Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #5 Review

“That was…weird. But…good? Maybe I can do…more…like that?”

With the Spidergeddon fully behind her, it’s time for Gwen to get back to her regular life, but what is that like?

WRITER: Seanan McGuire

ARTIST: Takeshi Miyazawa

COLOR ARTIST: Ian Herring

LETTERER: VC’s Clayton Cowles

COVER ARTIST: Bengal

ASSISTANT EDITORS: Kathleen Wisneski and Lauren Amaro

EDITOR: Devin Lewis

GWEN STACY created by STAN LEE & STEVE DITKO

STORY: The Mary Janes have an overdue band practice, after which Gwen meets Harry for a milkshake. On her way home, Spider-Gwen gets flagged down by a woman whose purse was stolen, which had her house keys in it, locking her out of her rental. Gwen agrees to help if she can. Arriving home, Gwen shares a meal with her dad and catches up. The next day, she goes to the community college to enroll, but wasn’t thinking about how recognizable she is now. She panics and runs, switching to Spider-Woman to clear her head and comes across a bank robbery. She foils it and the crowd…applauds?!? Going back to the idea of finding the woman’s purse, she wills the symbiote to turn one of her gloves into spiders and they search the area and locate it! Spider-Gwen returns the purse and the woman offers to pay her for her help, which Gwen accepts. Drained from spreading her suit so thin, Gwen passes out instantly the second she gets home. Meanwhile, the robbers she stopped report to their boss, who vows to get rid of Spider-Woman!

THOUGHTS: This issue starts with a great, but basic, cover by Bengal. It’s the best Spider-Gwen has looked on a regular cover this series and I like the dynamic angle of her falling and firing out a web. It doesn’t clue you in to the issue’s story (something I like), but as this issue is in some ways a very simple day-in-the-life story, I really don’t have any complaints about that aspect.

McGuire grounds the issue by kicking things off with The Mary Janes. Their latest song they are practicing on cuts right to Gwen’s core and after all her bouncing around between universes, it’s nice to get back to basics and have Gwen spend some time with her supporting cast/friends. Same goes for her meeting with Harry. I hope we continue to see more of him as he makes for a great soundboard for all the weirdness Gwen has gone through. Not only was he there “at the beginning”, but his former S.H.I.E.L.D. and Lizard time make him more of a peer for Gwen than her band mates as he understands both sides of her double life. There is also possibly a hint that they may become something more as he places his hand upon hers. While I tend to think of Harry as one of Mary Jane’s exes, I’m not opposed to seeing he and Gwen get together romantically given how they were in each other’s circle back in the Lee/Ditko 616 days.

This issue is pretty well structured, with McGuire introducing a minor problem for Gwen to assist with, then having her realize that “special” is her “normal” and trying to just be a college student is going to present problems with her level of celebrity, culminating in her finding possibly a way to get by given her new status quo. If we go down this route of doing non super-hero things with powers for money, I’ll be curious to see how Gwen’s conscience (and father) take to the notion. In a vague way, it reminds me of when Wally West, the third Flash, would ask for payment for his services, like when he delivered a heart to be transplanted cross country. With responsibility being just as much a theme for this character as 616-Peter, what happens when one of these minor jobs conflicts with the latest Big Bad?

Speaking of Big Bads, color me intrigued for the introduction of John Jameson, gang boss and Man-Wolf! I like what little is revealed about his aesthetic so far and I’m curious what the Earth-65 full form version will turn out to be. His father doesn’t have the presence in Gwen’s life that the 616 one does in Peter’s, so here’s hoping we get to see more of Jonah-65 and how he deals with his criminal son. Could John be the reason Jonah is distrustful of masked types?

I’m not sure what exactly inspired Gwen to try the “spider-search” ability of her symbiote, but it made for an interesting switch to her version of the Venom and highlights her bond with her suit. I think the last time we saw her deploy spiders was issue #27 of volume 2, but that was as a scare tactic. Outside of that, we’ve seen her send out one to keep an eye on her dad, so a sleeve’s worth going in different directions indicates her skill level is increasing. That and the fact she immediately conked out mid thought as she hit her bed shows how much energy it takes.

Miyazawa handles art chores for the full issue this time and it was a welcome change of pace. Bringing his manga-esque sensibilities feels like a good fit for this book currently, building on what he contributed to last issue. His art is energetic, expressive, and consistent. I haven’t checked the solicits to see if he’s got any future work lined up for this title, but it would be most welcome based on his contribution here.

With issue #5, this title finally feels like it’s actually starting. Maybe the prior four issues should’ve been a Spider-Gwen Spidergeddon mini-series before starting this title proper. McGuire’s really demonstrating a good handle of the characters and capturing Gwen’s inner monologue, balancing the different scenes of the story well and propelling Gwen into what her new future will be. Miyazawa’s art sets a different tone that what Rodriguez brought, but fits well. The last two issues have made we want to stick with this book now that its original creators are gone and that’s a good thing.

MY GRADE: B

JAVI’S HUH?: Granted I’m in no rush for a rebranding, but we’re at issue 5 and she’s still going by Spider-Gwen or Spider-Woman to the public. Maybe with the popularity of the Oscar winning “Into The Spider-Verse” Marvel has quietly decided to drop a total renaming.