Off My Mind: Why Spider-Woman Does Need a Change in Direction

Spider-Woman has not had an easy life. She's had a varied past. There's been some different explanations to her origin. Was the High Evolutionary involved or not? Then there was the business with being abducted by the Skrulls and replaced. She was part of HYDRA and then she wasn't. She was a spy, a double agent, a triple agent, and then an Avenger. Even her latest series immediately jumped right into the Spider-Verse storyline.

All that is about to change. Jessica Drew has had enough and is ready to make some changes.

In SPIDER-WOMAN #4, it was almost ironic the way things happened. On her way to talk to Steve Rogers with Carol Danvers, things got a little crazy at Avengers Tower. There was a bit of an attack and it just reinforced Jessica's decision--she wants to quit the Avengers.

Along with her crazy past, since she returned from being kept prisoner with the Skrulls, she hasn't really had a moment of peace. Shortly after she became an agent of S.W.O.R.D. to hunt down other Skrulls hiding on Earth and with the Avengers, it's always one disaster after another.

Jessica Drew may be a fictional character but as we read, we do sometimes think of them as people. With everything she's gone through, why wouldn't she deserve a break? She needs to step away from the Avengers lifestyle for a bit. Let her get some time to be a "normal person" some of the time. When was the last time she actually used a secret identity? When was the last time she actually had a supporting cast of characters besides the Avengers?

In next month's SPIDER-WOMAN #5, we know she's getting a new costume. This is the perfect time to reinvent herself (and would have been a better way to actually start off this current series). With a new costume, she'll have the ability to blend in more among "regular people" without trying to hide her costume under a trench coat.

With her new direction, she will try to take on more "street-level threats" in New York City. That's another thing we don't see too much of these days. In the Marvel Universe, things have escalated almost everywhere. There's always a big crisis happening, often they're cosmic-related. Let's see Jessica take it "to the streets" and the fact that Ben Urich is going to be appearing is pretty fantastic.

What about her new look? We've seen shown off last December.

It's a pretty big change from her current costume. As classic as that costume was, this new one will serve the purpose of being practical as street ware and as a superhero costume. (It's also been mentioned the glasses can adhere to the face so they don't fall off and she'll have her web wings hidden in the back).

Having been around since 1977, Jessica is a long established part of the Marvel Universe. It's time she's allowed to step up and not be forced into the shadows of others. Dennis Hopeless will continue writing the series, bringing about the changes to her life. Javier Rodriguez is coming on board as the artist.

What will the next issue bring? Who will she take on? That's part of the excitement. It's unfortunate that this current series didn't get a chance to really stand on it's own.

There was some that weren't sure about the new costume. It's still a matter of actually seeing it in action. Next issue will be an exciting time for Spider-Woman fans.

If you watched our 3-Minute Expert video on Spider-Woman, you know life hasn't been easy.

Let us know what you think about the new direction and costume. Are you excited, indifferent, or sad to see change about to occur?

New direction, all right.

New costume? It's pretty awful.

Javier Rodriguez is coming on board as the artist.

Thank you, Jeebus.

I am looking forward to all of this, including the new costume. Seeing her appear briefly in the latest Hawkeye made me extremely happy so knowing she's going in the same direction as him gives me a lot of hope.

I can't wait.

I think the costume is pretty bad.... It doesn't SPEAK to me... Her old costume didn't speak to me either though, so it's whateva

So which issue did Carol and Jessica become best friends again?

This is another smart move for a long standing character that does not feel arbitrary or forced.

And the readership of DC just lost half of Their remaining female readership.

Sigh.

She doesn't need a new direction, she needs a new writer.

As for the costume I really don't like it/ I wouldn't mind it if it looked more heroic, but this costume just doesn't say "Super Hero" to me, just like Hawkeye's current look (although admittedly Hawkeye's crummy look does fit the comedic theme of his series). I don't mind costume changes, I just don't like how lately it feels like a lot of super heroes don't look/feel like super heroes. Batgirl's new costume is a lot like this, yet it retains that heroic feel, it looks like something a super hero would wear.

I also don't like the "You use to fly with your cheeks out" remark, no good ever comes from looking back and being ashamed of what your heroes are.

My point is, writers/editors shouldn't be shamed of their characters being heroes, it's only when they embrace it that the character can grow and have their best stories told.

