Was The Original Spider-Man… A Woman?

[@austinmcconnell]

THE SPIDER-QUEEN is out NOW in paperback and eBook! bit.ly/SpiderQueenBook

[@blackjacklover99]

I really like it when you talk about the Public Domain. You should make more videos like that Batman one. About what you will and won't be able to use. When other popular characters enter public use. And what crazy things were in there earlier stories that have been forgotten. I’m particularly interested in public domain Superman and Wonder Woman.

[@mariestarlight]

Hey Austin, I have vhsrips of the original 13 episodes of that 60's spiderman show from your previous episode. If you have any interest, I can make them available for you.

[@emilysanchez4584]

I think it would be cool if someone turned your book into a graphic novel. Maybe one day

[@comlitbeta7532]

An audio book version (maybe with your voice) on the horizon?

[@jamesplayzreviews]

If say the BBCU gets that far are we still getting a movie?

[@richardjao748]

So she loses her husband initially which sets off her origin story, and then her neighbor dies in her place to further motivate her heroism? Sounds like a "canon event" to me! She'd fit right into the Spider Society! Wonder if Miguel already has her number...

[@NotTheRealMiguelington]

Ik im 3 months late to this comment but ur honestly on to something. Also not all spider people got bit by a spider. What’s a canon event is getting spider powers so she could honestly be apart of the spider society!

[@AmaruArriola]

Canon events are dumb

[@shinyagumon7015]

Its a damn shame Spider Queen didn't get more stories in her original incarnation because those three stories are really good especially for the time. I mean we have inter personal conflicts and a heroine with real life problems in the 40s!

[@starkillersneed]

I love how progressive her relationship with Mike O' Bell is. They don't make her a damsel in distress, nor swap the script and have HIM as the damsel in distress like early Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor. They kick ass together and that's awesome.

[@michaele1654]

Yeah. Her boyfriend also being the detective who is investigating her is classic comic book drama. Like how Bruce Wayne is dating Selina Kyle in Batman Returns, or how Peter Parker is dating the Vulture's daughter in Spider-Man Homecoming. Always love when the characters have different relationships with each other in costume than they do out of costume. The Spider Queen was ahead of her time.

[@darkmyro]

Yeah the only problem is this was the 40s. I think she would be a more popular character if she came later, but two things can kill a story. Selling it to the wrong audience and just coming out at the wrong time. I think this is pretty much the problem here.

[@iancruz6617]

@@darkmyro It's also issue she was on a mini comic and worst case she was put on the very end up the issue so any preview ppl picking up that comic issue would have no clue she even existed. I know spider-man went the same thing being last ditch effort by Stan Lee on a idea he had that been bugging him so he put him in a mini comic issue expect he was front and center of the beginning of that issue he was even the cover for that amazing fantasy that ppl notice the character real quick and sky rocket to popularity.

[@darkmyro]

@@iancruz6617 I agree, I'm sure that didn't help things. Though I also feel like casual 40s sexism didn't help. Besides wonder woman, black Canary, and miss America, I don't know of any big name superheroines from this era comics. (And 2 of those I had to look up to see when they debuted)

[@bensneb360]

I read about her a couple years ago, so glad you’re covering her, she’s definitely underrated and deserves more spotlight

[@colonelweird]

Austin is the only youtuber who can release an extended ad read disguised as a video, and somehow make it completely worthwhile.

[@LavaCreeperPeople]

ok

[@real.sugarcone]

Nick Robinson does a pretty good job

[@Labyrinth6000]

Wendover productions does the same thing

[@FrankYammy]

Probably not the only one

[@Cjaj2]

ok, but the dynamic between Michael and Shannon could be so cute. Like sweet but dumb detective boyfriend secretly being helped by his girl boss superhero girlfriend

[@exilestudios9546]

its a classic himbo/girlboss story which is something modern media seems averse to.

[@maybehesbornwithitmaybeits9318]

​@@exilestudios9546 you're being sarcastic right?

