Editor of Marvel Comics Spider-Girl spoke to BBC World Service on 17 November 2010 about the first issue of "Spider-Girl" to come out in the UK today. The makers of Spider-Man have decided to launch yet another version of the female superhero. Spider-Girl "Mayday" Parker (daughter of Spider Man and Mary Jane Watson) is dead: Long live... Spider-Girl.
Spider-Girl, Female Superhero Anya Corazon (Arana)
The new female superhero unveiled by Marvel Comics is not exactly new. She is Anya Corazon, or Arana, the Brooklyn-based teenage girl, formerly member of the Order of the Spider but currently possessing no superpowers at all. Arana was the creation of Fiona Avery and Mark Brookes. The new Spider-Girl is written by Paul Tobin and illustrated by Clayton Henry. "She's unlike most superheroes," says Brennan. "Her father was a crusading reporter, so she's always had a sense of justice throughout her life and through her own personal will she's got involved in the superhero game."
Spider-Girl is, like Batman, a superhero with no superpowers - a vigilante. She is obviously very fit as “she has been trained by some of the best in the Marvel world” and ready for a fight. “She is a teenage girl in high school. She lives a pretty active life between fighting crime and living the everyday life of a high school student in America,” says Tom Brennan. She might have lost her powers but as Spider-Man says “with great power comes great responsibility:” Spider-Girl, Anya, has lost the power but not the sense of responsibility.
Marvel Comics Spider-Girl Readers
As Marvel Comics editor Brennan accepts “people want to read stories with characters they relate to” and certainly this Spider-Girl character may appeal to young women readers. Paul Tobin told the BBC that it was important to him not to portray Spider-Girl in a “sexualized” way, or a “trophy” girl. The female superhero is also not blind to social media. Yes, she does have a Twitter account.
The Twitter feed is run by Paul Tobin with a little help from his wife. Paul Tobin’s website encourages readers to follow The_Spider_Girl on Twitter for “behind-the-scenes looks at Anya / Spider-Girl, her adventures, what she thinks of doing her laundry and the villages she’d least like to fight.” On 18 November Spider-Girl had already 893 followers and 273 tweets.
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What Marvel Comics’ readers’ verdict will be? Will Spider-Girl swing or fall?
See Tom Brennan’s interview with BBC World Service. Paul Tobin talks about Anya Corazon and Spider-Girl in Comic Book Resources on July 26, 2010.
Read more at Suite101: Spider-Girl, Female Superhero Unveiled by Marvel Comics http://www.suite101.com/content/spider-girl-female-superhero-unveiled-by-marvel-comics-a310479#ixzz15erPr0F8
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