I have never read anything spider related. No Spider-Woman, Spider-Man, nothing of the sort. To be honest, for whatever reason, it has never interested me. However, the folks at my local comic shop strongly suggested that I pick up the new Spider-Woman. Their suggestions have yet to fail me, so I listened. I also took their advice in not buying the first #4 issues, and going right to issue #5. They were beyond correct in their judgement of both things. This issue reads like a first, and it’s also fucking awesome.
The costume, the character, I love it all. Only a few pages in, I fell hard. The witty humor is more than amusing, and the pace is pretty damn perfect. I found I was pulled in to read, but not by any overly intense or dramatic plot. It got into everything just enough for me to be caught in the web. Heh. I had to.
Though, Spider-Woman doesn’t do the web thing. I’m not exactly sure what’s spidery about her at all, though she does have powers. According to this issue, her parents were mad scientists who injected spider serum into her as a child and bam, powers. She can do a green electric zapping thing with her hands, and is incredibly nimble & smooth with her attacks. Even just on paper, it’s a thrill to watch her kick ass; which is what she is looking for. Spider-Woman left the Avengers to try to lead a more normal superhero life. She just wants to do things old school. Helpless citizen in peril, big ol’ villianous meany, superhero comes to kick their butt & save the day. Everything else was too much for the young Spider-Woman to handle anymore. So she cruises the streets of New York in search of some more “normal” work to do, but of course, it’s much easier to get wrapped up in the weird stuff.
After accidentally assaulting a police officer in costume, Jessica (Spider-Woman) finds herself in a holding cell in jail. After 12 hours, she is released and met by Ben Urich, an old journalist. He says he has something he wants Spider-Woman to help him with. She’s not very interested, especially after he tells her she’s not a very good superhero, but agrees to hear him out. He’s gathered up information about a series of missing women, all in unreported cases. The women have no connection, other than being the wives or girlfriends of terribly named, hokey super-villains. Almost immediately, Jessica is not interested, and gives a rather defensive spiel about how these women might not want to be found. But sure enough, she soon learns that she is wrong. 
Looking to blow off some steam and get some superhero action, Spider-Woman finds a bank robbery to take care of. The robber is a villain in an awful porcupine suit, who quickly gets spooked by Spider-Woman. As she’s coming at him repeatedly, he begs her to stop, tells her that she doesn’t understand, and that if he doesn’t complete his mission, they’ll kill his little girl. Instantly, it becomes clear what is going on with this man, and the other missing women. There “villain” boyfriends are being asked to commit crimes, or else bad things will happen to their families. Spider-Woman comes to terms with being wrong, and notes that she has to talk to Urich soon. But from a far window, he already see’s her with this porcupine villain, figuring things out. After this, he gets a very suspicious smirk on his face. 
What the heck is going on will have to wait until issue #6, set to arrive in a few weeks. For now, I’ll sit and marvel at how in love I already am with this series. I adore Spider-Woman’s character, and how real & witty she is. She’s also quite the cutie, and this new costume is killer. The leather spider jacket, the webs under the arms, the red boots. Unf. Spider-Woman is looking damn good, and is an even better read.
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