SPIDER-MA'AM
Real Name: May Parker
Identity/Class: Extradimensional/alternate
reality (Earth-3123)
human mutate (pre-modern
to modern era)
Occupation: Adventurer, housewife
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Ben Parker, Peter Parker,
Spider-Girl (Anya Corazon of Earth-616), Spider-Girl (Ashley Barton of
Earth-807128), Spider-Man India (Pavitr Prabhakar of Earth-50101),
Spider-Punk (Hobie Brown of Earth-138), Spider-UK (Billy Braddock of
Earth-833)
Enemies: Leap Frog, Karn (of Earth-001)
Known Relatives: Ben Parker (husband), Peter
Parker (nephew)
Aliases: "Aunt May," "the Web-Spinster," "the
little old Spider-Lady," "granny," "granny lady" (nicknames used by
Leap Frog)
Base of Operations: Forest Hills, Queens, New
York, USA of Earth-3123
First Appearance: (as May Parker) What If
I#23/3 (October 1980); (as Spider Ma'am) Spider-Verse Team-Up I#3
(March, 2015)
Powers/Abilities: Her reality's Spider-Totem,
May Parker enjoyed substantially increased strength, speed and agility.
She also possessed powers similar to Spider-Totems from other
realities, such as wall-crawling and an early warning sense. In combat,
she relied on a pastry decorator loaded with extra sticky bread dough
that she had made herself, which could clog up a wide variety of objects and was
durable enough to use as a lasso and even absorb the impact of
substantial falls. For quick transportation, Spider-Ma'am had a supply
of super strong sewing thread that she used to "webswing" from building to
building. Spider-Ma'am also was able to gauge an opponent's might and
appeared to be exceptionally endearing and lovable, giving even those
who wanted to kill her pause.
History: (What If? I#23 (fb) - BTS) - May and her husband Ben
Parker lived in Forest Hills, Queens where they took care of their
teenage nephew Peter, whom the slightly overprotective May always felt
was a bit frail.
(What If? I#23) - On the day her nephew Peter was on a
high school field trip to a Manhattan science exhibit he forgot to take
his lunch. Worried because young, growing boys like Peter needed
sustenance, she rushed to Manhattan to hand him his cottage cheese and
mashed string beans sandwich. As soon as she entered the science
institute, she was accidentally bit by a radioactive spider that
had somehow escaped an exhibit. Feeling extremely dizzy and figuring she
might be allergic to spider bites, May nevertheless pushed on and caught
up with Peter and his class. Hiding her discomfort from him, she
quickly left as soon as she handed him his lunch. Making her way
outside, the still disoriented May was lost in thought and about to be
overrun by a driver whose brakes failed on him. At the last possible
moment, May's senses became superalert and she avoided the collision by
jumping up two stories and sticking to a wall. She then started to test
her new abilities, finding out she could easily bend a lamppost like a
pretzel as well. Confused, she ran home at top speed to do some
thinking.
(What If? I#23 - BTS) - Upon returning home, May decided to bake some bread but was so distracted by recent events that she put way too much yeast in her dough. She still put it in the oven, promptly forgetting all about it.
(What If? I#23) - After she admitted to herself that she had actual super powers, just like Samson in the Bible, May began to think of ways to make money out of this. While her husband Ben continued his midday nap, she quickly sat down behind her sewing machine to whip up a costume, figuring she needed one if she was going to be going around doing unlady-like stunts. After she finished an outfit that she considered a trifle gaudy, she suddenly smelled something burning and rushed to check on the oven. The excessively yeasted bread dough spilled out all over the kitchen but, as she was cleaning it up, May realized that the sticky mess could still be useful.
(What If? I#23 - BTS) - While May was busy transforming her pastry decorator into a weapon and loading it with the dough, the costumed supervillain Leap Frog robbed a candy store in Midtown Manhattan, easily dodging the police forces, who had the place surrounded.
(What If? I#23) - May learned of
Leap-Frog's raid when her favorite soap opera was interrupted by a
special news bulletin. Unsure how fighting the villain could make her
any money but aware of her duties as a superheroine, she packed her
pastry spout and sewing kit and rushed out to find him. Using some of
her superstrong thread to swing from building to building, it didn't
take long for May to spot the escaping Leap Frog. After ramming into
him in mid-air, she engaged the Frog, who could barely believe what he
was up against. One of his blows connected and tossed May off the water
tower they were fighting on top off. The fall broke her thread line and
she would have fallen to her death if she hadn't fired off a giant load
of dough to absorb the impact of her fall. Somehow finding herself in
her own backyard, May braced herself to finish the fight against the
rapidly approaching Leap Frog. She was distracted at the last possible
moment by Peter, who came out of the house to berate the costumed
figures. Seeing her nephew left May with her guard down and the Leap
Frog landed a roundhouse blow. Fearing for Peter's safety, May made
quick work of the Leap Frog by hitting him with her full strength and
then clogging up his springs with a big glob of dough. She then used
the dough as a lasso to sling the villain against the nearest tree,
knocking him out. Turning her attention to Peter, the teen was so
scared by the red & blue geriatric that he fainted. Taking him inside
and changing back to her regular clothes, May took care of Peter while
contemplating her next move.
(Spider-Verse Team-Up I#3 (fb) - BTS) - Unaware the spider's bite had
actually turned her into her reality's Spider-Totem, May decided to
continue to use her powers for good and started fighting crime as the
Spider-Ma'am. To protect her husband and nephew, May decided not
to tell them of her powers.
