Review: Spider-Gwen #1 – The Spider-Character We Didn't Realize We Needed

It's one of those ideas that, once you hear it, you're forced to wonder, Why the hell hadn't anyone done this before? An alternate reality take on the Spider-Man story in which it's Gwen Stacy – the first, great, and ultimately tragic love of Peter Parker's life – who gets bit by the fateful spider. Brilliant. Add to that a simple, but stunning, character design and Marvel had a sure-fire hit on its hands.

Now, Spider-Gwen #1, spinning out the ultra-popular Spider-Verse story, has arrived, giving readers a further look into the world of Gwen Stacy, Spider-Woman.

Read more, with one minor, but marked, spoiler after the jump.

Spider-Gwen #1 cover by Robbi Rodriguez.

There's so much to love about this book. Gwen Stacy has always been a great character (if you ignore what J. Michael Stracynzski did to her), and it isn't hard to imagine that, had she been bitten, she would have become as great a hero as Peter. Writer Jason Latour gets this, and his Spider-Gwen is a fantastically rich character, filled with humor and conflict, imbued with just as much heart and zing as the original Spider-Man.

And then there's the art.

Robbi Rodriguez, who designed the character, keeps the book flowing and its glorious. Every panel is dynamic, filled with movement and momentum. You can't help but be swept along by it. It's slightly chaotic without ever becoming too busy or noisy. It's a little Filipe Andrade, a little Fiona Staples, and a little Tim Sale. It's a perfect fit for this character.

On top of these slick lines is the acid trip pop art palette of Rico Renzi. Latour's keen take on the character and Rodriquez's design are what have skyrocketed Spider-Gwen's popularity, but Renzi's colors are what is going to sell posters. They make the art leap off the page, grab you by the face, and pull you in.

So what doesn't work?

Since this is a essentially a reboot of a familiar property, occupied by many of the same characters, there's a certain shorthand that Latour can use to fill in the story gaps. Sometimes this works really well. Latour doesn't need to spend much time explaining who Peter Parker is, and he doesn't. Peter gets one panel on the recap page, just enough to give the reader the twist – in this universe, it was Gwen Stacy as Spider-Woman who failed to save Peter Parker's life. That's an immense amount of backstory told with a single image, It's completely enough, and then we're off to the races.

Spider-Verse detour. Oh my god, the feels. They're coming in too fast!

Minor spoiler ahead! In other places, it doesn't work so well. Adrian Toomes, as the Vulture, appears as this issue's villain. Spider-Gwen appears to have encountered him before, but their specific history is not explained (nor, for that matter, is the Vulture's motivation or plan). Not helping matters is the presence of some familiar characters that have been altered in very significant ways. It makes it a little difficult to get a foothold in this new world, which Latour has flung us headfirst into. This is, of course, a first issue. A reader can expect some of these matters will be addressed in future issues.

I'll definitely be back to find out.