Warning: Spoilers for Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider (2024) #9 forward!Since Marvel Spider-Verse exploded in reputation, I believe it's protected to say there was a transparent quintessential Spider-Hero: Gwen Stacy, or as she is extra colloquially recognized, Spider-Gwen. However reputation could be a double-edged sword, and I believe there's ample proof in Gwen's newest sequence to show that Spider-Verse's reputation is hurting the character.
Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider (2024) #9 – written by Stephanie Phillips, with artwork by Paolo Villanelli and Matt Milla – is emblematic of the issues at present plaguing the character. Having been poisoned by the villain Mr. Concern, Gwen spends many of the e book convalescing. As an alternative, many of the motion is pushed by sequence newcomer and potential romantic curiosity, Black Tarantula (who's secretly concerned in one other villainous subplot).
Like a lot of the sequence, Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider (2024) #9 takes quite a lot of the main focus away from Gwen herself, lowering her to a damsel in misery inside her personal title.
Marvel has a Gwen Stacy drawback on its fingers
By now, I believe most Marvel followers are conversant in Spider-Gwen: Gwen Stacy from an alternate universe the place she by no means died and as an alternative turns into Spider-Lady in Peter Parker's place. Though this model of the character has existed since Fringe of the Spider-Verse (2014) #2, her reputation has reached entire new heights since she appeared as a essential character within the smash hit Spider-Verse animated movie franchise. The character proved so standard that Marvel moved her into its mainstream continuity beginning in Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider, now not having his adventures happening in his dwelling universe.
Readers acquired to know Gwen very properly in her dwelling on Earth-65. Inventive, a little bit cussed, and acrobatic, Gwen's tenure as Spider-Lady is distinct from different Spider-heroes. In her civilian life, Gwen is caring however cautious following the dying of her universe's Peter Parker, together with her superhero duties conflicting together with her function because the band's drummer. The Mary Janes. Gwen is especially pushed, and though this may lead her to create her personal issues, she additionally has the talents and willpower to come clean with her errors and face her issues head on.
Gwen Stacy doesn't have an actual 'function' on Earth-616
My drawback is that the Gwen Stacy described above doesn't appear to be current in Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider. 9 points, and many of the tales are about Gwen feeling responsible, scared, or needing to be rescued indirectly. The covers mirror this, with seven of the eleven portraying Gwen because the sufferer. Whereas it's widespread for comedian e book covers and plots to put their heroes in peril to drum up curiosity, I'm struck by what seems to be an alarming lack of company for Gwen in what ought to be her personal sequence.
I see Gwen caught in a useless finish: standard sufficient that Marvel needed to put her within the mainstream continuity, however unable to assert a distinct segment when there are already so many different Spiders. That is solely made worse by Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider #1 reiterating to readers that Gwen Stacy's function on Earth-616 can be a tragic factor in Spider-Man's life. Whereas this might result in a compelling fish-out-of-water narrative, I'm anxious that now that Marvel has taken Gwen out of her factor, the writer received't know what to do together with her outdoors of the usual romance-or-rescue tales.
What is going to Marvel do with all these spiders?
Earth-616 is flooded with Spider-Folks. Peter Parker and Miles Morales have a joint title along with their very own sequence, and veterans like Jessica Drew, Madame Net and Silk are joined by newcomers like Spider-Boy. With so many heroes, it's already troublesome for Gwen to face out with out her title itself underestimating her capabilities. Though there are narrative traces linking her to the TVA, even inserting her as the principle character in TVA (2024)this simply places her again in her authentic function as a multiversal variant hero - it doesn't assist her declare a spot on Earth-616.
Gwen Stacy is an thrilling and standard character, however sadly, I see her bearing the brunt of Marvel's Spider-Man's issues. I do know Gwen has quite a lot of potential – she's already confirmed her attraction in a number of titles and movies. This transfer to put her within the mainstream continuity perplexes me, not as a result of she doesn't deserve consideration, however as a result of it's taking her out of an setting tailored to play to her strengths and forcing her to share Spidey's already crowded highlight. Marvel wants to determine the way it needs to deal with its Spider-Versewhy Gwen Stacy is struggling due to it.