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Jean DeWolff

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Jean DeWolff
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceMarvel Team-Up #48 (August 1976)
Created byBill Mantlo and Sal Buscema
In-story information
Full nameCaptain Jean DeWolff
Team affiliationsNew York City Police Department
Supporting character ofSpider-Man

Jean DeWolff is a fictional police detective appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She functions as a supporting character in particular titles featuring Spider-Man. She is murdered in "The Death of Jean DeWolff".

Publication history

Jean DeWolff first appeared in Marvel Team-Up #48-51 (August–November 1976), and was created by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema. She was one of the few supporting cast members in Marvel Team-Up.[1]

Comics journalist Jonathan Miller described Jean DeWolff as "a secondary character that could facilitate a sense of continuity [in Marvel Team-Up], someone who knew only the costumed side of Peter's personality, and yet had a genuine relationship with him. Hard-edged and no-nonsense, DeWolff usually made her entrance in her vintage roadster, cigarette dangling from the corner of her mouth, a modern, post-feminist take on the classic tough-guy heroes of Dashiell Hammett and Mickey Spillane."[1]

The character subsequently appeared in Marvel Team-Up #60-62 (August–October 1977), #65-66 (January–February 1978), #72 (August 1978), #88 (December 1979), Ms. Marvel #6-7 (June–July 1977), The Amazing Spider-Man #226 (March–April 1982), #239 (April 1983), The Spectacular Spider-Man #103 (June 1985), and #107 (October 1985). The character made posthumous appearances in The Sensational She-Hulk #53 (July 1993), Venom Super Special #1 (August 1995), and Spider-Man/Human Torch #4 (June 2005).

Jean DeWolff received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #17, and The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Spider-Man #1 (2005) and The Official Handbook of the Ultimate Marvel Universe: Fantastic Four and Spider-Man #1 (2005).

Fictional character biography

Having experienced a problematic childhood, Jean became a tough, unrelenting police captain for the NYPD. She notably prefers clothing and cars from the 1930s era. In the course of her work she becomes acquainted with and befriends Spider-Man,[volume & issue needed] and becomes one of his staunchest admirers and allies in the NYPD force, who had previously been hostile to him, thanks to the antagonistic editorials of The Daily Bugle's J. Jonah Jameson.

Jean is killed by her lover[2] Stan Carter, aka Sin-Eater.[3] After her death, Spider-Man discovers that she had kept a collection of Spider-Man news clippings (a photo of him with the Black Cat was cut to remove the Black Cat from the image). This implied that her feelings towards him were warmer than she generally indicated, leaving Spider-Man even more dejected.[4]

Legacy

Jean's brother Brian, who was separated from her when she was six months old,[3] is also known as the Wraith. Upon her death, Brian goes insane, blaming the NYPD for her death. But before he can commence his attack, he is killed by the Scourge of the Underworld.[5]

Faux Return

Later, a new Wraith appears, targeting Mister Negative's criminal syndicate. The new Wraith, Police Captain Yuri Watanabe, was a close friend of Jean, and uses a mask fabricated by Mysterio to pose as her.[6]

Other versions

Spider-Gwen

In the Spider-Gwen reality, DeWolff is partnered with Captain Frank Castle on the NYPD's Special Crimes Task Force.[7][8]

Spider-Man Noir

Spider-Man Noir: Eyes Without A Face features Federal Agent Jean De Wolfe, who is trying to track down The Crime Master, and is skeptical of Spider-Man's motives in crimefighting. In keeping with the 1930s setting, this version of De Wolfe is male, as a woman could never have joined the police force.[9]

Ultimate Marvel

In the Ultimate Marvel continuity, while still tough and unrelenting, her morality is in question, and she is a supporting character in Ultimate Spider-Man. Writer Brian Michael Bendis changed her name to Jeanne De Wolfe.