[@DickDarkie]

It's the feminine aspect of spider queen that they are adverse to... A strong woman is never plain Jane ms Kane

[@ArnLPs]

Honestly a pretty good story. I'm actually invested in The Spider Queens adventures.

[@MezTZO]

In comics, The Spider Queen came first. But if you want to include pulp novels, I think the first spider-themed costumed crimefighter was The Spider, who first appeared in 1933.

[@pilot-kfp5599]

I really admire your effort reworking these lost superheroes. It's a inspiration to any creative person

[@Radien]

I've found your bargain bin superhero cinematic universe idea to be quite entertaining, but it's nice to see that it's not entirely a hypothetical exercise. I hope your clear penchant for effective storytelling serves you well with this character!!

[@austinmcconnell]

Thanks! I appreciate you taking the time to watch and check The Superzeroes project out. :)

[@VelvetVexations]

Austin, I don't think anyone quite combines sincerity with industrious hustle the way you do. You're such a sweet, easy-going guy who genuinely cares about things, while at the same time always leaning into a new money-making venture, or tapping into what's been successful before that you're also able to get excited about yourself. Honestly, it's kind of rad, I respect you a lot.

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

That third story was actually pretty damn dark and seriously would've been the highlight of the series as a sticking point. It would've been better if she'd cancelled the date, guilt affecting her deeply at her neighbor being killed because she "assumed" the police would get there in time to get The Noose, and that assumption leading to him breaking free. I'll have to check out your version, but if you kept that scene in (if you're allowed to use the story that was given and not just the character), I hope you took it in a better direction than her being more concerned about a damn date than the death of an innocent person 😅

[@Green-3c34y65vrbu]

it's a shame this one never actually got big, it looks like it actually had like, great potential? well, i suppose its great potential WAS fulfilled, considering Spider-Man became famous instantaneously. the humour and storytelling, while simple were actually pretty good in the original Spider-Queen comic, and The Noose is a pretty cool villain, and it's a pretty neat idea to have someone follow a hero home, kill a random, mistaking them for the hero, and having the hero be like "I wont let this go unpunished!". pretty ahead of its time.

[@CSLucasEpic]

Yes, and since all of it was done before the Comic Code was ever implemented, stories like that were not that rare. Death was something often seen in the comics of that time. I've been reading public domain comics thanks to Austin's videos, and for example there is this hero called The Black Terror (who had one of the best costumes I have seen for a superhero), who's criminals would often end up dead by the end of his stories. Also political corruption was often portrayed in that time, like how the Spider Queen finds the chief of police to be a criminal. All in all, reading Public Domain comics has been a very interesting experience, plus its free.

[@Jacobflamecaster]

The spider queen is cool little bit of history I’m glad more people are talking about

[@champagne.future5248]

Those were actually pretty good stories. Makes good use of the dramatic potential of the alter ego personas, even if it’s not very believable

[@humachine6738]

Austin's thought process: "Why create my own original superheroes while there are perfectly fine (and public domained) superheroes right ove there?"

[@rafaeldasilva6247]

I had a hunch that a) she would be in public domain and b) you would've taken a shot at a new version 🙂 I sincerely hope initiatives like yours become more common and popular, because that would be a cool alternative to the corporate copyright singularity that has dominated popular entertainment in the last two decades. Not only everything is a damn franchise, they are now remakes of themselves!

[@gracekim1998]

Most likely is public domain but I’m not certain

[@bostonrailfan2427]

she is, it’s why Marvel hasn’t user her much at all since using her 30 years ago

[@christianpain7380]

​@@bostonrailfan2427 don't they already have spider woman and spider gwen and silk

[@bostonrailfan2427]

@@christianpain7380 they all came after

[@afwalker1921]

The radioactive spider bite comes from a film released a year before the first Marvel appearance of Spiderman, a German/Croatian atrocity called alternately "Horror of Spider Island" or "It's Hot in Paradise" (original title, "Ein Toter hangt im Netz"). A group of exotic dancers are stranded on an island in the South Pacific where the US has been testing A-bombs. A radioactive spider bites the group's manager, who turns into a spider-man. He fails to appreciate the crime-fighting applications of his newfound spidey powers, instead using them to chase chunky, half-clad Italian strippers until he drowns in radioactive mud. Stan Lee made out like a bandit, and I have long wondered what he was watching with his Army buddies in the year before his great work was revealed... bah!

