Spider-Gwen, Spider-Gwen, does whatever a rock drummer does!
September 19, 2014 11:47 PM Subscribe
"Face It, Tiger" (the debut single!): your new favorite comicbook band is the Mary Janes. Vocals by Mary Jane Watson, drums by the amazing Gwen Stacy: Spider-Woman!
After building fan buzz for months with her striking costume, Spider-Gwen debuted this week in the comic Edge of Spider-Verse #2, which you can preview here. In this alternate universe, Gwen Stacy was the hero who gained superpowers from that fateful spider-bite. Spider-Gwen has drawn critical praise, while her debut comic has already sold to a second printing. Meanwhile, Edge of Spider-Verse is a miniseries prelude to Spider-Verse, Marvel's forthcoming Spider-Family Crossover comicbook-selling-event that vows to feature (almost) "every Spider-Man ever!" For more deeply nerdy spider-geekery, read on.
Marvel's going all-out with the Spider-Versing: there's now a free mobile game, plus an upcoming arc in the Ultimate Spider-Man: Web-Warriors cartoon in which Spidey-superfan Donald Glover finally gets to play Spider-Man as the voice of Miles Morales. The Sony/film versions of Spidey are off-limits for legal reasons, so you won't see them in Spider-Verse. But who could miss them with the promise of Peter Porker, Spider-Ham?
Fulfilling all your Clone Saga-loving secret dreams of '90s nostalgia, there's a Scarlet Spiders miniseries for Peter Parker's clones: gender-swapped Ultimateverse Jessica Drew, Houston's Grumpy Spider Kaine, and an alternate version of the most famous clone, Ben Reilly, who's been dead since 1996. Not as long as Bucky Barnes or Uncle Ben, but officially longer than Jason Todd.
And for old-school, cheesy-animation, dimension-hopping, Peter Parker-pileup, crossover action, nothing beats the series finale of the 1990s Spider-Man: The Animated Series: "I Really, Really Hate Clones" (watch) / "Farewell, Spider-Man" (watch). Co-starring Stan Lee!
After building fan buzz for months with her striking costume, Spider-Gwen debuted this week in the comic Edge of Spider-Verse #2, which you can preview here. In this alternate universe, Gwen Stacy was the hero who gained superpowers from that fateful spider-bite. Spider-Gwen has drawn critical praise, while her debut comic has already sold to a second printing. Meanwhile, Edge of Spider-Verse is a miniseries prelude to Spider-Verse, Marvel's forthcoming Spider-Family Crossover comicbook-selling-event that vows to feature (almost) "every Spider-Man ever!" For more deeply nerdy spider-geekery, read on.
Marvel's going all-out with the Spider-Versing: there's now a free mobile game, plus an upcoming arc in the Ultimate Spider-Man: Web-Warriors cartoon in which Spidey-superfan Donald Glover finally gets to play Spider-Man as the voice of Miles Morales. The Sony/film versions of Spidey are off-limits for legal reasons, so you won't see them in Spider-Verse. But who could miss them with the promise of Peter Porker, Spider-Ham?
Fulfilling all your Clone Saga-loving secret dreams of '90s nostalgia, there's a Scarlet Spiders miniseries for Peter Parker's clones: gender-swapped Ultimateverse Jessica Drew, Houston's Grumpy Spider Kaine, and an alternate version of the most famous clone, Ben Reilly, who's been dead since 1996. Not as long as Bucky Barnes or Uncle Ben, but officially longer than Jason Todd.
And for old-school, cheesy-animation, dimension-hopping, Peter Parker-pileup, crossover action, nothing beats the series finale of the 1990s Spider-Man: The Animated Series: "I Really, Really Hate Clones" (watch) / "Farewell, Spider-Man" (watch). Co-starring Stan Lee!
NOT ALL SPIDER-MEN
can't believe I missed the opportunity for this joke I am so mad at myself right now UGH
Miles is darling, but at the same time I can't read him because (like my poor precious Ultimate Peter before him) Miles is like the single point of hopeful light in the yawning black pit of despair that is the Ultimateverse. I think the spinoff Marvel Zombiesverse in which everyone is dead is officially more cheerful than Ultimateverse. Let us kidnap you to a happier universe, Miles!!
I'm a little disappointed that the comics are going to require fight scenes and plot and stuff instead of just being 100% straight-up Spider Family Reunion fanservice. Peter & Spider-Gwen! Peter & Miles! TWO Spider-Mecha! Kaine & Ben & I am totally going to cry even if it's terrible.
posted by nicebookrack at 12:33 AM on September 20, 2014
can't believe I missed the opportunity for this joke I am so mad at myself right now UGH
Miles is darling, but at the same time I can't read him because (like my poor precious Ultimate Peter before him) Miles is like the single point of hopeful light in the yawning black pit of despair that is the Ultimateverse. I think the spinoff Marvel Zombiesverse in which everyone is dead is officially more cheerful than Ultimateverse. Let us kidnap you to a happier universe, Miles!!
