Over the years, Jessica Drew and Spider-Woman have never really been a character I have been itching to read. But something about her having the evil symbiote of Carnage inside her and Dan Watters penning the script had me eagerly awaiting another solo series of the spider-character. With an outstanding foundation set by Watters and stellar art from Andrea Broccardo, Spider-Woman #1 is the type of Jessica Drew story I never knew I needed.
Old foes back from the dead! Mysteries around every corner! And a bloodthirsty Carnage just barely kept contained! It’s a recipe for Spider-Woman’s darkest adventure yet.
Although Jessica Drew has not been my favorite comic character in recent years, Carnage is closer to that. For those who don’t know, this story spins out of Amazing Spider-Man: Spider-Versity where the Carnage symbiote bonds with Spider-Woman preventing it from killing. So with the charismatic symbiote a part of this story made it a bit easier to pick it up and dive in. Watters lays a great foundation for a story I am eager to continue reading. Drew has this violence boiling up inside her while trying to investigate attacks on crime families in her city. The blend of investigation, a touch of horror, and a suspenseful vibe is what made flipping through this story sit well with me.
Watters brings a sense of humanity to Drew’s character as she fights back the symbiote, which is obviously not going as well as she had hoped, and continues to attempt to fight for what’s right. We get a much more violent and volatile Spider-Woman than we have seen in the Marvel Universe, something I am here for all day long.
What can be difficult for some newer readers, or at least those who don’t read every Marvel story, is trying to jump into a story without a ton of background. Spider-Woman is crafted in a way that makes it super accessible with only needing a few tidbits, such as knowing who Jessica Drew and Carnage is, and by the end of this first issue another connection to Carnage. This allows anyone who wants to get into a new arc without the fuss of reading a bunch before the ease of jumping into a stellar new series.
Broccardo balances the action and superhero elements with the horrors that come along with a Carnage tale. Drew’s interactions with the symbiote in the mirror are beautiful and terrifying at the same time. There is a grittiness to the visuals that this horror reader loved, but also fits squarely in the greater Marvel Universe. This goes the same for Mattia Iacono‘s colors, as they are just what this story needed.
Spider-Woman is a dark and suspenseful tale that I never thought I would be this excited to read. Writer Dan Watters and artist Andrea Broccardo deliver a story where the superhero action and horrors of Carnage blend seamlessly. Spider-Woman is a brutally entertaining story that made this reader a much bigger fan of Jessica Drew.
Spider-Woman #1 hit local comic shops on November 4, 2026 from Marvel Comics.
Spider-Woman #1 Preview
