Julia Carpenter in the MC2

 

With Sony Pictures Madame Web movie right around the corner, now is a good time to take a look at one of the film’s main cast of characters as she appears in our favourite comic imprint. Today, we will cover Spider-Woman aka Julia Carpenter in the MC2.

 

First appearing in 1984's Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #6 in shadow and making her first full debut in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #7, Julia Carpenter was introduced as the second Spider-Woman, and the inspiration for Spider-Man’s own black-suit design, though her origin would remain a mystery for quite some time. 

 

Born Julia Cornwall in Los Angeles, California to Elizabeth and Walter Cornwall , Julia befriended fellow college student (and later federal agent) Valerie Cooper before she met, fell in love with married Larry Carpenter. Julia dropped out of college, working to support Larry as he studied for a career in public relations (Avengers West Coast #84). 

 

After graduating college, Larry Carpenter (who first appeared in Iron Man #214) often focused his time and attention on his work and extra-marital affairs, rather than Julia despite the two having a young daughter- Rachel Carpenter-together. Rachel Carpenter (who also made her debut in Iron Man #214) was five years old when Julia divorced Larry and the courts granted custody of Rachel to Julia. Now a single mother struggling to make ends meet, Julia moved Julia to Denver, Colorado. 

 

Unbeknownst to Julia, a seemingly chance meeting with Val Cooper would lead to Julia gaining her spider-powers. Val hired Julia as a test subject for a secret government project, telling Julia it was for exercise research when the experiments were to create government-controlled super humans for the Commission of Superhuman Activities (CSA). After being subjected to weeks of intense athletic training, Julia was secretly injected with a large dose of a special spider-serum. While Dr Napier claimed this was an accident, the researchers had been dosing Julia with higher and higher amounts over time. The 'accident' yielded the desired results and Julia quickly discovered she had developed her own unique set of spider-powers including the ability to generate psionic 'webbing' (Avengers West Coast #84).

 

Despite appearances, Val Cooper had not encountered Julia by mere luck. Julia would learn much later that the story she had believed was fabricated. The CSA's ambition to have government super-agents had led to them hiring lead scientist Dr Carter Napier. Napier and his team of scientists had sought out rare plants and spider venoms only found deep in the Peruvian Amazon. The expedition had been led by jungle guides Elizabeth and Walter Cornwall, Julia's own long-absent parents. It was through this connection that Val Cooper learned of Julia's financial struggles and combined with her prior knowledge of Julia's athletic prowess, found the perfect candidate for the experiments (Spider-Woman Vol.2 #2).

 

After the events of Secret Wars, Julia spent time working for the CSA, being assigned to work alongside Freedom Force in battling the X-Men and later capturing the Avengers. Feeling it was not right, Julia freed the Avengers and was declared a fugitive by (Uncanny X-Men #206, X-Factor #8-9, Avengers Annual #15). With Julia absent for long periods of time, Larry successfully sued for custody of Rachel. Aided by Iron Man, Julia turned herself in to the CSA, working as an undercover agent under the orders of Mike Clemson, a man who was openly hostile toward her. Meanwhile, the general public continued to believe she was a wanted criminal (Iron Man #214).

 

Julia encountered the Avengers in California after moving there to be close to her daughter again. After aiding the team in their battle with the Pacific Overlords, Julia joined the West Coast Avengers team, finally allowing Julia to officially clear her name and quit the CSA. Around this time, Julia revealed her superhero identity to Rachel. Julia would serve with the Avengers West Coast branch until the team was disbanded. (Avengers West Coast #70-102). 

  

When the West Coast branch of the Avengers disbanded, Julia joined the newly formed Force Works alongside with several other former-West Coast team members. Rachel moved into the teams headquarters- The Works- alongside her mother. However, in the wake of the events of The Crossing, the Force Works team disbanded (Force Works #1-22). After this, Julia next appears in a back up story in Sensational Spider-Man Annual '96, which takes place after the events of Onslaught. In this adventure, Julia is operating solo in Los Angeles when she encounters the animated Spider-Woman costume of Jessica Drew. It leads her into an encounter with Shadowoman and Lindsey McCabe where they save Jessica Drew from the other dimensional Void-Eater. The story concludes by implying Jessica may want her old super hero moniker back, and an editorial box tells readers to look for a follow up story in the pages of Spider-Man Team-Up. Sadly, this would never come to pass as this story was writer Mark Gruenwald's final published work before his death. 

 

Following this, Julia Carpenter next shows up post-Heroes Return for cameo appearances in Avengers Vol. 3 #1-4 and Captain America Vol. 3 #3. As I've mentioned in prior posts, it's unclear what parts of this era occurred or did not occur in the history of the MC2. Around this time in the Spider-Man books, Doctor Octopus' Spider-Woman (Charlotte Witter) was taking the powers of the various other Spider-Women. However, things appear to have played out differently in the MC2, as this is where events had already begun to diverge.

