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Jessica Drew Reading Order, the first Spider-Woman

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Like Spider-Girl, the code name ‘Spider-Woman’ has been used by several characters in the Marvel Universe. However, the original and most popular incarnation is Jessica Drew. Created by writer Archie Goodwin and artist Marie Severin, she first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #32 in February 1977. In her debut, she was portrayed as a mysterious Hydra agent suffering from amnesia and uncertain of her true origins.

The creation of Spider-Woman was, at the time, a strategic move by Marvel Comics to secure the trademark for the name before any rival publisher could claim it (like with She-Hulk). Despite being born of legal necessity, Jessica Drew quickly gained popularity with readers. This led Marvel to launch her own ongoing series in 1978, with Marv Wolfman writing the early issues. Wolfman significantly revamped the character, giving her the civilian identity of Jessica Drew and establishing her backstory.

Jessica’s origin story is famously convoluted. In the original version of her story, as told in her solo series, she is the daughter of scientists Jonathan and Merriam Drew. After being exposed to uranium radiation, young Jessica was injected with an experimental serum made from irradiated spider blood and placed in a genetic accelerator to save her life, in a lab built by her father and the High Evolutionary in the fictional Balkan nation of Transia. Over time, her backstory has been retconned multiple times, most notably in the early 2000s by Brian Michael Bendis, who reimagined her past and tied her more directly to Hydra and the world of espionage, while also changing the explanation for her powers.

Throughout her history, Jessica Drew has had a foot in both the superhero and spy worlds. Renowned for her enhanced strength and agility, as well as her ability to fire venom blasts and her immunity to toxins, Jessica has worked as an agent for Hydra, S.H.I.E.L.D. and S.W.O.R.D., as well as operating as a private investigator. In the world of superheroes, she has been a member of several Avengers and Spider teams. She is also best friends with Carol Danvers, better known as Captain Marvel.

Let’s take a look at all the Spider-Woman comics published over the past 50 years, retracing Jessica Drew’s journey from her mysterious debut to her modern adventures.

Spider-Woman: Jessica Drew Reading Order

Jessica Drew, the original Spider-Woman (1977-1983)

Following her first appearance in Marvel Spotlight #32, Spider-Woman soon headlined her own solo series, which lasted 50 issues, written by Marv Wolfman, Chris Claremont, Ann Nocenti, among others, with art by Carmine Infantino, Steve Leialoha, and more.

  • Spider-Woman Omnibus [2026]
    Collects Marvel Spotlight (1971) #32, Marvel Two-in-One (1974) #29-33, Spider-Woman (1978) #1-50, Avengers (1963) #240-241, Avengers Annual (1967) #10, material from What If? (1977) #17.

🕷️Previously collected in the Masterwork Collection, in four now hard-to-find volumes: 

During this series, Spider-Woman made a few appearances in other titles not collected in those editions. The most important ones are in bold:

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Did you know? From 1979 to 1980, she starred in her own animated television series, Spider-Woman, produced by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises and Marvel Productions. In the series, Jessica worked as the editor of Justice Magazine by day and fought crime as Spider-Woman in her spare time. She was voiced by actress Joan Van Ark. Though short-lived, the cartoon was one of the first animated series to feature a female superhero in the lead role, further cementing Jessica Drew’s place in Marvel history.

Jessica Drew: Private Detective (1983-1999)

Following the cancellation of her solo series and the events in Avengers #240–241, Jessica Drew temporarily stepped away from her Spider-Woman identity. Depowered and seeking a more grounded existence, she relocated to San Francisco and began working as a private investigator. During this time, she was frequently accompanied by her best friend and roommate, Lindsay McCabe, and occasionally partnered with fellow heroine Tigra. Although she no longer wore the costume, Jessica Drew remained active in the Marvel Universe, primarily appearing as a guest star across various titles, often partnering with Wolverine.

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The Second Spider-Woman! While Jessica Drew stepped away from her role as Spider-Woman, Julia Carpenter was forced into the role by the Commission on Superhuman Activities before breaking free from their influence. She made her debut during Secret Wars (1984), before joining The West Coast Avengers and headlining her own limited series.
 

