The now-wide line of Marvel-Verse trade paperbacks gains a new contender for your time and attention with this week’s Marvel-Verse: Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider. Running 112 pages long, this collection is a taste tester for anyone interested in the comics after seeing the title character in a recent film. In this case, this collection was made thanks to the release of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Housed here are Spider-Gwen’s origin and a few adventures crafted by series creators Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez.
Similar to previous Marvel-Verse trade paperbacks, this is an odd but rather accessible read. As we saw with previous Marvel-Verse trade paperbacks that include Amazing Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, Jane Foster Thor, America, Moon Knight, Moon Girl, Morbius, Thor, Spider-Man, Hawkeye, Doctor Strange, Shang-Chi, Captain Marvel, Deadpool & Wolverine, Iron Man, Venom, Thanos, Guardians of the Galaxy, Rocket and Groot, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Black Panther, you get a taste of the character, but nothing too robust. Collected here is Edge of Spider-Verse #2, Spider-Gwen #5, and Spider-Gwen #1-2 & #13. That gives you Spider-Gwen’s first introduction and a taste of multiverse fun in new iterations of Black Cat, Daredevil, Mysterio, and Captain America.
This collection is a reminder that Spider-Gwen wasn’t simply an excellent costume design but an interesting take on Gwen Stacy. The roles are reversed between her and Peter Parker, as she’s the hero in her universe and Peter dies, giving her the inspiration to carry on and live with the guilt of not saving her friend.
Fans of the recent Spider-Verse movies will delight in seeing similarities to the movie version, like Gwen’s relationship to her father, the band she’s in called the Mary Janes, and her heroic spark. There’s plenty here to get a casual fan of comics invested in the character too. From the colorful villainy of Daredevil as a gangster to interesting takes on other characters, there’s a fascinating world worth uncovering.
The Halloween story to end the collection is a nice one-shot style story.
Credit: Marvel
Like previous Marvel-Verse collections, this book feels too short to be comprehensive and piecemeal to deliver a cohesive story. It’s like a taste tester more than a must-read purchase. It’s also unfortunate this collection doesn’t feature later tales with Spider-Gwen, like when she gook on the Ghost-Spider name, for instance. Fans wondering about the name will remain in the dark. It doesn’t help that they’re now calling Gwen Spider-Woman in the movies, either.
The final issue, Spider-Gwen #13, is a great representation of the fun of the series and the excellent visuals. Spider-Gwen #13 is a Halloween issue, so it should get you into the spirit of the season. It also delves into Gwen’s reaction to her father recently turning himself into the police. Can Gwen have a good time trick-or-treating with her friends even though she’s emotionally stuck? Not if Mysterio has anything to say about it.
Gwen’s supporting characters are a highlight of the issue, and Latour gives them plenty to do and say to flesh them out. That’s pretty much a must considering Gwen is quiet for much of the issue as she’s still in shock. Glory, Mary Jane, and Betty make for good friends but also great observers as their night gets complicated by a haunted house. By using Mysterious gas, Latour explores the characters’ reactions as they encounter some freaky stuff (and makes the band mascot, Murderface, a badass) and, in dramatic fashion, has Gwen directly react to the death of Peter Parker.
The art by Rodriguez is a lot of fun, and the colors by Rico Renzi have a darker tone. Purple is used quite a bit, which keeps it funky and punkish, though dark, which helps with the Halloween theme. The characters look rad in their costumes (digging the Scarlet Spider!), and there’s a full-page splash of Murderface and Betty kicking zombie ass in their costumes. That’s a lot of fun.
Something fans of the movies might not understand but can see when reading these comics is how this character is as punk rock as they come. The visuals spark a sense of teen angst and anti-authority, with plenty of action and attitude to boot.
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