Scan barcode
A review by themyskira
Gwenpool, the Unbelievable, Vol. 5: Lost in the Plot by Christopher Hastings
5.0
DAMN, GUYS. Talk about going out in style!
I rolled my eyes at Gwenpool for a long time. She's a hero who was literally created because a character design in a one-off variant cover was popular with fans, and I figured her for a cynical marketing gimmick.
But when I did finally get around to picking up her comic, I discovered that there's nothing cynical about Gwenpool. Not only is it genuinely funny, it's smart and inventive and compassionate. Ridiculous shenanigans (of which there are plenty) go hand-in-hand with genuine character growth as Gwen makes hard choices and faces the consequences of her actions. The book plays with Gwen's ability to step outside of her own comic panels in ways that are increasingly clever and badass and, ultimately, heartwarming.
Because at the end of the day, this comic is a love letter to the fans whose enthusiasm brought Gwen into being in the first place.
And as sad as I am at the series' cancellation, the way this is handled by (and woven into) the story is pitch-perfect. The final issue is genuinely wonderful - maybe my favourite final issue since Bryan Q. Miller's swansong on Batgirl.
I rolled my eyes at Gwenpool for a long time. She's a hero who was literally created because a character design in a one-off variant cover was popular with fans, and I figured her for a cynical marketing gimmick.
But when I did finally get around to picking up her comic, I discovered that there's nothing cynical about Gwenpool. Not only is it genuinely funny, it's smart and inventive and compassionate. Ridiculous shenanigans (of which there are plenty) go hand-in-hand with genuine character growth as Gwen makes hard choices and faces the consequences of her actions. The book plays with Gwen's ability to step outside of her own comic panels in ways that are increasingly clever and badass and, ultimately, heartwarming.
Because at the end of the day, this comic is a love letter to the fans whose enthusiasm brought Gwen into being in the first place.
And as sad as I am at the series' cancellation, the way this is handled by (and woven into) the story is pitch-perfect. The final issue is genuinely wonderful - maybe my favourite final issue since Bryan Q. Miller's swansong on Batgirl.