(Spider-Verse Team-Up I#3 - BTS) - Ever hungry for the unique energy of Spider-Totems, the alternate reality-hopping villain Karn made his way to Earth-3123. Appearing inside the home of May and Ben Parker, he initially believed that either Ben or Peter were the Spider-Man of this world.
(Spider-Verse Team-Up I#3) - May revealed herself as
the Spider-Ma'am, shocking both her husband and nephew. She explained
she'd kept this secret from them for their own good and then turned to
face Karn. She informed the villain that she wouldn't fight him because
she sensed he was too strong for her. She went on to say that she'd led
a good, long life and only wished he'd let her family go after she was
dead. The usually cold-blooded Karn was briefly thrown by her sincerity
but couldn't be deterred from his mission. He did promise her a quick
death since she'd touched him as few others ever had. Before Karn
could carry out his threat, a band of extradimensional Spider-Totems
arrived to fight him. Spider-Ma'am protected her family by huddling in
a corner of their living room as the Spiders fought Karn to a
standstill. They eventually managed to convince him to join them.
The Parkers then watched as their extradimensional visitors vanished
into thin air with Peter adding: "Well, that was weird."
Comments: Created by Steve Skeates (writer) and Alan Kupperberg (pencils & inks).
"Spider Ma'am, Spider Ma'am, does whatever a spinster
can. Can she cook? Yes she can... Watch out, here comes the
Spider-Ma'am!" Ah, the Spider-Ma'am... what I wouldn't give for a Spider-Ma'am: Year One mini in
which she beats villains like Vulture and Doc Ock using only her
feminine wiles and a loaded pastry spout.
Unless otherwise specified, all
locations and beings mentioned in this profile refer to Earth-3123
versions.
Profile by Norvo.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Spider-Ma'am should not be confused with
Ben Parker was married to May and shared his home with their teenage nephew Peter. He was leisurely napping in his chair the day May received superpowers from an irradiated spider's bite and rushed home to sew a costume to reflect these new changes. He was also oblivious to the fact that May, in her inaugural appearance as the Spider-Ma'am, fought and defeated the supervillain Leap-Frog in his very backyard. Later, May decided to keep the fact she had superpowers a secret from Ben and Peter, figuring it might compromise their safety. However, Ben discovered his wife's dual identity some time later when the dimension-hopping villain Karn arrived on Earth-3123 to devour the energy of that reality's Spider-Totem. Karn made his way to the Parker household, where he initially believed that the equally astonished Ben or Peter might be his target. They were stunned when May revealed herself as the Spider-Ma'am, completely in costume and allowing herself to be killed if it meant her family wouldn't be harmed. The Parkers were then saved by a number of Spider-Totems from alternate Earths, who fought Karn while they watched on from a corner of their living room. After beating Karn to a standstill, the Spiders convinced the villain to join them in their struggle and vanished out of sight, leaving behind the Parkers of Earth-3123 with more questions than answers. The first thing Peter was able to say following this ordeal: "Well, that was weird."
Frail, bookish teenager Peter Parker was living with his elderly Uncle Ben and doting Aunt May. One day, excited to attend a high school field trip to the science institute, he forgot his lunch. When his aunt showed up at the exhibit to bring him his cottage cheese and mashed string bean sandwich, he felt a little embarrassed when his fellow students mocked him for it. Upon returning home from the institute, he spotted the villain Leap Frog fighting another costumed individual (actually his Aunt May, who had gained superpowers). After she defeated Leap Frog and turned to Peter, he got so scared that he fainted on the spot. May, after a quick change, took care of her nephew and assured him all the bad people were gone. Later, May decided to keep the fact she had superpowers a secret from Ben and Peter, figuring it might compromise their safety. However, Peter discovered his aunt's dual identity some time later when the dimension-hopping villain Karn arrived on Earth-3123 to devour the energy of that reality's Spider-Totem. Karn made his way to the Parker household, where he initially believed that the equally astonished Ben or Peter might be his target. They were stunned when May revealed herself as the Spider-Ma'am, completely in costume and allowing herself to be killed if it meant her family wouldn't be harmed. The Parkers were then saved by a number of Spider-Totems from alternate Earths who fought Karn while they watched on from a corner of their living room. After beating Karn to a standstill, the Spiders convinced the villain to join them in their struggle and vanished out of sight, leaving behind the Parkers of Earth-3123 with more questions than answers. The first thing Peter was able to say following this ordeal: "Well, that was weird."
-- What If? I#23 (Spider-Verse Team-Up I#3,images: (without ads)
Spider-Verse Team-Up I#3, p3, pan2 (main image)
What If? I#23, p34, pan3-5 (May vs. Leap Frog)
What If? I#23, p29, pan3 (May getting spider bite)
Spider-Verse Team-Up I#3, p3, pan3 (closeup)
Spider-Verse Team-Up I#3, p11, pan4 (Ben Parker of Earth-3123)
What If? I#23 p35, pans1&2 (Peter Parker of Earth-3123)
Appearances:
What If I#23 (October, 1980) - Steve Skeates (writer), Alan Kupperberg
(pencils & inks), Dennis O'Neil, Mark Gruenwald (editors)
Spider-Verse Team-Up I#3 (March, 2015) -
Christos Gage (writer), Dave Williams (pencils), Dexter Vines (inks),
Nick Lowe (editor)
Last updated: 01/18/12
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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