The upcoming release of a new Spider-Woman series will also mark the return of a familiar villain from Netflix’s MCU continuity. Spider-Woman is set to be a key figure moving forward at the center of Marvel’s Gang War, beginning later this fall, and extending all the way into spring next year. The event is going to sprawl across six different series, including the latest Spider-Woman run.
Marvel recently unveiled the solicit summary for Spider-Woman #2 – written by Steve Foxe with artwork from Carola Borelli – as well as Lenil Francis Yu’s cover art, which can be seen below.
The summary for the issue promises that Spider-Woman will be on the trail hunting down a criminal who MCU fans will recognize: Diamondback.
Diamondback Returns In Spider-Woman #2
Diamondback is perhaps best remembered for his appearance in Netflix’s first season of Luke Cage, where he was played by Erik LaRay Harvey. Willis Stryker, a.k.a. Diamondback, originally made his first appearance for Marvel in 1972, debuting in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1, written by Archie Goodwin and illustrated by George Tuska. Diamondback not only would serve as the title character’s first major supervillain, but became a pivotal part of Cage’s rogue’s gallery. Similar to the Netflix depiction, Willis was introduced as a former childhood friend of Cage, turned knife-mastering gang member, who quickly rose up the ranks to become one of New York’s most feared crime lords.
Diamondback is Perfect for Gang War
Until his return in Spider-Woman #2, the precise nature of Diamondback’s role in the Gang War remains open to speculation, but the character makes for a perfect addition to Gang War as a major antagonist. The event is set to find Spider-Man forming a team to combat the growing crime within the New York area. Diamondback’s pedigree as a New York City gangster and his history with Luke Cage – who, like Spider-Woman, is joining Spider-Man’s team and getting a new series – makes Diamondback a prime candidate to oppose this new Marvel squadron. However, making him an adversary to Spider-Woman for her series rather than Luke Cage’s is an interesting choice.
While all the series in the Gang War event will be deeply connected – meaning there is a good chance Diamondback, along with whatever other villains join him in opposition to the new team, will appear across multiple titles – positioning him as an antagonist for Spider-Woman early in her new run is a fresh, exciting dynamic that will hopefully benefit both characters. In any case, for a character who often gets overlooked in the grand scheme of the Marvel Universe, a gang-related event should be able to make the most use of Diamondback, bringing him back into prominence.
Spider-Woman #2 will be available in December from Marvel Comics.
