Spider-Bitch (Ashley Barton)
Ashley Barton Spider-Bitch | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance |
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Created by |
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In-story information | |
Alter ego | Ashley Parker Barton |
Species | The Wastelands, Earth-807128/21923 |
Team affiliations | Spider-Army/Amazing Arachnids/Spider-Force |
Partnerships |
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Notable aliases |
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Abilities |
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Spider-Bitch (Ashley Barton) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven, the character first appeared in Wolverine #67 (September 2008). She is the estranged daughter of Peter Parker / Spider-Man's youngest daughter Tonya and Clint Barton / Hawkeye, and the stepdaughter of Tonya's husband Ultron 8, from the alternate-future of Earth-807128/21923, in which the supervillains overthrew the superheroes three decades earlier.[1] Having no superpowers, after being saved from execution by her estranged father and Old Man Logan in 2008's Old Man Logan storyline, Spider-Bitch kills the current Kingpin of Crime, succeeding him as the Kingpin of the Wastelands, revealing her true villainous nature, before unsuccessfully attempting to kill her father and Logan.[2]
While usually portrayed as a supervillain, Spider-Bitch has also been occasionally depicted as a conflicted antihero. In the 2014–15 "Spider-Verse" storyline, set after Old Man Logan, Spider-Bitch is among the first recruited to a resistance movement against the Inheritors' consumption of Spider-People across the Spider-Verse by the Superior Spider-Man, Otto Octavius, to devise a plan to kill them all; in the aftermath of the conflict, Spider-Bitch continues to explore the multiverse, assisting various teams of Spider-People while funnelling resources back to her home dimension until the 2018 Spider-Geddon storyline and Spider-Force miniseries, following which she returns to her reality, seven years having passed, and reclaims her throne from Taskmaster in 2019's Old Man Quill storyline, continuing her plans to take over the world.
Receiving a generally positive critical reception, the character was adapted to the 2021
Publication history
Created by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven, Spider-Bitch first appeared in Wolverine Vol. 3 #67 (September 2008) before making full appearances the following two issues in October and November.[5] Owing to the child-oriented storylines of the character's initial appearances post-Old Man Logan, she is alternately referred to as "Spider-Woman" or "Spider-Girl" due to censorship in text box descriptions, referring to herself as "the Spider-B****" in dialogue.
She is a supporting character in the event series Spider-Verse (Nov. 2014–Feb. 2015), Spider-Geddon (Oct.–Dec. 2018), and Old Man Quill (Feb.–Dec. 2019), and a minor character in Old Man Hawkeye (Feb.–Dec. 2018).[6]
Fictional character biography
Old Man Logan
In the future of
Edge of Spider-Verse and Spider-Verse
Alternately referred to as both "Spider-Woman" and "Spider-Girl" due to
Deadpool: Too Soon?
In the Infinite Comic Deadpool: Too Soon?, while investigating an assassin who has been killing several "silly" superheroes across the multiverse, Deadpool seeks to protect Spider-Ham, tracking him down to Central Park, where he interrupts an ongoing baseball game between the Amazing Arachnids (a team of Spider-People from across the Spider-Verse) and the Seething Snikters (a team of variants of Wolverine, his clones and his children). Noticing Deadpool, a participating Spider-Bitch questions what he is doing there and why he interrupted the game, before joining the other Spider-People and Wolverines in chasing him out of the park.[20]
Old Man Hawkeye
In the prequel series Old Man Hawkeye (Jan.–Dec. 2018), set five years before Old Man Logan, after learning that his glaucoma will render him completely blind in a matter of weeks due to, Clint visits a 17-year-old Ashley in Hammer Falls, Nevada so that he can see her with his own eyes for the last time; after Clint notes she has a poster of a young him as Hawkeye on the wall (alongside posters of her grandfather Spider-Man and the Kingpin), Ashley references him atypically showing up every five years to see her. Hearing from Tonya that Ashley had recently gotten in trouble for fighting, Clint is initially proud to hear that she had beaten up a bully who had in turn been "beating up one of the fat kids" and stealing his money, only to learn that she had beaten them both up due the "fat kid" having been paying her for protection, and she was insulted by the "disrespect" he had showed by keeping money from her. Dismissing her father's attempts at small talk, Ashley asks Clint why he is really there. After she is dismissive of his vague response, Clint leaves Ashley be, leaving to fulfil his vendetta with the Thunderbolts before he is fully blind.