Growing pains.
There’s a new Spider on the block. When she was bitten by a
radioactive Spider, Gwen Stacy became the Spider-Woman……….what?
Yes, this is an alternate universe story where Peter’s first
true love became the Spider instead of him. She went viral during the
Spider-Verse event, and was loved so much she’s being given her own title.
Jason Latour returns to helm the run alongside the magnificent
Robbi Rodriguez.
SPOILERS FOLLOW……………
Spider-Gwen is a unique phenomenon. The most famous female fictional
character to be ‘fridged’, the Amazing Spider-Man movies reintroduced her to
mainstream audiences through the sensational and complex performance by Emma
Stone.
Recently, Spider-Verse the event toyed with created new
Spiders with histories diverse from the one we know. One of them was – what if
Gwen Stacy was bitten by the Spider, not Peter Parker?
In the Edge of Spider-Verse #2 issue, Jason Latour used that
as a base to create an intriguing setup - where Peter Parker became both her
first foe (the Lizard of her world) and Uncle Ben prototype as he tried to
become like her with fatal results, where J Jonah Jameson coined the line ‘with
great power comes great responsibility’ to attack Spider-Woman.
Back in that issue, Matt Murdock (apparently the right hand
man of the Kingpin of this universe) ordered a hit on Captain Stacy through
Rhino. But Gwen saved her father and revealed herself to him just before
leaving on the Spider-Verse tourney.
Many days have passed since then and Gwen is now in a weird
situation – isolated, destitute and poor. She refuses to pick up her father’s incessant
calls or reunite with her band, the MaryJanes, which is falling apart without
her. Not only that, somehow Spider-Woman is still a menace despite her
non-presence (Jameson in any universe…constant pain in the ass).
What makes this character unique is not her universe’s
aberration (apparently, Edward Toomes isn’t one of them….he’s still the Vulture
here), but its style and her character work.
There are many parallels with Peter of the regular universe,
but great diversions as well. She has a team and a father, but refuses to
return to either of them.
Robbi Rodriguez’s art style is in a league of its own. His
use of graffiti is not for the sake of only visual style, but it evokes a key
element of this universe. From the Spider Followers trying to show Gwen as a
hero to Gwen herself using that to manipulate Toomes through his vanity, graffiti
is a way of life here.
We’re also introduced to another character here – Officer Benjamin
Grimm. You may know him as the Thing of the Fantastic Four in our universe, but
here he’s a good cop laid low by the Vulture. Foggy Nelson, in other world’s
Matt Murdock’s friend, is a colleague of Captain Stacy while Frank Castle
(Punisher) is in this world the replacement head of the Special Crimes Task Force.
We also see someone who appears to be Carlie Cooper watching
Frank pummel Rhino for information as to who ordered the hit.
This is a diverse universe waiting to be explored, and I’m a
little sad to see Secret Wars so close, disrupting its momentum. Still, this is
a wonderful start.
One thing I would have changed is not have Toomes as the
Vulture. That’s trodden ground and making the main villain of this first arc a
copy of Peter’s doesn’t help distinguish it too much.
Also, Gwen, trying to act as an intermediary for
Spider-Woman in recovering stolen items (for a little reward) isn’t going to
earn you much goodwill in Jameson’s town, despite your situation.
SPOILERS END……………
This was a solid though not spectacular start to this new
character’s solo-title. It managed to avoid all the pit-falls of a pilot issue,
yet still has some way to go before it feels like a unique universe.
Latour writes Gwen Stacy and her circle very well though, and
Rodriguez gives a visual flair that makes this universe stands out at least in
the eyes department.
So, I give it 8.0 out of 10.
+The main cast is wonderfully fleshed out
+Subversions of classic characters
+Rodriguez’s artwork
-Main antagonist feels like a retread
Best thing they did to Gwendy since 121, but multiple universes are lazy writing. You can do anything to any character and its not canon. Its too easy to do and doesn't add to the overall story line. Its cheap.
ReplyDeleteI used to do comics in school and later on for a newsletter. I know of where I speak.
The entire way of thinking for a character grows by its continuity. Take away that the character does NOT evolve.
Bring back Gwen by a fluke, make her spider woman, and alls good. Make it a different universe and its accomplishes nothing but and great big version of "what if". Wanna go see Gwen? Uncle Ben? They're all alive on Earth 10000465 B .1115. Leave a message at the beep.
Blah.