The Longest Shortest Time

EPISODE #76: Kicking Ass While Pregnant

Psst! If you’re looking for the sneak preview of Spider-Woman #5, jump ahead here.

UPDATE 7.7.16: The full arc of Spider Woman becoming a mom is now available in this Baby Talk collection.

Jessie and Dennis Hopeless were 23 when they got married, and just launching their careers—her as a tattoo artist; him as a comic book writer. That’s their work below.

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Neither one of them was into the idea of having kids. But then, a decade later they decided to try to get pregnant. And did. With twins.

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Of course, taking care of two babies wasn’t always as easy as they make it look up above. Watching Jessie struggle through pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding made Dennis want to write a comic based on her early motherhood experiences. Soon after the boys were born, Dennis was asked to come up with a new story arc for Marvel’s Jessica Drew, aka Spider-Woman. The first thing he said was, “Can she be pregnant?” His editor kinda laughed it off. But weeks later, Dennis was writing Marvel’s first pregnant title character.

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Early in this series, Spider-Woman takes a break from fighting crime as she prepares to become a mom. But she can’t stay off the job for long. While waiting for a check-up at the hospital, she is forced to do some major ass-kicking, saving humanity from evil Skrulls.

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Parts of the book are way more real than sci-fi. Like when she gets a c-section. (Granted, the doctors are aliens.)

SWOMAN C-Section and Immediately After-detail

Tune in to this episode to hear Dennis and Jessie Hopeless talking about their own alien-like hospital experience, and the times when they’ve felt most like parent-superheroes. Hint: you’ll find out why their babies wound up in only diapers, with trash bags tied around their necks, while going through customs.

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Spider-Woman Issue #5: Debuting Here!
Yes, right here! At this time, you can’t see these pages anywhere else. Issue 5 covers Spider-Woman’s first couple of months with her baby. She’s on superhero maternity leave, trying to live a normal life as a single mom. Check out a five-page preview below. And find the rest of the Spider-Woman series here.

Click on images to view larger versions.

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What parenting superpower do you wish YOU had? When have you felt like a superhero?
Kapow! Tell all. Below.

Spider-Woman comics: Dennis Hopeless & Javier Rodriguez/Marvel Entertainment; Jessie tattooing: Melissa Hines; Kids in cribs: Alea Lovely

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