Marvel Wants to Redeem Madame Web With the Hero’s Most Ambitious Story to Date, But Will It Work?

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Warning: Spoilers for Conquest 2099 #5Madame Web may not have been a box office smash hit, but one cinematic hiccup isn’t enough to convince Marvel Comics to give up on the character. Instead, the publisher is reinventing her completely and adding a little flair of horror to the design for the Conquest 2099 timeline. With the bloodthirsty Araneon leader, Spidercide defeated, Conquest’s Madame Web steps up to reform and lead her entire species.

In Conquest 2099 #5 by Steve Orlando and José Luis Soares Pinto, the violent battle between the warmongering Araneons and Dracula’s legion of vampires at last comes to an end, with plenty of casualties on both sides. Both armies have lost their leaders with Spidercide dead and Dracula caught in Galactus’ clutches, but both species are set to move forward with new leaders.

Dracula’s daughter, Lilith, takes her father’s former title, and the Araneons choose Madame Web as their reformer and leader. Conquest 2099’s Madame Web is a far cry from both the film version and former comic iterations, with a chilling six-armed design and the faith of an entire people lifting her to power.

Conquest 2099 #5 by Steve Orlando, José Luis Soares Pinto, Oren Junior, Andrew Dalhouse, and Cory Petit

The Conquest 2099 timeline has already introduced several major “spider” figures and allies, including Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Ghost-Spider, and Spidercide, but Madame Web’s inclusion changes the trajectory of the entire species. For seemingly their entire history, the Araneon people have sought to spread violence and death across the cosmos, enslaving vampires and slaughtering anyone who stood in their way. 2099’s Madame Web seeks to change that and has spent an untold amount of time imprisoned for her reformist ideas. With Spidercide dead, she’s both freed and raised to the highest Araneon position.

Given how much bloodshed the Araneons have already been responsible for, this promotion is a major in-universe change as they seek to resettle elsewhere with a completely new ethos. It’s the most power any iteration of Madame Web has been granted, and even Spider-Woman named her the rightful leader of their people. There’s nothing to suggest that 2099’s Madame Web is the same Cassandra Webb who typically wears that moniker, but if the multi-eyed reformist has even a fraction of her precognitive abilities or clairvoyance, she’ll be the perfect choice to lead the Araneons toward a different way of living.

The New Madame Web Is a Major Departure from the Original

And from the Sony Movie

Equipped with ideas that should change the course of the future for the Araneons, Madame Web is the latest in a growing line of revamped Spider-Verse characters. Conquest 2099’s Spider-Man is none other than Miguel O’Hara, but many of his fellow spiders take the whole concept of “arachnid” to a new level. Spider-Woman is an Araneon deserter called Sivern Dru, and the universe’s Ghost-Spider acts as Spidercide’s enforcer. Madame Web’s redesign fits right in, and she cuts a terrifyingly regal figure. She towers above Spider-Woman with a spray of red eyes and multiple limbs, entirely different from any version of Cassandra Webb.

Along with Madame Web’s ill-received film debut, it’s been some time since Cassandra Webb made a lasting impression in comics. She’s been part of Spider-Man’s extended web of resources and a consistent member of the “Spider-Family” for decades, all while taking part in some interesting stories of her own, but she’s never held the spotlight. As a mutant with the gift of clairvoyance and precognitive abilities, Cassandra always seemed to have more to offer on paper than she’s given in practice. Thanks to Conquest 2099’s complete character redesign, the new Madame Web could change that and reshape a whole timeline.

Marvel Isn’t Giving Up on Madame Web – and Neither Should Fans

2099’s Revamp Has Incredible Potential

Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, and Ghost-Spider have proven track records of success, so their introduction into the 2099 universe was no surprise. By bringing Madame Web into the fold and raising her to such a position of power within the Conquest timeline, Marvel is proving that it’s not ready to throw in the towel on her just yet.As the leader of the Araneons, she sheds the idea of being a side presence in someone else’s story, along with all the missteps taken with Cassandra Webb both onscreen and within other comic timelines. The new Madame Web has room to realize her potential.

With her chilling design and a rich universe to explore, the possibilities are endless for Madame Web. She has a lofty goal ahead of her and both allies and enemies already lined up. While Spider-Woman stands in complete support of the Araneon reformer, Ghost-Spider and other Spidercide loyalists are poised and ready to oppose her, laying all the groundwork for plenty of memorable conflicts to come. The trouble is just beginning, and fans have only caught a glimpse. Madame Web has a new chance to prove herself to Marvel fans, and her 2099 look and story are already worthy of attention.

Conquest 2099 #5 is available now from Marvel Comics.

“}]] Conquest 2099 starts a new chapter for Madame Web.  Read More