James Whitbrook’s July 14, 2017 Gizmodo ranking names Jessica Drew the greatest Spider-Woman, followed by May “Mayday” Parker and Cindy Moon, also known as Silk. It is a subjective list of 22 characters across Marvel’s multiverse—not a current poll or an objective measure of who readers like best. Its broad scope includes alternate identities, legacy heroes, villains, and spider-powered allies, while excluding Madame Web.
How to read this ranking
“Spider-Woman” can mean a specific character—most often Jessica Drew—or the mantle used by several characters. Whitbrook’s list takes the wider view: it ranks 22 people and variants who take on Spider-Woman or Spider-Girl identities, as well as spider-heroes who work alongside Spider-Man in their own worlds. That means its entries are not all versions of the same person, and many do not share a continuity.
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The order reflects Whitbrook’s editorial judgment in 2017. The article does not set out a scored method or measure fan consensus. Its explanations point to considerations such as an independent identity, publication history, distinctive origins, roles in crossover stories, and character development; those are useful ways to compare the characters, not an objective formula for a winner.
The top three in Whitbrook’s 2017 list
| Rank | Character | Why the article puts her here |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman | Whitbrook values her identity beyond being a female counterpart to Peter Parker and her varied career as a spy, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Avenger, and private investigator. |
| 2 | May Parker / Spider-Girl (Earth-982) | The list treats Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson’s daughter as a durable legacy hero with a long-running place of her own. |
| 3 | Cindy Moon / Silk | Whitbrook credits Silk’s solo stories with giving her emotional depth and room for character development. |
These reasons are the ranking author’s assessments, not claims that the characters have objectively measurable levels of quality.
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What makes Jessica Drew the list’s No. 1?
Jessica Drew is the clearest answer if someone asks, “Who is the best Spider-Woman?” in the sense of the original, central identity in this ranking. Whitbrook’s case is that Jessica does not need to be defined by Peter Parker: her stories have taken her through espionage, S.H.I.E.L.D., the Avengers, and private investigation. Marvel’s official history explainer says her self-titled series ran for 50 issues; the page extract does not establish a year for that figure.
That independence is the key distinction. Jessica is not simply one more character borrowing Peter’s origin or role. The 2017 list puts her first because it values a Spider-Woman who can occupy her own corner of Marvel stories, including plots far removed from the wider Spider-characters.
Rank #2
Other major Spider-Women and Spider-Girls
May Parker: Spider-Girl of Earth-982
Mayday is the daughter of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson in the MC2 continuity, Earth-982. She adopts the Spider-Girl identity. Her second-place position reflects the list’s appreciation of her as a legacy character with an enduring story, rather than a temporary substitute for Peter.
Cindy Moon: Silk
Cindy Moon’s story intersects with Spider-Verse, but Silk is her own character, not another name for Spider-Woman. Whitbrook’s third-place pick emphasizes the emotional and character work in her solo material.
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Gwen Stacy: Ghost-Spider, also called Spider-Gwen
Gwen Stacy of Earth-65 is widely known as Spider-Gwen, while Marvel’s official character page uses the name Ghost-Spider and connects her to Spider-Verse. The ranking highlights her distinctive costume, popularity, and ongoing solo series. These labels refer to the same Earth-65 hero at different points in how she is identified; they do not make her Jessica Drew or a version of her.
Julia Carpenter: Spider-Woman, Arachne, and Madame Web
Julia Carpenter is a separate successor to the Spider-Woman identity who later takes on the Madame Web mantle. The identity changes matter: Madame Web is not simply another name for every Spider-Woman. In fact, Whitbrook explicitly left Madame Web out of the 22 entries, even though Julia’s later association with that mantle makes her relevant context.
Anya Corazon: Araña and Spider-Girl
Anya Corazon’s career includes the Araña identity and later Spider-Girl stories, as well as a role in Spider-Verse. Keeping the names attached to their particular phases makes her easier to distinguish from Mayday Parker, who also uses Spider-Girl.
Mattie Franklin and Charlotte Witter
Mattie Franklin is another bearer of the Spider-Woman name. The ranking traces her origin to a ritual and discusses the difficult direction of some of her later stories; Marvel’s Jessica Drew explainer also lists Mattie among the Spider-Women.
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Charlotte Witter enters the picture as an antagonist transformed into Spider-Woman, with the ability to siphon other Spider-Women’s powers. Marvel’s Madame Web explainer corroborates a team-up against her. Her presence underscores that the ranking includes villains and complicated mantle-holders, not only conventional heroes.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the list ranges beyond the main Marvel continuity
The 22 entries include a broad assortment of multiverse characters, among them Ultimate Jessica Drew, Annie Parker as Spiderling, Peni Parker as SP//dr, May Reilly as Lady Spider, alternate Mary Jane Watsons, Ashley Barton, and animal or one-off variants. Their inclusion follows the article’s broad rule about mantles and spider-hero roles, not a narrow definition limited to main-continuity Spider-Women.
As a result, the list answers a different question from “Which Spider-Woman in the main Marvel continuity is best?” It asks which characters across a wide field of identities and universes make the strongest case. Readers who want a continuity-specific answer should first decide which version or mantle they mean.
Who is the best Spider-Woman?
If “best” means the top choice in Whitbrook’s published ranking, the answer is Jessica Drew. If it means a personal favorite, the answer depends on what matters most: Jessica’s independent career, Mayday’s legacy story, Silk’s character development, Ghost-Spider’s Earth-65 identity, or another character’s particular origin and role. The 2017 list offers an informed editorial preference, not a verdict binding every continuity or reader.
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