[@AlbioLakes]

She even fits the canon event requirement.

[@samuelswihart4285]

Some of the others you've covered have been downright silly, but this was absolutely amazing! Too bad she didn't make it past those 3 issues

[@CoolOkay_]

Wow, I gotta say... Spider Queen is definitely in the upper echelon for public domain stories, i was expecting a mess, but it was pretty compelling

[@nickperoncomedy]

Actually, the first Spider-Man was the pulp hero known as the Spider. That's kinda who Stan Lee drew inspiration from. To correct you, Spider Queen fought the Invaders not the Avengers. In fact, Invaders vol 2 (which has the Spider Queen) used public domain characters for all the baddies. Writer Roy Thomas was big on the comics he grew up with in the 40s, hence all the PD characters in that mini-series. The only character that Marvel has really used from those characters is Doctor Nemesis, who has a pretty wild history of Public Domain stories that you should 100% check out.

[@MlorenDraymeer]

She fought the Avengers in Avengers 1959 Vol 1 #5

[@be_couragous]

**me remembering that one time I accidentally stumbled across Austin’s channel** **me who’s watched nearly every video now**

[@REELWORKS12923]

I am now completely flabbergasted. gobsmacked even. Congratulations Austin

[@austinmcbostonsauce]

I challenge Austin McConnell for the title of true Austin. If he accepts, we can both write a 30 minute treatment script of whatever obscure character we want. Then we can do a live stream for charity, both of us can do our pitches, and chat can go vote which one they want to see produced.

[@Centralis-sg1ld]

Sounds exciting 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@O.D25]

How about we invite Austin john plays to make it a Battle Royal.

[@NoNameAtAll2]

but are you going to keep your side of the deal?

[@austinmcbostonsauce]

Yeah I’d be down. Austin seems like a cool guy, and I really like these videos. I hope that he is able to get his own cinematic universe with all of these characters because I would watch that 🤙

[@kevinpillar6934]

And anybody can use her since she in the public domain woah

[@reviewman]

The venom analog in the spider Queen should be named Widow!

[@Dalton_Boardman2000]

I want her to cameo in Beyond The Spider-Verse "Maybe with a line like "I'm not supposed to be here but it just felt appropriate."

[@richardjao748]

She lost her husband which kickstarts her origin story, and then she causes her next-door neighbor's death due to mistaken identity. I dunno...that sounds like a "canon event" to me. She'd fit right in!

[@Chrisionvision]

And there was a Spanish Spider-Man in 1943. In a 20 page story published in Diamante Negro N° 42 (Ediciones Rialto) Jorge Evans discovers a tree with sticky juice on an Africa expedition. He uses that to stick to walls.

[@lesteryaytrippy7282]

A missed opportunity for SpiderVerse to not have considered her and gone even more meta with the SpiderVerse narrative

[@more17]

Dude, I'm excited to see what you do with your upcoming new universe! You've got a really cool concept and Spider Queen is one of the characters I'm most excited to see your take on.

[@Albino_Basilisk]

Her partnership/relationship with that detective actually reminds me more of early spider-woman, rather than spider-man

[@SirAsdf]

It's weird how kinda revolutionary this comic was for the time just by having a strong, intelligent female lead and the male love interest being the ditzy idiot who needs to be saved all the time

[@safe-keeper1042]

It truly deserved more attention.

[@НяшкаОртодокс]

if it came out today it'd be probably accused of being 'woke'

[@sird2333]

The first woke feminazi comic!

[@jamelbunny5732]

​@@НяшкаОртодоксif they make her flawless or a Mary sue. Then yes.

[@freak926]

Dangit Austin I am thoroughly upset with you. You created a great book that I enjoyed and now I want a sequel but I have to wait. Thank you for this. (I really am grateful, it was a good read and I am excited for what's coming next!)