(Yet again I'm going on another unexpected rant, sorry everybody)

The old costume is such a classic, so well designed. I hate the t-shirt and jeans approach of late...

You know your new costumes sucks when even a good artist can't make it look presentable.

I misread this as Spider-Man and got excited about the statement i thought you were making >.<

Awesome cover, awesome suit, awesome everything. I'm really looking ward to this series. I love how Jess wants a more normal life. I'm hoping her book will have a very hawkeye feel to it. I also wonder if her changing her costume will make Spider-Girl wanna do the same.

i like the costume. Would have preferred no shades. Does jessica have a secret identity?

I dig the new duds, though I will always love that classic look.

Why's she chewing on her glove in that one panel when it looks like there's alien blood all over it or something? Gross!

I like the new costume. It's very representative of the change and direction in Jessica's life. It makes for a good transition to a more grounded and street level character (having a costume that works as street wear and is easily convertible to a costume).

Loved the "used to fly with your butt cheeks out" comment, really shows how far Carol Danvers has grown and that she is taken more seriously now, that the focus isn't on how she looks now, but on who she is (something that speaks to the issue at hand with Jessica's change).

@idontlikebirds: That's always how it's been, I doubt the reason she was popular was because people thought she was hot. Plus like I said a character should never be ashamed of who they are.

I like the new Costume. I prefer the classic but the new is awesome. No complains here.

She don't.
Dixi.

The new costume just comes off as...boring. I liked the old costume. I thought it felt like it had personality, something this new getup is severely lacking. Just my opinion obviously, but she looks like generic action hero #85363853.

Boring? The old costume is a unitard with elementary design. The new costume at least incorporates functionality. I'm so glad to see a lot of the 70's spandex go, now it's about time they finally get to FIRESTAR who also has an incredibly stupid, dated costume.

@hexthis: agreed. As much as i love classic costumes, i hate creators playing it safe and just rehashing everything. Nostalgia is good and all, but some characters need makeovers. Except for spider-man. Spider-man costume shouldn't be touched. :P

I'm not a fan of the new costume because it doesn't really feel like a superhero costume to me. It looks more like a regular jacket, and she's wearing a "mask" that, well, masks itself as sunglasses of sorts. Otherwise, I'm glad for the new direction she's headed. More importantly, I'm just glad Land is off the book. Finally.

Anyway, I think Spider-Woman has had lots of good directions in the past. Her 70s book was fairly unique, and in the modern era her Bendis series was really solid. It's no surprise that her book with Land is not great. But is interesting to get her back to the street, and perhaps this can act as a part of a trend to de-escalate from cosmic events for every character.

In a way I don't mind the costume, I do mind that suddenly Carol and Jess hate the costumes they've worn for years and years now. As to this new direction... It's marvel, I'll wait for the discount boxes.

Wow, I'm surprised with Land's artwork (for what I can see in the few images of this article). It almost looks like he's actually trying to draw.

I think I would give the new direction a try. Ironically, this looks like Marvel's response for DC's Batgirl, which sort of looked like DC's response to Marvel's Ms.Marvel.

5 issues in and there now doing a new direction I thought they did this during her first solo run.

Don't have the room in my pull list for this (I.e. Time to read it) but I like the new direction. Never liked the old costume until I saw how sexy it can be. And I don't think that is a bad thing. Comics are an ultra stylized medium. The guys have huge muscles, why shouldn't the girl's be super sexy? I know it's a popular view to come down on that stuff these days, but there is nothing wrong with a women being sexy. Doesn't mean she cant be tough, smart etc. look at Wonder Woman. Always drawn super sexy, but she is a great character. As tough as the guys, almost as strong as Superman. I would never want to see that change. Just my 2 cents. Loved the "flying with your cheeks out" exchange. Funny nod to the past. Not distespectful to the characters past in any way.

I feel like this is the exact same conversation Black Canary had with Batgirl before her new costume.

@humanrocket: When were they enemies? I don't think Jess was one of the heroes that Carol hunted during cw.

im not crazy about the new costume, nor am i not crazy about the artists making her body look like a teenage girl...

This might be the last issue of SW for me anyways considering i was already thinking about stoping after the Spider-verse event.

You hit the nail on the head, couldn't have said it better myself. The "flying with your cheeks out" comment bugged me too.

