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.

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."

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, 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 Stan Carter, aka Sin-Eater. 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.

Legacy

Jean's brother Brian, who was separated from her when she was six months old, 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.

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.

Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy

Jean was one of the deceased resurrected as a clone in the Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy event. During the final fight, she assists Spider-Man and Prowler in stopping the cloned villains from escaping the facility as her body decayed from the Carrion Virus, presumably killing her in the process.

Spider-Gwen

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

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.

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.

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. Spider-Man is pleased to have an ally in official law enforcement, and she continues to help him during the "Hobgoblin" and "Warriors" storylines. 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.

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 definitely be true.

Television

Video games