[@austinmcconnell]

Heyy! Thanks so much for the support. For sure, I'll write more if there's enough audience interest. Feel free to leave a review on the purchase page, and maybe share the book with others if you have the chance. Hope you're doing well. Take care!

[@jackservans6906]

If you're wondering, Mike O'Bell does feature in a minor role during the events of Austin's Spider Queen novel, though the Noose is absent for this adventure. British Agent 99 also featured, which is interesting - one of 99's major comic team-ups was with the Black Cat, another rare public domain superheroine.

[@ArnLPs]

I looked up the author and found some more cool superheros this guy wrote. One of them seems very similar to Captain America and another to Doctor Strange. Feels like this guy was kinda robbed. Louis Cazeneuve

[@alarin612]

Finished the book. It's fantastic - brought me to tears at times. Great climax - had me cheering. Looking forward to more adventures with the Spider Queen! Really hoping you'll put more of them together.

[@julianhermanubis6800]

Stan Lee said that the main inspiration for Spider-Man was pulp magazine antihero, the Spider. One of this pulp character's gadgets was a super-strong silk thread he used to climb buildings. Lee had read the pulp magazines back in the 1930s, while he was still a boy.

[@davidmcmahon4633]

A better known spider themed hero would be the Tarantula from DC. Also, you should do a comparison of the Fox from MLJ and our more famous webswinger. Amazing how much they have in common secret ID-wise.

[@Nkanyiso_K]

Did not except the book to be out already. This project has been so huge and I’m glad to be apart of it in my own small way

[@attakrus]

I feel like Michael and Shannon could be rivals in solving crimes but also very close friends as time goes one. Whether or whether not they would be romantically involved with each other is up for speculation.

[@YoMamaBih]

That's an awesome conclusion to a video like this. Well done. It blows my mind that I never knew this. I would love to see the Madam Webb as an aged Spider Queen in a future iteration of SpiderMan

[@DollarEuro_]

Nobody talking about the doctor being called Harry Kane

[@nted292]

spider queen has to become something greater

[@DrFatesOrder]

Awesome! Can’t wait to read your edition of this character!

[@TheBPDL]

Theres also Tarantula from DC before Marvel's spiderman. Theres 2 Tarantulas in DC, the og is John Law a superhero on the all star squadron and the second is an antihero named Catalina Flores who is very violent in her attempts to protect bludhaven

[@ItsKaraBowdit]

frame 1 purchased the book. So psyched to see what you & Elizabeth came up with for her!

[@ripleyfry2107]

Could actually work really well if she was brought back to media, almost exactly "as is"

[@yamadawaver9317]

I hope she can somehow enter the Spider Society too

[@aliminator1310]

I'd love to see her in Spider-Verse!

[@BenjaminRegen]

I love these, I can't get enough of McConnell's Heroes

[@johngingras]

Oh sweet, it's in paperback now! When I looked into it earlier, it was Kindle only. Order placed!

[@3113mac]

Bought the book. It was a fun little read, reminds me of the adventure books I used read in school

[@CSLucasEpic]

I just bought and read the book. Its fantastic. The best superhero origin story I have read in years.

[@scotttrammell3913]

Austin you are absolutely correct in referring to The Invaders as The Avengers. I had the 4 issue mini-series where she and the other Public domain heroes made their first Marvel Comics appearance.

[@AJedits65]

Considering that she’s in the public domain I’d love to see her show up in beyond the spider verse alongside the old black and yellow Spider-Man suit before the character was created those would be neat cameos

[@WHY-FHY]

I forgot about the black and yellow costume

[@artbytrublue288]

A Spider Queen Solo movie would be really cool actually

[@davidroddick91]

Hard to believe there was no stealing of the idea, since both characters spin their webs from their wrists, instead of from their ass like actual spiders.

[@1brianm7]

Except for the fact that she only appeared in an obscure section of three obscure anthologies and Spider-Man was invented two decades later. Also, if there was going to be a spider themed character, webs coming out of the hand would literally be the only conceivable idea.

