Spider-Girl

Spider-Girl (May "Mayday" Parker) is a comic book superheroine in an alternate future of the Marvel Comics universe. She was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz as a spin-off of the Spider-Man character, and first appeared in What If, vol. 2 #105, later getting her own ongoing comic book which has become the longest-running superhero book with a lead female character ever published by Marvel, partly due to the fan backlash which has caused them to recant several cancellation attempts.

The story concerns Mayday Parker, the future offspring of Peter and Mary Jane Parker, who was born a few years before Peter lost a leg and was forced to retire following the horrific final conflict with the Green Goblin. (It's implied that Peter was responsible for the Goblin's death but never confirmed in the series.) For many years the duo chose (rightly or wrongly) to keep their past from Mayday and kept their fingers crossed she wouldn't develop powers of her own.

In the event, May began developing versions of her father's Spider-powers when she was 15. At the same time Normie Osborn (Green Goblin's grandson) set out to restore the family name (as he saw it). Mayday briefly donned an old Spider costume to stop him and soon took to crime fighting, at first hindered then helped by her worried parents.

The series has recently passed issue 75, whereupon the title character changed her costume to a mostly black outfit, and it is currently confirmed that it will continue to be published until at least the middle of 2005. Though still relatively weak, sales remain alright and the book is out of immediate cancellation danger for now.