Madame Web (Cassandra Webb) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and a major protagonist of Spider-Man franchise. Madame Web first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #210, published November 1980, and was created by the late Denny O'Neil, the late Joe Sinnott and John Romita, Jr. She is usually depicted as a supporting character in the Spider-Man comic book series. She is depicted as an elder woman with myasthenia gravis and thus was connected to a life support system that looked like a spider web. Due to her age and medical condition, Madame Web never actively fought any villains.
Born in Salem, Oregon, Cassandra Webb is a paraplegic and is blind after being struck with myasthenia gravis, a disease that erodes the nervous system. She was connected to a life support system made by her husband. She knows Spider-Man's secret identity and helps him occasionally. She is the grandmother of the fourth Spider-Woman, Charlotte Witter.
Story[]
Meeting Spider-Man[]
Madame Web contacted the superhero known as Spider-Man and became somewhat of a mentor to Peter Parker (Spider-Man). She sent him on courses that would send him through many mental and physical challenges, but always managed to get out of it a better man. She is also found several times telling him that there is coming a time were he will be the only hope for human kind.
When that time comes Madame Web introduces Spider-Man to a galactic entity known as Mr. Universe. He with the help of Madame Web has been studying human society on Earth along with many other worlds and has found a confusing phenomena known as good and evil. Madame Web tries to explain to Mr. Universe the good is the only thing that keeps the world in balance but Mr. Universe will not be persuaded. He chooses a world that is totally at peace and has no knowledge of evil, and sends the villains Dr. Octopus, Dr. Doom, and Red Skull there, and allows one year's time to pass. During this time, the planet is devastated and taken over by the villains. It is then Spider-Man's job to lead a group of super heroes to defeat them, proving which is more powerful, and therefore better, good or evil.
Gauntlet and Grim Hunt[]
During the Gauntlet story arc of Amazing Spider-Man, Madame Web is kidnapped by Ana Kravinoff and tortured by her mother Sasha Kravinoff. She is present during the sacrifice of Mattie Franklin who was killed to resurrect Sasha's son Grim Hunter. After the resurrection of Kraven, Madame Web taunts Sasha saying that her plan is failing and that Spider-Man will defeat her and her family. Enraged at this, Sasha cut Madame Web's throat with a knife and leaves her for dead. When Spider-Man arrives she transfers her powers to Julia Carpenter just before dying. Julia then becomes the new Madame Web
Powers and abilities[]
Madame Web is a mutant that possesses psychic sensory powers including telepathy, clairvoyance, prescience, and the ability to sense the presence of psionic powers in others. She can also perform psychic surgery and appear to others in spirit (astral) form. She has a gifted intellect.
When dying she displayed the ability to transfer her mutation to another individual, Julia Carpenter, as well as her blindness.
Madame Web was a victim of myasthenia gravis, a disorder of neuromuscular junction transmission. As a result, she was an invalid entirely dependent on external life support for survival. This is no longer the case as she was cured of the condition some time ago. She is also blind. Madame Web is cybernetically linked to a spider-web-like life support chair which attends to all of her bodily needs.
Other versions[]
A version of Madame Web makes a brief appearance in the heroic fantasy world of Avatars: Covenant of the Shield as "the Widow of the Web", a spider-goddess who grants Webswinger (the Spider-Man parallel) his powers.
Webb also appeared during the "House of M" storyline as a therapist employed by S.H.I.E.L.D.
Madame Web died in the MC2 universe, but her reputation has inspired an entire temple of prophetic acolytes.
Madame Web appeared in Ultimate Spider-Man. In issue #102, she is part of the psych team that plans to change Ultimate Spider-Woman's memories. She appears in a wheelchair (implying paralysis) and blind, similar to the classic version. However, she is younger than that version of the character.
Portrayals[]
TV shows[]
Madame Web appears in Spider-Man, voiced by Joan Lee. This version is an ally of the Beyonder with similar powers over reality tasked with testing Spider-Men from across the multiverse to determine whether they can stop Spider-Carnage from destroying the multiverse. Seeing leadership potential in the "prime" Spider-Man, Web tests him throughout the third season, Sins of the Father, though she respects his wish to not see her again until the time comes for his final test. After Spider-Man wins the Secret Wars during the fifth season, Web and the Beyonder task him with leading a group of multiversal Spider-Men to fight Spider-Carnage. Following the villain's defeat, Web rewards Spider-Man by taking him to visit Stan Lee and helping him find his girlfriend Mary Jane Watson.
The Julia Carpenter incarnation of Madame Web appears in Ultimate Spider-Man, voiced by Cree Summer.
A character loosely based on Madame Web named "C. Weber" appears in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), voiced by Rachel Dratch. She is a counselor at Miles Morales' school.
In September 2019, Sony announced that a Madame Web solo film is in development, with Burk Sharpless and Matt Sazama writing and the film being set in the Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU). In February 2022, it was reported that Dakota Johnson will play the lead character of Cassie Web/Madame Web, with Sydney Sweeney set to co-star. Celeste O'Connor, Isabela Merced, and Tahar Rahim were added to the cast in May, Emma Roberts was added in June. Mike Epps was added in July. In April 2022, the film's release date was announced to be July 7, 2023 before being delayed to February 16, 2024. Loosely inspired by the 2004 storyline "The Book of Ezekiel", Cassie is forced to confront her past while trying to protect three young women with powerful futures (Julia Carpenter, Mattie Franklin, and Anya Corazon) from Ezekiel Sims.
