The Silk Spectre is a crime-fighting vigilante skilled in martial arts. She also capitalizes on her sex appeal, and wears a revealing costume (in spite of her progressive, feminist attitudes).

Laurie Juspeczyk is the second woman to use the name Silk Spectre – the original Silk Spectre was her mother, Sally Jupiter, who urged Laurie to take up her mantle when she retired. Although her mother married Laurence Schexnayder, Laurie suspects that her real father is the superhero Hooded Justice.

Silk Spectre was a member of the Crimebusters super-group; it was at one of the team's meetings that she first met and became involved with Doctor Manhattan. Ever since then, the US government has tolerated and indulged her relationship with Dr. Manhattan, as a means of keeping their ultimate weapon calm, content, and at least partially connected with his human side. At the time of Watchmen, Laurie's relationship with Doctor Manhattan has become strained, drawing her closer to Dan Dreiberg (Nite Owl).

Silk Spectre harbors a long-standing hatred for The Comedian (Edward Blake), who once sexually assaulted her mother, Sally Jupiter.

• The character of Silk Spectre is loosely based on the comic-book superheroes Black Canary and Phantom Lady.