Mattie Franklin

{{Infobox comics character

| image=Spiderwomanmattie.PNG

| caption = Spider-Woman from Spider-Woman #18 (December 2000).
Art by Bart Sears.

| character_name = Mattie Franklin
{{small|Spider-Woman}}

| real_name = Martha "Mattie" Franklin

| publisher = Marvel Comics

| debut = {{ubl|As Martha "Mattie" Franklin:|{{small|In shadow:}} The Spectacular Spider-Man #262|(October 1998)|{{small|Full appearance:}}|The Amazing Spider-Man #441|(November 1998)|As Spider-Woman:|The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 #5|(May 1999)}}

| creators = {{Plainlist|

}}

| species = Human mutate

| alliances = New U Technologies
Loners

| aliases = Spider-Woman

| powers = * Superhuman strength, speed, agility, stamina and reflexes

  • Psionic spider legs and webbing
  • Ability to cling to solid surfaces
  • Precognitive "Spider Sense"
  • Flight at subsonic speeds
  • Bio-electricity projection
  • Mild telepathy

}}

Martha "Mattie" Franklin is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer John Byrne and artist Rafael Kayanan, Mattie Franklin first appeared in The Spectacular Spider-Man #262 (October 1998).{{Cite web |last=Naushad |first=Abdul Azim |date=November 15, 2023 |title=Madame Web: Who Are The Three Spider-Women? |url=https://www.comingsoon.net/guides/news/1403598-madame-web-three-spider-women-julia-carpenter-mattie-franklin-anya-corazon |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=ComingSoon.net |language=en-US}} She is the niece of the Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson.{{Cite web |last=Iacobucci |first=Jordan |date=February 14, 2024 |title=Madame Web Cast And Character Guide |url=https://www.cbr.com/madame-web-cast-character-guide/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=Comic Book Resources |language=en}} She gained various superpowers after participating in a ceremony to give Norman Osborn wizard powers.{{Cite web |last=Jennings |first=Collier |date=February 12, 2024 |title=Who Are the Spider-Women in 'Madame Web'? |url=https://collider.com/madame-web-spider-women-explained/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=Collider |language=en}} Her admiration for Peter Parker / Spider-Man inspired her to become a superhero when he disappeared.{{Cite web |last=Mysogland |first=Gregory |date=February 13, 2024 |title=Who Are the Spider-Women in Marvel Comics? |url=https://collider.com/spider-woman-explained/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=Collider |language=en}} Mattie Franklin is the third character who adopted the Spider-Woman codename.{{Cite web |last=Noronha |first=Remus |date=February 15, 2024 |title=Marvel Originally Created Spider-Woman for This Surprising Reason |url=https://collider.com/marvel-spider-woman-origin/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=Collider |language=en}}

Mattie Franklin / Spider-Woman made her cinematic debut in Sony's Spider-Man Universe film Madame Web (2024) and is portrayed by Celeste O'Connor.

Publication history

=1990s=

Mattie Franklin debuted in the shadows in The Spectacular Spider-Man #262 (October 1998).{{Cite web |last=McCoy |first=Joshua Kristian |date=December 2, 2023 |title=Madame Web: Who Is Mattie Franklin? |url=https://gamerant.com/madame-web-mattie-franklin/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=Game Rant |language=en}} Her first full appearance was in The Amazing Spider-Man #441 (November 1998). She later appeared as Spider-Woman in The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 #5 (May 1999). The beginning of a three-part crossover led directly into the launch of her own Spider-Woman series.{{cite book |last1=Brevoort |first1=Tom |title=Marvel Year By Year: A Visual History |last2=DeFalco |first2=Tom |last3=Manning |first3=Matthew K. |last4=Sanderson |first4=Peter |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |date=2017 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1465455505 |pages=292–293}} Like Spider-Woman volume 1, Spider-Woman volume 3 pitted the protagonist against macabre and grotesque villains, and featured a closing story arc in which she looks into a mirror and sees her own face shriveled down to skin and bones. As a running joke, Spider-Woman constantly changes costumes throughout the series, including a four-issue run (#2–5) in which she adopts a new costume every issue. However, sales were mediocre and the series was cancelled with issue #18 (December 2000).

