Collecting the first 21 issues from the 2020 Spider-Woman self-titled run, this book sees Drew taking on a seemingly simple security job, where she finds herself targeted by unknown assailants determined to destroy everything in her path. As Jessica battles for her life, she uncovers unsettling connections to her past nemesis, Otto Vermis, and a mysterious illness plaguing her. With the stakes high and danger looming, Spider-Woman embarks on a journey to uncover the truth and reclaim control of her destiny.
The core appeal of this run lies in Drew reconnecting with her family and uncovering mysteries about her past. While prior knowledge of Spider-Woman isn’t essential, the story benefits from it. Pacheco skillfully weaves multiple plotlines, though it can be slightly confusing at times. Pacheco puts a decent amount of humor alongside the violent escapades, and there is a real attempt to keep Jessica grounded in motherhood and family, even if Gerry doesn’t appear much in the narrative. I always take issue when female characters are written to have rage fits, but the protection of her child does provide a pretty understandable emotional dimension to those actions. Having said that, the enthusiasm of the creators shines through. Pere Perez’s return to Marvel is refreshing, showcasing his talent in a new light, possibly enhanced by colorist Frank D’Armata’s contributions. The book looks beautiful, with highly detailed character work that packs a punch when the fight scenes begin.
There is a slew of variant covers at the end of the book, but that’s about it from the supplementals category. While the book is easy enough to jump into and does give a paragraph-length synopsis of the character’s previous decade, the trade could have used some more contextualization to truly give an appreciation for where Spider-Woman dwelled at the start of this run.
There are better Spider-Woman storylines, but the love and care Pacheco and Perez bring to Jessica Drew in these frantic 21 issues should be more than enough to appease dedicated fans of this character while ensnaring a few new ones as well.
The Jessica Drew Spider-Woman was generally absent from the Marvel Universe during my early days reading comics, so when she was brought back in full force in the New Avengers the 2010s, it felt like a storied figure was given new life and purpose, reestablishing her as a core superhero. Creative forces Karla Pacheco and Pere Perez built on Spider-Woman’s lore from the previous decade crafting some fine stories around the reinvigorated figure.
Collecting the first 21 issues from the 2020 Spider-Woman self-titled run, this book sees Drew taking on a seemingly simple security job, where she finds herself targeted by unknown assailants determined to destroy everything in her path. As Jessica battles for her life, she uncovers unsettling connections to her past nemesis, Otto Vermis, and a mysterious illness plaguing her. With the stakes high and danger looming, Spider-Woman embarks on a journey to uncover the truth and reclaim control of her destiny.
The core appeal of this run lies in Drew reconnecting with her family and uncovering mysteries about her past. While prior knowledge of Spider-Woman isn’t essential, the story benefits from it. Pacheco skillfully weaves multiple plotlines, though it can be slightly confusing at times. Pacheco puts a decent amount of humor alongside the violent escapades, and there is a real attempt to keep Jessica grounded in motherhood and family, even if Gerry doesn’t appear much in the narrative. I always take issue when female characters are written to have rage fits, but the protection of her child does provide a pretty understandable emotional dimension to those actions. Having said that, the enthusiasm of the creators shines through. Pere Perez’s return to Marvel is refreshing, showcasing his talent in a new light, possibly enhanced by colorist Frank D’Armata’s contributions. The book looks beautiful, with highly detailed character work that packs a punch when the fight scenes begin.
There is a slew of variant covers at the end of the book, but that’s about it from the supplementals category. While the book is easy enough to jump into and does give a paragraph-length synopsis of the character’s previous decade, the trade could have used some more contextualization to truly give an appreciation for where Spider-Woman dwelled at the start of this run.
There are better Spider-Woman storylines, but the love and care Pacheco and Perez bring to Jessica Drew in these frantic 21 issues should be more than enough to appease dedicated fans of this character while ensnaring a few new ones as well.
The Jessica Drew Spider-Woman was generally absent from the Marvel Universe during my early days reading comics, so when she was brought back in full force in the New Avengers the 2010s, it felt like a storied figure was given new life and purpose, reestablishing her as a core superhero. Creative forces Karla Pacheco and Pere Perez built on Spider-Woman’s lore from the previous decade crafting some fine stories around the reinvigorated figure.
Collecting the first 21 issues from the 2020 Spider-Woman self-titled run, this book sees Drew taking on a seemingly simple security job, where she finds herself targeted by unknown assailants determined to destroy everything in her path. As Jessica battles for her life, she uncovers unsettling connections to her past nemesis, Otto Vermis, and a mysterious illness plaguing her. With the stakes high and danger looming, Spider-Woman embarks on a journey to uncover the truth and reclaim control of her destiny.
The core appeal of this run lies in Drew reconnecting with her family and uncovering mysteries about her past. While prior knowledge of Spider-Woman isn’t essential, the story benefits from it. Pacheco skillfully weaves multiple plotlines, though it can be slightly confusing at times. Pacheco puts a decent amount of humor alongside the violent escapades, and there is a real attempt to keep Jessica grounded in motherhood and family, even if Gerry doesn’t appear much in the narrative. I always take issue when female characters are written to have rage fits, but the protection of her child does provide a pretty understandable emotional dimension to those actions. Having said that, the enthusiasm of the creators shines through. Pere Perez’s return to Marvel is refreshing, showcasing his talent in a new light, possibly enhanced by colorist Frank D’Armata’s contributions. The book looks beautiful, with highly detailed character work that packs a punch when the fight scenes begin.
There is a slew of variant covers at the end of the book, but that’s about it from the supplementals category. While the book is easy enough to jump into and does give a paragraph-length synopsis of the character’s previous decade, the trade could have used some more contextualization to truly give an appreciation for where Spider-Woman dwelled at the start of this run.
There are better Spider-Woman storylines, but the love and care Pacheco and Perez bring to Jessica Drew in these frantic 21 issues should be more than enough to appease dedicated fans of this character while ensnaring a few new ones as well.
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