Watson, Anna

 In: Characters
 Posted: 2006
 Staff: Dave Sippel (E-Mail)
File Photo
Attributes
Eyes:

Blue

Features:

Slightly overweight elderly woman.

Hair:

Grey

Height:

5'8''

Weight:

180

Powers
Abilities:

Makes a great veggie soup.

Limitations:

That of an elderly woman.

Strength Level:

That of an elderly woman.

Summary
Citizenship:

United States

Created By:

Stan Lee, Steve Ditko

Current Aliases:

"None"

Current Groups:

"None".

Current Occupation:

Unknown.

Dual Identity:

Known

Education:

High school

Former Aliases:

"None".

Former Bases:

"None"

Former Groups:

"None".

Former Occupation:

Actress.

Known Allies:

May Parker, Mary Jane Watson-Parker, Peter Parker

Known Confidants:

"None".

Known Relatives:

Philip Watson, Mary Jane Watson, Gail Watson

Legal Status:

No criminal record.

Major Enemies:

Alistair Smythe. Her own guilt and suspicion.

Marital Status:

Divorced.

Place of Birth:

New York, New York

Real Name:

Anna Watson

Usual Bases:

Forest Hills

Background

Mary Jane's aunt Anna Watson, older sister to her father, Philip Watson, always seemed to be the nice friend of Peter's Aunt May Parker. Anna invited May to live with her so they could help each other out as they got older, set Peter up with Mary Jane, brought him vegetable soup and comforted May when he left for college.

"Fun 'N' Games"

Anna, unlike May, tended to stay out of trouble when it came to New York's super criminal element. That changed when she was kidnapped by Alistaire Smythe, who thought he was taking Spider-Man's aunt, to be used as bait. Mary Jane held on to her aunt as she was taken by Smythe's flying saucer, and later managed to convince Alistaire that she was actually Spider-Man. This managed to buy Peter enough time to find and rescue the Watson's. (Amazing Spider-Man Annual #19)

Aunt Anna stayed a close friend of the Parkers and moved in with Peter and MJ after May Parker "died." Living with Peter exposed Anna to his unusual comings and goings and made her suspicious of how he could be gone for days at a time. She also didn't trust his habit of making last minute changes in plans.

Anna confronted MJ with her concerns but Mary Jane was just glad that she hadnt discovered Peter's secret. Instead of accusing Peter of being Spider-Man, she believed that he was having an affair. Returning home that night after being under the control of Calypso, Peter was confronted by a furious Anna Watson. MJ, tired of her aunt's nonsense, told her that Peter was Spider-Man. Anna believed that Mary Jane made up the story of Peter being Spider-Man to show her how foolish she sounded for accusing him of having an affair. She apologized and confessed to Peter that she had been married to a man named Jacob Hilliard after moving out to California to become an actress. She was 19 years old and married Jacob, a radio writer, within a month of meeting him.

Their romance quickly went stale and Anna soon met a singer named Johnny Dipalma while at an audition. He asked her to lunch and she soon convinced herself that she was in love. The guilt made her feel terrible. She stopped seeing Johnny and told Jacob the truth. She came back to New York and never told anyone that she had been married, not even May Parker.

She assumed that Peter hated her for accusing him of cheating on Mary Jane, but Peter said he loved her and he had nothing to forgive her for. She returned to Florida after May was revealed to be alive.

”The Last Temptation of Eddie Brock”

She took part in the seance with Madame Web to contact the comatose May after she was shot by a sniper hired by the Kingpin. (Sensational Spider-Man (vol. 2) #39)

“One Moment in Time”

Anna played a minor part in the ending of Peter and MJ's relationship. Due to Mephisto's tampering with the past, Peter was late to his wedding to Mary Jane, causing Anna to regret ever introducing the two of them and MJ to refuse to marry Peter. They did, however, stay in a relationship. Years later, the thug that caused Peter to be late to his wedding returned and tried to kill Anna. This caused MJ to leave Peter for good and head to California.

