Gwenpool is back and she’s fighting for her series – and her life – in GWENPOOL STRIKES BACK #1, hitting your local comic shop on August 14 from Marvel Comics. In her usual fourth wall breaking ways, Gwen is very aware of the cost of losing the readers favor.
***SPOILER WARNING***
Fans of Gwenpool are likely thrilled to hear that she’s gotten another series to her name. Granted, it’s only a five issue series, but we’ll take what we can get. New readers will potentially get a kick out of this series as well, though they may not appreciate all of the references made.
As per usual, Gwen is painfully aware of her status in the comic book world, courtesy of her limited abilities. This also means that she’s aware of what will happen if she stops appearing in comics. It’s more or less a death sentence for her, due to being fully ported into this realm.
Gwenpool Strikes Back #1 gives Gwen the chance she needs. A literal and figurative fight for relevancy in a world where comic books saturate the market. But if anybody can do what nobody else is trying, it’s Gwenpool.
Leah Williams picked up where Christopher Hastings left off – with Gwen fighting to find a way to save her series (and her life). Williams perfectly captured all of the quirks that make Gwenpool so unique, while also acknowledging Gwen’s other appearances in team-ups (West Coast Avengers).
This issue is a lot of fun and a lot of fourth-wall breaking. It’s silly, it’s a little bit insane, and it’s full of referential humor. And let’s not forget that it’s got plenty of Gwen and her desperation to become something more.
Gwen has given up on trying to become a beloved character through normal means. It’s time to fight dirty. And that means getting some new powers of her own. Her ability to jump through comics is amazing – but as she noted within these pages, it’s frequently retconned in teams, thus reducing her chances. And Gwen needs all of the chance she can get.
Gwen’s attempts are clearly going to wrap up other Marvel characters in the process. As you can clearly tell from this cover, Spider-Man has already been pulled into her first attempt. And the cover for the next issue hints at the Fantastic Four being her next target.
This series is already proving to stick true to the humor that made so many fall in love with Gwenpool and all of her antics. She’s steadily embracing what makes her different, and thus making her a few steps further from being the hero she originally wanted to be. But that’s okay.
The new artistic team is forging a new path with Gwenpool Strikes Back #1. Our leading lady and her abilities are still clear, but there’s more detail than previously seen in her series. Her edges are sharper, and more similar to her original appearance on Earth 616.
David Baldeon, Jesus Aburtov, and Joe Caramagna are the artists behind this issue. And it’s safe to say that they had fun working on this issue. Gwen’s antics are always somewhat comical, but in this instance, they’re further heightened by the brilliant artwork provided.
Some panels are more standout than others, but that was clearly done with intent. Such as that one page spread focused entirely on Gwen’s high school photograph. Yeesh. That’s pure Gwen right there.
Gwenpool Strikes Back #1 has already proven that this series will be everything fans could have hoped for – and then some. It takes the situation that Gwen is in seriously, and brings the fight for her character to a level not normally seen. That does make the series somewhat bittersweet, but it’s balanced out with the quirky humor and insane antics.
