Merge:Gwen Stacy

Gwendolyne "Gwen" Stacy is a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #31 (December 1965)

A blonde, bookish girl, Gwen was the first true love of the nerdy Peter Parker (Spider-Man). His adversary the Green Goblin murdered Gwen in the The Amazing Spider-Man #121 (June 1973). Both the decision to kill Gwen and the method in which Marvel implemented it are controversial among fans, but it is still a pivotal point in both Spider-Man's history and in American comic books in general. Spider-Man writers and fans disagree about who is the character's "one true love," Gwen or his subsequent wife Mary Jane Watson.

Peter Parker's girlfriend
Gwen first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #31 (December 1965); Peter Parker met Gwen while they were undergraduates at Empire State University. Initially, Peter's problems as Spider-Man made him ignore her advances, and in return, she felt insulted by his aloofness. Gradually, however, a romance developed; Gwen, a science major, seemed to appreciate Peter's intellectual personality, different from that of jocks like Flash Thompson and preppies like Harry Osborn. She was Peter Parker's first true love.

Their romance became more complicated when her father, Police Captain George Stacy, was killed by falling debris from a battle which involved Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus (Amazing Spider-Man #90). Gwen blamed Spider-Man for that event, which set back their relationship for a while. Gwen left for Europe to deal with her loss. When she returned from Europe, Gwen and Peter resumed their relationship, but it would not last for long.

The Death of Gwen Stacy
In the classic Amazing Spider-Man #121 (June 1973), "The Night Gwen Stacy Died" by writer Gerry Conway and penciller Gil Kane, Gwen Stacy was held on a bridge by the Green Goblin (Norman Osborn, who is aware that Peter Parker is Spider-Man). Spider-Man arrived to fight the Green Goblin, but Spider-Man was sick and not performing as well as usual. When the Green Goblin pushed Gwen Stacy off the bridge, Spider-Man caught her by a leg with a string of web. Spider-Man initially thought he had saved her, but when he pulled Gwen back up onto the bridge, he realized she was dead. In anger, Spider-Man almost killed the Green Goblin in retaliation, but chose not to do so in the end. The Green Goblin still seemingly died anyway when he was impaled by his own Goblin Glider in an attempt to kill Spider-Man (though the Green Goblin was later revealed to have survived).

The death of Gwen Stacy had enormous impact in the world of comic book fandom. Before her, except possibly as part of their origin story, superheroes simply did not fail so catastrophically. The girlfriend of the superhero did not die suddenly without warning, nor so violently. Because of this, the death of Gwen Stacy is often taken as a marker of the end of the Silver Age of Comic Books and the introduction of a new, darker era.

It is not clear whether it was the shock of the fall or the sudden stop which killed her. This is a controversial issue, because if it was the sudden stop, then in effect Spider-Man himself killed her. Her death became a pivotal event in Spider-Man's life; he considers it to be his greatest failure as Spider-Man.

After death
Gwen Stacy's death had enormous repercussions. Mary Jane Watson, a close friend of Gwen Stacy, was much affected by Gwen's death; her personality became much more serious. Gwen's death also drew Peter and Mary Jane into a closer friendship, and eventually a romantic relationship. The Green Goblin's status in Spider-Man's rogues gallery was much elevated by his murder of Gwen Stacy. Before the death of Gwen Stacy, Doctor Octopus had seemed to be Spider-Man's primary archnemesis, but the death of Gwen Stacy was key to making the Green Goblin, even more than Dr. Octopus, Spider-Man's primary archnemesis. Furthermore, the Punisher, who has gone on to become an important character in the Marvel Universe since his first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #129 (February 1974), was initially created as a character to hunt down Spider-Man.

The Punisher was manipulated into believing that Spider-Man had killed Gwen Stacy by a supervillain called the Jackal. The Jackal was once Miles Warren, a former professor of Gwen, who had secretly been in love with her. Following her death, Warren grew increasingly insane and adopted the persona of the Jackal; he also became completely obsessed with Gwen and created a clone of her.

