MARCO SPEAKS SPIDEY: Spider-Woman #9 Review

After her brief participation in the ‘King in Black’ crossover event, Jessica again turns her full focus on finding the cure for her condition before it is too late. In the previous issue, we saw Jessica making an uneasy alliance with her nemesis Octavia, and she was assisted by the villain until they reached the lair of High Evolutionary. Now, Jessica has to deal with an army of her clone moms, as well as the angsty daughter of Octavia herself, Ophelia. I am glad that we get to see a more personal and story/character-driven tale commence as Jessica has officially moved on from her prior concerns… like the gigantic alien invasion happening in the background.

OFFICIAL MARVEL COMICS DESCRIPTION:

Spider-Woman #9

STORY BY: Karla Pacheco

ART BY: Pere Perez

COVER BY: Jung-Geun Yoon, Rose Besch

Jessica’s journey for a cure and her history has taken her all the way to the High Evolutionary’s volcanic lair. Surrounded by clones of her mother, the Ice Queen and the High Evolutionary, Jessica’s hopes of finding the cure to the disease that threatens Jessica, her son Gerry and her niece are drying up by the hour.

A MOTHER’S LOVE…

PROS:

• That main cover has got to be one of the creepiest images I have seen in recent memory. Jessica being swarmed by a multitude of her evil clone moms saying the same thing over and over again is a nightmare on so many levels. Plus, the picture frame in the background is pretty disturbing, as well.
• When Ophelia compares Jessica to Octavia, an interesting point is brought up about how the two enemies are actually very similar to one another in reality. And throughout the issue, readers do indeed discover a more savage and unforgiving side of Jessica. Even I had a hard time accepting the cold nature of Jessica in this installment. It was a struggle to see her dip ever so slowly into the dark side. The duo’s parallel dark histories create a twisted bond between them that might even go deeper than blood.
• When Octavia snapped the neck of her own daughter, I had to take a minute or two just to digest the horrible act of violence I had just witnessed. And it was unimaginable because there is just simply no way a mother can or should do that to her own child. But this shocking moment only serves to underscore even more the lengths Octavia is willing to go in order to fulfill her mission in life. She was even able to take down the High Evolutionary, with ease.
• In fairness… as discussed in the notes and letters section… This issue really does have almost everything you can ask for in a comic book: pathos, clones, fighting, arguing, more fighting, more clones, mommy issues, more clones and a shocker of an ending. The exploration into the intricate and complex dynamics of any kind of mother-daughter relationship is in full display in this issue. This tool also encourages readers to take their own look at their relationship with their mothers. Hey… Maybe it’s time for you guys to get out there and buy a fresh new bouquet of roses for your loved ones.

CONS:

• Being a fan of the High Evolutionary, it was disappointing to see him go down so easily. But you can never keep an oddball like him down for long. There will be consequences for what Octavia did to him and to her daughter. A price will be paid in full.
• Admittedly… Sometimes it is difficult to read Jessica and her state of mind, and it might be a writing concern, an art choice, or a purposeful move by the creative team to keep us guessing.

FINAL SCORE: B

Maybe Jessica won’t be able to escape her ties to Hydra after all. This book is taking her down a dark path and making (or forcing) her come to terms with who she really is at her core. In her desperation to find a cure, Jessica is making very questionable, sketchy and shady moves. But as a troubled and traumatized daughter, and as a mother herself, she will have to find a solid middle-ground where she will still be able to fulfill her duties as a superhero, a warrior of light, a beacon of hope.