A Spider-Girl is Born

How Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz Created the Daughter of Spider-Man

Dec 13, 2008

The brainchild of Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz, Spider-Girl has been entertaining comic book fans since 1998.

Since his first appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962), Spider-Man has become one of the most popular Marvel comic book characters. Fans enjoy the fact that, unlike many superheroes, Peter Parker ages with his readers – he graduated high school, attended college, and married his girlfriend Mary Jane Watson in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21 (1987).

So it was inevitable that writers proposed that Spider-Man become a father and raise children of his own. In Spectacular Spider-Man #220 (1995), this possibility was explored when Mary Jane announced she was pregnant. Unfortunately, Marvel Comics decided Spider-Man wasn’t ready for parenthood, and the pregnancy ended in a stillbirth.

In 1998, however, Marvel comic book creator Tom DeFalco wrote a superhero story exploring what could have happened if Peter’s daughter had not only lived but also inherited his spider-powers. Along with comic book artist and fellow superhero creator Ron Frenz, DeFalco introduced Spider-Girl in the Marvel comic What If –?, which told stories of alternate universes where history unfolded differently.

In the story, Peter Parker loses a leg in battle and retires as Spider-Man to focus on raising his daughter May (named after Peter’s Aunt May). When May turns fifteen, however, she develops spider-powers of her own and learns about her family history.

Meanwhile, Normie Osborn, the grandson of the original Green Goblin, becomes a new Goblin and threatens May’s family. To protect her family, May dons a Spider-Girl costume and defeats Normie in combat.

Although DeFalco and Frenz enjoyed working on Spider-Girl, they never imagined they would revisit what they considered a one-shot superhero story. But when their What If –? issue sold well, the editor-in-chief suggested they give Spider-Girl her own series.

The series, titled Spider-Girl, was scripted by DeFalco with art by Pat Oliffe and later Ron Frenz. Set in the same alternate universe, many early plots focused on May’s attempts to keep being Spider-Girl, despite Peter’s insistence that she hang up her webs and avoid the dangers of crime fighting.

According to a September 17, 2008 phone interview with DeFalco, May’s personality was based on a niece of DeFalco’s who had considered becoming a police officer – a decision that frightened her Vietnam veteran father.

“I always liked that conflict between a parent who lived an adventuresome life getting nervous that his kid was going to follow in his footsteps,” states DeFalco. “And when I thought about Spider-Girl, I thought, ‘Man, I can finally use some of that great dialogue I heard of [my brother and my niece] arguing all the time.’”

Inspired by Spider-Girl, DeFalco and other creators crafted a new line of comic books starring heroes in Spider-Girl’s MC2 (Marvel Comics 2) universe, including A-Next (a new team of Avengers) and J2 (the heroic son of X-Men villain Juggernaut). Marvel initially planned to distribute the comics through Wal Mart and Target since they could sell comic books to new readers – but when the deal fell through, all MC2 books, save Spider-Girl, were canceled.

Whatever Happened to the Daughter of Spider-Man?

Spider-Girl herself often faced cancellation due to low sales, yet managed to survive with the support of her fans. Eventually, however, the Spider-Girl comic book was canceled with issue #100, giving Spider-Girl the longest-lasting series held by a female Marvel hero.

In December 2006, Spider-Girl was relaunched with The Amazing Spider-Girl #1. The new series continued where the old one left off, with May feeling the pressures of being a hero and wanting to live a normal life. Soon however, new menaces make her don the Spider-Girl costume and assume her old responsibilities again.

Unfortunately, in October 2008, DeFalco announced to the Amazing Spider-Girl Message Board that The Amazing Spider-Girl would be canceled with issue #30.

In April 2009, Spider-Girl was granted yet another reprieve of sorts and began appearing in an online comic book, The Spectacular Spider-Girl, that readers could follow on Marvel Comics' website. These Spider-Girl comics also appeared in Amazing Spider-Man Family, an anthology Spider-Man comic book, and later a relaunched Web of Spider-Man anthology comic book.

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The copyright of the article A Spider-Girl is Born in Graphic Novels/Comics is owned by Michael Jung. Permission to republish A Spider-Girl is Born in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.