Comic Series Review #4: Spider-Gwen Vol. 1 (2015)
Gwen Stacy as Spider-Woman was not something that caught on with me at first, but I decided to give it another try after seeing her cinematic debut in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. I only knew her as the lost love interest of Peter Parker who met a tragic end, but this series re-introduces her in a unique role that I am officially a fan of! I hope you enjoy!
Off the bat, I just want to make it known that Spider-Gwen’s hooded white suit is on par with Spider-Man’s black suit from the Sam Raimi film trilogy in terms of how badass it looks — atleast in my opinion. This version of Gwen Stacy lives on Earth-65, with the story taking place after the 2014 “Spider-Verse” storyline. Instead of Peter Parker being bitten by a radioactive arachnid, it was Gwen — who takes on the Spider-Woman/Spider-Gwen identity. I had to give this series a read after Gwen’s appearance in 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse animated film. Honestly, she was one of the few characters in that movie I could take seriously — I mean come on, was having Spider-Ham neccessary? Why not Spider-Man 2099? Anyways, time to move on. Warning, possible spoilers ahead! Skip the following two paragraphs in order to avoid them!
This version of Gwen isn’t like the Earth-616 variant. Instead, she’s the drummer of the all-girl band The Mary Janes, spearheaded by lead singer by Mary Jane Watson — as if the name didn’t already give it away. Set just after the events of “Spider-Verse,” this series sees Gwen struggle to come to terms with Peter’s death and balancing her life as Spider-Woman — in which she becomes socially distant from those she loves. She has become a “menace” in the eyes of New York City, with the police and civilian population wondering if she is a friend or a foe. Meanwhile, Gwen finds herself coming face-to-face with Vulture on a few occasions, all in an attempt to get to Wilson Fisk/Kingpin — and find out why he’s tracking her down. However, Gwen is also being tracked down by her own father Captain Stacy, and Captain Frank Castle —who are both responsible for overseeing the Spider-Woman investigation. However, the two are at odds due to Castle having more brutal and “unorthodox” methods. Throughout it all, Captain Stacy doesn’t know that he’s looking for his own daughter.
With this title being set in the Earth-65 reality, any casual Marvel reader will have to be prepared to see some well-known characters in different but somewhat familiar roles. Matt Murdock isn’t the courageous Daredevil and do-good lawyer— but is instead a corrupt attorney who is loyal to Fisk. Frank Castle isn’t the Punisher, but a brutal police detective. Mary Jane Watson isn’t the charismatic love interest of Peter Parker, and is instead an egocentric lead singer of a rock band. It all makes for an different spin that keeps you interested in reading, wondering just who else may pop up. Heck, even Foggy Nelson has a minor appearance — but not as Murdock’s partner, given the circumstances. Even in this reality, Wilson Fisk is a criminal brute and Adrian Toomes is the same old wierdo that we’re used to seeing (aside from Michael Keaton’s badass portrayal of the character in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming).
On the artistic side of things, Robbi Rodrigez does a phenomenal job making use of thick and thin guiding lines in defining outlines and character details. A great example of this is in the panels shown above, with very unique facial-enhancing lines on Vulture! Complimenting this is the work of colourist Rico Renzi, who uses a color palette that pops well in every aspect — from the green of Vulture’s collar to the faint purple-pink gradient within Spider-Gwen’s hood. Some may criticize the character design for looking too “cartoonish,” but I think it’s worth noting that this is still a Spider-Man related title— so it’s not going to be as dark or somber as something like Morbius the Living Vampire. Basically, the work of Rodriguez emulates that notion — atleast in my opinion.
Overall, I found this series to be a great read! The story was easy enough to follow along with for the majority of its duration — although there were a couple of times where I found myself thinking a little harder about the context of certain scenes. Also, some of the humor felt forced. The inclusion of Spider-Ham felt like an unneccessary comedic relief attempt, similar to Jar Jar Binks in the prequel Star Wars films (of which I actually enjoy more than the original trilogy — fight me!). Regardless, these aspects do not take away from the title’s narrative and dialogue. Character development is prevalent, focusing on the theme that everyone is flawed. This is especially seen through Gwen and her struggle for self-acceptance, as well as the complex relationship she maintains with her father — a flawed man himself who criticizes the actions of his daughter despite being oblivious to her identity as Spider-Woman. I look forward to soon reading Volume 2!
For the previous review in this series, please click here! For the next one, click here!
