Marvel Universe: Spider-Woman

Presenting Spider-Woman from the Marvel Universe toy-line. Spider-Woman is has one of the most convoluted origins in the Marvel Universe - with an origin that's more complicated than Wolverine's.

Jessica Drew AKA Spider Woman was born sometime at the turn of the 20th century in London, England (Today she's American by naturalization). She was exposed to radiation from Wundagore Mountain - home of the High Evolutionary and his Knights. Dying from the radiation, her father injected her with an experimental Spider Serum which had no affect on her till the High Evolutionary put her in a genetic accelerator. She was released decades later at the apparent age of only 17. Leaving Wundagore Mountain, she was recruited by Hydra and all the brainwashing and manipulation between Hydra and SHIELD began.

The problem is, there's another Origin Story about her that Marvel released which did away with the radiation story and instead said that while her mom was struck by a laser beam with trace Spider DNA while Jessica was being conceived. The manipulation and brainwashing after that is the only constant.

For a while it was even established the Madame Hydra was really her mother.

Today Spider-Woman is one of Captain America's Avengers - the premiere public team, not the street level team of Luke Cage.

Definitely convoluted. Spider-Woman is known for her hot-bod, lustrous hair - which is the envy of most female superheroes - the ability to emit pheromones that have in the past been able to distract such villains as the Wrecker of the Wrecking Crew, and making out with Hawkeye - though they haven't publicly announced their relationship - in public after surviving a Serpent War enhanced Hulk.

Her blister card reads: "Spider Woman struggles with self-definition. Her birth and the genesis of her powers are a mystery and the earliest years of her life are a haze. She has been an agent of Hydra, a solider for S.H.I.E.L.D. and an alien hunter for S.W.O.R.D. She battles constantly to take full control over her life and do away with the sinister mysteries of her past."

What's to like about the Marvel Universe Spider-Woman?

Spider-Woman is a wonderful sculpt: She's sexy, beautiful and comes with a high-level of articulation.

I'm also particularly fond of her glide wings.

Anyone who owns a Marvel Legends Spider-Woman probably knows that if you ever move her arms, eventually the wings that stretch from her hips to her forearms will decay, dry-up and fall apart.

This is not the case with the Marvel Universe SpiderWoman which does not attach the wings to Spider-Woman's body. True it's a compromise and purists will boo it, but it gives the figure longevity, play-ability and allows you to put her arms down.

I also enjoy how you can lean her stand against a wall and make it appear that she's leaning against a wall or flying off one:

 

And as mentioned, the flexibility is wonderful:

 

 What's NOT to like about the Marvel Universe Spider-Woman?

There are unfortunately angles where Spider-Woman's face appears a bit scrunched up at the mouth area and high at the brow area.

I blame her costume and the constant sketching of Spider-Woman with a dumbfounded expression on her face.

But if that's the only issue, then simply look at her from another angle and everything should be fine.

This particular Spider-Woman was purchased at retail from Toy Kingdom in Megamall, Philippines for PhP 499.75 (Roughly US$ 11.62). She's available on Amazon for half that price US$ 4.99 (Roughly PhP 214 plus shipping).

For the full review and gallery check out darklorddungeon.blogspot.com.