Welcome to the review of the newest Spider-Gwen hit titled, “Spider-Gwen Smash #1“, written by Melissa Flores. Spider-Gwen is one of the fastest rising superheroes in the Marvel universe alongside her Spider-verse counterparts, Miles, Miguel and more. It’s time to see what the latest issue has in store for us and what we can expect to come from this new mini series. The way our review scale works is based on our interpretation of the story, artwork, and cover options of the issue. Please beware with most reviews there is the possibility of spoiler alerts, so if you don’t want anything spoiled wait until after you’ve read to check out our review!

PART ONE 

TIME TO FACE THE MUSIC! The Mary Janes are off on a four-city tour as the opening act to one of Earth-65’s biggest rock bands! Gwen has promised the band that this big break will be all about the music. No web-slinging, just drums. But when a mysterious assassin targets the headliner, Gwen begins to wonder how she got this gig in the first place. Featuring new versions of some of your favorite characters!

How Are We Feeling After Spider-Gwen Smash #1?

Diving into the first issue, I’ve got to say, it kicks off with a bang. We’re back in Gwen’s stomping grounds on Earth-65, where she’s rocking out as the drummer for The Mary Janes. Things take a turn when the band’s gig gets interrupted, cue Spider-Gwen springing into action with her Spidey senses tingling. It’s classic superhero stuff, but what really catches your attention is the drama brewing within the band post-battle. However Gwen’s superpowers and her knee-jerk reaction to leap into danger stir up some real tension among the group. As the story unfolds, there’s this cool twist where The Mary Janes get the chance to open for a mysterious band.

And guess what? This band’s got a superhero who specifically asks for Gwen’s band. It’s these kinds of details that keep you hooked. Now, my main and really only gripe is the issue seems to spotlight Dazzler a tad more than Gwen herself. It’s a bit off-balance but doesn’t spoil the overall experience. The issue glides along smoothly, setting the stage for what looks like a super enjoyable mini-series.

It’s all leading up to “Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider” coming out next April. For those who haven’t checked it out yet, I’d definitely recommend giving “Spider-Gwen: Smash” a read. It’s a solid introduction to this world, and if this first issue is anything to go by, we’re in for a fun ride with this series.

Cover Options

Spider-Gwen Smash #1 has a fantastic line of Cover options for this issue. Let’s start with the main cover, David Nakayama Covers are always top tier on the collectors list. This Cover is no exception to the fantastic work he does, it’s an added bonus that he is doing the main covers for this series. He also did the main covers for “Spider-Gwen: Gwenverse” and “Spider-Gwen: Shadow Clones”. Nakayama is 9/10 my take home cover no matter the series.

Our Cover B option, the John Tyler Christopher Negative Space Variant is another great cover. This one can ride the line of subjectivity due to the art style, but personally I am on board with how the negative space works with the character’s design. Another solid option if the main cover is out of stock.

The last two covers are both Peach Momoko Covers, but you probably already knew that! We have one Momoko Foil Variant where we see Gwen swinging through the city with fun shapes which to me, appear to be from objects that you might see flying from a singer or instrument of some kind, which is a fun touch.

Lastly, we see Gwen’s version of Momoko’s current Nightmare Cover line that is sweeping through Marvel Comics. Even if you are not one for the horror genre, most can probably admire the talent that Momoko possesses while drawing our favorite superheroes in these unique and odd situations. Gwen’s Nightmare Cover is probably top 3 our of the covers that we’ve seen thus far.

Looking Ahead to the Next Issue

Spider-Gwen: Smash #2

January 10th, 2024

PART TWO

DEEP DISH AND DEEP TROUBLE! Next tour stop—CHICAGO! Gwen pulls double duty as drummer and secret bodyguard for Dazzler as tensions threaten to tear both bands apart. Plus, Hulk attacks again, but this time, he’s not alone! What is Earth-65’s Bruce Banner really after?

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