Most popular back in the '80s comics and '90s cartoons, Madame Web is currently not exactly the biggest member of the Spider-Man supporting cast. Having been dormant in the mythology for years, Cassandra Webb is the last character that many would expect to be headlining an upcoming big-budget movie from Sony and Marvel. Due to her motor limitations, even an Aunt May movie would seemingly be a better bet than one for Madame Web. Nevertheless, there is a version of the character that a film could work for.
Julia Carpenter is most known for her role as the second Spider-Woman, but she's also taken up the mantle of Madame Web a few different times. This could happen in Sony's Spider-Man Universe, if for no other reason than to make a Madame Web film work. Here's a look at the somewhat tangled web that Julia weaved throughout her publication history, and how it led to her replacing Cassandra Webb.
Who Is Julia Carpenter, the Second Spider-Woman and Madame Web?
Created by former Marvel editor-in-chief Jim Shooter and artist Mike Zeck, Julia Carpenter debuted in the Secret Wars series back in 1984. Julia's backstory revealed that she was a formerly ordinary college friend of Val Cooper's who was subjected to a mysterious experiment involving spider and plant DNA. This gave her powers much like Spider-Man's, and upon taking the Spider-Woman title, she later joined him and the other heroes during the Secret Wars.
As a solo hero, she would mostly fight Death Web, a group of arachnid supervillains with powers like her own. This led to her fighting against and alongside Spider-Man once more when these foes kidnapped her daughter. Soon afterward, her powers were taken, allowing her to be a normal, everyday parent. Inexplicably, her powers would later return, with Julia taking the name of Arachne. This wouldn't be her last name change, however. When various spider-related characters were being hunted down by the family of Kraven the Hunter, Cassandra Webb, a.k.a. Madame Web was mortally wounded. Not wanting her aid to die with her, Webb transferred her powers and her blindness to Julia Carpenter. This allowed Julia to stop a dark future from unfolding by convincing Spider-Man not to kill the resurrected Kraven.
Why Dakota Johnson's Madame Web Should Be Julia Carpenter
Julia Carpenter appeared as Madame Web in the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon, and perhaps this version of the character should inform how she's handled in the upcoming Madame Web movie. It's already known that Dakota Johnson will be playing Madame Web in the movie, though given her age, it's highly unlikely that she'll be the classic old woman version of Web. This only heightens the need to make this version of the character the Julia Carpenter Madame Web.
Cassandra Web is a mutant in the comic books, which means that Sony is already hamstrung in explaining her telepathic powers. These powers also come with immobilizing physical disabilities, rendering Cassandra locked into a sort of throne-like life support system. This already doesn't sound like a very interesting character to follow for an action movie, and given that her powers are purely mental in nature, it's hard for even ardent fans to be excited.
The Julia Carpenter version of the character, however, had all of her Spider-Man-level physical attributes along with these mental powers. This makes a potential movie about her much more interesting. On top of that, with the also upcoming Spider-Woman movie likely featuring Jessica Drew, it's fine to go ahead and "get rid of" Julia Carpenter by having her take the Madame Web title instead. Another idea might be for Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Kraven the Hunter to kill Cassandra Webb at the movie's beginning, making way for Johnson's Julia Carpenter to take her powers. Dakota Johnson might not be a redhead like Carpenter usually is, but she resembles Julia much more than the wizened Cassandra Webb. Hopefully, Sony takes the hint and makes Johnson into the most amazing and spectacular version of Madame Web yet.