=2000s=

Mattie Franklin appeared in the 2001 Alias series.{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Jenna |date=January 19, 2024 |title=Madame Web: The Comics History of the Spider-Man Spinoff |url=https://comicbook.com/movies/news/madame-web-comics-history-spider-man-spinoff-spider-woman/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en}} She returned after an almost two-year absence for a six-issue story. However, the character spends the entire story (save a three-page epilogue) in a semi-conscious state. She appeared in the 2005 limited series Loners.{{Cite web |last=Beaty |first=Drew |date=August 2, 2021 |title=Marvel Comics: 10 Best Spider-Powered Characters (Who Aren't Peter Parker) |url=https://screenrant.com/spider-man-best-spider-powered-characters-not-peter-parker-marvel-comics/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=Screen Rant |language=en}} This is her first active adventure in more than six years. She appeared in the 2016-2017 Silk series.{{Cite web |last=McCoy |first=Joshua Kristian |date=December 2, 2023 |title=Madame Web: Who Is Mattie Franklin? |url=https://gamerant.com/madame-web-mattie-franklin/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=Game Rant}}

Fictional character biography

Martha "Mattie" Franklin is a troubled youth who grew up with her father after her mother died. After overhearing a phone call between her father and Norman Osborn about The Gathering of Five, she takes her father's place during the Gathering and is endowed with the powers that Norman Osborn desired for himself.The Amazing Spider-Man #441 (1998). Marvel Comics.

Image:SpiderWomanASM5.jpg

During one of Spider-Man's temporary retirements, she wears a near-identical costume and fills in for him.The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 #1. Marvel Comics. Franklin has long been an obsessive fan of Spider-Man who inspired her career as a superhero. This obsession is coupled with repressed romantic feelings for him,The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 #14. Marvel Comics. which she revealed during a state of delirium after suffering a head injury in battle.Spider-Woman vol. 3 #9. Marvel Comics. She is defeated by Shadrac, forcing Spider-Man to return to the costume and save her.The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 #2. Marvel Comics. After Spider-Man's return, she assumes the identity of Spider-Woman.The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 #5. Marvel Comics. Eventually Charlotte Witter, a villain also going by the name of Spider-Woman, attacks her and steals her powers. Mattie manages not only to reabsorb her own powers, but also to absorb the powers of all three previous Spider-Women.Spider-Woman vol. 3 #1. Marvel Comics. Assisted by Madame Web and Jessica Drew, she hunts down supervillains wherever she can find them.Spider-Woman vol. 3 #3–14. Marvel Comics.

Lonely from having only her constantly working father to live with, Franklin moves in with J. Jonah Jameson, a close friend of her father, and his wife Marla who happens to be her aunt.Spider-Woman vol. 3 #3. Marvel Comics. They have Franklin (a straight-"A" student) enrolled in a private school,Spider-Woman vol. 3 #4. Marvel Comics. where a classmate, Cheryl, spots her using her powers and becomes her friend and biggest fan. During this time, the powers Franklin absorbed from previous Spider-Women begin returning to their original owners.Spider-Woman vol. 3 #5. Marvel Comics.

She is featured in the series Contest of Champions II. Having escaped from brutal gladitorial fights that other Earth superheroes are unwittingly brainwashed into, she flees into a mysterious jungle and is almost slain by foe and naive friend alike. She ultimately teams up with all original heroes and veterans Iron Man and Psylocke.Contest of Champions II #1-5 (Sept. 1999 – Nov. 1999). Marvel Comics.

=''Alias''=

While on a first date, Mattie is slipped a date rape drug. Since by this time she has lost the toxin resistance power she absorbed from Jessica Drew, she is rendered senseless. A small-time drug dealer then exploits her to produce a drug called Mutant Growth Hormone (MGH), as well as using her for prostitution. To keep her prisoner, he regularly doses her with psychoactive drugs. Private investigator Jessica Jones, with the help of Jessica Drew, rescues Mattie and returns her to Jonah and Marla. Mattie goes through counseling to get over her dependence on the drugs with which she was sedated.Alias #16–21. Marvel Comics.

=Loners=

After the events of Alias, Mattie had retired from being a superhero and became a private investigator. However, she dons the costume once more to track down the dealers who were selling the MGH, and follows them to Los Angeles, where she attends Excelsior meetings and pretends to quit using her powers. In reality, she is using the meetings to recruit a partner to help her. She is joined by Darkhawk and Ricochet, who keep their activities secret from the rest of the group.The Loners #1. Marvel Comics.