But I especially agree with the new writer notion. This is something that both the comic industry AND indeed comic journalists (no offense to the folks here on CV) make the mistake with female characters. They all seem to want to just insist that the characters are so great but not really give any reasons why. I mean you can take Batman, Superman, Spiderman and ALL of them have universally known stories whom everyone knows and loves. Jessica doesn't have that. Matter of fact I think pretty much every leading appearance shes made has ranged from mediocre to straight bad. I'm not saying that the guys are better characters or anything close to that, GOD NO! But the comics industry as a whole needs to MAKE their female characters good, they need to put effort into it rather than just insist to everyone that they are great characters but still give them creative teams like Hopeless and Land. Frankly I don't even have a huge problem with Hopeless but Land I despise with a passion, and it's very frustrating that these characters that the industry insists are so great being paired up with an artist who traces his work or you know, BEGINNING A SERIES IN A HUGE EVENT.

Anyways yea, I guess my point is simply more effort needs to be made to give these female characters good characterization and good stories and not just have the industry insist that the characters have them without nay evidence of it.

On a final note I'd also like to add that while I don't hate the new outfit it really doesn't feel like a superhero and frankly it doesnt seem functional at all. Jessica's powers are based around being mobile and flexible, so how does it make sense that she wears a leather jacket and skinny jeans??

I like the new outfit.

Well after watching the video at least I hope they keep her origin static for a while. I haven't really liked this character since her first series and this new non-costume/costume is pretty much just another slap at old fans. I get the feeling that marvel doesn't want us, marvel doesn't need us and this is marvel's way of telling us to go away and make room for the new fans. They did it with Carol, Thor and now they're doing it with Jess. At least there are a lot of indy's out there.

The art in the preview pages they have been running in recent books looks fantastic. I'm fine with the new costume, she definitely needed some sort of update. I don't think I've ever read anything by Hopeless, so I'm hoping Hopeless is hopeful. I'll pick up the issue and give it a shot, but I'll never understand why this isn't how the series started with #1.

I think the new costume is great! She looks like a woman.. Not an over sexualized demon! i dunno, she was always kind of scary looking.

I like the more practical looking direction some of these characters are fashioning. I'm sure it won't last.

And as for people complaining about lady super heroes not being sexy with out skin tight clown suits.. Go to Phil Noto's web site.. Every woman he depicts is incredibly beautiful and 95% of them are in street clothes.

The old costume has far from an "elementary design." It is extremely well designed, very ergonomic... it follows her body shape while still managing to create a recognizable representation of a spider. It manages to break up the red color field in a novel way without the use of undies or a belt. It's a rare costume that utilizes black well as a highlighting design element, paired well with her flowing black hair.

The new costume could be bought by anyone for under 200 bucks. Which would be fine if she was just starting out (going back to the streets doesn't make her a rookie), but she's not; she's got a storied history as a SUPER hero, and this just isn't very super.

Eh, I'm not a fan of the new costume. Loved the classic design, but I agree that with the new tone of the series, she did need a new suit to blend in with everyday people. I just look at it and think this is Marvel trying to get in on Batgirl's success. I don't know, maybe that's just me.

I'm excited for the change of direction. I'm happy another artist is taking over.

@aliltron: Actually, it's Marvel trying to get in on Batgirls success that is trying to get in on Ms. Marvels success.

Issue 5 should have been issue 1.

Have never cared her her i was hoping she would of been killed off in spider verse

Love the new costume, love the new direction, love the character, but what I'm the most excited for is the new artist. I'm not exactly a Javier Rodriguez fan, but the switch from Greg Land is the best thing.

Exactly! I will definetly start reading on issue 5. (Didn't on No. 1 because of Land.)

I love the new costume. The old spandex -- not my thing. This is something you can actually imagine a person wearing.

Also so glad George Land is off this book. I mean, when they were in profile it was okay (and admittedly when Carol is celebrating it is cute), but anytime he draws a woman front on I cringe.

She was practically naked with her preview's suit so, the majority comic females are that way :P

Call me old fashioned, but I like my super heroes to actually LOOK like super heroes. Marvel has been doing a great job of modernizing their heroes lately, but has also been making almost all of them less heroic at the same time. I'm not saying give them capes or flashy bright colors, but they don't all have to be militants.