REVIEW: ‘Gwenpool’ Issue 1

Gwenpool Issue 1 is published by Marvel Comics. Written by Cavan Scott, with art by Stefano Nesi, colors by Matt Milla and letters by Ariana Maher.

There are about to be two Gwenpools on this Earth, with one much more eager to kill. What happens here is going to cause chaos. And Gwenpool Issue 1 itself is chaos. Two tones purposefully contrast and oppose each other. There is a fun-loving team-up comic featuring Spider-Man, Kate Bishop and Gwenpool. It’s got huge stakes, but there is a ridiculous, energetic solution that suits Gwenpool, where anything is possible.

Then there is the other side. It’s an incredibly violent and brutal book, pushing the boundaries of Gwenpool Issue 1 to extremes. There is a noticeable difference when the tone shifts because they follow the two Gwenpools. The pace is relentless at the start of this series. It jumps from one situation to the next with a tiny gap in between. These segments are entirely separate from each other in regards to their opponent, location, and mood.

Gwenpool Issue 1 is centered around the reveal at the end. It’s one of the boldest and most controversial decisions Marvel has ever made. It was always something I thought they wouldn’t touch, because it’s such a sacred and crucial moment in their history. There is a lot of story and explanation to go, but the surprise is incredibly unsettling and perhaps even soul-crushing.

There are varying voices for many of the characters in Gwenpool Issue 1. Spider-Man is much more glum than his usual self. Largely because the things he faces in this issue are of high importance. The first battle is against Fin Fang Foom, the enormous dragon. It’s the end of an extreme and high-stakes blockbuster we never saw.

The next situation, this time in an alleyway, sees the wall-crawler, Gwenpool and Hawkeye face three Deathloks, who are more than willing to kill them. Spidey does not get much of a chance to be funny. Gwenpool, well, our original Gwenpool, takes over all of the humour and the zaniness. She is always a burst of energy, and Scott uses her fourth wall-breaking to terrific effect. The other Gwenpool also likes to fire off gags, but they are much more violent and sadistic.

The art in Gwenpool Issue 1 is fantastic. The sense of movement is incredible. The characters involved are quick and athletic, which Nesi unleashes from the start, especially with the Gwenpools. The first foe being Fin Fang Foom means that the heroes are dwarfed and hideously outgunned. That sense of scale is daunting, but not for Gwenpool. She uses the panels and the pages to her advantage, and Gwenpool gets to play with the borders of the comic format to a phenomenal effect.

The other Gwenpool plays too, but this is done to inflict great pain and violence instead of saving the day. Where one is having fun and being silly, the other comes and delivers grizzly injuries and fatalities. Even the wounds the heroes pick up look nasty. When out in the open, it is revealed that there are two very unique Gwenpool costumes. One, the well-known version, had been customized for her. The other is refreshing a uniform, controlled by someone else.

The colours show both sides of the spectrum. The costumes are vibrant and rich, with Gwenpool’s signature pink on display. But around them, the pages are dark, gloomy, and nebulous. The shadows are thick and creepy, with a character who seems to enjoy moving in them. The lettering helps with the storytelling, as the main Gwenpool has a custom pink word balloon, but the new one doesn’t. This creates ideas around her origin.

Gwenpool Issue 1 has a ridiculous ripple effect. The plot is fun, the art is exceptional, and the team-up elements are enjoyable. But as both a positive and a negative, the whole story and discourse focus on that other Gwenpool. What happens with the Deathloks and giant dragons ultimately doesn’t matter; they are merely devices to bring the characters together.

What is important is patience and restraint when it comes to the response to the reveal. It’s drastic and perhaps even upsetting. It’s difficult to know what will follow and what the answers are. It’s such a raw, beloved subject that even considering what’s happened causes outrage. It remains to be seen how delicately Scott addresses it in further issues.

Gwenpool Issue 1 is available where comics are sold.