Peter Parker, the Amazing Spider-Man, is dead, slain at the hands of the Green Goblin. Following the events of 'What If...? Dark: Spider-Gwen', a new hero must rise and assume the spider-mantle to protect New York from the forces of evil. That perso...
In the days that followed, New York became abuzz with news of the mysterious Spider-Woman, who had so suddenly appeared and was now foiling criminal activity all over the city. Before, the news articles had been talking about the strange disappearance of Spider-Man, but now they were all talking about this new masked vigilante who had seemingly taken his place. Crime rates that had risen sharply over the last few months were now just as quickly falling, with many criminals found webbed to lampposts and the like. Rescue services and average citizens also found unexpected aid, such as residents trapped in burning buildings being rescued and taken to safety by a masked woman, dressed in a spider-costume and green hoodie. Many were still trying to work out what they made of this new spider-powered individual, who she was and what her connection to the original Spider-Man was.
However, one man had already made up his mind regarding the new Spider-Woman. In his office at the Daily Bugle, publisher J. Jonah Jameson was busy ranting his thoughts at his weary city editor, Joseph 'Robbie' Robertson, who listened patiently and calmly.
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"Another masked menace! That's who this girl is!" fumed Jameson, as he slammed a clenched fist onto the top of his desk. "Just when I dared hope this city was rid of Spider-Man, this new public enemy shows up masquerading as that wall-crawling freak!"
"Now calm down, Jonah," said Robertson soothingly. "You don't know anything about this Spider-Woman. None of us do. She may have nothing to do with Spider-Man."
"Hogwash!" snapped Jameson, jabbing a finger at a photo on the desk, depicting the Spider-Woman swinging through the air on her web-lines. "You can't tell me that this girl simply bought her costume from the same tailor as that web-headed moron! I tell you, those two Spider-Crooks are in cahoots! I'll bet Spider-Man is hiding away, recruiting some kind of Spider-Army to overrun our fair city. Well, I for one won't stand for it! I'll stop those wall-crawling menaces by making the public demand their arrests at once!"
Robbie sighed, all too used to Jameson's attitude towards costumes individuals, particularly Spider-Man. "I'm only your City Editor, Jonah, but I think you're making a grave mistake. Besides, I'm not convinced that Spider-Man is going to make another appearance. Rumour on the street is that he's dead, killed by the Green Goblin, just as poor Peter Parker was."
Jameson's face softened a little at hearing the name of the freelance photographer who had gotten him so many photos of Spider-Man in the past. "Yeah, poor kid. Parker may have been a major pain at times, but he wasn't too bad a guy I guess. How's his girlfriend coping? Hadn't heard much about her since the funeral."
"I think she's doing okay, at least she was last I heard," said Robbie solemnly. "She hasn't exactly had an easy time, you know. First her father was killed, then Peter, and now one of her closest friends turns out to be the Green Goblin, or at least one who had followed in the footsteps of the original. How much grief can one young lady take, that's what I ask myself."
As the two newspaper men considered the woes of young Gwen Stacy, the office door opened and a handsome man in his thirties walked in, dressed in a suit and wearing a pendant with a strange-looking stone around his neck.
