Insecure star and creator, “The Awkward Black Girl,” herself, Issa Rae is set to voice Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman in the sequel to Sony’s critically acclaimed animated film, “Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse!”
Issa Rae joins Shameik Moore (Dope, Netflix’s The Get Down) and Hailee Steinfield as they reprise their roles of Spider-Man (Miles Morales) and Spider-Gwen, respectively. There is very little besides her casting being revealed concerning the actress/content creator’s role other than which character she is voicing, but it marks the first time the character will debut in an animated film, and Issa’s first voice over. It is reported, however, the sequel film will have other Spider-Man related characters from across Marvel’s multiverse making an appearance.
Unlike many of the other Spider-Man related characters who gained theirs through a radioactive spider bite, Jessica’s were the result of her father, a brilliant geneticist, injecting her with arachnid blood to halt uranium poisoning in her cells. She was placed in stasis and over many decades she slowly healed, gaining her powers in the process.
Jessica Drew is just one of many women and super-heroines with the code name of Spider-Woman. However unlike most of these other heroes she can fly, is immune to poisons and toxins, manipulates her pheromones to make men fall in love with her and repulse women; fires bolts of bio-electricity that can shatter steel, and additionally possesses most of the basic spider powers attributed to Spider-Man (minus the webbing). Jessica’s mother is also a super villain and terrorist known as Viper who has clashed with superheroes like Captain America, Wolverine, The Winter Soldier, and even some teams of Avengers. Jessica herself is also an Avenger, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, and member of a HYDRA–a terrorist organization–making her a “triple agent.”
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse 2 is set to premiere in theaters everywhere October 7, 2022.
