Putting On A Show — Reviewing ‘Spider-Gwen: Smash’ #1

With multiversal adventures behind her, Gwen Stacy, the Ghost Spider, might have the time to live her regular life again. Hang out with her bandmates, meet some musical icons, spend time with her father, and all the rest. Because we all know, that’s the kind of luck Spider-heroes tend to have.

Just kidding, of course. Spider-Gwen: Smash #1 throws the hero right into a whole new proverbial fire, as a music tour becomes something more. Tune your instruments and join in as Melissa Flores, Enid Balám, Fer Sifuentes-Sujo, Elisabetta D’Amico, and Clayton Cowles cue up a real showstopper.

There was a period of time in my comic book reading life where I was all about the art needing to have that ‘realistic,’ almost photo like style. No clue why, but that became something I really liked. Not that I didn’t like other art, but I didn’t appreciate it as much. Thankfully, the older I’ve gotten and the more I’ve been exposed to more art, I truly appreciate the wide varieties that exist within comic book art. Just like the style of this comic series.

Balám has a very interesting style. It’s quite rough in many places, compact, but brimming with life. A lot of fun energy is bubbling under the surface and bursts through at exactly the right time. It’s very dense, helped with the inks that D’Amico provides. Giving the spaces a lot of weight and presence, allowing them to actually feel true and lived within. I dig the choices of framing and paneling, keeping us mostly in tight allowing the clubs, homes, and venues really feel like we’re at the center and have depth.

One thing that did stand out visually is the monotony of body types at times, especially with the women. While they have their own clothing and skin tones, almost every woman that appears on the page might as well be cutouts with different accessories. It’s not a story breaker, but it is a bit noticeable and hard to miss once you do realize it.

Much like the pencils and inks, the colors also have a denser rougher feeling to them. Sifuentes-Sujo brings a lot of shadows into play, allowing all the colors to feel heavier and darker. It’s natural that the lower key type club space that the Mary Janes would be able to play in would be darker, with a bit o grunge to them. In just those few pages that is very much felt. As is the confining nature of such a space, thanks to the artistic jam going on here.

Many of the color beats are vibrant and powerful, keeping with the fun element of the story, while keeping us firmly in that weightier space. It’s the performance spaces where the colors really pop off, allowing some more light to enter play, and really singing on the page (Sorry, I had to).

Flores is a writer rising quickly, especially on my list of writers I follow intently. This is the second title of hers that I’m picking up both as a fan but also as a reviewer. Just like with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, a particular care and familiarity is clear on the page. Right away these characters feel full, fleshed out, and like she’s been writing them for years. Often, even for seasoned writers, finding grooves with new characters you haven’t written might take just a bit (from a few pages to an issue or so). If Flores had that moment, I’m not sensing it here, because we hit the ground running and do not stop till the issue naturally ends.

This familiarity and care applies itself in the best ways. Chiefly the character development and moments we are witness to. Sure, we could have issues of the heroes just bouncing around doing fight stuff, and Flores gives plenty of action, but the deeper human moments are why we connect with characters/franchises in most cases. Yeah people want to see John Wick go off and fight off a bunch of crazy assassins, but we were drawn to the character because the tragedy he went through is something we can empathize or relate to. Same with Gwen here, as she tries to find balance between the various parts of her life and struggles with how hard that can be.

Taking place on Earth 65 allows any story with Spider-Gwen/Ghost Spider the freedom to really mix things up. While also keeping what works, like Dazzler being Dazzler. Plenty of characters big and small making up that band, giving us a chance to at least interact with a Lila Cheney and Rick Jones, who both are off the board currently in the 616. Curious about this Hulk character and where things will go, and love the way Black Widow was incorporated.

If one is going to have an issue that includes characters singing and music playing in, the right letterer can truly help. Cowles is chief among those that would be on the list of right letterer for a lot of things really. Making the letters flow around the page as agile and freely as Gwen swings around, dropping in the right little tweaks to allow them to pop with color and energy. Character voices being clear and unique, full of their given personality, right there on the page. Truly music to our proverbial ears (I promise, I’ll try to stop…maybe.)

Spider-Gwen: Smash #1 is now available from Marvel Comics.