The trio's involvement in the MGH ring bust is revealed when Ricochet's later break-in at a Fujikawa lab results in Lightspeed being grievously wounded by Hollow (formerly Penance). The group is confronted by a woman leading armored guards and Delilah; they have come to reclaim Hollow. The matter is settled peacefully by Mickey Musashi; Mattie is frustrated about allowing the bad guys to leave. However, Mickey reminds her that she is undoing the damage for which she, Darkhawk, and Ricochet are responsible. It is revealed that another reason for her joining the support group was that she was secretly researching the Slingers. While over at Johnny's house she begins searching around, looking for evidence when she is caught by Johnny whom she sleeps with in order for him not to get suspicious.The Loners #5. Marvel Comics. Afterwards, she privately contacts the father of Dusk, in which she confirmed that the former Slinger named Ricochet has no knowledge of Cassie's whereabouts. Mattie and Johnny later arrive at Mickey's apartment, in which they learn about both Phil and Chris fighting each other in Darkhawk armor. After defeating Phil, she learns about Phil also making a deal with Fumiko Fujikawa and decides to leave the support group, no longer trusting them, pointing out that they had forgotten about how to be heroes in trying to overcome their heroic pasts. Mattie also admits that she regrets sleeping with Ricochet.The Loners #6. Marvel Comics.

=''The Gauntlet'' and ''Grim Hunt''=

In "The Gauntlet and Grim Hunt", Sasha Kravinoff kills Mattie Franklin as part of a ritual to resurrect Vladimir Kravinoff.The Amazing Spider-Man #634 (August 2010) She is resurrected in a cloned body in "Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy", but eventually decays and dies.Clone Conspiracy #2 (January 2017)Silk (vol. 2) #17 (April 2017)

Powers and abilities

Mattie Franklin possesses a range of superhuman powers that she gained after participating in the Gathering of Five ceremony.{{Cite web |last=Glazebrook |first=Lewis |date=February 15, 2024 |title=All 4 Spider-Man Heroes In Madame Web Explained |url=https://screenrant.com/madame-web-spider-woman-spider-girl-powers-origins/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=Screen Rant |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Arsalan |first=Maham |date=February 11, 2024 |title=Madame Web: Who is Mattie Franklin? |url=https://www.cbr.com/madame-web-spider-verse-mattie-franklin-explained/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=Comic Book Resources |language=en}} She has superhuman strength, speed, agility, stamina, and reflexes.{{Cite web |last=Ayala |first=Nicolas |date=February 17, 2024 |title=How The Spider-Women & Spider-Girl Get Their Superpowers After Madame Web |url=https://screenrant.com/madame-web-spider-women-spider-girl-superpowers-origins-explained/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=Screen Rant |language=en}} Mattie Franklin also possesses the ability to fly at subsonic speeds and psionic spider legs.{{Cite magazine |last=Grebey |first=James |date=February 12, 2024 |title=Everything You Need to Know About Madame Web |url=https://time.com/6693403/madame-web-what-to-know/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |magazine=Time |language=en}}

After a battle with Charlotte Witter, Mattie briefly lost her powers before regaining not only her own powers, but also those of Witter, the two previous Spider-Women, Jessica Drew and Julia Carpenter, and Madame Web.Spider-Woman vol. 3 #1. Marvel Comics. After a short time, Julia and Jessica regained their powers, which left Mattie with her original abilities and those of Charlotte Witter.Spider-Woman vol. 3 #5. Marvel Comics.

Reception

Rachel Ulatowski of The Mary Sue stated Mattie Franklin has the most dark and tragic backstory of all Spider characters.{{Cite web |last=Ulatowski |first=Rachel |date=November 16, 2023 |title='Madame Web's Mattie Franklin Has a Tragic Comic Book History |url=https://www.themarysue.com/who-is-mattie-franklin-in-marvel-explained/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=The Mary Sue}} Maham Arsalan of Comic Book Resources compared Mattie Franklin to Peter Parker and called her an unlucky character with a turbulent dark existence that can surprise fans,{{Cite web |last=Arsalan |first=Maham |date=February 11, 2024 |title=Madame Web: Who is Mattie Franklin? |url=https://www.cbr.com/madame-web-spider-verse-mattie-franklin-explained/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=Comic Book Resources |language=en}} while Sam Stone dedicated an entire article exposing her "tragic fate."{{Cite web |last=Stone |first=Sam |date=May 4, 2020 |title=Spider-Woman: Whatever Happened to Marvel's Most TRAGIC Web-Slinger? |url=https://www.cbr.com/spider-woman-whatever-happened-mattie-franklin/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=Comic Book Resources |language=en}} Liam McGuire of Screen Rant described the life of Mattie Franklin as one of the most tragic and "messed-up" ones a superhero can have.{{Cite web |last=McGuire |first=Liam |date=June 5, 2020 |title=Marvel's Most TRAGIC Spider-Man Everyone Forgot About |url=https://screenrant.com/marvel-spiderman-mattie-franklin-forgotten/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=Screen Rant |language=en}}

Other versions

=''Marvel Universe vs. The Avengers''=

An alternate version of Mattie Franklin appears in Marvel Universe vs. The Avengers. When a plague turned the world's population into cannibals, she was among the many superheroes who succumbed to it. She was seen battling Black Widow, alongside her infected mentor Jessica Drew.Marvel Universe vs. The Avengers #4. Marvel Comics.

