Issue(s): Spider-Woman #2
Cover Date: May 78
Title: "A sword in hand!"
Credits:
Marv Wolfman - Writer
Carmine Infantino - Penciler
Tony DeZuniga - Inker

Review/plot:
In a very strange turn of events for this new series, Spider-Woman gets into a fight with an avatar of Morgan Le Fey. His name is Excaliber - although the sword that gives him powers is described as Morgen Le Fay's Excalibur, spelled correctly.

Spider-Woman gains an ally in a wizard named Magnus.

After Excaliber is defeated, Magnus and Spider-Woman head for America, and lovestruck SHIELD agent Jerry Hunt follows.

At one point police come to arrest Spider-Woman, but they find her paralyzed or hypnotized. This strange aura she possess also causes women to be uncomfortable in her presence while men are attracted to her.

Much later, this will be explained as pheromones.

The supernatural direction of this series may be in part because that is the area where Marv Wolfman had been having his greatest success (with Dracula), or it may have been an attempt to further distinguish her from Spider-Man, since Marvel was getting a lot of criticism from readers around creating another female heroine that is a derivative of a main character (when in fact Spider-Woman was only created to prevent another company from creating a TV show called Spider-Woman). In any event, it's a weird mesh, especially considering Jessica's origins are founded in the science of the High Evolutionary and Hydra. Her costume and powers don't fit very well with supernatural opponents.

Quality Rating: C-

Historical Significance Rating: 3 - formative Spider-Woman story; first Magnus & modern day Morgan Le Fey

Chronological Placement Considerations: Spider-Woman is still searching for her father.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

not sure which is worse: Excalibur's costume or name.

I believe this was modern Marvel's first use of Morgan Le Fey as a Marvel villain. She had appeared previously in the 1950s Black Knight series.

Morgan's entry in OHOTMU Deluxe Edition #9 does say First Modern Appearance: Spider-Woman #2

Thanks guys. That's worth an HSR point.

The Skull the Slayer review reminds me a version of Morgan appeared there in #4-#5. Steve Englehart likely meant her to be the real Morgan when he wrote #4, but Bill Mantlo revealed her to be a robot in #5.