”A World Without Love”

Anna had been diagnosed with dementia, which was greatly alleviated by drugs from Krakoan pharmaceuticals. Mary Jane was the brand ambassador for the medications, but since she was putting her face on the product, she had Norman Osborn check them, to make sure they were safe. Norman had been made into a good man after being shot by the Sin Eater's magic shotgun. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 6) #7)

”Maxed Out”

Anna was having dinner with May, Robbie Robertson, his wife, J. Jonah Jameson and Peter when Norman joined them. Peter and May were the only ones to accept him. Robbie reminded Norman that he had been good friends of the Stacy family and that some things are never forgiven. Norman reminded him that his son, Randy Robertson, was engaged to the daughter of Tombstone, so he must believe in second chances. Anna toasted to that, as she had been cured of her illness by a mutant flower. Peter’s spider sense went off and he hurried out, with Norman and Jonah right behind him. (Spider-Man (vol. 4) #9)

The anti-mutant group known as Orchis had found a way to manipulate every human that had taken the Krakoan medicine, a number in the millions. If mutants didn’t leave earth, Orchis would kill the human patients, first by sending them into a rage. (Hellfire Gala) The X-Men defeated Orchis and the human patients were safe. However, Anna was institutionalized after her violent outburst at her birthday, attacking both Mary Jane and May. (Amazing Spider-Man Annual (vol. 6) #1)

Anna was locked up at Ravencroft Asylum after she became violent. Spider-Man snuck into her cell with an antidote to the tainted Krakoan medicine and gave her the injection despite her calling him a degenerate and junkie. She bit his hand as he injected the cure and screamed that she’d kill him. The cure quickly took effect and she was ashamed of how she wanted to kill everyone around her. Spider-Man offered to break her out and she refused, wanting to pay for hurting people. He’d offered to have Norman Osborn’s lawyers make the prison break charges go away but she still refused. Norman was glad to hear it, as even his lawyers would have difficulty making a prison escape charge disappear.

Peter and MJ later visited her at the asylum and she was happily chatting with the Human Fly and Whirlwind. Her nurse was happy with her recovery and was trying to get her released asap. Peter let slip that Anna had threatened to rip the nurse’s face off, which confused the nurse as no one else had been present when it was said. Peter made an excuse to leave and accidentally crossed paths with William Baker. They chatted amicably until Peter mentioned Spider-Man, which enraged the Sandman. His inhibitor harness shocked him into compliance and the nurse told Peter to leave. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 6) #45)

