Welcome to Earth-65, Ghost-Spider's Homeworld

Since her debut at the start of SPIDER-VERSE, the Gwen Stacy of Earth-65 has become a hero to the entire Multiverse. Whether she's been called Ghost-Spider, Spider-Woman, or Venom, Gwen has protected the main Marvel Universe and countless other worlds since she was bitten by a radioactive spider as a teenager. However, Gwen always finds herself back in her home universe, where familiar names and faces play drastically different roles from their main Marvel Universe counterparts.

Now, let's take a closer look at Earth-65, Ghost-Spider's home dimension, and how the young web-slinger reshaped its history throughout her Multiversal adventures. We'll also break down some of the key differences between this world and the main Marvel Universe, just as Gwen swings into her next mission in SPIDER-GWEN: SMASH (2023) #1 by Melissa Flores, Enid Balam, Fer Sifuentes-Sujo, Elisabetta D'Amico, and VC's Clayton Cowles.

WHAT IS EARTH-65?

Earth-65 debuted in an EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE (2014) #2 story by Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez. In that world, Gwen Stacy was bitten by a radioactive spider instead of Peter Parker, and she used her spider-powers to fight crime as Spider-Woman. 

To emulate Spider-Woman, Earth-65's Peter Parker—unaware that his hero was secretly his friend—took an experimental serum based on the work of Doctor Curt Conners and transformed into the Lizard. After Peter rampaged through their high school's prom, Gwen mortally wounded him. As Peter returned to his human form and died, he inspired Gwen to accept the responsibility that comes with her fantastic powers. 

Spider-Woman was publicly blamed for Peter's death, and she soon became the focus of an investigation headed up by her father, NYPD Captain George Stacy. Shortly after Gwen revealed her identity to her father, she was pulled away from Earth-65 to join the Spider-Army during SPIDER-VERSE and protected the Multiverse with the Web Warriors.

Although Gwen spent considerable time in the main Marvel Universe and befriended that world's Peter Parker and Miles Morales, she always returned to her homeworld. Beyond her supportive father, Gwen's closest allies on Earth-65 have been her bandmates in the Mary Janes, the rock band she joined in high school. 

While Gwen serves as the band's drummer, her best friend, Em Jay Watson, leads the group and provides vocals and guitar. They are joined by bassist Betty Brant and Glory Grant, who writes the group's songs and plays keyboards. Under the management of Randy Robertson, the group also briefly included Felica Hardy, a former thief and vocalist who headlined a band called the Black Cats.

HEROES OF EARTH-65

While Spider-Woman may be Earth-65's most famous hero, she is not her world's only defender. Long before Gwen developed her powers, Janet Van Dyne operated as the high-flying Wasp, and she even gave Gwen a set of web-shooters early in the young hero's career. 

Similarly, Samantha Wilson took the Super-Soldier Serum and was exposed to Vita-Rays to become Earth-65's Captain America during World War II. After getting trapped outside her universe for most of a century, Wilson returned in the modern day, where she partnered up with Sam 13, a young male clone of her who operates as the Falcon. Captain America and the Falcon received their abilities from operations overseen by spymaster Peggy Carter, who founded the peacekeeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D. in this world. 

Carter also commands Earth-65's Logan, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and a former samurai who was effectively cursed with immortality. This world's Weapon X Program gave Logan and his more violent younger partner, Shadowcat, sets of adamantium claws. Earth-65 has also serves as home to two members of the Captain Britain Corps: Brother Brit-Man and his sister, Sister Britain.   

Several of the Marvel Universe's most celebrated heroes lived more pedestrian lives on Earth-65. In this world, Reed Richards is merely an accident-prone 12-year-old genius who has helped Gwen on a few occasions. Instead of becoming the Thing, Ben Grimm is a human police officer who tries to catch the Yancy Street Gang, while Hobie Brown sprays pro-Spider-Woman graffiti. 

Jennifer Walters is still a particularly muscular lawyer, but she only turns into She-Hulk by painting herself green as part of her wrestling gimmick. Tony Stark is merely a billionaire business tycoon who operates Stark Industries and his War Machine mercenary unit. While Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes, and Isaiah Bradley were all part of Project: Rebirth with Samantha Wilson, they were critically injured before they could receive any superhuman powers.

VILLAINS OF EARTH-65

Although villains like Earth-65's Vulture are somewhat similar to their main Marvel Universe counterparts, several of Gwen's enemies are villainous versions of familiar heroes. Instead of becoming Daredevil, this world's Matt Murdock used his superhuman senses and lethal martial arts skills to become one of Spider-Woman's most persistent foes. After training with Stick and joining the Hand, Murdock overthrew his imprisoned boss, Wilson Fisk, and took over his role as the Kingpin. Along the way, he developed an obsession with corrupting Gwen. 

