Snap Into Marvel: Is The Multi-Layered Araña The Best Card Of The Season?

Real Name: Aña “Anya” Corazon

First Appearance: Amazing Fantasy #1 (August 2004) as Anya, Amazing Fantasy #2 (September 2004) as Araña, Young Allies #5 (October 2010) as Spider-Girl

First Multimedia Appearance: Spider-Man (2017) voiced by Melanie Minichino (animated), Madame Web (2024) played by Isabela Merced (live-action)

Powers & Abilities: Araña possesses superhuman strength, speed, stamina, reflexes, agility, and endurance, as well as the ability to cling to walls. At one time, she could also manifest a spider-like exoskeleton to enhance her abilities and add additional protection. She also uses a spider-like bola/grappling hook of her own design as a weapon and means of conveyance. 

Comic Book Chronicles

Every once in a while, Marvel tries to make Amazing Fantasy, the anthology series that introduced Spider-Man in its 15th and final issue back in 1962, a thing again. They do this either by relaunching the title, or releasing a new 16th issue, things like that.

Araña was introduced as part of one such effort, in 2004. Coming in a reboot of the series that introduced Spider-Man, she was, of course, a spider-themed character, even though the Marvel Universe already had several female Spider-Man variants running around at the time (including but not limited to Mattie Franklin and alternate-future Peter Parker daughter Spider-Girl). 

In another somewhat curious decision, Araña’s origin and storytelling engine was deeply tied to the mystical “Spider Totem” business established by writer J.Michael Straczynski at the start of his run at the helm of Amazing Spider-Man. Adding a mystical component to the previously science-heavy origin of Spider-Man, JMS established the notion that Spider-Man was the avatar of a Spider-Totem, a godlike being who maintains the multiversal “Great Web”.

After Araña was caught in the crossfire between the Spider-Totem-worshipping Spider Society and their enemies the Sisterhood of the Wasp, one of the Spider Society saved her life by imbuing her with abilities similar to those of Spider-Man. 

Conflict with the Sisterhood of the Wasp was at the center of most of Araña’s early adventures. Over time, she became a sidekick of sorts to Captain Marvel (when she was still using the name Ms. Marvel). She took on the moniker of Spider-Girl to fight alongside the Young Allies (a Young Avengers-esque team of sidekicks and other young heroes) and made appearances in the Avengers-in-training Avengers Academy. All while maintaining a recurring presence as a supporting character in Spider-Man’s corner of the Marvel Universe, participating in crossovers like “Spider-Island” and the reality-spanning “Spider-Verse”.

This role as part of Spider-Man’s extended “family” set the stage for her appearance in 2024’s Madame Web film, as one of the three young women destined to acquire spider powers being protected by the title character. 

Fit & Finish 

Araña’s three cards actually serve as an effective snapshot of her sartorial history. The “main” card is Araña’s look when she first appears, her first superhero outfit. One of the variants represents her during her “Spider-Girl” period, in which she wore a black and silver Spider-suit. And the Inyuk Lee variant captures her current look, the one she adopted after giving up the Spider-Girl moniker and returning to her Araña identity. 

Form & Function

Like Ghost Spider and Madame Web, Araña’s Marvel Snap ability leans into the general notion of Spider-Man-related cards being Move-oriented, with the added flourish of her bolo/whip subbing in for Spider-Man’s webs. 

But the piece that really sets Araña up to be a card that finds a place outside the Move archetype is the +2 power the card grants to its Move target. Not only does this make Araña a better Iron Fist (as an Activate, you don’t even need to play her immediately before the card you want to move) but it essentially makes her the new old 1-power Forge — one which, again, can hold her ability until the most advantageous time. Sure, moving Human Torch and giving him +4 (after his move doubles the +2 Araña gives him) is great. But so is buffing Deadpool in a Destroy deck AND moving him out of a Armor lane. Or buffing Sinister or Brood, and then moving one of the buffed cards into a closed off lane like Sanctum Sanctorum. 

All in all, the combination of cheap cost, the move ability AND the power boost, plus the fact that she’s an Activate and not an On Reveal sets Araña up to be one of the best cards of the season.