In 2017, John Semper Jr., the head writer of the “Spider-Man” animated series, paid tribute to Joan Lee after her passing. He explained that when planning Season 3 and how to introduce Madame Web’s crucial role on the show, he always imagined Lee’s voice for the character. “There was only one person I wanted to provide the voice for Madame Web — JOAN LEE, the wife of Stan Lee. I had known Joan and Stan for many years prior to this, and as I wrote the ‘Madame Web’ character, it was Joan’s voice in my head that I was hearing,” he wrote. I knew she could capture perfectly the husky, haughty, almost arrogant attitude I wanted for ‘Madame Web.’ And, of course, she had that wonderful British accent! Joan graciously consented to perform the role, and she was, as I had expected, perfect.”
Ultimately, Lee proved to be an excellent choice for Madame Web. Her memorable voice fit the character so well that most people who watched “Spider-Man” had little idea she was the wife of Stan Lee. She made the role her own and helped bring to life one of the strangest and most important heroes in the entire Spider-Man mythos. Hopefully, when the “Madame Web” live-action film releases in 2024, the movie can find a way to pay tribute to Lee, whether it’s in a small Easter egg such as a picture of her in a background shot and an acknowledgment in the movie’s end credits as without her iconic performance, it’s possible Madame Web would have remained forever in comic obscurity.