Spider-Woman featuring Jessica Drew (1999-2003)

The mantle of Spider-Woman was passed once again in the late 1990s with the introduction of Mattie Franklin, who became the third character to carry the name. Mattie made her first full appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 #5 (1999), during a storyline where she temporarily impersonated Spider-Man to fill in for the missing hero. Her debut caught enough attention to launch a new Spider-Woman solo series later that year, written by John Byrne with art by Bart Sears.

This series brought together the legacy of the Spider-Woman name, featuring appearances from both Jessica Drew and Julia Carpenter, as well as introducing new elements to the mythos. Jessica played a significant supporting role in the early issues, appearing in the first eleven (out of a total of eighteen), and acted as a mentor figure to the younger, more impulsive Mattie.

Jessica Drew  returned in 2003 for a very dark six-issue story arc in Alias, in which private investigator Jessica Jones track down a missing Mattie Franklin:

Spider-Woman: Avenger (2004-2015)

After writing the Alias arc, Brian Michael Bendis placed Jessica back in the spotlight as a core member of The New Avengers in 2005, where she became a key player in many of the major Marvel events of the 2000s. Jessica’s origin was also revisited and redefined shortly after in the five-issue miniseries Spider-Woman: Origin (2006). Co-written by Bendis and Brian Reed and illustrated by the Luna Brothers, this modern retelling consolidated decades of conflicting backstory.

Bendis’s era on the Avengers was launched with Avengers Disassembled, leading us to his New Avengers, in which Jessica Drew is an important member, back as Spider-Woman.

The House of M event takes place between New Avengers #10-11. Jessica Drew made a few appearances, but this story doesn’t play a role in her personal history.

  • New Avengers Modern Era Epic Collection: Civil War
    Collects New Avengers (2004) #11-25 & Annual #1, AAFES: Marvel Salutes the Real Heroes #1, Giant-Size Spider-Woman (2005), New Avengers: Illuminati (2006) and Civil War: The Confession. (2007).

    • New Avengers (2004) #21-25 are tie-ins to the Civil War event. While the New Avengers obviously plays a role in it, Jessica is mostly sidelined during this story for reasons that will become obvious with the next crossover. You can still explore in more depth this famous Marvel event in our Civil War guide.
  • New Avengers Modern Era Epic Collection: The Initiative
    Civil War: The Initiative, New Avengers (2004) #26-37, New Avengers Annual (2006) #2, and New Avengers: Illuminati (2007) #1-5.
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A brutal battle between the New Avengers and the Hand, one that claimed the life of Elektra, revealed that she was a Skrull! This is the start of Secret Invasion, an event that will put Spider-Woman’s actions over the past few years into perspective and leave psychological scars on Jessica. By extension, this is an essential event for the character. Go check out our Secret Invasion Guide for an issue by issue complete order. 

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Marvel Siege LogoSiege! It’s the culmination of the Dark Reign Era and the end of the New Avengers. Coerced by Loki and on the brink of madness, Osborn, in his final bid to take total control, targets the final obstacle in his mission…Asgard. More with the reading order of the event. 

The Marvel heroes enter the Heroic Age! While the New Avengers came to an end with Siege, Brian Michael Bendis wasn’t finished with the Avengers and Jessica Drew, who was invited to join the team. This is during this period that our Spider-Woman starts a relationship with fellow Avenger Hawkeye.

Marvel NOW! Jessica Drew. In October 2012, Marvel launched its Marvel NOW! publishing initiative—a soft relaunch of its universe aimed at attracting new readers and shaking up the status quo. Amidst the lineup changes and new creative teams, Jessica Drew remained a prominent figure, continuing her role as an Avenger. During this period, she was featured prominently in Avengers Assemble, first written by Brian Michael Bendis and later taken over by Kelly Sue DeConnick. 

