Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman is the first and original version of the Spider-Woman fictional character in comic books. She is also the Spider-Woman of Earth-404 and one of the Spider-people in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The Marvel superhero set a record with her first movie appearance in Across the Spider-Verse (2023) as the first pregnant superhero on the big screen. Drew is considered one of Marvel’s most powerful and influential female superheroes for the several intriguing reasons.
Her enhanced strength, high speed, sensitive reflexes, muscular density, and ability to stick to any surface are just some of the perks of being a superhero Jessica Drew possesses. She is also known for her top-notch marksmanship, fighting skills, and endurance, especially in difficult situations. Jessica Drew’s abilities have come to the forefront through her exploits with different organizations and agencies. From working as a brainwashed spy for Hydra to being an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., an Agent of S.W.O.R.D., a Bounty hunter, and more, Drew has displayed resilience in her actionss. As such, her 2023 debut on the big screen caught the attention of comic book aficionados.
Who Voices Jessica Drew in Across the Spider-Verse?
Jessica Drew made her cinematic debut in Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse, the second installment of the trilogy set off by Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018). This is a big feat for the Spider-Woman who has been nothing short of amazing in her comic book exploits but has only gotten little attention on-screen. As such, for her first mainstream cinematic appearance, a perfect representation is essential to secure the future of the character in subsequent screen projects.
Issa Rae gave her voice to Jessica Drew in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, garnering only positive reviews for her performance. Rae was cast as Jessica Drew in June 2021 with comic book artist Brian Stelfreeze recruited to shape the visual development of the character. The American actress has experience as a voice actor, including voicing Dr. Indira in BoJack Horseman. Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman’s first onscreen appearance is in the television series Spider-Woman. The role was voiced by Joan Van Ark when the series aired from September 1979 to January 1980. Drew is set to appear in Spider-Women, a spin-off of 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The film centers on three generations of female Spider-People comprising of Spider-Gwen, Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman, and Cindy Moon / Silk.
Jessica Drew Has a Rich History in the Marvel Comics
Jessica Drew was created by Archie Goodwin and Marie Severin for Marvel Comics and made her first appearance in Marvel Spotlight #32 0n February 1977. The character appeared in 50 issues of a comic book series titled Spider-Woman at the end of which she was killed. Drew was later brought back to life, but with the emergence of many other characters named Spider-Woman, her version became obsolete for a while.
At the beginning of her comic book journey, Jessica Drew was portrayed as a spy brainwashed by HYDRA to work for the terrorist organization. Drew was later included in the “Secret Invasion” storyline after comic book writer Brian Michael Bendis added her to the roster of The New Avengers. The character got a second self-titled limited series in 2009 which was terminated after seven issues. Her third series written by Dennis Hopeless is part of the 2014 “Spider-Verse” event.
Tracing the origin of her powers, it is apparent that, unlike most Spider-People, Drew wasn’t bitten by a spider. She got sick after exposure to the uranium her father used for research. To save the then seven-year-old Drew, her father and his research partner Dr. Herbert Wyndham injected her with a serum derived from a spider and put her in a genetic accelerator. Drew was cured after many decades but ended up with superpowers from exposure to radiation and the effects of the spider serum she was injected with. She has sine gone on to make her mark in the Marvel comics.
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