In Captain Jeanne De Wolfe's first appearance she is shown outside a bank being robbed by an impersonator Spider-Man, though her name was written as it was in the regular Marvel Universe (Jean DeWolff). It is this impersonator who killed Captain Stacy, Gwen Stacy's father. Spider-Man arrives and attacks the man, nearly killing the imposter in his rage. However, Spider-Man comes to his senses and instead webs up the imposter and leaves him for the police.[10]

Her next appearance is following a fight between Spider-Man and Gladiator. It is this appearance where the spelling used for this version of the character is introduced (Jeanne DeWolfe). She is the first police officer not to shoot Spider-Man on sight, and orders others in her squad not to arrest him.[11] Spider-Man is pleased to have an ally in official law enforcement, and she continues to help him during the "Hobgoblin" and "Warriors" storylines.[12] However, it is later revealed that Jeanne De Wolfe is employed by Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin, as a spy to obtain insider information about the actions of the police, Spider-Man and other superheroes.[13]

Jeanne De Wolfe was shot and killed by the Punisher. Afterwards Spider-Man was told that she was in Kingpin's employ, and the rumour was that she was the Kingpin's lover. Fisk was later seen mourning her death, indicating this may indeed be true.[14]

In other media

Television

  • Jean DeWolff appears in The Spectacular Spider-Man voiced by Irene Bedard.[15] She is Native American and shown to be partnered with Stan Carter - they are uniformed patrol officers sharing a squad car. Unlike Carter, DeWolff doesn't share her enthusiasm for Spider-Man.

Video games

  • In the Spider-Man 3 video game (on the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC versions), DeWolff (now spelled as DeWolfe and voiced by Vanessa Marshall) appears as a detective who enlists Spider-Man to help crack down on gun running and crooked cops, although she also shares information with him about the 'Mad Bomber' case. The nature of these missions tend to include Spidey taking evidence photos for DeWolfe before fighting. The climax of the DeWolfe arc hints at the building friendship between the two, although she gruffly makes it clear that they're not friends. In the Nintendo DS version, she tells Spider-Man about events involving gangs, including the Apocalypse Gang and the Dragon-tail Brotherhood. In this game, DeWolfe is portrayed as an African-American.
  • Jean DeWolff appears in the video game Marvel Heroes voiced by Mary Faber. While investigating the Enforcers, she witnesses them almost killing the hero Speedball. Without thinking or hesitating, Jean kills the Enforcers and rescues Speedball. However, the Kingpin caught this on camera and bribed Jean to work for him, otherwise he would release the images and it would mean the end of her career as a police officer. Her double life was discovered by befriended reporter Ben Urich (who mentioned it to the other heroes). After they helped defeat Bullseye, Jean had a change of heart and decided to turn herself in.
  • Jean DeWolff being murdered is referenced in a newspaper in Spider-Man: Edge of Time.
  • Jean DeWolff appears in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 voiced by Misty Lee. Photographs taken of police computers provide Spider-Man with access to her files on various criminal gang leaders active in New York at this time, including Mister Negative, Hammerhead and the Hood.

References

  1. ^ a b Miller, Jonathan (October 2010). "Spider-Man and Company: The Wide World of Marvel Team-Up". Back Issue! (44). TwoMorrows Publishing: 39.
  2. ^ The Spectacular Spider-Man #135
  3. ^ a b The Spectacular Spider-Man #107
  4. ^ The Spectacular Spider-Man #108
  5. ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #278
  6. ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #663-664
  7. ^ Jason Latour (w), Robbi Rodriguez (p), Robbi Rodriguez (i), Rico Renzi (col), VC's Clayton Cowles (let), Nick Lowe (ed). "Most Wanted? Part One" Spider-Gwen, vol. 1, no. 1 (25 February 2015). United States: Marvel Comics.
  8. ^ Jason Latour (w), Robbi Rodriguez (p), Robbi Rodriguez (i), Rico Renzi (col), VC's Clayton Cowles (let), Nick Lowe (ed). "Most Wanted? Part Two" Spider-Gwen, vol. 1, no. 2 (11 March 2015). United States: Marvel Comics.
  9. ^ Spider-Man Noir: Eyes Without A Face #1-4
  10. ^ Ultimate Spider-Man #31-32
  11. ^ Ultimate Spider-Man #60
  12. ^ Ultimate Spider-Man #72-85
  13. ^ Ultimate Spider-Man #85
  14. ^ Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #2
  15. ^ Comics Continuum by Rob Allstetter: Tuesday, January 29, 2008
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