 

Julia Carpenter makes her MC2 debut in Spider-Girl #37 where she seeks out Peter Parker for assistance finding the original Spider-Man's family so she can bring in Jessica Drew's son, Gerry Drew aka the new Spider-Man before Gerry comes to harm as a result of his rare blood disease.

 

In Spider-Girl #39, Julia mentions that Jessica, herself, Mattie Franklin, and Cassandra Webb aka Madame Web had all previously used Peter to get messages to Spider-Man. Julia also appears to have detailed knowledge of Jessica and Gerry's history, implying the two Spider-Women have maintained contact until recently.

 

 As with the previous issue, the connection between the three Spider-Women is reinforced with a flashback in Spider-Girl #40 showing Julia in her Spider-Woman costume meeting up with a costumed Mattie Franklin and a plain clothed Jessica Drew. It’s notable that Jessica is in plain clothes and apparently depowered while Julia seems to retain her abilities, judging by her costumed appearance.

 

Julia and Peter track down Jessica at her home and confront her, with Jessica telling the two that Gerry won't stop his reckless behaviour as superhero without a good reason. Peter approaches Gerry in costume as Spider-Man and convinces him to retire until he can get treatment from Reed Richards. Julia notes that despite being believed dead, the original Spider-Man returned when needed (Spider-Girl #42-43). 

 

Julia’s appearances in the MC2 raise a lot of unanswered questions, such as whether she retained her spider-powers (it seems likely, though it’s never stated) and we get no mention of her own daughter Rachel who would surely be an adult by this point. Maybe someday we’ll learn more.

 

Until I discover Dr Napier was in the Amazon with my parents researching rare plants and spiders, right before they… didn’t die, I remain

 

frogoat

 

 

Carlos Pacheco's Influence on the MC2

 

With the recent passing of legendary comic book artist and writer Carlos Pacheco, I wanted to make a small post as tribute. While Carlos never directly worked on an MC2 title, not only has his costume designs influenced the MC2, he has also depicted various MC2 characters as we will soon discuss.  

 

At the very end of Tom Defalco’s run on the Fantastic Four title, regular penciller Paul Ryan was replaced by Carlos Pacheco who closed out the comic’s first volume with its final two issues, #415 and #416, which formed part of the Onslaught crossover. It is in these two issues that the Fantastic Four team’s new costumes debuted. Not only do these costumes make a return later starting with Fantastic Four vol. 3 #12 but they also appear to have strongly influenced the costumes of the MC2’s Fantastic Five team.

 

While the Fantastic Five’s first cameo appearance in What If #105 seems to depict them in the classic F4 costumes, starting with their first full appearance the Fantastic Five’s costumes are Pacheco-inspired (Spider-Girl #3). This is evident from the stylized insignia and the gizmos on the gloves, with penciller Pat Olliffe and colourist Christie Scheele adding their own twists to the design; removing the appearance of boots, changing the belt, and giving the various members different costume colours. The late great Paul Ryan would again tweak this design, making small changes and restoring the classic boots for the team’s own title (Fantastic Five Vol. 1 #1). The Fantastic Five’s costumes would change over time, but their basic design owes much to Mr Pacheco.

 

To round out this post, let us look at the time Carlos pencilled some of the MC2 characters. I have briefly touched on the Avengers Forever series a few times in the past, so you may already be aware that various members of the MC2’s Avengers and one from the Fantastic Five make cameo appearances. In Avengers Forever #11-#12 Mr Pacheco gives us his rendition of American Dream, Freebooter, Coal Tiger, and Kristoff Vernard.

 

I hope it is clear I greatly respect the artistic skills and imagination of Carlos Pacheco. I am deeply saddened by another passing of an extremely talented member of the comics pantheon, we have lost too many already especially lately. Thanks for all the wonder you have added to the world of comics, Mr Pacheco.

 

Until I can better express my condolences, I remain

 

frogoat

Why isn't Iron Man dead in the MC2?!

 

Is the title of this post clickbait-y? Not as much as you might think! So, let me try to explain why Iron Man isn’t dead in the MC2. Trust me, this will make sense by the end…well, sort of. Anyway, let us make a start!

 

As I have mentioned many times before, the MC2 shares the published history of the Main Marvel Universe up until the mid-to-late 1990’s after which events diverge in big ways. So, where was Tony Stark aka Iron Man at that point in the Main Marvel Universe, then? Short answer: dead. The long answer is a bit more complicated…

 

To lend some context, we must discuss a very poorly regarded Avengers crossover event story spanning from 1995 to 1996 known as The Crossing. Apparently having been manipulated by Kang the Conqueror, Tony Stark turned traitor and killed or nearly killed various people associated with the Avengers. The Avengers journeyed to the past to recruit the 19-year-old Tony Stark of Earth-96020, in hopes of countering Kang’s plan with a version of Stark free of the villain’s influence (Avengers: Timeslide).

