Spider-Woman (Gwen Stacy)

Spider-Woman
Textless cover of Spider-Gwen #0 (November 2015). Art by Robbi Rodriguez.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Edge of Spider-Verse #2 (September 2014)
Created by	Jason Latour Robbi Rodriguez
In-story information
Alter ego	Gwendolyne Maxine Stacy
Species	Human Mutate
Team affiliations	Web Warriors
Partnerships	Spider-Man (Peter Parker) Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) Silk Spider-Ham Spider-UK Spider-Girl Spider-Man Noir Spider-Man (Pavitr Prabhakar) Captain America (Samantha Wilson)
Notable aliases	Spider-Gwen, the White Widow
Abilities	Superhuman strength, speed, agility, stamina, reflexes and durability Healing factor Precognitive Spider-Sense Mechanical Web-Shooters Use of inter dimensional travel device Ability to cling to most surfaces

Spider-Woman (Gwen Stacy), commonly referred to as Spider-Gwen, is a fictional superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez, the character debuted in Edge of Spider-Verse #2, as part of the 2014–15 Spider-Verse comic book storyline. This led to the ongoing series Spider-Gwen that began in 2015.

The character is a variant of Spider-Man and an alternate-universe version of Gwen Stacy. She resides in what Marvel official nomenclature dubs Earth-65, where, instead of Peter Parker being bitten by a radioactive spider and becoming Spider-Man, Gwen Stacy instead is bitten and becomes the superhero Spider-Woman.

The character is featured in other alternate universes and appears in other Marvel media such as an animated television series and video games, and in merchandise such as action figures.

In the primary continuity of the comic books comprising the Marvel Universe, college-student Gwen Stacy was the girlfriend of Peter Parker, whom she was unaware was also Spider-Man. This primary version of Gwen Stacy was killed in The Amazing Spider-Man #121 (cover-dated June 1973). The concept of an alternate-universe, spider-powered Gwen Stacy was first conceptualized by longtime Spider-Man writer Dan Slott for the "Spider-Verse" story arc across multiple series. Slott had suggested "Gwen Stacy as a Spider-Woman" to Spider-Man editor Nick Lowe, who then approached Jason Latour to write a series based on that character. Latour was concerned restoring Gwen Stacy to life in even an alternate-universe form, given the canonical consequences of her death more than 40 years earlier, but eventually conceded. Latour then approached Robbi Rodriguez to design the character. Latour prompted Rodriguez to keep her mysterious and to avoid anything that would prematurely reveal her identity, and which "should feel like anyone could be under that mask." Slott, conversely, had envisioned a costume based on her clothing in the two-part, 1973 death story, The Night Gwen Stacy Died, except red and blue with web patterns and a half mask. She would also have had a trench coat that would have been red with webs. Regardless, Slott preferred and approved Rodriquez' design. The character debuted in Edge of Spider-Verse #2 on September 17, 2014.