Spider-Woman #8 was released recently on Wednesday, June 3rd, which continues the titular heroine’s case with Ben Urich of the Daily Bugle. I am curious on what Jessica Drew aka Spider-Woman has been doing with her time prior to the inevitable incursion between the mainstream and Ultimate Marvel Universes, but I doubt that I’ll be reading any of that in future issues of Spider-Woman.
Jessica’s investigation takes her to a sleepy town, where the families of many low-level villains are allegedly being held captive. It was a shocking revelation that it wasn’t the case, where Jessica learned that the villains’ spouses faked their own kidnappings and extorted money. This leads to a brutal fight against the leader, Lady Earthmover, who feels threatened by Jessica’s arrival.
But with good reason though.
What did I think of Spider-Woman #8?
I liked Spider-Woman #8 because it allowed readers to explore a small facet that is not normally explored. It is easy to write off low-level villains are mere fist fodder and insignificant beings, but there is the crucial human element.
These villains have spouses and families to go back to.
It doesn’t condone what they do in order to make a living, but there are consequences. There is the point in life that the spouses get sick and tired of everything, where they lament the want for a better life.
Rhetorically asking, who wants to remain with someone who’s a constant failure?
Being a low-level henchman let alone for a major villain really sucks. I feel sympathy for Lady Earthmover because she was married to an unappreciative and verbally abusive husband. The last straw for Lady Earthmover was when her husband angrily threw a beer at the side of her car.
It was bad enough that her husband did so, but he did it in the same suit that Lady Earthmover was using in her fight against Jessica.
Jessica understands that Lady Earthmover is not a bad person, just misunderstood.
Jessica has a job to do, but she isn’t heartless. She agrees to leave everybody in town alone, but tells them to stop trying to extort from their spouses. Jessica says that this town is proof that they have moved on and adds that they need to leave the past behind.
It ends on the pleasant note as Ben decides not to run the story and gives Jessica her next assignment.
I give Spider-Woman #8 a grade of A+.
