Spider-Woman: Origin is a five-issue comic book limited series written by Brian Michael Bendis and Brian Reed and drawn by the Luna Brothers, serving as an extended retelling of Marvel Spotlight #32 by Archie Goodwin and Marie Severin, delving into the origin story of Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman (with some details changed).
The series received a positive critical reception. Drew's origin story was next retold/revised in the 2020 Spider-Woman series by Karla Pacheco.
Publication history On December 21, 2005, Marvel released the first issue of Spider-Woman: Origin, a five-part miniseries co-written by Brian Michael Bendis and Brian Reed, illustrated by the art team of the Luna Brothers, Jonathan and Joshua Luna. An extended retelling of Marvel Spotlight #32, with some details changed, the series was written as a prequel instead of following the modern-day Drew featured in New Avengers due to Bendis planning on revealing that Drew to be a Skrull imposter (Veranke) in 2009's Secret Invasion.
Along with Spider-Woman: Origin, the original 50-issue Spider-Woman series was reprinted in its entirety, along with Marvel Spotlight #32 and all her contemporaneous guest appearances.
Continuity changes A retelling of the original story of Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman, Spider-Woman: Origin does away with the spider-blood serum and genetic accelerator elements of the character's previous origin story to instead claim Jessica's powers to have been derived from her mother's womb being hit by a laser beam containing the DNA traits of several different species of spiders while she was carrying Jessica, after the Drews (Jessica's mother and father) had been trying to splice and harness spiders' environmental adaptive capabilities to graft them into the human genome.Spider-Woman Origin #1 (February 2006). Marvel Comics.Spider-Woman Origin #3 (April 2006). Marvel Comics.
After Jessica's parents disappear under mysterious circumstances, Jessica is recruited into Hydra under false pretenses, where she is made into a formidable fighter and assassin. She is trained and mentored by Taskmaster, who trains her in many martial disciplines and more than seven different fighting styles out of his own "arsenal".Spider-Woman Origin #2 (March 2006). Marvel Comics.
In this re-telling, Otto Vermis, originally recruiting her into Hydra, is rather an old, retired Hydra agent whom Jessica seduces to gain information that will lead her to her father.Spider-Woman Origin #4 (May 2006). Marvel Comics.
In addition, Origin made the following modifications: Merriam Drew was now Miriam Drew. The Drews moved to Wundagore Mountain prior to Jessica's conception, establishing without a doubt that she was born on the European landmark. Afterwards, she was raised by her nanny Bova (human in appearance), as well as her mother. Jessica's father, Jonathan, never found uranium on their land. Instead, their research was funded by Hydra, and their direct liaison/financier from the group was General Wyndham. It is not clear what connection, if any, he had with Edgar Wyndham (who, in the original Spider-Woman books, was Jonathan's best friend and research partner), nor with the High Evolutionary. Jessica's father worked in large part with Miles Warren who later left the project because he felt that there was more potential in experimenting with the cloning of human cells.
Reception Spider-Woman: Origin received good reviews, from such critical outlets as AmanjaReads, The Slings and Arrows, Game Rant, The Bibliophibian, Spider-Fan, IGN, and Comics Bulletin.
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