While various female super heroes like Black Widow, She-Hulk, Captain Marvel, Scarlet Witch, Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) and Spider-Gwen/Spider-Woman/Ghost-Spider have made numerous appearances across film and television, there is one glaring omission from this list. And it's an unfortunate one because she was the star of Marvel's longest running female led super hero comic in their history.
And that character is May "Mayday" Parker.
First appearing in an issue of What If? that spun out of the 1990s Spider-Man: Clone Saga. Marvel was at one point planning on retiring Peter Parker and give him an ending where MJ became pregnant. When the decision was made to not retire Peter, Marvel balked at the idea of Peter as a father, and so the baby was lost. Marvel did allow an issue of What If? to run with the concept, and so readers were introduced to May "Mayday" Parker. Mayday had no idea growing up that her father was Spider-Man. Until the day Harry's son, Normie, goes down the same path as his grandfather and his father. After learning the truth, Mayday suits up as Spider-Girl, and seeks to bring an end to the Parker/Osborn feud.
What If? comics were never particularly huge, sales-wise. But this issue unexpectedly grabbed a lot of attention. Marvel quickly launched an ongoing about Spider-Girl. Lasting 100 consecutive issues (a feat that is nigh unheard of in today's comic market) before it was relaunched as The Amazing Spider-Girl, and then relaunched again and again before finally being cancelled in 2010. Mayday hasn't held her own ongoing since, but she has appeared in Spider-Verse crossovers (where she was renamed "Spider-Woman") and tie-ins. And traces of its legacy can be found in Marvel's regular comics universe (such as Cassie Lang taking on the role of superhero, and the "Stinger" identity in particular, and Jessica Drew's son, Gerry).
While Mayday has yet to appear in film or television, she has appeared in a few games either as an alternate skin (such as in the first Marvel: Ultimate Alliance) or as a playable character in some online games on mobile or social media (although these games have since ended).
With the concept of the Spider-Verse being a major part of the mythos at this point, hopefully there's a place for Mayday. She still holds the title of Marvel's longest lasting female led super hero ongoing after all.
And that character is May "Mayday" Parker.
First appearing in an issue of What If? that spun out of the 1990s Spider-Man: Clone Saga. Marvel was at one point planning on retiring Peter Parker and give him an ending where MJ became pregnant. When the decision was made to not retire Peter, Marvel balked at the idea of Peter as a father, and so the baby was lost. Marvel did allow an issue of What If? to run with the concept, and so readers were introduced to May "Mayday" Parker. Mayday had no idea growing up that her father was Spider-Man. Until the day Harry's son, Normie, goes down the same path as his grandfather and his father. After learning the truth, Mayday suits up as Spider-Girl, and seeks to bring an end to the Parker/Osborn feud.
What If? comics were never particularly huge, sales-wise. But this issue unexpectedly grabbed a lot of attention. Marvel quickly launched an ongoing about Spider-Girl. Lasting 100 consecutive issues (a feat that is nigh unheard of in today's comic market) before it was relaunched as The Amazing Spider-Girl, and then relaunched again and again before finally being cancelled in 2010. Mayday hasn't held her own ongoing since, but she has appeared in Spider-Verse crossovers (where she was renamed "Spider-Woman") and tie-ins. And traces of its legacy can be found in Marvel's regular comics universe (such as Cassie Lang taking on the role of superhero, and the "Stinger" identity in particular, and Jessica Drew's son, Gerry).
While Mayday has yet to appear in film or television, she has appeared in a few games either as an alternate skin (such as in the first Marvel: Ultimate Alliance) or as a playable character in some online games on mobile or social media (although these games have since ended).
With the concept of the Spider-Verse being a major part of the mythos at this point, hopefully there's a place for Mayday. She still holds the title of Marvel's longest lasting female led super hero ongoing after all.