[21] A few days later, Marshal Bullseye, tracking Clint's subsequent killings, visits Hammer Falls and questions Ashley about Clint (whom he rightfully suspects to be behind the killings) outside her mother's garage. After learning that Clint does not actually live there, only coming around "once every few years when he feels guilty about knocking up my mother", Marshal Bullseye notices Ashley's lack of fear with regards to his appearance, even after pulling out a sai in front of her; Ashley references having killed the last man to stick a knife in her face. Impressed, and receiving word of a new "attack by assailant wielding bow", Marshal Bullseye tells Ashley ("little lady") that he will give Clint her regards when he sees him.[22] Later, while visiting Arcade's Murderworld, Nevada to kill Atlas, Clint briefly meets with an elderly Ruth "Blindfold" Aldine, who sees the "bloody road" he is on, "choosing to live for revenge", in particular Ashley's future as Spider-Bitch five years in the future, her attempt to kill him, and his own death days after, although only vaguely alluding to it and shaping images of her, Clint and Logan out of smoke.[23]
Spider-Geddon and Spider-Force
In the 2018 comics event
Old Man Quill
In Old Man Quill, after returning to the Wastelands to find seven years to have passed (since Old Man Logan),[30] and Emperor Doom to have taken over her lands while she was fighting the Inheritors and travelling the multiverse,[31] Spider-Bitch is captured by his forces and made to regularly fight in gladiatorial combat in Rice–Eccles Stadium over the following months, with Doom appointing Taskmaster in her stead. After coming across a stranded elderly Peter Quill alongside her in the arena (who is hallucinating the deceased Guardians of the Galaxy talking to him and Rocket Raccoon flirting with her), Spider-Bitch is surprised to learn she will not be facing her usual opponents in combat, but a mind-controlled Fin Fang Foom.[32] After witnessing Spider-Bitch push a prisoner dressed like Captain America into a guard to steal the latter's spear, killing them both, before proceeding to attack Foom's ankles, Quill has Spider-Bitch give him a "Fastball Special", throwing him into one of the drones surrounding the arena to commandeer it, and use it to free Foom, who begins to incinerate the watching audience. Making her way to Taskmaster, Spider-Bitch mocks his age and competence before punching him multiple times in the face. After directing Quill on where to find the Ultimate Nullifier, a relic in the Baxter Building's ruins in New York which he is looking for, Spider-Bitch resumes her role as Kingpin of the Wastelands, overseeing the gladiatorial fights as her assistant arranges for her to watch Taskmaster take on her newly captured Venom-infused Tyrannosaurus rex.[33] Sometime later, after her men discover an army of Doombots to be coming in her direction, Spider-Bitch prepares a speech for her people to inspire them to fight and die on her behalf to protect "what's mine". After one of her assistants informs that they will surely all be killed the moment the Doombots arrive in the city based on the speed they are moving at, Spider-Bitch asks him to "show a little spine"; after seeing the Doombots blow past above the city, Spider-Bitch is surprised that she wasn't their intended target.[34] Later still, while sitting on her throne and holding a skull in her hands, Spider-Bitch is insulted when her television channels are replaced by a broadcast from Doom and Madame Masque of Quill's intended execution, which is interrupted by Galactus, who Quill then kills.[35][36]
Powers and abilities
Despite her get-up, and being considered a Spider-Totem by the Inheritors and the Web of Life and Destiny, Spider-Bitch seemingly has none of the powers of her grandfather, Spider-Man (super-strength, agility, the ability to stick to surfaces, and a spider-sense that warns them of danger), although she displays strength, speed, and agility which allow her to go toe-to-toe with superhumans. She acquired these skills through vigorous training and exercise.[37][a] Expressing no interest in romantic relationships of any kind, Spider-Bitch instead seeks world domination and independence from oversight by Doctor Doom throughout Old Man Quill, oblivious to his lack of interest in her actions.[39]
Reception
Accolades
- In 2017, Gizmodo ranked Ashley Barton 17th in their "Greatest Spider-Women of All Time" list.[40]
- In 2020, Comic Book Resources ranked Ashley Barton 8th in their "Spider-Woman: 10 Most Powerful Characters To Bear The Name" list.[41]
- In 2021, IGN included Ashley Barton in their "10 Spider-Man Variants Who Should Appear in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" list.[42]
Other versions
Edge of Venomverse
Fifteen years after the events of Old Man Logan, Spider-Bitch (depicted as
Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe Again
In Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe Again, as a brainwashed Deadpool decapitates Miles Morales while flying on Green Goblin's glider, dressed as Spider-Man, he sees himself as a "Composite Spider-Man and Deadpool" ending "The Saga of the Spider-Verse Clone Conspiracy" by killing multiple Spider-People, including Spider-Bitch, and "putting an end to this arachnid mayhem!"[44]
In other media
Film
Spider-Bitch, referred to as "Spider-Kingpin", appears in
Video games
- Spider-Bitch makes a cameo appearance in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions (2010).
