Kathryn Cushing

Kathryn Cushing stepped onto the Marvel stage in 1986, born from the creative collaboration of Jim Owsley and Rich Buckler in the pages of The Spectacular Spider-Man — right in the thick of the Copper Age, when Spider-Man's corner of the Marvel universe was buzzing with some of its most dynamic street-level storytelling. Over the course of a remarkable 32-year presence, she carved out a steady place across all three of the classic Spidey titles — The Amazing Spider-Man, The Spectacular Spider-Man, and Web of Spider-Man — rubbing shoulders with Peter Parker, J. Jonah Jameson, Ben Urich, and Mary Jane Parker, which tells you she belongs firmly in the journalistic and civilian heart of Spider-Man's world. With a key-issue appearance to her name and a longevity stretching well into 2018, Kathryn Cushing is one of those quietly essential supporting players who gives the Daily Bugle's orbit its texture and depth — the kind of character that rewards readers who pay attention to the rich human tapestry behind the web-slinging.