Gwen Stacy's Clone
Not long after her death, Gwen Stacy reappeared, perfectly healthy but with no memory of the time since her death. The Jackal, manipulated by Norman Osborn, had managed to create a clone of Gwen, and used her as part of a plot against Spider-Man in the original Clone Saga. At the end of that story, Gwen's clone left to find a new life for herself.

In the 1988 crossover event, "The Evolutionary War," Gwen's clone was captured by the High Evolutionary, who had once been Miles Warren's teacher. High Evolutionary was determined to discover how Warren had been able to perfect cloning. In the process he discovered that Warren had not, but had instead created a genetic virus (the so-called 'carrion virus') which transformed already living beings.

Later, Spider-Man investigated Warren's old laboratory and discovered that Carrion had in fact been a genetic weapon created by Warren. Another former student of Warren's, Malcolm McBride, became infected with the virus and became the second Carrion.

The High Evolutionary told Spider-Man that she was, in fact, not a clone, but a normal woman named Joyce Delaney whom Warren had altered. One of his followers, Beautiful Dreamer, restored her memories. Later events, however, suggested that the High Evolutionary had lied (possibly in an attempt to discredit Warren) and Joyce Delaney never existed.

During the second Clone Saga, Gwen's clone, now married to a clone of Prof. Warren named Warren Miles, saw a copy of Peter Parker's book of Spider-Man photos, Webs, and remembered (to an extent) her real history and returned to New York City. During that storyline (in the last issues of the "Maximum Clonage" story arc), however, she disappeared from Spider-Man's life again. She is thought to still be alive.

In many of her appearances, Gwen's clone has appeared somewhat confused by her contradictory and bizarre memories.

Deadpool's Gwen (?!)
In Deadpool (vol.3) #0 (December 1998), is mentioned that the geneticist Arnim Zola collected samples of DNA from dead bodies of super-human beings and implanted into 'proto-husks' to use as servant and for experiment. He has collected also DNA from non-superhuman beings, like Gwen and Ben Parker.

After a battle between Deadpool and a multitude of proto-husks (that were killed by Deadpool), Zola, in exchange of his own life, created four Gwen's proto-husks and conditioned them to obey to all Deadpool's commands. Now they live with Deadpool in San Francisco serving his wishes.

Spider-Man: Blue
Gwen and, to a lesser extent, Mary Jane, are the focus of the critically-acclaimed Spider-Man: Blue, a 2002 limited series by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale that retells the beginning of Peter's relationship with the two women.

The frame narrative has Peter, several years after her death, on Valentine's Day recording a voice "letter" to his dead love.

Sins Past


In the controversial story arc called "Sins Past" by J. Michael Straczynski taking place from Amazing Spider-Man #509-514 (August 2004-January 2005), it was revealed that Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin's alter ego, fathered twins, a boy and a girl, with Gwen Stacy, to whom she gave birth while she was in France shortly before her death. She vowed that she would raise them with Peter, and seeing his disregard for his sick son Harry, refused to allow Norman access to them.

Seeing her as a threat to his potential heirs, the Green Goblin killed Gwen Stacy. Norman Osborn then raised Gwen's two children, a boy and a girl Gwen had named Gabriel and Sarah, respectively. Due to Norman's enhanced blood, the twins aged about 2-3 times faster than normal and became adults within the span of a few years (they are speculated to be between 5 to 9 years old). Osborn told them that Peter was really their father and was responsible for their mother's death.

The twins then attacked Spider-Man. Spider-Man told Mary Jane about his initial encounter with Gabriel and Sarah, whereupon Mary Jane revealed that she knew about Norman's involvement with Gwen and told all to Peter. She had kept it from him all these years because Gwen was distraught and begged her not to say anything. By the story's end, Peter had told the twins the truth. Sarah believed Peter, but Gabriel did not. Gabriel took the Green Goblin formula and briefly became the Grey Goblin. His glider exploded when it was shot by Sarah and he washed up on a beach with no memory of what happened.