I'm a little disappointed that the comics are going to require fight scenes and plot and stuff instead of just being 100% straight-up Spider Family Reunion fanservice. Peter & Spider-Gwen! Peter & Miles! TWO Spider-Mecha! Kaine & Ben & I am totally going to cry even if it's terrible.
posted by nicebookrack at 12:33 AM on September 20, 2014
He's the only Ultimates comic I read on account of Cap being my favorite of the A-listers and feeling betrayed and sad every time he appears. I'm gonna flip.my.shit if Ultimates Kat(i)e Bishop ends up being as awful as everyone else, because 616 Hawkeye is the lovely and wonderful beacon of light and calling Clint on his shit and fashion sense on whom I pin my hopes and dreams for basically the entire superhero genre, so if they make her randomly terrible I will have a sad.
posted by NoraReed at 1:45 AM on September 20, 2014
posted by NoraReed at 1:45 AM on September 20, 2014
Hmmm. Spider-Men roll call:
Peter Parker (duh)
Miles Morales
Scarlet Spider
Spider-Man 2099
Spider-Ham
Spider-Girl (May Parker)
Spider-Girl (Anya Corazon)
Spider-Kid/Steel Spider
Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)
Spider-Woman (Julia Carpenter)
Spider-Woman (Mattie Franklin)
Spider-Woman (Charlotte Witter)
Madame Web
Tarantula (Maria Vasquez)
Spider based villains:
Venom
Carnage
Tarantula (Anton Miguel Rodriguez, Luis Alvarez, Jacinda Rodriguez)
Black Tarantula
The House of Ideas, everybody.
posted by MartinWisse at 2:28 AM on September 20, 2014
Peter Parker (duh)
Miles Morales
Scarlet Spider
Spider-Man 2099
Spider-Ham
Spider-Girl (May Parker)
Spider-Girl (Anya Corazon)
Spider-Kid/Steel Spider
Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)
Spider-Woman (Julia Carpenter)
Spider-Woman (Mattie Franklin)
Spider-Woman (Charlotte Witter)
Madame Web
Tarantula (Maria Vasquez)
Spider based villains:
Venom
Carnage
Tarantula (Anton Miguel Rodriguez, Luis Alvarez, Jacinda Rodriguez)
Black Tarantula
The House of Ideas, everybody.
posted by MartinWisse at 2:28 AM on September 20, 2014
I read Edge of Spider-Verse #2 just last night. It was pretty good and I hope that we get more of this version of Gwen after this event is over.
FWIW, I enjoyed Superior Spider-Man quite a bit.
I really don't care if the status quo gets shaken up (New 52, the new Thor, death of Wolverine, All New X-Men, etc...) as long as they're telling good stories. And there are a lot of good stories out there right now.
posted by djeo at 6:58 AM on September 20, 2014
FWIW, I enjoyed Superior Spider-Man quite a bit.
I really don't care if the status quo gets shaken up (New 52, the new Thor, death of Wolverine, All New X-Men, etc...) as long as they're telling good stories. And there are a lot of good stories out there right now.
posted by djeo at 6:58 AM on September 20, 2014
nicebookrack: "I'm a little disappointed that the comics are going to require fight scenes and plot and stuff instead of just being 100% straight-up Spider Family Reunion fanservice. Peter & Spider-Gwen! Peter & Miles! TWO Spider-Mecha! Kaine & Ben & I am totally going to cry even if it's terrible."
This is where I am. I have a vague interest in the plot only because I'm curious how a non-JMS writer will handle Morlun (whom I loved in his first appearance, considerably less so in his second), but I am 99% there for Spider-Gwen and Miles and Mayday and Jess and Ben and and and...
Original flavor Peter is actually my favorite, but I opted out of Slott's run a while back and though big, unapologetically ridiculous action plots play to his strengths as a writer I'm half-considering skipping the main event and just reading all the side stories.
NoraReed: "Marvel has all these young teenagers saving the universe constantly, but it seems like when they actually successfully act like kids, it's sort of random and only at times when it will drive the plot usefully (Molly from Runaways, I'm looking at you). Miles actually acts and reacts in a way that feels real."
Molly's an interesting case because it turned out she deliberately plays up her childish behavior as a way to manipulate people. (Where is Molly these days, anyway?) But I agree with you; Miles feels fully realized in a way a lot of young characters don't -- see also Kamala Khan, the new Ms. Marvel. Dudebro fanboys love to complain about "tokenism," but the fact Bendis and Wilson deliberately set out to represent specific kinds of experience from specific communities makes Miles and Kamala's lives feel a lot more, well, lived-in.
posted by bettafish at 7:12 AM on September 20, 2014
This is where I am. I have a vague interest in the plot only because I'm curious how a non-JMS writer will handle Morlun (whom I loved in his first appearance, considerably less so in his second), but I am 99% there for Spider-Gwen and Miles and Mayday and Jess and Ben and and and...
