In the MC2 universe, an alternative timeline set on Earth-982, Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson had a daughter. That daughter, May “Mayday” Parker was first introduced in the What If? Series in 1998. Her story as Spider-Girl was spun from there by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz.
Mayday’s storyline is one of the most enduring of all female-fronted comics, despite some cancellations and a few reboots such as The Amazing Spider-Girl in 2007 and The Spectacular Spider-Girl in 2010. Here are ten things you should know about the amazing, spectacular Spider-Girl.
10 Her Parents Kept Her Powers A Secret
Peter and Mary Jane really didn’t want Mayday to inherit her father’s powers. After losing a leg in a battle with the Green Goblin, Peter has retired his suit and is working as a lab technician for the NYPD. The possibility of Mayday developing powers has been lurking in his mind, and alas, she begins displaying them around the age of 15.
Peter originally forbids Mayday from suiting up and following in his footsteps, telling her that the world doesn’t need another costumed hero. MJ eventually convinces Peter to train her himself so that she’ll be safe. He eventually agrees, admitting that it's his responsibility to help her be the best Spider-Girl she can be.
9 Her Powers Are Different From Her Dad's
Mayday inherited her dad’s powers: the proportional strength, speed, and agility of a spider, as well as the ability to cling to walls. Her powers need some work, as she is seen struggling at times during the early days of learning about her spider-abilities.
In some ways she is more powerful than her father: she is more agile, and her spider-sense is more developed. She can sense who, where, and what the danger is with accuracy. Eventually, her powers come to include magnetism and reverse magnetism, but more on that later.
8 She Got A Lot Of Training
In addition to training from her father, and her Uncle Phil Ulrich, who was one iteration of the Green Goblin, Mayday gets lots of help along the way. Darkdevil, a secret relative of Mayday, acts as a sort of tough-love mentor to her when she first starts out.
Eventually, Mayday is given a new martial arts teacher: Elektra Natchios, the telepathic assassin. At first, Elektra doesn’t know Spider-Girl’s true identity. She comes to realize who her student is because of her attitude and fighting style, which are very similar to her father’s. Elektra blames Mayday’s movement, voice, and fighting skills for giving away her parentage.
7 She Lost Her Powers...
In a battle against the Savage Six, Mayday overexerts herself, becoming too exhausted to triumph. When she goes up against Killerwatt, a band roadie-turned-villain, she is electrocuted by him. A short time later, she realizes she’s lost her agility, strength, and the ability to stick to surfaces. This is pretty dangerous for someone used to swinging around from the tops of buildings.
Her father is concerned, and after bringing her to a normal doctor (really, dad?), attempts to enlist the help of the Fantastic Five. The loss of power doesn’t stop Mayday however, as she borrows some equipment to continue fighting crime.
6 ...But Regained Them
Ten issues later, Mayday thankfully regains her powers. In a fight against a Spider-Man imposter who turns out to be the son of Spider-Woman, Mayday falls into a generator.
Visiting the Fantastic Five headquarters, Big Brain (a.k.a. Reed Richards), muses that if an electrical shock took her powers away, the second shock must have restored them. Interestingly, her ability to stick to walls evolved into a new, bio-magnetic power which allows her to repel objects and cause people to stick to objects.
5 She Turns The Green Goblin Around
Normie Osborn, the third generation of the Green Goblin, escapes from a psychiatric facility in order to challenge Mayday. He believes that because of their family history, they must battle it out. He is convinced the only way to end the spider-goblin war is for one of them to die.
After realizing Normie is hoping she escapes and kills him, Mayday convinces him that things don’t have to end that way – they can make their own choices. He admits he never could have killed her and agrees their family feud will end there. Normie then lends her his Goblin equipment until she regains her powers.
4 She Hosted A Friendly Symbiote
Normie Osborn becomes a host for the Venom symbiote when Fury the Goblin Queen gives it to him as a poor excuse for a wedding present. During his time bonded with the symbiote, Normie’s good influences cause it to undergo a change for the better.
When Mayday is in the midst of a battle with Hobgoblin, she is gravely injured. The Normie/Venom symbiote bonds with her, healing her wounds and removing poison from her bloodstream. After this, it attacks and defeats Hobgoblin. Eventually, because of Normie’s good influence, the symbiote gives its life to protect Mayday and Peter Parker.
3 Her Friend Turned Into Carnage
With newly leaked footage of Woody Harrelson as Carnage, fans are in a frenzy. In Amazing Spider-Girl, a piece of the Carnage symbiote, Specimen 297, is being kept by S.H.I.E.L.D. for use as a possible bioweapon. It inevitably escapes to cause havoc, and it latches on to Moose Mansfield, Mayday’s high school pal.
Moose, a reformed bully, finds out his father has cancer and is shortly after infected by the symbiote. He mistakenly believes he can use it to cure his father. While no Cletus Kasady, Moose gives Mayday a run for her money. Mayday borrows Reverb’s sonic weapon to destroy the symbiote, causing Moose to swear vengeance against her.
2 Her Baby Brother Also Turned Into Carnage
Mayday’s younger brother, Benji, developed spider-powers at a much earlier age than his sister. He has the use of organic webs, unlike his sister and father who need to use web-shooters. He also has the wall-climbing ability and enhanced strength… pretty incredible for a baby!
During the time Moose is infected by Carnage, Baby Ben briefly plays host to the symbiote as well. Kid Carnage is a sight to behold as he fights alongside Moose-turned-Carnage. Mayday is able to get the symbiote off of her brother using a sonic blaster, which temporarily causes him to lose his hearing.
1 She Has A Clone
In Spectacular Spider-Girl, it is revealed that Norman Osborne Sr. made a clone of Mayday. The real Mayday – she hopes she is the real Mayday – is safely returned to her parents by Kaine. Her clone grew up in a stasis chamber, and upon her release wants to team up with Mayday.
Norman Osborne had bonded the clone with an alien symbiote similar to Venom, and she has the scary teeth and appendages to prove it. She becomes known as April Parker and pretends to be a relative of Mayday. She eventually becomes the villain Mayhem due to her jealously over Mayday, and they form a less friendly relationship.