Controversy
Straczynski later stated that he originally wanted Peter Parker to be the father of Gwen's kids but the editors vetoed the idea. They felt that it would age Peter Parker too much if he had two adult children. It was then decided by the whole creative and editorial team that Norman Osborn would be the father. 

The story was controversial because it contradicted established continuity: none of the original issues upon which it was based (The Amazing Spider-Man #89 to 122) contain any hint of an attraction between Gwen and Norman (she never once referred to him by anything other than Mr. Osborn), nor any indication that she is pregnant or had ever been unfaithful to Peter. Her thought balloons were clear indicators that Gwen only had eyes for Peter Parker.

Her aunt and uncle invite her to live with them in London in #93 after her father's death (which takes place in Amazing Spider-Man #90), and the reason she stays away so long is given in Amazing Spider-Man #98 as grief and anger over his death&mdash;not a pregnancy. She is clearly not pregnant when seen in #95. The trip itself lasts from Amazing Spider-Man #93 to #98, the dialogue indicates that she was gone for only a few weeks&mdash;not several months, as suggested in "Sins Past." Mary Jane says in #512 that "Gwen had barely gotten back into town when we found out that Harry Osborn had overdosed on LSD," but that happens over twenty issues after her return, in #120.

House of M
In the House of M storyline, in which the Scarlet Witch altered reality to give as many people as possible their greatest desires, Gwen was never killed. Instead, she married Peter Parker, and the couple had a young son. She had become a scientist, a savvy businesswoman, and a peace activist -- and had a decidedly hostile relationship with chemical weapon developer Norman Osborn.

When the world was returned to normal at the conclusion of the story, Gwen remained dead and Mary Jane was again married to Peter - though Peter still had the memories of an idyllic life (and child) with Gwen. The shock of having his true life's memories restored was devastating to Peter.

Ironically, Mary Jane Watson, who was a very popular actress, played Gwen Stacy in the film adaptation of Spider-Man's life story.

Dead Girl
In the 2006 limited series X-Statix Presents: Dead Girl, Gwen, along with Moira MacTaggert and Mockingbird, are in Heaven, where they are members of the Dead Sisters' Book Club. They assist Doctor Strange, Dead Girl, and a small group of dead heroes on a mission to the lower depths of Hell.

Age of Apocalypse


In the two-issue mini-series X-Universe which detailed what happened to the rest of the Marvel Universe during the Age of Apocalypse, Gwen Stacy was never killed by the Green Goblin but instead became the bodyguard of Donald Blake, who, in this reality, had never become the Mighty Thor.

Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane
Gwen Stacy first appeared at the end of Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane # 5.

Gwen Stacy is the new girl at school and, as Peter Parker showed her around the school, she and him have quickly become close friends. Mary-Jane Watson discovered her feelings for Peter and was about to tell him, when she discovered Gwen and Peter's blossiming relationship. She then decided to hide her feelings and didn't tell Peter. Gwen has provided a rival for his affections. In Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #9, Peter and Gwen have taken their relationship to the next level by sharing a tender kiss, much to the dismay of Mary Jane.

Television
Gwen was deliberately excluded from the 1990s animated series, as the creators felt they could neither allow her to live nor deliberately include a character who was going to die. As in the later movie, a variant of the bridge scene occurs with Gwen replaced by Mary Jane. Both Mary Jane and the Goblin are cast into a dimensional void in the forty-first episode of the series, because they couldn't get killed, due to the show's censorship (though they killed of Hydro-Man, Mysterio, Miranda Wilson, the clones of Hydro-Man and Mary Jane and Spider-Carnage).

