Joy Mercado

Joy Mercado is a tenacious investigative journalist who debuted in Marvel's New York City press scene, crossing paths with Peter Parker through their shared work in the media world. She has no superhuman powers, relying entirely on her reporter's instincts and determination.

Debuting in The Spectacular Spider-Man #108 in 1985, Joy Mercado is a Bronze Age Marvel creation from the pen of Peter David and pencils of Rich Buckler — a journalist who carved out her own corner of the Spider-Man universe and has kept showing up across nearly four decades of web-slinging adventures. Her home turf spans titles like Web of Spider-Man and The Spectacular Spider-Man, where she shares the page with heavy hitters including Spider-Man himself, J. Jonah Jameson, and Mary Jane Parker — as lively and storied a cast as Marvel has to offer. With a key-issue appearance to her name and a publishing history stretching all the way to 2024, Joy is one of those quietly enduring figures who rewards the dedicated reader willing to dig into the rich supporting fabric of the Spider-Man mythos.