Random Back Issues #163 - Spider-Woman #19

If that's her skin, shouldn't she have a sucking chest wound? Shapeshifting is so inconsistent. The last time we looked at this series, Spider-Woman was fighting a scientist who made a bunch of crazy clones of grandmother. That might be preferable to today's issue, which is a Devil's Reign tie-in.

The Kingpin, now Mayor of NYC, is cracking down on vigilantes. He already had his Thunderbolts beat up Jessica's friend Lindsay McCabe, but as it turns out, the Skrull Queen from Secret Invasion somehow survived getting her head kersploded by Norman Osborn, and has been in custody all this time. And Fisk thought it was a good idea to let her out, just to mess with Spider-Woman? He definitely fits into the current era of abusing political power to settle personal spats.

Veranke's imitating Spider-Woman and picks up her son, Gerry, from the Night Nurse, who gets suspicious about Gerry being so unhappy a little too late. Spider-Woman also shows up a little too late, as the armored van rolls away, leaving her to punch it out with Veranke. The comedy sound effects stop partway through, so Jessica takes that as the cue to chase the van (fortunately caught in traffic, the goon complaining about being, 'baby chauffeur'), but when she arrives, Gerry's not in the back. But Iron Man showed up to help!

I'm sure there's a time that would be cause for excitement, but not today, especially as it's Veranke. Fighting resumes, the Skrull taunting Jessica about how none of her friends trust her, while Jessica is more concerned Veranke made out with Tony back during that mess. (Pacheco also keeps trying to do the editor's notes for these things, but doesn't remember the specific issue, forcing assistant editor Lindsey Conick to add another editor's note.)

Then the van goes hurtling off a bridge! Gerry's not in the back of the van because he somehow crawled into the cab and zapped the guard, who's unconscious body slumped on the accelerator. So now they're fighting on a garbage scow. Spider-Man swings past, saying Night Nurse got in touch with him, and Jessica zaps him. In her defense, Veranke said the same thing when pretending to be Iron Man. Also, judging by the costume, that's Ben Reilly during that stretch where he was the Beyond Corporation's Spider-Man?

Then Carol Danvers shows up, holding Gerry. Or wait, did Carol just arrive behind Jessica? Unable to be sure, Jessica tells Gerry to, 'zap-zap bad Auntie Carol,' which is the latecomer. Carol flies away with Gerry, and, ding-ding, it's Round 3.

Veranke starts a spiel about honoring Jessica by believing her strong enough to be a leader, and that's why Veranke impersonated her. Why the fuck did she think that? When had Jessica Drew ever been a leader, of anything? Because she "ran" a two-person detective agency? She had even led the Champions, or the freaking Defenders, let alone anything serious.

I know the reason she'd think that, Bendis liked Spider-Woman, but that doesn't work as a Watsonian excuse. "I did you a favor!" failing to gain traction, Veranke shifts to Clint Barton (as Ronin), accusing Jessica of making him watch his wife die. Does she mean the Skrull that got killed by Mephisto in West Coast Avengers, or the one that died in the Savage Land during Secret Invasion? 

Either way, Jessica can punch Clint just fine - told him he shouldn't have cheated on her in Fraction and Aja's Hawkeye! - so Veranke tries Gerry, but doesn't even get as far as changing her skin color before getting flipped on top of a flat-screen TV. Finally she tries a battered Lindsay, again not bothering to stop being green as she blames Lindsay's injuries on Jessica, and Spider-Woman just zaps her skull. With piss-poor strategy like that, I'm starting to think the Skrulls backed a stupid horse.

Carol returns with Gerry, Jessica hugs her kid and asks if they can just leave Veranke in a fridge on the garbage scow, which Danvers agrees to. Also, Jessica calls Carol "Kirk," and Carol calls her "Spock," which is just nonsense. Jessica Drew is waaaaaay too angry in this run to be Spock. She's McCoy all the way.

These are the only Devil's Reign stuff I own, as Moon Knight had the decency to tie-in via a one-shot outside the monthly series. Of course, this book is getting canceled in 2 issues, so they had nothing to lose. 

{10th longbox, 160th comic. Spider-Woman (vol. 7) #19, by Karla Pacheco (writer), Pere Perez (artist), Frank D'Armata (color artist), Travis Lanham (letterer)}