Later in the series finale, Spider-Man visits a parallel universe, in which Peter Parker (Armored Spider-Man) is a wealthy industrialist. Gwen Stacy is his fiancée, and Spider-Man reflects that his alternate self is engaged to a woman he doesn't even know. Spider-Carnage teams up with this dimension's Wilson Fisk in a plan to conquer or destroy every parallel reality (Spider-Carnage actually lied to Fisk that they were going to take over all reality). When Gwen tries to help Spider-Man stop Spider-Carnage, still thinking the Spider-Man we know is her fianceé, by using a sonic gun to kill him, Fisk foils the plan by removing the gun and Spider-Carnage kidnaps her, threatening to everyone present if one of them follows him, she'll die first before he destroys all reality, thus having Fisk realize about Spider-Carnage's real intentions. Spider-Man then understands that Spider-Carnage isn't truly evil as he is confused because in his reality, his Uncle Ben and Aunt May have died and he is believed to be a clone to the Scarlet Spider, also known as Ben Reilly. So, Spider-Man then goes to the Uncle Ben who was alive in this reality and tells him everything about Spider-Carnage's plan. Meanwhile, SPider-Carnage tells Gwen on how he'll destroy all reality - he's mixed up his dimension's Time Dilation Accelerator insides, thus creating an imbalance. So if a portal is created by the Accelerator, it will not lead to anywhere - it will vapourize anything that goes in there. Spider-Man and Uncle Ben then arrive and Ben reforms Spider-Carnage while Spider-Man frees Gwen. Spider-Carnage prevents the destruction of all reality but unfortunately cannot remove the Carnage symbiote. Gwen then witnesses as Spider-Carnage jumps into an unbalanced portal, killing himself by vapourizing himself and thus commiting suicide. Gwen was voiced by Mary Kay Bergman.

In the fourth issue of the comic book based on the Spider-Man Unlimited animated series, Spidey encounters a Counter-Earth version of Gwen Stacy. She helps him escape a hidden paradise known as The Haven.

Novels
Gwen Stacy appears in the sequel to the Mary Jane novel, where she is a nerdy and unpopular teenage girl who Mary Jane gives an extreme makeover, revealing Gwen Stacy's pretty face. But, as Spider-Man himself once said, "No good deed goes unpunished", and Peter and Gwen start getting very close, and Gwen serves as a rival for MJ. At the end, Gwen and Mary Jane become friends.

Film
In Spider-Man (2002), the Green Goblin holds Mary Jane above the Queensboro Bridge, not Gwen Stacy. Spider-Man is successful in saving Mary Jane when the Goblin throws her off. The last name "Stacy" appears on a headstone in the cemetery during the funeral of Norman Osborn. It might as well be a deceased relative of Gwen, notably her mother.

Stacy will be portrayed by Bryce Dallas Howard in Spider-Man 3, set for release in 2007. It has been revealed that she will be the next love interest for Spider-Man/Peter Parker, a rival for Mary Jane Watson. 

The Green Goblin's Last Stand
In the 1992 Spider-Man fan movie, The Green Goblin's Last Stand, which is a nod to The Night Gwen Stacy Died, Gwen is portrayed as Peter's girlfriend and absolutely hates Spider-Man because she blames him for the death of her father. Ironically, throughout this entire movie, Gwen never realized Peter is Spider-Man. Norman Osborn, who had just returned from the mental institute for millionaires, then regained his memories about him being the Green Goblin, knowing Spider-Man is Peter Parker and how he got his amnisea - in his last battle against Spider-Man, his warehouse was destroyed and he was knocked out by the ensuing fire. He also knew Spider-Man/Peter loved Gwen Stacy. So the Goblin attacked Gwen in Peter's apartment while he was absent, knocked her out unconscious with knock-out dust and took her to Peter's apartment roof, where Spider-Man found them. When Spider-Man knocked out the Goblin for a while and would take the unconscious Gwen to safety, the Goblin quickly regained consciousness and knocked Gwen off the roof. Spider-Man then caught her from landing with his web-string but by the time he reeled her back in, he figured out she was dead. After the Goblin died from being impaled by his glider on accident in an attempt to kill Spider-Man in battle when Spider-Man nearly killed him for revenge on what happened to Gwen, Peter visited her grave and apolgized that he never told her he was Spider-Man. He expresses his love to her that he just wishes he'd retire being Spider-Man but his responsibility is to keep being Spider-Man.