Amazing Fantasy #1-6 (2004-2005): 1st Arana

Everyone knows that Amazing Fantasy #15 had the first appearance of Spider-Man.  The fourteen issues that preceded that issue have long since faded into forgotten history.  But based on the fame of AF#15, someone thought that a series reboot would be a good way to launch what is essentially a new Spider-Woman.

Anya Corazón is a Mexican immigrant who stumbles upon a group, who will be revealed as The Sisterhood of the Wasp, attacking Miguel Legar, who is a sorcerer for the Spider Society, which works for Ezekiel—from the JMS run on Amazing Spider-Man that introduced a whole new Wasp/Spider mystical world.

Miguel recognizes that Anya is destined to become a new Wasp Hunter, he helps her manifest her ability: Anya can create a biological blue exoskeleton giving her strength and power to fight off the agents of the Wasps.

She takes on the codename Arana and gets her own series.

These issues try hard to establish a supporting cast for Anya (her father is a reporter and her mother is dead, she has some high school friends, etc.), and do a decent job.  I also appreciate the desire to follow the storylines left dangling by JMS as he attempted to create an expansive and mystical underbelly to the Spiderverse.  As for the execution, it’s just mediocre.

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