Gwenpool Strikes Back #4
Recap
Gweenpool faces the consequences of her desperate plan to avoid being retconned, and this consequence is the Immortal Hulk. Gwen needs to dive deep into continuity if she hopes to make it to issue five. Also, she wields Mjolnir.
Review
Leah Williams continues to write Gwenpool with a consistent voice. With the legion of Gwenpools assembled to take on the Hulk are pulled from her past appearances, Williams cleverly makes it clear how her Gwenpool is different from previous writers, and them from each other. The jokes in this issue seem to be more comic focused and less pop culture, going as far as having the creator of Gwenpool, Christopher Hastings, write a single page while appearing as a talking cloud. The references don’t stop at Gwenpool as she dives through continuity for Thor’s lost arm so she can wear it and wield Mjolnir (now THAT’S a cover that I want to see).
The art by David Baldeon and Jesus Aburtov continues to work with the narrative. Since its Gwenpool, that means lots of wonky angles, use of the space around the panel, and referencing direct scenes from other books. The Gwens even use the panels themselves to battle Hulk.
Final Thoughts
I’ve struggled with finding the fun in Gwenpool Strikes Back. Now I am the first to admit that I may just not be cool or aware of trends to get past issues, but this issue finally delivered. I found the jokes to be funny, the references to be well explained, and the characterization to fit. While not perfect, I find Gwenpool Strikes Back #4 (Williams, Hastings, Baldeon, Aburtov) to be a coherent and enjoyable read. The plot as a whole I still find to meander. If the concept of the series is Gwen’s wacky hijinks, then it is hitting the mark. But with one issue to go, I’m losing hope for something more.
Gwenpool Strikes Back #4: Gwen-galore
- Writing - 6.5/106.5/10
- Storyline - 5/105/10
- Art - 7/107/10
- Color - 7/107/10
- Cover Art - 7/107/10