Ghost-Spider #3
Mike Eakins
Recap
Gwen Stacy continues to find out more and more about herself. She’s learning how to balance bouncing from Earth-65 and Earth 616 and maintaining two different ways of life. Unfortunately, Miles Warren is in both of them! In this issue, Seanan McGuire continues to capture Gwen’s growing pains while she’s trying to find her place in one, if not both worlds, and she does it beautifully.
Review
We continue with Miles Warren, a character that I’ve always enjoyed from the Spider-Man books is now fully entranced with Gwen Stacy. In Ghost-Spider #3, Miles continues to do Miles things. He has his lackey (Benji) whose job is to get close to Gwen and in a sense, deliver her to the Jackal. However, I’m not too sure this is the “end-story”. Benji is definitely on her own mission and has her own vision of how she’s going to accomplish it! We see her bargain for a vile of “Jackal Juice”, which turns her into a werewolf, and she’s on the hunt for the Ghost-Spider, however, she learns a valuable lesson in trusting the good professor. In his fiendish pursuit of Gwen, Benji finds out that nothing will stand his way…not even Benji and her own want to bring down the Ghost-Spider. Gwen, on the other hand, continues to struggle with bouncing between universes and trying to maintain the peace in her own world. From seeing The Bandit shot, then rushed to the hospital, to save a child from getting run over by a car and stopping an attempted mugging. She comes to the realization that even though she is attempting to better herself, she feels that the crime has taken an upswing since she’s started universe hopping. Well, Gwen, I’ve got some bad news for you…the Jackal knows who you are.
Final Thoughts
Every so often in comics, you get a writer that really understands the character. Seanan McGuire understands Gwen. You get a great sense that Gwen is starting to not trust herself and her abilities. This couldn’t come at a worse time, as the Jackal and his plan are getting ready to be in full swing. Overall this was a strong set-up issue for #4 and what I’m betting is going to be a great vehicle to deliver the Jackal’s plan.
Ghost-Spider #3: Don’t Leave Now Gwen, the Party is Just Starting!
- Writing - 8/108/10
- Storyline - 8/108/10
- Art - 7/107/10
- Color - 8/108/10
- Cover Art - 10/1010/10