Spider-Woman: Origins 1

Bendis·Reed·Luna Brothers
Thirty years ago, July 2 on Wundagore Mountain, Jonathan Drew writes in his project journal. He mentions about his work on arthropods and how the lived before mankind and how they will continue to live after mankind. The work included how they are closer to harnessing the arachnid's innate environmental adaptability and grafting it to the human genome. At the same time, Miriam Drew (Jonathan's wife) is collecting an arachnid speciman, Latrodectus Wundagore out in the hillside of the mountain.

As they walk back to the house, Miriam mentions a couple names for their baby, Michelle or Rebecca. When they arrive back at their house, they are greeted by their housekeeper, Bova. A helicopter arrives as well as they (along with Miles Warren) are surprised by the early arrival of General Wyndham (Wyndham is providing the funding for their research). Wyndham wants to "see the boys in action" in their scientic research. So Jonathan decides to show the General the Genetic Compiler that uses laser technology and allows the scientist to access a subject's DNA and work on them in real time. Miriam continues to say that they have been testing various arachnid species. As she picks up the arachnid species, Warren yells out, "Don't touch it!" Warren was in the middle of running a timer diagnostic. Miriam is exposed to the laser beam of the Genetic Compiler, directly to the unborn child.

Two months later, Mariam's ultrasound test results indicate that the baby is losing weight, has an irregular heartbeat and abnormal vital signs. The parents are terrified and prepare for the worst. But three months later a miracle happens, Jessica Miriam Drew is born healthy.

Years later, we see Miriam and Jessica out for a walk collecting arachnid specimens. Jessica finds a Latrodectus Wundagore specimen and collects it into a container. Jessica asks if the spider has a family and if the spider liked where he was. During the Q&A Jessica takes the Spider out of the container and lets it walk on her fingers. Miriam is petrified and tells Jessica what she is doing is very dangerous. But jessica lets the spider down and sets it free.

Miriam mentions what happened to Jonathan and he is furious. The couple get into a big fight. Jonathan is on edge because Warren has left the project to explore DNA cloning instead of DNA alteration.

Jessica Drew is alone in her room bored to tears. As she looks out the window, she realizes that her hands somehow attached themselves to the window sill. Jessica is startled and she starts to get a nose bleed. But as she attempt to remove her hands, she breaks the window sill then blacks out. She wakes up with her mother in an examining room. Then Jonathan come in takes a blood sample from Jessica for testing.

Cover art courtesy of Marvel.com

Preview

Olivier Coipel cover variant

BRIAN REED ON SPIDER-WOMAN: ORIGIN...
newsarama.com
...Spider-Woman: Origin is all about her beginnings, stepping through her time with Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. right up until she starts her super hero career.

The New Avengers story, on the other hand, is about where she is today and just what deals she cut to get her powers back. They're both really fun stories that revolve around two different points in the life of a very interesting character.
...Bendis and I have agreed since the beginning that this is a woman with a lot of pent up anger. A lot of rage just sitting there, right under the surface. So in Spider-Woman: Origin, we're really looking at how she got that way in the first place.

If you've read the first Spider-Woman story from Marvel Spotlight, you know she had a boyfriend during her time with Hydra. We play with that relationship and... oh! I haven't said "stay tuned" yet. So, stay tuned and you'll learn all about that little corner of Jessica's past.

Spider-Woman's life is turned upside down pretty early on and it takes her a long, long time to start setting it right again. It's something that she's still working on in New Avengers.