Spider-Woman joins the Secret Avengers. Nick Spencer’s run on the team concluded with the How to Maim a Mockingbird story, an arc plotted with Ales Kot, who took over and became the main writer as the title was relaunched. He then added Jessica Drew to the roster for some surreal and fun stories.

Spider-Woman by Dennis Hopeless (2014-2017)

It’s time for Spider-Woman to fly solo once again for a fun run by Dennis Hopeless. It first starts with Jessica as one of the Spider-Heroes from Earth-616 to join the Spider-Army to fight against the Inheritors. After this battle, she decides to resign from the Avengers, in need of some normalcy, and heads back into the investigating business. 

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Spider-Verse Reading Order IconEnter the Spider-Verse! When the evil Inheritors begin exterminating spider characters throughout the multiverse, every single Spider-Man ever is needed to save the day! The first three issues of Hopeless’ run on Spider-Woman are part of this massive Spidey event and will not make a lot of sense without the main event. You can find a lot more information by reading all of the Spider-Verse comics in order. The event in itself has been collected in the Spider-Verse/Spider-Geddon Omnibus.

This is when the Marvel Universe is destroyed and rebuilt in Secret Wars! However, this is not the defining event in Jessica’s life. What is, is the fact that she continues her adventures while she is pregnant!

🕷️ This run has been reprinted, maybe more hard-to-find, at a good price: Spider-Woman by Dennis Hopeless

Spider-Woman, member of Strikeforce (2018-2020)

It’s time for a Fresh Start! As Marvel launched its new initiative, Jessica Drew found herself once again entangled in some Spidey event and joining becoming a member of the new Strikeforce team, which has been described as Marvel’s answer to Justice League Dark. Created by Tini Howard and Germán Peralta, this is a supernatural-leaning team that assembles Angela, Blade, Daimon Hellstrom, Spectrum, Spider-Woman, Wiccan, and Winter Soldier for darker and more mystical missions.

As a founding member of the Order of the Web, Jessica Drew joins other Spider-People in Nick Spencer’s Last Remains to help Peter Parker confront the fanatical Sin-Eater. However, this is an optional read for the character who plays a minor role in the conflict.

Spider-Woman by Karla Pacheco and Steve Fox (2020-2026)

It’s time for Spider-Woman to be under the spotlight again! Writer Karla Pacheco and artist Pere Pérez reintroduced Jessica with a new black-and-red costume and explored her complicated ties to her past, including a mysterious illness, her genetic history, and the truth about her parentage.

🕷️ This run has been reprinted in one book: Spider-Woman by Pacheco & Pérez.

The End of the Spider-Verse happens here! Morlun makes his return and Jessica is killed in issue #1 before having her life restored in #7 by the Web of Life and Destiny. This is really all you need to know about this story for the character.

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Jessica Drew in Kelly Thompson’s Captain Marvel! As Carol’s best friend, Jess appears as a supporting player during Kelly Thompson’s run on Captain America. While she does not do that much, this is a good read for those who like their friendship. The whole run has been collected in 10 trade paperbacks or in two omnibus.

Jessica Drew is back in action under writer Steve Fox and artist Carola Borelli for a new short run as the gangs of New York started to attack each other to take control of the city in Gang War. 

Once again without a title, Spider-Woman joins Gerry Duggan’s West Coast Avengers put together by Iron Man and War Machine for a new short run. The superheroine must work with villains, including Ultron, seeking a path to redemption

Talking about working with villains seeking redemption, Jessica Drew is forming the younger Spider-Men and Spider-Women of the Marvel Universe with Norman Osborn to prepare them for the new threat (if you ask yourself when Osborn shifted sides, the character took on the mantle of Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man (2025) #10). 

Spider-Woman: Next Chapter? (2026-Present)

This September, Marvel is celebrating Spider-Woman’s 50th anniversary with a special issue. Dan Watters and Andrea Broccardo will present a story that will mark the beginning of a new era for the character. Ann Nocenti, who wrote the final issues of her first series, returns to the character for the occasion, working alongside Stefano Raffaele on a detective story 

The story continues…

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