It appears Spider-Woman was replaced during her big operation to restore her powers. This means that the Spider-Woman in GIANT-SIZE SPIDER-WOMAN was the real deal and this was the last time Jessica Drew was seen (not counting the first part of the flashbacks in NEW AVENGERS #14).

http://comicnewsi.com/article.php?catid=231&itemid=11806

I guess that means that the weepy Jessica lying on the bed drinking in issue #23 was the queen skrull just.....ACTING!! Jon Lovitz would be proud.

That issue made me drop NA for over a year, coming back for the Hood storyline, after which I dropped it again. You can retroactively change elements of bad stories, but IMO it doesn't make it a better story. What lies between the covers still sucks.

and that scene sure was crepy. What was that red thing all over the Skull Princess? It was Spiderwoman's blood??? nasty..

First he recruits Jessica, then he asks her to take part in what turns out to be her kidnapping. Part of his big plan, or did he make his first big mistake?

> It appears Spider-Woman was replaced during her big operation to restore her powers. This means that the Spider-Woman in GIANT-SIZE SPIDER-WOMAN was the real deal and this was the last time Jessica Drew was seen (not counting the first part of the flashbacks in NEW AVENGERS #14).

He wanted Jessica as a double agent and intended on Hydra restoring her powers, but he didn't expect that the Skrulls had infiltrated Hydra and were about to kidnap her. Poor Jessica. I hope she's still alive and okay. Looks to me like the operation happened and then Veranke obtained Jessica's powers afterward using that new Skrull technique.