Original flavor Peter is actually my favorite, but I opted out of Slott's run a while back and though big, unapologetically ridiculous action plots play to his strengths as a writer I'm half-considering skipping the main event and just reading all the side stories.
NoraReed: "Marvel has all these young teenagers saving the universe constantly, but it seems like when they actually successfully act like kids, it's sort of random and only at times when it will drive the plot usefully (Molly from Runaways, I'm looking at you). Miles actually acts and reacts in a way that feels real."
Molly's an interesting case because it turned out she deliberately plays up her childish behavior as a way to manipulate people. (Where is Molly these days, anyway?) But I agree with you; Miles feels fully realized in a way a lot of young characters don't -- see also Kamala Khan, the new Ms. Marvel. Dudebro fanboys love to complain about "tokenism," but the fact Bendis and Wilson deliberately set out to represent specific kinds of experience from specific communities makes Miles and Kamala's lives feel a lot more, well, lived-in.
posted by bettafish at 7:12 AM on September 20, 2014
Where is Molly these days, anyway?
Which one?
Future Molly Hayes showed up in the gonzo All New X-Men title. I think the current one was last seen trying to raise the alarm on Avengers Arena.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 8:15 AM on September 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
Which one?
Future Molly Hayes showed up in the gonzo All New X-Men title. I think the current one was last seen trying to raise the alarm on Avengers Arena.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 8:15 AM on September 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
"Every Spider-Man ever!!"...to which Marvel solely owns the rights
posted by dances with hamsters at 8:24 AM on September 20, 2014
posted by dances with hamsters at 8:24 AM on September 20, 2014
In just for the striking costumes link. The aviator Shatterstar, the awesomely redesigned and utilitarian Batgirl....very cool stuff. Wish there'd been more of this in the somewhat awful Liefeld-driven 90s.
posted by Existential Dread at 8:55 AM on September 20, 2014
posted by Existential Dread at 8:55 AM on September 20, 2014
Where is Molly these days, anyway?
She shows up in Avengers Arena briefly (not in Murderworld itself). I think I missed her being revealed as a cunning manipulator, though that feels like a retcon via character modivation to me.
posted by NoraReed at 9:11 AM on September 20, 2014
She shows up in Avengers Arena briefly (not in Murderworld itself). I think I missed her being revealed as a cunning manipulator, though that feels like a retcon via character modivation to me.
posted by NoraReed at 9:11 AM on September 20, 2014
NoraReed: "I think I missed her being revealed as a cunning manipulator, though that feels like a retcon via character modivation to me."
I think it was established by Brian K. Vaughan towards the end of his run (which admittedly doesn't mean he'd thought of it when creating the character), but don't quote me on that because it was years ago that I read that storyline.
posted by bettafish at 10:51 AM on September 20, 2014
I think it was established by Brian K. Vaughan towards the end of his run (which admittedly doesn't mean he'd thought of it when creating the character), but don't quote me on that because it was years ago that I read that storyline.
posted by bettafish at 10:51 AM on September 20, 2014
Here's a utilitarian redesign for Superman.
posted by homunculus at 2:18 PM on September 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by homunculus at 2:18 PM on September 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
I distrust the ending of Brian K. Vaughan's anything since he tends to burn things down as he leaves. ;P
I have enjoyed Chris Yost's excitably chatty teenagers over on the (new) New Warriors, though of course it's being canceled. (And it's a team with multiple women and POC...no, I'm not bitter...) But I am biased in favor of that book anyway, since Kaine and Aracely from Scarlet Spider moved there, and they are my joy forever.
Speaking of Scarlet, I would pay five Internet dollars to see Kaine in Spider-Verse using his "I can talk to spiders" schtick as Spider-People CB radio or something. "We got ourselves a convoy!"
posted by nicebookrack at 10:34 PM on September 20, 2014
I have enjoyed Chris Yost's excitably chatty teenagers over on the (new) New Warriors, though of course it's being canceled. (And it's a team with multiple women and POC...no, I'm not bitter...) But I am biased in favor of that book anyway, since Kaine and Aracely from Scarlet Spider moved there, and they are my joy forever.
Speaking of Scarlet, I would pay five Internet dollars to see Kaine in Spider-Verse using his "I can talk to spiders" schtick as Spider-People CB radio or something. "We got ourselves a convoy!"
posted by nicebookrack at 10:34 PM on September 20, 2014
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okay that totally necessary and obvious joke aside, this looks really fun; I'll probably pick up anything with Miles in it, though, because I adore him. He's just such a kid, you know? Marvel has all these young teenagers saving the universe constantly, but it seems like when they actually successfully act like kids, it's sort of random and only at times when it will drive the plot usefully (Molly from Runaways, I'm looking at you). Miles actually acts and reacts in a way that feels real.
posted by NoraReed at 12:00 AM on September 20, 2014 [3 favorites]