=MC2=

An alternate version of Mattie Franklin appears in MC2. Spider-Man pursued Norman Osborn sooner than he did in the main continuity, and therefore, interfering The Gathering of Five ceremony. Mattie fled with the artifacts needed,Spider-Girl #49. Marvel Comics. and later gained the gift of power.Spider-Girl #39. Marvel Comics.

=''Spider-Verse''=

An alternate version of Mattie Franklin makes a cameo appearance in Spider-Verse as a member of the Spider-Army.Spider-Verse #2. Marvel Comics.

In other media

=Film=

Mattie Franklin appears in Madame Web, portrayed by Celeste O'Connor.{{Cite web |last=Mehra |first=Vansh |date=March 12, 2023 |title=Madame Web plot leak reveals 3 Spider-Women and the main villain |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/comics/madame-web-plot-leak-reveals-3-spider-women-main-villain |access-date=March 12, 2023 |website=Sportskeeda}} This version is an affluent yet rebellious African American teenager who is estranged from her wealthy parents, who are busy with a project across the ocean.{{Cite web |last=Matadeen |first=Renaldo |date=February 19, 2024 |title=Madame Web's Biggest Changes From the Marvel Comics |url=https://www.cbr.com/madame-web-movie-biggest-changes-from-comics/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=Comic Book Resources |language=en}} After being targeted by Ezekiel Sims, whose prophetic visions lead him to believe she might kill him in the future, Franklin is rescued by Cassie Webb, who eventually trains her in becoming a superhero.

=Video games=

  • Mattie Franklin's Spider-Woman suit was intended to appear in Marvel Ultimate Alliance as an alternate skin for Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman. While it was replaced by Spider-Girl's suit, concept art for Franklin's suit is featured as unlockable content.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}
  • Mattie Franklin / Spider-Woman appears as an unlockable playable character in Spider-Man Unlimited.{{Cite web |last=Dinh |first=Christine |date=February 28, 2018 |title=Witness the clash of renowned Spider-Verse vampires in Spider-Man Unlimited |url=https://www.marvel.com/articles/games/witness-the-clash-of-renowned-spider-verse-vampires-in-spider-man-unlimited |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=Marvel.com}}{{cite web |last=Beech |first=Alex |date=August 8, 2017 |title=11 new heroes appear in Spider-Man Unlimited issue 24 |url=http://www.gameloft.com/central/spider-man-unlimited/11-new-heroes-appear-in-spider-man-unlimited-issue-24/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616022931/http://www.gameloft.com/central/spider-man-unlimited/11-new-heroes-appear-in-spider-man-unlimited-issue-24/ |archive-date=June 16, 2019 |access-date=June 16, 2019 |publisher=Gameloft}}

=Merchandise=

In 2022, Funko released a Mattie Franklin / Spider-Woman Funko Pop figure as part of the "Beyond Amazing" collection.{{Cite web |last=Fallon |first=Sean |date=December 20, 2022 |title=Marvel Beyond Amazing Funko Pop Lineup Continues With Santa Spider-Man and Dusk |url=https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/marvel-beyond-amazing-funko-pop-pre-orders-santa-spider-man-dusk/ |access-date=April 10, 2024 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en}}

Collected editions

class="wikitable"
Title

! Material collected

! Publication date

! ISBN

Spider-Woman: {{no wrap|There Can Only Be One!}}

| Spider-Woman (vol. 3) #1–18 ("Spider Spider", "Suffer the Little Children", "Suffer the Little Children", "Skin and Bones", "A Rag, a Bone, and a Hank of Hair", "Shadows & Light", "I Dwelt in Darkness, Dreaming", "Bits and Pieces", "War and Pieces", "Break of Hearts", "Day of Thunder!", "Welcome to My Nightmare!", "Stipendium Pecarte Mors Est (The Wages of Sin Is Death)", "Sinner's Moon", "Eye of Cat", "Flesh and the Devils", "You Are What Eats You", "Bones May Crack and Flesh May Boil!", and "Dry Bones")

| 2001

|

The Loners: The Secret Lives Of Super Heroes

| The Loners #1–6

| March 2008

| {{ISBN|978-0785122159}}

References

{{Reflist}}