Instead of becoming the Punisher, NYPD Captain Frank Castle was tasked with catching Spider-Woman after Captain Stacy was forced off the case. Because he used excessively violent tactics like hiring the mercenary Kraven the Hunter, Castle ultimately became a fugitive from the law. 

After starring as young adventurers on Earth-65's Fantastic Four TV show, Sue and Johnny Storm studied under Doctor Doom and tried to use their powers to take over New York. Before forcing Gwen to leave Earth-65 for an extended period, Sue Storm even deposed and replaced Doctor Doom.

Where Cindy Moon protects the main Marvel Universe as Silk after a bite from a radioactive spider, Earth-65's Cindy Moon narrowly avoided this fate, which drove her to obsess over what could have been. So, when an alien spider bit S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jesse Drew, Moon used his blood in experiments that ultimately produced the spider that bit Gwen. 

Alongside villains like the octopus-wielding Otto Octavius, Moon formed the villainous organization S.I.L.K., which gathered Multiversal artifacts and launched an attack on Spider-Woman starting in SPIDER-WOMEN ALPHA (2016) #1 by Robbie Thompson and Vanesa Del Rey. Moon even removed Gwen's powers, which the young hero replaced by merging with Earth-65's Venom symbiote. 

Doctor Elsa Brock developed Earth-65's Venom by combining the spider-isotopes derived from Drew's blood with the Lizard formula. When Harry Osborn tried to avenge Peter Parker's death by taking the Lizard formula, Gwen injected him with the isotopes, which unleashed Venom. 

Once Gwen got control of Venom, the symbiote effectively replaced her lost powers starting in SPIDER-GWEN (2015) #24 by Latour and Rodriguez. But when Earth-65's Jackal injected a portion of the symbiote into Em Jay Watson, it briefly turned her into Carnage due to the symbiote god Knull's attack on the Marvel Universe in KING IN BLACK.

GHOST-SPIDER AND EARTH-65

Now operating as Ghost-Spider, Gwen has proven herself to be Earth-65's premier hero, and her recent adventures have made her confront that legacy in some literal ways. In SPIDER-GWEN: GWENVERSE (2022) #1 by Tim Seeley and Jodi Nishijima, Gwen stepped into a Multiversal portal and was hit by a wave of temporal energy unleashed by Finale, a time-manipulating pop star from the future. Then, when Gwen returned to Earth-65, she found her world had transformed into a nightmarish dystopia where vigilantes were outlawed and police mechs patrolled the streets. 

With help from her Multiversal allies, Ghost-Spider realized she had created heroes based on five aspects of her personality across Earth-65's timeline. Gwen traveled through Earth-65's new timeline and teamed up with Gwen-inspired versions of Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, and Wolverine. 

However, Ghost-Spider and her team of Gwen-Vengers could not stop a Captain Marvel Gwen variant's Nega-Bands from exploding and devastating New York, which created Earth-65's dystopian future. Ghost-Spider ultimately stopped Finale before she ruptured the timeline and ensured the other Gwen-Vengers each found a home in a new reality.  

After five members of the Sinister Six from the Marvel Universe attacked Earth-65, Ghost-Spider went through a similar experience involving villainous clones of herself starting in SPIDER-GWEN: SHADOW CLONES (2023) #1 by Emily Kim and Kei Zama. While Gwen battled the Sinister Six, their fight crashed into a laboratory where scientists Lyla Bennett and Lee Bennett were working. After that battle left Lee dead, Lyla vowed to get her revenge by killing every Gwen Stacy in the Multiverse. 

By mixing Gwen's DNA with the genes of each Sinister Six member, Doctor Bennett created five unique clones of Gwen based on Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Kraven the Hunter, Rhino, and the Vulture. With help from Reed Richards, Ghost-Spider freed Gwen-Ock and Sandgwen from Lyla's control. After Gwen-Ock sacrificed her life to stop Lyla's plans, the other Gwen variants parted as friends with Ghost-Spider and built their own lives across Earth-65. 

Now, Gwen is back with the Mary Janes, and the band is set to go on tour with Dazzler, which will give her a new chance to reconnect with her friends and explore more of Earth-65 in SPIDER-GWEN: SMASH #1.

Enjoy the show in SPIDER-GWEN: SMASH #1, on sale now!

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