Appearances

Cover Date Appearance Information
May 1998 FB: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #257
Jan 1999 FB: Peter Parker: Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #1 (Story 1)
Dec 1984 FB: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #259
Dec 1996 App: Untold Tales of Spider-Man #16
Aug 1964 1st: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #15
  (First Published Appearance)
Year 1996 BTS: Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 1) Annual 1996 (Story 1)
Year 1998 App: Untold Tales of Spider-Man: Strange Encounter
Mar 1997 App: Untold Tales of Spider-Man #19
Apr 1997 App: Untold Tales of Spider-Man #20
Nov 1964 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #18
Jun 1997 App: Untold Tales of Spider-Man #22
Sep 1997 App: Untold Tales of Spider-Man #25
Sep 1965 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #28
Nov 1965 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #30
Mar 1966 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #34
Jan 1999 BTS: Webspinners Tales of Spider-Man #1 (Story 1)
Sep 1966 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #40
Oct 1966 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #41
Nov 1966 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #42
Dec 1966 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #43
Feb 1967 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #45
Mar 1967 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #46
Apr 1967 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #47
May 1967 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #48
Jun 1967 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #49
Jul 1967 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #50
Oct 1967 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #53
Nov 1967 BTS: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #54
Dec 1967 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #55
Jan 1968 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #56
Feb 1968 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #57
Jul 1968 App: Spectacular Spider-Man Magazine #1 (Story 1)
May 1968 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #60
Sep 1968 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #64
Nov 1968 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #66
Dec 1968 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #67
Jan 1969 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #68
May 1969 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #72
Mar 1970 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #82
Jul 1970 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #86
Mar 1971 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #94
Apr 1971 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #95
May 1971 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #96
Nov 1971 BTS: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #102
Sep 1972 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #112
Aug 1973 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #123
Jul 1974 FB: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #134
Jul 1974 App: Giant-Size Spider-Man #1 (Story 1)
Sep 1974 BTS: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #136
Date TBD App: Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #9
May 1975 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #144
Jun 1975 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #145
Jul 1975 App: Giant-Size Spider-Man #5 (Story 1)
Aug 1975 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #147
May 1976 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #156
Jan 1977 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #2
Apr 1977 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #167
Jun 1977 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #7
Year 1977 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) Annual #11 (Story 1)
Feb 1978 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #177
Mar 1978 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #178
Apr 1978 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #179
Sep 1979 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #196
Jan 1980 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #200
Jan 1980 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #38
Sep 1980 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #208
Year 1980 BTS: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) Annual #2
Sep 1981 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #220 (Story 1)
Mar 1983 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #238
Jun 1983 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #241
Dec 1983 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #247
Year 1985 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) Annual #19
Mar 1986 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #274
Mar 1986 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #112
Apr 1986 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #113
Year 1987 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) Annual #21
Feb 1988 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #297
May 1988 App: Web of Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #38
Apr 1989 BTS: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #314
Year 1989 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) Annual #9 (Story 2)
Sep 1994 BTS: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #393
Sep 1994 BTS: Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #50
Oct 1994 App: Web of Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #117 (Story 1)
Oct 1994 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #394 (Story 1)
Nov 1994 App: Web of Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #118
Nov 1994 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #218
Jan 1995 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #220 (Story 1)
Mar 1995 App: Web of Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #122
Apr 1995 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #400 (Story 1)
Jun 1995 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #225 (Story 1)
Jul 1995 App: Web of Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #126
Jul 1995 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #403
Aug 1995 App: Web of Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #127
Nov 1996 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #417
Nov 1996 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #240
Dec 1996 App: Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #11
Dec 1996 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #418
Dec 1996 App: Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #75
Year 1997 App: Spider-Man: Revelations (TPB)
Dec 1996 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #241
Jan 1997 App: Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #12
Jan 1997 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #419
Feb 1997 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #420
Jan 1997 App: Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #76
Mar 1997 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #244
Feb 1997 BTS: X-Man #24
Feb 1997 App: Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #77
Feb 1997 App: Spider-Man Unlimited #15
May 1997 BTS: Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #16 (Story 1)
Aug 1997 App: Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #18
Jun 1997 App: Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #81
Jun 1997 BTS: Spider-Man Team-Up #7
Sep 1997 BTS: Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #83
Jun 1997 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #424
Jul 1997 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #425
Nov 1997 App: Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #21
Dec 1997 App: Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #22
Oct 1997 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #250
Nov 1997 App: Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #85
Dec 1997 App: Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #86
Jan 1998 App: Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #87
Nov 1997 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #251
Dec 1997 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #252
  Suspects Peter of Cheating on MJ
Jan 1998 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #253
  Accuses Peter of Cheating on MJ
Dec 1997 App: Heroes Reborn: The Return #1
Feb 1998 App: Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #24
Feb 1998 FB: Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #24
Feb 1998 FB: Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #24
Mar 1998 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #255
Apr 1998 App: Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #26
Apr 1998 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #256
  Tells Peter About Her Divorce
Jun 1998 App: Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #28
May 1998 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #257
  Tells Peter About Her History
Jun 1998 App: Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #92
Aug 1998 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #437
Jul 1998 App: Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #29
Aug 1998 App: Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #30
Jul 1998 BTS: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #259
Sep 1998 BTS: Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #31
Oct 1998 App: Sensational Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #32
Nov 1998 App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #263
Jan 1999 App: Peter Parker: Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #1 (Story 1)
Feb 1999 BTS: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #2
Jan 2000 App: Peter Parker: Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #13
Feb 2000 BTS: Peter Parker: Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #14
Jun 2000 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #18
Jul 2000 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #19
May 2001 App: Peter Parker: Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #29
Jan 2002 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #37
Jul 2009 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #600 (Story 1)
Nov 2009 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #605 (Story 1)
Sep 2010 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #638 (Story 1)
Sep 2010 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #639 (Story 1)
Oct 2010 App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #640 (Story 1)

Thanks To

 The assistance of the Marvel Chronology Project is gratefully acknowledged.

 Some of the above information is extracted from the various versions of the Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe and the more recent Marvel Encyclopaedias.

 In: Characters
 Posted: 2006
 Staff: Dave Sippel (E-Mail)