[@gracekim1998]

@@1brianm7 basically it’s a coincidence also as you said a spider themed hero of any kind would HAVE to shot webs because spiders do that naturally 😅

[@BenjaminRegen]

Brian M: "INCONCEIVABLE!" Me: "You keep using this word... I do not think it means what you thonk it means."

[@safe-keeper1042]

Yeah, I'm going to go with a borrowed idea on this one.

[@z-beeblebrox]

It's an interesting thought for sure. I wonder if the question was ever brought up to Stan Lee at any point? Especially considering that the character was known at least well enough in the company for *someone* to bring her into Marvel continuity. It could really go either way.

[@EWBugz]

Great YT channel. I think you could easily bring The Spider Queen to the masses. It's cool to find these kind of channels.

[@austinmcconnell]

Thanks! I appreciate you taking the time to check out the channel. Feel free to explore around and see some other videos at your convenience. Hope you're having a great week. Take care!

[@nandorvirag7134]

This is the biggest achievement of Harry Kane, retires from soccer and becomes a scientist

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

This character is quite amazing to learn about.

[@austinmcconnell]

Thanks! I appreciate you taking time to fall down the rabbit hole with me.

[@bigkebizino8970]

I really like her character, cant wait to see you do her justice

[@edensmith7757]

Just got my copy in the mail yesterday! The hype is real 😃

[@exilestudios9546]

just bought the paperback version, cant wait to read it when it arrives!

[@austinmcconnell]

Excellent. I really appreciate you supporting the project. Feel free to leave a review afterward on the purchase page, if so inclined. Take care!

[@bmck-8400]

Reminds me a lot like the low budget movie SPARKS from 2013. I enjoyed the film a lot because it was no budget and had real heart.

[@VaibhavShewale]

RIP Spider Queen, Marvel did dirty with her story of turning her to a villian

[@proboffensive]

i don't know what the printing technique was when the spider queen was first released but damn, i spent the entire video admiring the textures

[@dehydratedwater9806]

Lol that scream at 4:57 made my day

[@BowtieFlumph]

I have a book about obscure comic characters and she's one of my favorites! Glad she's part of your universe now

[@heatblaze123]

It should be noted that wrist mounted web shooters for Spider-Man was Steve Ditko's idea.

[@silvercrow2925]

1:18 no way he was a scientist on top of being a footballer

[@ulises4241]

There was actually a comic character name spider-man who appeared before peter parker. He made his appearance in WHIZ COMICS #89 (a Shazam comic) on September 1947. 15 years before the spidey we know today. In the story he is a Shazam villain, he is in no way similar to Peter parker. Total different costume, he doesn’t climb up walls or swing from webs. Rather, he’s invented a sticky plastic compound akin to a spider’s web which he used to ensnare anybody who gets in the way of his crimes.

[@juliusbossman7280]

Im getting that novel the first chance I get

[@ONEPEAKFRFR]

Soon the greatest cinematic universe will be born

[@jankarieben1071]

I was on the fence up till you introduced your “Spider Queen” novel, subscribed. ❤

[@austinmcconnell]

Aw... thanks!

[@Majiu_]

I like to think that Peter Parker got his idea for the Web-shooters via this comic strip, I mean, 616 Spidey DOES live in this era, right? So what if he got the idea to make the Web-Shooters from the Spider-Queen? (Obviously head-canon lol)

[@jayguero2123]

I believe Owen Likes Comics covered this first. In that same video, he spoke of a Halloween costume with a Spider theme that came out before AF15 and very likely inspired Steve Ditko the general design for Spider-Man. If memory serves right, Ditko also cheekily replied to the allegation in a letter.

[@singletona082]

This genuinely would have worked as a fifties era bewitched style show. Have it be a double feature with Superman. This is surprisingly solid writing. Plays with the sexest expectations of the day and gives us a very proactive mostly mundane heroine who happened to luck out and find an honest cop who she meshed well with. You sya Mike isn't bright. I say it's an example of clark kent effectat work. Shannon and Spider Queen act radically dissimilar. He has a lotof everything else on his mind, and part of him genuinely doesn't want to think this widow is secretly swinging around.