- Spider-Bitch, referred to as "Spider-Girl", appears as an playable character in Spider-Man Unlimited, added in 2015.[46]
Miscellaneous
Ashley Barton appears in
Merchandise
Ashley Barton / Spider-Bitch received a figure in Hasbro's Marvel Legends line.[49]
References
- ^ Collins, Hannah (December 14, 2018). "40 Alternate Spider-Man Costumes, Ranked". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
- ^ Jung, Michael (April 27, 2020). "10 Spider-Men (& Women) With Racially Diverse Backgrounds". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
- ^ a b Sideshow (May 19, 2023). "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse New Character Guide". Sideshow Collectibles. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
- ^ The Mary Sue. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
- Marvel.com. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
- ^ Whitbrook, James (July 14, 2017). "The Greatest Spider-Women of All Time, Ranked". Gizmodo. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ^ Wolverine Vol. 3 #67 (September 2008) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Wolverine Vol. 3 #68 (October 2008) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Wolverine Vol. 3 #69 (November 2008) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Wolverine Vol. 3 #70 (December 2008) Marvel Comics.
- ^ All-New X-Men Annual Vol. 1 #1 (December 2014) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Odorico, Alix (December 8, 2021). "Marvel: Spider-Woman's First Name Has Been Censored". Hitek. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
- ^ The Superior Spider-Man #32 (September 2014) Marvel Comics.
- Edge of Spider-Verse #1 (September 2014) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Spider-Verse #1 (November 2014) Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Superior Spider-Man #33 (September 2014) Marvel Comics.
- The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 3 #10–14 (November 2014–February 2015) Marvel Comics.
- Spider-Verse Team-Up #3 (January 2015) Marvel Comics.
- The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 3 #15 (2014) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Deadpool: Too Soon? Infinite Comic #6. (September 2016) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Old Man Hawkeye #1 (January 2018) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Old Man Hawkeye #2 (February 2018) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Old Man Hawkeye #3 (March 2018) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Terror, Jude (October 27, 2018). "An Uncanny New Team Debuts in Next Week's Spider-Force #1". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
- ^ a b Spider-Force #1 (October 2018) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Spider-Geddon #2–3 (October–November 2018) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Spider-Force #2 (November 2018) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Spider-Force #3 (December 2018) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Spider-Geddon #5 (October 2018) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Dead Man Logan #7 (May 2019) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Old Man Quill #2 (February 2019) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Old Man Quill #3 (March 2019) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Old Man Quill #4 (April 2019) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Old Man Quill #10 (October 2019) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Old Man Quill #12 (December 2019) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Matadeen, Renaldo (July 5, 2019). "Old Man Quill: What Happened to the Guardian of the Galaxy?". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
- ^ McGuire, Liam (December 3, 2021). "A Spider-Verse Hero Has The Most Hilariously Inappropriate Hero Name". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
- ^ McGuire, Liam [@LiamRMcGuire] (November 27, 2023). "Fun fact – I'm credited as a source on Spider-Bitch's Wikipedia page for something I wrote in 2021. Another fun fact – Click the link and see Screen Rant edited the piece with rewrites, added an A.I. summary to the post, and now I'm not even credited as the author" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ History of the Marvel Universe Vol 2. #6 (December 2019) Marvel Comics.
- ^ "The Greatest Spider-Women of All Time, Ranked". Gizmodo. July 14, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
- ^ Allan, Scoot (June 23, 2020). "Spider-Woman: 10 Most Powerful Characters To Bear The Name, Ranked". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
- ^ Bashir, Dale (December 6, 2021). "10 Spider-Man Variants Who Should Appear in 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse'". IGN Southeast Asia. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
- Edge of Venomverse #4 (August 2017) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe Again #2. (June 2017) Marvel Comics.
- ^ Dax ExclamationPoint⚡️ [@Daxclamation] (November 16, 2023). "SPIDER BITCH!!! where is her Sony-produced Spider-Verse adjacent movie? Someone get New Line Cinema on the phone I have something to discuss! And yes. She IS canon. I'm not just being a drag queen about it and saying "YAAAAAS Spider-Bitch House Down Boots Maw Maw Gaga!" But I could and it too would be canon" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Infante, David (May 10, 2015). "Spider-Man Unlimited – See all the heroines in action". Gamer Focus. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
- ^ "'Marvel's Wastelanders: Hawkeye' Scripted Podcast to Premiere October 4". Laughing Place. September 21, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
- ^ Levitt, Hayley (October 15, 2021). "A Marvel Podcast Is Rachel Chavkin's Latest Larger-Than-Life Stage". Playbill. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
- ^ Brown, Luke (October 6, 2016). "Marvel Legends Opens a Hole to the Spider-Verse [Review]". ComicsAlliance. Retrieved October 6, 2016.