Spider-Girl's Unique Web-Shooters

 

I have not done a May ‘Mayday’ Parker focused post in a while and thanks to difficulties with other projects I have been labouring fruitlessly upon, once again, I figured I should try and look back at everyone’s favourite arachnid hero of the MC2, the Stunning Spider-Girl. So, for this post I wanted to follow up on two previous posts, Spider-Girl’s First Web-shooters and Spider-Girl’s Spider-Signal, with a look at her next set of spinnerets: Spider-Girl’s Unique Web-Shooters.

When we last left our heroine, May ‘Mayday’ Parker had proven her mettle against Kaine and her father (Peter Parker) had returned her web-shooters (Spider-Girl #17). Or did he? As mentioned in my post about her Spider-signal, in the very next issue May mentions her ‘new Spider-Signal’ which indicates it is a recent addition (Spider-Girl #18). There are two likely explanations: either Peter simply attached a Spider-signal to May’s first web-shooters or Peter made and gifted May a new pair of web-shooters and included the spider-signal as a sign of his approval of her web-swinging ways. Given Ron Frenz’s comment that ‘Pete’s [web-shooters] were always available to him whenever he decided to climb into the monkey suit’ I am inclined to choose the latter option.

 

Anyway, moving on. One notable function of a good pair of web-shooters is the adjustable, staggered spinneret openings around the turbine which ‘permit a single web line, a more complex, spin web line, and a thick stream’ (Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol. 11). This third option being, in Mayday’s own words, ‘a stream of pure web-goop’ (Spider-Girl #21).

 

After losing her spider-powers, May remains determined to continue as a hero, but discovered she no longer possessed the necessary agility and coordination to web-swing, nor sufficient arm strength to maintain a steady grip on the web-line (Spider-Girl #26). It is worth noting, the palm switch of May’s web-shooters evidently does not require the usual sixty-five pounds of pressure to trigger (The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol. 11 Spider-Man profile). For reference, the internet estimates the average adult can only exert between 15 and 25 pressure per square inch with their fingers or hands. So, while depowered May is unable to web-swing, she continues to incorporate her web-shooters into her crime-fighting, albeit from atop a Goblin-Glider (Spider-Girl #28-#32).

 

 

 

 

Peter reiterates the fact May’s webbing is based on synthetic polymers when discussing his discovery of the new Spider-Man’s organic webbing (Spider-Girl #37).

 

We learn in Spider-Girl #44 that May still relies on Peter to whip up new batches of web-fluid. Peter, recalling the web-shooters are roughly based on May’s Uncle Ben’s design, also offers to make adjustments to allow them to also fire impact webbing and stingers.

 

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We get a good demonstration of the impact webbing in Spider-Girl #46, which is also where we get another new web-shooter addition. Courtesy of Normie Osborn, May is gifted a cell phone the same weight and size as a spare web cartridge, designed to snap into her web-shooter. Normie pre-arranged for the cell phone to be billed to a blind account. I am fairly certain this marks the very first time a Spidey character had a mobile phone, please correct me if I am wrong!

 

 

 

Unless I am mistaken, we do not see Mayday use her stingers until Spider-Girl #72 and they prove ineffective against the well-versed Carolyn Trainer aka Doctor Octopus. Trainer mentions her previous experience with the stingers, referring to Ben Reilly which is a nice touch. The rarely used stingers are far more effective against the unfamiliar mob enforcer Kodiak (Spider-Girl #75).

 

After learning May lied about the destruction of the Venom Symbiote, Peter grounds her and confiscates her web-shooters along with her costume (Spider-Girl #98). While May kept her cell phone, it was soon after destroyed by the original Hobgoblin (Spider-Girl #99). That is the last time we see these particular web-shooters of May’s, with May gaining a new form of ‘web-shooters’ while briefly bonded with the Venom Symbiote, followed by Peter’s web-shooters in Spider-Girl #100 and the Amazing Spider-Girl series presenting a visibly distinct set of web-shooters.

 

That is a wrap, people! Hopefully, you learned something or had fun like I did finding yet another reason to re-read the Spider-Girl again.

 

Until I figure out how to spin a web any size, I remain

 

frogoat

 

Spider-Symmetry: Tombstone

 

Certain recent leaked images from the set of Sony and Marvel Studios upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film production Spider-Man: Brand New Day -purported to be real- featuring the original wallcrawler Spider-Man (as portrayed by Tom Holland) and notorious crime boss and hardman Tombstone (Marvin Jones III) in a very familiar scene.

 

And by familiar, I mean a direct homage to beloved and sorely missed comic book legend Sal Buscema’s work as seen on the cover of Spectacular Spider-Man #142, which depicts Lonnie Lincoln aka Tombstone dangling Spider-Man by one hand over the edge of a towering construction site.

 

Fittingly, long-time collaborator Ron Frenz pays homage to this iconic image in the pages of the digital-first Spectacular Spider-Girl (vol. 1) #2 which saw physical release in Amazing Spider-Man Family #6, featuring Tombstone dangling Spider-Girl aka May ‘Mayday’ Parker by one leg-in-hand over the edge of a towering construction site.

 

I love the craft and the respect paid to Mr. Buscema, who contributed directly to the Spider-Girl homage, having performed inking duties over Ron Frenz’s pencils. If the leaked image proves authentic, it will be bittersweet and for me melancholic joy to see a piece of Sal’s extensive iconography make it to the big screen.

 

Until I run out of praise for Mr Silvio ‘Sal’ Buscema (which will NEVER happen), I remain

 

frogoat