Spider-Gwen #4 Review

Skeletons in the closet.

Facing up to your personal demons is sometimes more terrifying that facing off against winged predators or multiversal vampires. And Gwen Stacy is no exception.

Still trying to learn whether Spider-Woman really belongs in the world, she is faced by an all too fresh scar from her past.

Jason Latour starts off very weak but slowly grows in strength as he renders a very heart-to-heart conversation very beautifully.

Robbi Rodriguez’s dynamic artwork is still fresh and good, but his facial work needs more refinement. Some faces are too alike and it’s hard to separate one person from the other.

SPOILERS FOLLOW………………

Izzie and Hobbie, two graffiti artists have decided to voice their protest against the neighborhood being put up for sale – only for Gwen to try and stop them.

She first receives a spray of graffiti spray in her face, but still manages to save Hobbie from falling to certain death. They believe her to be a cop sympathizer (even going so far as to suggest that she’s sleeping with Captain Stacy….ugh) though she tries to make them see that she’s just trying to help everyone and not taking sides.

Later on, she very reluctantly goes to the late Peter Parker’s house to check up on her dad, but is surprised by one of the two people on the planet she wants to talk to – ‘Uncle’ Ben.

Inside, her father is sleeping (and snoring like a bull) while Ben makes her coffee and gives it in her favorite mug (a lovely little detail – the cup says ‘Winnie the Pooh’ and Ben changed it to ‘Gwennie the Pooh’). Just poring over the table, she comes across a scrapbook which contains newspaper clippings of the ‘anti-Spider Woman’ articles dating back to Peter’s death.

Overwhelmed by the negativity, Gwen tries to leave but just then Aunt May arrives. And it’s a talk we’ve seen happen with May and Peter before – but this time, with a greater tragedy shadowing her.

First, let’s focus on May Parker. In the regular universe, she had to come to grips with her husband dying from a chaotic and random incident. In some versions, she later came to know Peter was indirectly responsible. But through all that, she has mostly been a rock and level-headed. Her initial hatred of Spider-Man due to a trust in the Daily Bugle turned to respect and awe when she saw him fighting the odds to save people.

In the same way in this universe, May has lost Peter, her ‘son’. And this time through a hole that never got filled in the boy’s heart – the hole that in the regular universe, becoming Spider-Man did. So, May does blame herself – but she also blamed Spider-Woman, someone who Peter looked up to and in an ill-fated gamble died trying to emulate.

But over time, the wounds have healed and she has changed her view of Spider-Woman after numerous reports of her saving people.

It’s something Gwen has to learn to accept too – Peter is gone, and there is nothing she can do about it. All she can do is help others in this cruel world. She has a duty as Spider-Woman to do just that.

This was her ‘with great power, comes great responsibility’ moment.

Meeting up with Glory, she decides to rejoin the Mary Janes and try to rebuild Gwen Stacy.

Meanwhile, at the precinct, Castle’s condition has become the subject of some black humor from his fellow officers – which Jean DeWolf is trying to put a stop to. Through all this ends when Castle, heavily balanced and arm in a sling, comes in.

It’s time to get back to work.

SPOILERS END……………….

Some great character moments redeem an uneven opening. Latour tackles some delicate subjects very expertly and fleshes out Gwen’s supporting cast in this world.

The art is as usual dynamic through I do wish the faces got more effort.

So, I give it 7.5 out of 10.

+Some great character moments

+Handling of a delicate subject

-The uneven opening

-Artwork less than solid in some cases