 

The story comes to a head when the Avengers and their allies track the Main Marvel Universe (or Earth-616 for us older fans) Tony Stark to his Arctic bunker and his younger Earth-96020 counterpart (suited up in a prototype Iron Man armour) was nearly killed in the confrontation. Remorseful, the older Tony sacrifices himself to save the day, apparently thwarting Kang’s plan and as his final act provides Hank Pym with the necessary schematics to save the younger Stark. With that, technically, Tony Stark aka Iron Man of Earth-616 was dead (Avengers #395).

 

After this, the teenaged Tony Stark of Earth-96020 was saved with the implementation of a chest plate and assumed the mantle of Iron Man, including joining the Avengers. It was alongside the Avengers and Fantastic Four that this young Tony would soon after sacrifice himself to save the world from the threat of Onslaught (Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1).

 

Unbeknownst to the world at large, the heroes were saved by the subconscious efforts of a grieving Franklin Richards who created an entire pocket universe for them to live new lives in. Here, Tony Stark was again an adult, albeit with memories of living a different life (Iron Man vol. 2 #1-#13). When the truth of their situation was revealed, the ‘refugee’ heroes were returned to Earth-616, including the adult Stark (Heroes Reborn: The Return #1-#4).

 

You may be wondering which Tony Stark it is that returned from the pocket universe, and if so, you would not be alone. As I have mentioned in other posts, the Earth-616 Avengers history apparently diverges from that of the MC2’s Earth-982 Avengers prior to Avengers vol. 3 #1, most likely after the aforementioned Heroes Reborn: The Return #4. That said, many elements of this era are suggested to have occurred, and this next example appears to be one of them.

 Avengers vol. 3 Annual 2001 features a back-up story mostly used to clear up a lot of continuity issues and questions. Here we learn that when the adult Tony Stark returned from the pocket dimension, he remembered everything, ‘three lives, three childhoods.’ While this Tony seemed to retain more memories than others who returned, these began to fade. Investigating his own grave, Stark found the body gone and the grave itself vaporized by the same energy which had lingering traces with his own system. As best the Avengers could determine, Franklin Richards had ‘restored the heroes as he remembered them,’ meaning both the murderously manipulated Iron Man and the young Tony who replaced him are apparently in essence both dead now. Iron Man was also formally cleared of the murders during The Crossing as he was under the influence of Kang at the time.

 

And just to make it even more complicated, most of the events of The Crossing are revealed to have all been part of an elaborate scheme of Immortus disguised as his counterpart, Kang the Conqueror, to halt the Avengers continued forays into space and keep them earthbound, thereby preventing an unwanted future (Avengers Forever #8). There is far more to this story, but it is not relevant to today’s post. However, as an aside, some of the MC2 Avengers do end up involved in Avengers Forever’s ‘Destiny War’ (Avengers Forever #11-#12).

 

In summation, Iron Man aka Tony Stark of the Main Marvel Universe (Earth-616) died, was replaced by a younger counterpart from the alternate reality Earth-96020 who soon after also apparently died but was actually saved by the subconscious efforts of the powerful mutant Franklin Richards who sent him and various other heroes to a pocket dimension, in the process transforming the young Tony Stark into a new adult version with newly created memories. Either upon creating the pocket dimension or when the heroes returned the original Earth-616 Tony Stark’s body was also combined with the others and for some time retained all three sets of memories. Simple, right? The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol. 5 attempts to clarify this situation in the profiles for Tony Stark (Earth-616) and Tony Stark (Earth-96020):

 

“Upon returning, the still adult Tony found he had the collective memories and experiences of the original Tony Stark merged with those of the Earth-96020 Tony and the person he had been on Counter-Earth.”

 

“When Franklin Richards recreated these fallen heroes on the “Heroes Reborn” pocket-world, he recreated Tony Stark as he knew him – an adult tycoon, untouched by Immortus’ influence. When Franklin returned the heroes back to Earth, he restored Tony Stark as an adult with the combined memories of Earth-616’s Tony Stark, the teenage Tony from Earth-96020, and the Tony Stark from his own Counter-Earth. As time passed. Tony memories of his counterparts’ lives faded and merged into his own memories, leaving him with memories free of Immortus’ meddling. The teenage Tony Stark no longer exists in Reality-616 following restoration of Earth-616’s Tony Stark.”

 

 

So… I guess technically the teen Tony was erased or merged with his older counterpart? Anyway, that is the official story and Marvel Comics editorial has rolled with it ever since. Writer Kurt Busiek, responsible for launching the third volume of the Avengers title and Avengers Forever among others, had announced plans to publish a title called ‘Look Back in Armor’ that would explain the situation in detail. However, this never materialized and instead Busiek addressed the issue in the aforementioned Avengers Vol.3 Annual 2001 back-up story.

 

With all that said, hopefully I have made it (somewhat) clear(er) why Iron Man isn’t dead in the MC2. This appears to be another seemingly minor piece of Main Marvel Universe lore that applies to the MC2 post-branching off into its own path. Let me know if you have any questions!

 

Until I die, get replaced by an alternate reality teen version of myself, then die again only to be aged into an adult and live out another life in a pocket reality before being returned to my predecessor’s original state, I remain

 

frogoat