Women of the Web: 6 Female Wall-Crawlers

Silk

Cindy Moon gained her abilities the same day as Spidey himself via her own radioactive spider bite—a method we don’t recommend. Freed from captivity following the death of Morlun, she now operates as Silk, possessing the same powers as the original web-head, plus a heightened spider-sense and ability to generate organic webbing.

Spider-Woman

An assassin turned private investigator, Jessica Drew has lived a life of ups and downs. Her sordid past of bad luck and infamy ultimately led to her embrace of her true calling: a full-fledged super hero. With powers including super strength, wall crawling, and concentrated “venom blasts,” Drew continues to make a name for herself as the original female arachnid-themed crime fighter.

Madame Web

Julia Carpenter ran the gamut of spider monikers. She served as Spider-Woman, Arachne, and finally Madame Web. Injected with a mixture of spider venom and exotic plant extracts, Carpenter gained a host of flashy abilities mimicking arachnids. She’s been in cahoots with everyone from the West Coast Avengers to Omega Flight, and remains a benchmark for butt-kicking ladies everywhere.

Spider-Girl (May Parker)

Not to be confused with Spider-Woman, Spider-Girl gets both her surname and heroic-identity from her infamous father—Peter Parker. Gifted with genetic powers, “Mayday,” named for Parker’s aunt May, took to fighting bad guys like a fish takes to swimming; or in this case, like a spider to a web. It’s comforting knowing the Spider-Man legacy rests in her more-than-capable hands.

Spider-Girl (Anya Corazon)

A one time hunter for the Spider Society, Anya Corazon got a little help from sorcery to unlock the abilities that lived inside her. Like most taking a spider-themed identity, she’s ultra dexterous, super strong, and climbs walls with the best of them. She also possesses the gifts of organic web creation and “shadow camouflage,” allowing her stealth beyond reproach.

Spider-Gwen

Unlike the tragic Earth-616 Gwen Stacy, Spider-Woman—or Spider-Gwen—continues to leave a path of breathtaking heroics in her wake. Created much like the Spider-Man we know, Gwen received her “gift” from a radioactive spider bite. When not squaring off against the world’s worst villains, she’s also the drummer for the Mary Janes. Word on the street: they rock pretty hard.