Give Me A Reason To Care — Reviewing ‘Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider’ #4

Moving can be pretty hectic. Especially moving universes with secret baggage, upset friends, and shape-shifting foes causing tons of chaos. It’s a wonder that Gwen Stacy, the Ghost-Spider, hasn’t just curled up in a ball at this point.

Chameleon is back, changed and more dangerous, as Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider #4 adds more to the growing pile of mysteries and problems for our hero. From Stephanie Phillips, Paolo Villanelli, Matt Milla, and Ariana Maher.

I want to fully like this series.

Right now, the doubt and suspicion is likely showing on your face, but I’m serious. This version of Gwen and her world are so interesting. I really dig them. Just check my reviews for the preceding Spider-Gwen: Smash! series. Full of praise and mentions of how deep the like is for this character and her possibilities.

Right now, I see some possibilities with what Phillips is presenting, but also far too much mystery building with no real answers. Why is Gwen really here? Why can’t she tell? Why does Black Tarantula care so much about a new Spider hero amongst a billion? Who is this new person trying to pick up Gwen for a date? (Come on we all know there will be some reveal, and I think I might know what it is).

It’s just breakneck stuff with no real foundation being built and it shows. Had we gotten an issue or two of really exploring Gwen in this new world, establishing a life, maybe a supporting cast, and the like it would have helped. Instead we’re just thrown in and nothing is being made clear. Look, I like the fights and some of the beats that Phillips is throwing out there. Unfortunately, the other stuff is dragging those elements down a bit.

There is something ominously intriguing about Villanelli’s artwork. We saw this briefly at the end of the previous issue, but it’s full force here as they take over the art completely. Everything has a lot of shadows and darkness, really playing into the harder elements showcased in the story, especially some tinges of body horror with Chameleon’s uncontrollable horrifying transformations.

There is a smoothness surrounded by inherent rough edges on display. Almost sharp to the touch, but still very fluid in movement and presentation. A dash of the chaos energy needed for a Spider-hero story is still there clear as day.

Milla remains on colors, dipping into the darker side of the palette for this one. Numerous scenes still bring some of the lighter, more vibrant colors to the party. Those playful shades are surrounded by the heavier, darker tones, they stand out even more, accompanied by various more neutral shaded tones. This helps create a sense of depth and weight to the world, while also setting the horror and heroic tones.

Capturing feeling in every word is something Maher does so easily and creatively. Really letting emotive energy run through the pages, allowing us to hear it and feel it fully. Slipping in colors and other modifiers to make things stand out but also pop visually. A little extra color to font and it hits so much differently.

This has nothing to do with the lettering as it’s presented, but there sure is way too much caption talking. We have two cases of Gwen reciting and over-explaining phrases and fables in this issue. Just walls of caption boxes of her talking way too much. Spider-heroes are talkative for sure, but this was just a bit too much.

Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider #4 is now available from Marvel Comics.