[@theblueoctopus4494]

Don't forget Spider-Man from Charlton’s The Thing #7 (March 1953).

[@rlhemenway]

Well I bought it...and I'm reading it...but my internal monolog now sounds like Austin....

[@pendantblade6361]

Austin and old forgotten superheroes, name a better duo

[@goodlookingcorpse]

If you're swinging around above people, probably don't wear a short skirt.

[@randominternetweirdo5479]

No mention of Jessica Drew, who I think got a few similarities to this Queen. Spider.. Queen... Adriana 'Ana' Soria, the kisser who made Peter a spider pregnant with himself.. and gave him organic webshooters that were retconned just like that with the deal.

[@gracekim1998]

She does?

[@BettoniFerreira]

In the first episode, the dude says the cops are MILES aways... MILES... Coincidence? I think not 😂

[@user-em7ig3lk7l]

She could show up in Beyond the Spiderverse, I wouldn’t mind

[@dcalltheway610]

Excited to see what you do next. Cant wait for 6 gun gorilla 👍

[@zyaicob]

Even her antics are just like Peter's. I was skeptical of the "The ORIGINAL Spider-Man" claim but this is exactly like Petey.

[@gamesdisk]

so would the spider-queen be public domain now then?

[@austinmcconnell]

Watch the video and find out! :)

[@Somebodyherefornow]

yes

[@novahharold799]

So we're getting the whole lineup

[@austinmcconnell]

All depends on if people really want it. :)

[@iancruz6617]

The difference why spider-man success over spider-queen was. Even though spider-man was actually last ditch effort by Stan Lee to get out of his system and put spider-man in this mini stories in amazing fantasy. Amazing lucky draw was he was the cover for that issue so ppl knew and saw him right away while spider-Queen was literally at very same release for a mini stories in the comics issue. She was put in the very end up that comic issue so hardly anyone come to know the character well. That wonder woann even got lucky even being popular notice even though her first appearance she was not in a cover but on a mini comic issue second page had promotion over her mini stories right there so any preview ppl who pick up that comic issue would know right out who this character will be once open the page. That she ends up having a comic issue while she in the cover now that lead to her popularity while also there was a growing consider comic being complain by parents that time as volience for kids during golden age.

[@aaronharris1092]

Spiderverse 3 owes her an homage.

[@Phelllix_karral]

Doctor Harry Kane?

[@jankowalsk767]

Okay, so there was a Web-slingin, wall-walkin spider-queen lady, but i wouldn’t cały it „origin” of spider-man, an inspiration for sure, but an origin? Spider-man has similar powers, true, but Marvel made for example: his backstory, his name, his reasons, his siut, ect, ect.

[@MeryoSkoll]

and also theres a superhero named alias the spider from dc comics too and theres also tarantula from dc , sadly some old super heroes didnt get too famous sadly , i hope your comicbooks get physical versions and get translations in other languages that would be cool

[@memegazer]

Ok...I bought your book...idk know how to read it...bc I don't have kindle...but if I didn't buy it to read it I bought it to support you. And hopefully I can figure out how to get it to work in pdf format.

[@memegazer]

nvm...just bought the paper back instead

[@SuperCookieGaming_]

i hope the last spiderverse movie puts spider queen in there. even if its just a cameo

[@dinobroofmf]

I wpuld to see Spider-Queen as one of the background Spider-People in beyond the Spider-Verse in a fun way she is the original Spider

[@Wheredabox]

No guys, there is no rule 34 of spider queen

[@jamesthanoob]

Not yet

[@SilentAssasinLOL]

Yet

[@latioslad1]

You fool, you know not what forces you toy with.

[@exilestudios9546]

i know what need to do but dont know if i have the strength to do it!

[@jamesorth6460]

It could be like wonderwoman mix with spiderman

[@letsgoooo9200]

Gotta love public domain heroes

[@ButlerOfTheC]

Great video!