ARACHNE

Real Name: Arachne

Identity/Class: Human (mystically-altered)

Occupation: Mercenary, former weaver

Group Membership: Olympus Group

Affiliations:  Argus, Delphyne Gorgon, Eris, Hephaestus, Hera, Hercules (Heracles), Huntsman, Lamia, Typhon

Enemies: A. Nancy, Athena, the Avengers (Amadeus Cho, Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), Wolverine (James Howlett), U.S. Agent (John Walker), Wasp (Henry Pym)), Zeus;
formerly Hercules

Known Relatives: Idmon (father, deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: New Olympus, Manhattan, New York;
formerly Colophon in Ancient Lydia (now part of modern Turkey)

First Appearance: Incredible Hercules#138 (January, 2010)

Powers/Abilities: Arachne possesses the ability to mystically conjure and weave webbing from her hands as long projectile protuberances or as netting to catch and bind her foes. The range of her spider-powers are unrevealed, but she possibly has strength comparable to Spider-Man (Class 10 at least) and the ability to cling to walls. Arachne has the upper body of a woman but the hindquarters of a giant spider.

History: (Greek and Roman Mythology) - Arachne was a young weaver from Colophon in Ancient Lydia, now part of modern Turkey. She was so skilled in creating tapestries that she dared to compare herself to Athena, the Olympian goddess of crafts. Appearing on Earth as an old woman, Athena warned Arachne of the dangers of presumption, but when Arachne scorned this advice, Athena revealed her true form as a goddess and challenged her to a contest. Athena placed her spindle on a hill and weaved a brocade showing the creation of the universe and the legends of the arrogance of mortal beings punished by the gods. Arachne retaliated by weaving a tapestry that displayed the scandals within the Olympians themselves. Angered that Arachne's gifts were equal to her own, Athena flew into a rage and ripped the tapestry to shreds. Unable to handle the punishment, Arachne took her own life but seeing pity in her, Athena turned her into a spider to weave webs for eternity.  

(Incredible Hercules#138 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Hera restored Arachne's humanity to transform her into a half-spider/half-human creation and recruited her as an ally to protect New Olympus, the Manhattan-based corporate headquarters of the Olympus Group, the Olympian gods' Earthbound base.

(Incredible Hercules#138) - Arachne appeared with Hera's other allies to defend New Olympus from the Avengers and engaged in battle with Spider-Woman.

(Incredible Hercules#139) - Arachne squared off against Spider-Man who eluded her spider-webs long enough to cover up her hands, but she used his own webs to trap him.

(Incredible Hercules#141 - BTS) - After Hera was slain by Typhon, Arachne was defeated by the Avengers.

(Herc#7) - Arachne saw Hercules with his newly-gained spider-powers swing by her window and was glad that he didn't disturb her.

(Herc#8) - When Arachne saw Hercules transform into a half-spider being like herself on TV she set out to confront the one controlling Hercules. Teleporting to the Queen (Ana Soria)'s hideout Arachne ordered her to keep her spiders off the island and release Hercules from her control. The Queen removed her control from Hercules enabling Emma Frost of the X-Men, who Hercules was fighting with to destroy Spider-Sense jammers set up to block the Queen's spiders from leaving the island, to hit Hercules with a telepathic blast. Shortly after Arachne herself arrived at the fight scene and webbed up the X-Men. She revealed to Hercules that she had gone into hiding with her tapestry after Hercules and the Avengers had defeated Hera's Olympus Group and how afraid she was that the gods had found her when she had seen Hercules at her home. But since Hercules was transformed she suddenly felt like she wanted to be found by him. She embraced Hercules and they became intimate in front of the X-Men. Meanwhile A. Nancy, secretly the god Anansi, stole Arachne's tapestry from her apartment.

Comments: Adapted by  Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, Rodney Buchemi and Reilly Brown 

Mythological info from Crowell's Handbook of Classical Myth by Edward Tripp and Gods, Demi-Gods and Demons by Bernard Evslin.

Profile by: Will U

Clarifications: Arachne is not to be confused with:

Images:

Incredible Hercules#138, page 18, top left

Issues:

Incredible Hercules#138 (January 2010) - Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente (writers), Rodney Buchemi (artists), Guilleri Mari (colors), Simon Bowland (lettering), Adi Granov (cover), Irene Y. Lee (production), Jordan D. White (assistant editor), Nathan Cosby (associate editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Incredible Hercules#139 (February 2010) - Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente (writers), Rodney Buchemi, Reilly Brown (artists), Guilleri Mari (colors), Simon Bowland (lettering), Michael Bierek (cover), Irene Y. Lee (production), Jordan D. White (assistant editor), Nathan Cosby (associate editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Herc#7-8 (November, 2011) - Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente (writers), June Brigman (pencils), Roy Richardson (inks), Mark Paniccia (editor)

Last updated: 05/25/14

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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