Gwen Stacy was born in Forest Hills to George and Helen Stacy. Following her mother's death at the age of five, she was raised by George alone. Gwen's free spirit and artistic inclinations often put her at odds with the type of ethics her father worked to instill. As a result of this contrast with her father, Gwen would often retreat into quiet seclusion and play the drums. Over time, Gwen developed friendships with a group of girls, whom she formed the band THE MARY JANES with. After being bitten by a genetically-engineered spider, Gwen was granted arachnid-like super-powers, and started a career as a crimefighter, dubbed by the media as GHOST-SPIDER. Her suit was handmade by herself, her web shooters also made by her own hands. The only one who knew her true identity was her father, which later caused his death after he tried to protect his daughter in a fight that ended in an explosion, leaving Gwen an orphan. Haunted by her father's death and her grief, Gwen doubled her efforts to fight crime to redeem herself. She distanced herself, not wanting to risk anyone else getting hurt because of her. She made herself a new suit, went through some crazy dimension jumping that gave her the ability to break the fourth wall and eventually, met Kate Bishop. They bumped into one another, literally, on one of Gwen's investigations into an organized crime unit. At first, they butted heads. But then, a friendship bloomed. One that even led the girls to becoming roommates in an apartment up town which is where Gwen currently resides.