uncertain!
Spider-Woman is inside a grocery store after closing hours thinking of stealing food. She continues to contemplate what to do with her life and who she really is and decides not to steal. Sneaking out of the store, she is confronted by Jerry Hunt, who tries to stop her. However, Spider-Woman manages to escape, although Jerry manages to grab her mask and pull it off, and swears that he's seen her face before. Returning to the apartment that she lives in, all too aware of everyone's fear of her, because they can sense she is more than human. Once Jessica Drew returns home she decides to retire for the evening.
As Jessica sleeps, she dreams of the brief time she spent with Modred the Mystic the Mystic and how he used his magics to reveal the truth about her past. He revealed she wasn't one of the New Men as she was told by Hydra's Otto Vermis. In reality, she was a human being. She was Jessica Drew, the daughter of Jonathan and Meriem Drew. They worked with Herbert Wyndham on Wundagore Mountain. Jessica fell victim to radiation poisoning, and her father treated her. Her mother, however, would eventually die. Failing to find a cure for Jessica's condition, Jonathan would leave Wundagore, leaving Wyndham to try and find a cure for the girl's radiation poisoning. Infusing her with the DNA of a spider, he put her in suspended animation for years, slowing her aging process until she developed an immunity. Years later, long after Wyndham became the High Evolutionary, Jessica was cured of the radiation poisoning and when she was awoken it was discovered that she had fantastic powers she would later use as Spider-Woman. Jessica wakes up screaming, but eventually calms down. She thinks about how after she later became a brainwashed servant of Hydra under the command of Otto Vermis and vows never to let that happen to herself again.
The next day, Jessica tries to find a job, but during her search, she is spotted once more by Jerry Hunt, who once more tries to stop her. Running in an alley, Jessica changes into Spider-Woman and decides to fight back. Tossing a lamp post at Jerry, she realizes that he could be killed. Quickly she pushes Jerry to safety and flees the scene. Back home, she decides to do a better disguise job at disguising herself. To do so she alters her mask and dyes her hair black. Going out as Spider-Woman once more, she would later find Jerry and the authorities trying to stop some crooks who are armed with hi-tech lasers. She recognizes these men as Chauncy and Trevor. two men she encountered with the Thing and later Modred. Jerry is injured in the crossfire prompting Spider-Woman to swoop in and get him to safety. She then turns her attention to the two gunmen and discovers that she is immune to the unique radiation emitted from their weapons. She easily knocks out the two men with her venom blasts then goes to check on Jerry. As she is distracted, Chauncy recovers and manages to shoot her from behind. Quickly recovering from the blast, Spider-Woman whirls around and takes him down with another venom blast.
Unsure of what her part in everything is, the police attempt to arrest Spider-Woman, despite Jerry Hunt's protests. Spider-Woman grabs Jerry and flies away to a hospital, where she administers a blood transfusion allowing him to recover from his injuries much faster than normal. Not only is he surprised to learn that Spider-Woman saved his life, he is also informed that the captured criminals had stolen metal plates that they thought they could use to create billions in counterfeit money. However, a recent change in currency in the United Kingdom made this plot utterly useless. When they try to explain how Jerry's superior, Nick Fury, responded to all of this they notice that Hunt's mind is miles away as he is still thinking about Spider-Woman. Jerry comes to the realization that the masked woman is unlike any female he has met before and that, no matter what, he wants Spider-Woman.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Woman, Jerry Hunt
Continuity Notes
Modred took Spider-Woman in as an apprentice in Marvel Two-In-One #33.
Vermis claimed that Jessica was one of the New Men in Marvel Spotlight #32.
Jessica Drew's early childhood is expanded upon in more detail. Some facts about this:
Her childhood is expanded upon in New Mutants Annual #4.
Although not specifically stated here, the flashback from Jessica's childhood takes place in the 1930s. This is a factual reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616 as the High Evolutionary had slowed or entirely halted his aging process and Jessica herself was placed in suspended animation for years.
This story states that Meriem Drew died due to the strain caused by Jessica's illness. This is contrary to New Mutants Annual #4, which states that Meriem was murdered by Gregor Russoff, a werewolf.
These origins also come to odds with the origin story presented in Spider-Woman Origin #1-5. An official explanation for the discrepancies between the two origin stories has yet to be provided. I have provided a theory here.
Spider-Woman encountered these two thieves in Marvel Two-In-One #29 and 33.
The officer here is specifically stating the change the pound ceased being valued under the gold standard in the 1930s. He states that this was "several years ago", any suggestion that is was in the recent past as opposed to a historic change should be considered topical reference.
