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The short answer
Her spider powers come from a mystical ritual staged by followers of Norman Osborn, meant to redistribute those of the Spider-Totems: the operation goes wrong and she absorbs a share of them. Trained first by Peter and then by Jessica Drew, she drifts onto a far darker path. The full story follows below.
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Martha ‘Mattie’ Franklin isn’t the best-known Spider-Woman among the general public, and yet her journey is one of the most fascinating in the whole Marvel universe. Brave, tormented and deeply tied to Peter Parker, she embodies the very idea of legacy — that of the spider, of duty, and of the weight of responsibility.
First appearing in the late 1990s in Spider-Man #441, Martha Franklin starts out as a young woman from New York high society with a passion for superheroes. But behind her idealistic teenage manner she hides a deep obsession: becoming a heroine herself, whatever the risk. And that dream will quickly lead her into the dark.
Her fate turns when she infiltrates a mystical ritual held by followers of Norman Osborn. That ritual, meant to redistribute the powers of the various Spider-Totems, goes wrong — and Mattie ends up absorbing part of Spider-Man’s own powers. From then on she becomes a female version of the web-slinger, with his strength, his agility, his spider-sense and even the ability to swing from building to building on synthetic webs.
But unlike Peter, Mattie doesn’t immediately receive the same moral compass. Her beginnings are chaotic, impulsive, almost adolescent. She tries to imitate Spider-Man without really understanding what it means. That is exactly what makes her character so moving: she wasn’t born a heroine, she becomes one the hard way.
Over time her costume evolves — at first heavily inspired by that of Jessica Drew, the first Spider-Woman, before turning darker, more tactical, closer to the urban world of Spider-Man. That modernised look is now a source of inspiration for many fans, who find it again in our Spider-Man costumes and Spider-Verse figures.
This first phase of her heroic life lays the groundwork for a poignant coming-of-age arc, mixing ambition, guilt and a need for recognition — central themes in the world of Spider-Man.
From admiration to legacy: the complex relationship with Spider-Man
For Mattie Franklin, Spider-Man was never just a role model. He was a landmark, an almost mythological figure. When she gains her powers, she tries to copy his fighting style, his sense of justice and even his humour, without grasping how heavy the burden he carries really is. That contrast between naivety and responsibility becomes the heart of her development.
Peter Parker, wary at first, ends up taking Mattie under his wing. He recognises in her a younger, more impulsive version of himself. This mentoring relationship is one of the most touching aspects of the character: Spider-Man, who has lost so many loved ones, finds in Mattie a form of continuity, proof that his fight still inspires. But he also sees through her the dangers of his own way of life.
Their relationship therefore swings between tenderness and worry. Peter tries to shield her from the world he knows all too well — that of Spider-Man’s enemies —, but Mattie refuses to be treated like a child. She wants to prove she deserves her name and her powers. That determination leads her to face fearsome opponents alone, such as Mysterio or Shocker, often at the risk of her life.
But it is by crossing paths with Jessica Drew, the original Spider-Woman, that Mattie finally finds her balance. Jessica, more experienced and more clear-sighted, helps her understand that a heroic identity is not about a costume or powers, but about how you use them. The Spider-Woman / Spider-Man duo thus becomes a symbolic family, united by duty and courage.
This female alliance also strengthens Mattie’s aura in the Marvel universe. Where Peter embodies the weight of responsibility, she embodies the search for identity and the passing on of a legacy. It is a theme found again in modern takes on the Spider-Verse, where several heroes and heroines now share the legend of the spider.
This duality between mentor and pupil, between role model and heir, makes Mattie Franklin an essential figure for understanding how the Spider-Man myth stretched beyond Peter Parker. She is not merely a successor: she is its emotional and symbolic continuity.
Fans of this cult era can find pieces inspired by this iconic duo in the Spider-Man mask collection or among our Spider-Woman and Spider-Man pyjamas.
Peter Parker, the mentor
Wary at first, he takes her under his wing and tries to protect her.
Jessica Drew, the guide
The original Spider-Woman helps her find her balance.
Mattie, the heir
She embodies the search for identity and the passing on of the myth.
Between lost bearings and inner struggle: Mattie Franklin’s descent
While Martha Franklin’s beginnings looked promising, her life as a superheroine soon spirals into something darker. Behind her youthful energy lay a deep loneliness, made worse by the responsibility of taking on a role that was not her own. Becoming a Spider-Woman is not only about fighting criminals — it also means carrying the weight of the symbol embodied by Peter Parker.
Mattie eventually drifts away from her mentors and sinks into a period of moral wandering. She tries to reconcile a ‘normal’ life with her heroic identity, but this double existence consumes her. It is around this time that she is captured by drug traffickers who exploit her powers to produce a new mutagenic substance. Addicted and broken, she becomes, despite herself, a victim of the world she wanted to protect.
This dramatic passage is one of the most poignant in the Spider-Man universe, because it shows the hidden face of the myth: the psychological price of heroism. Unlike Peter, who finds solid emotional anchors around him (such as Mary Jane Watson or Aunt May), Mattie faces her inner demons alone.
Despite the darkness, she slowly rebuilds herself, supported by Jessica Drew and by the alliance of the heroines of the Spider-Verse. This female solidarity becomes an essential thread in her story, setting the light of the collective against the destructive loneliness of the lone hero.
This period also marks an aesthetic transformation: her costume becomes more minimalist, almost symbolic, a sign that she no longer wants to be ‘the other Spider-Man’, but to become herself. It is an evolution visible in the modern designs found in some of the Spider-Woman figures and Spider-Man jackets available in the shop.
Fans see a metaphor in it: even in the Marvel universe, being a symbol can break a person. And Mattie Franklin, through her fall and her recovery, proves that even a heroine can falter — and get back up stronger than ever.
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Drifting away Mattie drifts away from her mentors and sinks into moral wandering.
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The capture Traffickers exploit her powers to produce a mutagenic substance.
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The recovery She gets back up, supported by Jessica Drew and the heroines of the Spider-Verse.
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A new costume More minimalist, a sign that she is seeking to become herself.
A tragic yet immortal legacy in the Spider-Verse
The journey of Martha Franklin ends tragically, but her mark on the Spider-Man universe is indelible. In the comics, Mattie is killed by Alyosha Kravinoff, the son of Kraven the Hunter, during a macabre ritual meant to resurrect the Kravinoff family. Her death, brutal and unjust, deeply shocks Peter Parker and Jessica Drew, but it is not in vain: she becomes a symbol of the price heroic responsibility exacts.
In the Spider-Verse, Martha Franklin makes several reappearances as tributes or as variants from parallel universes. Some versions present her as an experienced Spider-Woman who survived her injuries, while others depict her as a spiritual guardian of the ‘spider lineage’. These posthumous incarnations are a reminder that in the Marvel universe, nobody is ever completely forgotten.
Her presence also hangs over stories where the notion of legacy is central, notably in arcs such as Spider-Man: Life Story or The Clone Saga, where the themes of transmission, sacrifice and memory are everywhere. In these ever-changing worlds, Mattie embodies the link between the generations of spider heroes — past, present and future.
Beyond the page, she still inspires pop culture. Artists and collectors keep paying tribute to her through t-shirts, Spider-Woman posters or costumes inspired by her appearances, proof that her memory is still alive in the hearts of the web-slinger’s fans.
In the end, Martha Franklin is not a secondary heroine. She is a shooting star of the spider multiverse — brief, intense and unforgettable.
A shooting star of the multiverse
Killed by Alyosha Kravinoff, son of Kraven the Hunter, during a macabre ritual, Mattie returns in the Spider-Verse as tributes or parallel variants.
