Gwenpool #2 // Review
Gwen Stacy’s death was one of the defining moments of Bronze Age of comics. That doesn’t exactly make it any easier for HER to accept. She’s evidently not dead and she’s evidently quite upset and so naturally she’s going to be going after Peter Parker to handle the situation. She’s got some kind of dangerous tech and a hell of a lot of training. She’s like...some kind of killing machine. Thankfully, Peter doesn’t have to face her alone in Gwenpool #2. Writer Cavan Scott continues a twisted path through echoes of history with artist Stefano Nesi and colorist Matt Milla.
Gwen Stacy is a highly-trained assassin and she’s about to attack Spider-Man. Gwenpool’s first reaction...is to watch. The ideal would be popcorn, churros, nachos and a slushie with Jeff the Land Shark while she sees how things are going to work out. Naturally, Kate Bishop is a bit upset about this. In her defense, Gewnpool IS a comic book reader and her instincts are to react to the fight like it’s...a fight scene. She’s going to find that it’s a lot more difficult to do that on the other side of the page. She’s going to have to take action.
Scott tells an interesting story. However, it's going for a death that isn't necessarily hon. There's enough going on in the story that we appeal to people who are familiar with all the backstory and everything that's going on that being said, there really is enough to tie t there is enough going on in the foreground to make a sense if you are not already, very familiar with that this particular issue happens to be predicated on. This would be fine if it weren't for the fact that there really is a whole lot of added insight on the themes and plots being addressed. So it feels kind of flat.
Nesi does a good job with the action in a largely action-based issue. Everything shoots across the page in a dramatic fashion. The kinetics of superhuman conflict feel remarkably well-executed. Above all, Gwen and everyone else in the center of the action looks quite well doing what they’re doing. Milla’s colors lend some bright highlights of color to the page in an issue that takes place entirely in the evening in Marvel Manhattan. It’s a bright essence that resonates from the heart of the visuals.
There’s still quite a bit of potential in Gwen. There's still quite a bit of potential and Gwen. The idea of a comic book character had come from a place where she was reading comic books she never really lived up to her potential, though. There's always way too much going on. There’s real potential for her to explore the nature of fandom on and off the comics page in a deeper context. on comics page context. This has been done before in various ways. There's a potential to do it in a way that could be a lot more interesting. As it stands, they don't seem to be going in direction or going to express it they don't seem to be going in a direction where they're going to be able to explore that potential.
