Spider-Girl #3 Review

 

Writer: Torunn Grønbekk

Artist: André Risso

Colorist: Java Tartaglia

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Designer: Stacie Zucker

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Cover Artists: David Nakayama; Javier Garrón & Jesus Aburtov; Annie Wu; Jan Bazaldua & Federico Blee

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: August 20, 2025

 

When Bullseye recruited her, he turned Makawalu Akana’s life upside down. Maka left Hawaii to travel the world in Bullseye’s private jet. While helping her hone her abilities and grooming her for a career, her mentor helped her compete in contests, rack up victories, and collect trophies. Then Maka realized she was a means to an end. After Bullseye secured what he wanted, her kumu aʻo planned to kill her. 

 

So Maka is starting over. She’s trying to make friends, help others, and do the right thing. But someone sent a plague of Vermin and rats to kill her. Then Lady Bullseye attacked her before leaving her with stolen money. Will Maka fail Superhero Ethics 101? And who else will threaten her life? Let’s leap into Spider-Girl #3, and see, Brah!

 

Story

When she looked inside Bullseye's mind, Maka saw only love. His betrayal makes her question everything. Rebuilding her life around her family helps Maka realize how much her mother has sacrificed for her. Maka's aunt and tūtū may do fine, but her mother spends most of her time working. They can’t afford an apartment in New York City. So as Maka sits in their room above the florist shop, she debates keeping the money from Starchy & Cloth. Doesn't her mom need it more than a money launderer with the morals of a potato? 

 

Investing in her family means reconnecting with her Hawaiian heritage. Maka is also forging a friendship with the girl she found hiding in the locker room at Red Snow Dojo. Caroline and Sensei Barker's other students made Beba feel small. As Maka helps Beba feel wanted and empowered, her new friend shares her heritage with Maka in Spider-Girl #3. The camaraderie helps Maka relax with someone her age. Plus, she doesn't have to worry about Beba stabbing her in the back, imbuing her with more life-changing powers, or punching her to the moon. 

 

A string of robberies provides another topic for levity on their outing. But as Maka makes the most of her mom's evenings at work to foil crime, a burglar steals luxury goods and leaves an origami figure at the scene of her crimes. Like Maka, Piper Dali is doing what she thinks is right. The Flipstergram fashionista teaches store owners to respect others. As Torunn Grønbekk places Maka in another dangerous situation, she compares Maka's new approach with her former worldview. But the Paper Doll's attacks could prove more deadly than Lady Bullseye's sword in Spider-Girl #3.

 

 

Art

André Risso reveals the energy humming inside Maka. The Hawaiian cliff diving champion tosses a ball while awaiting crimes at night. She hurries down the stairs when she overhears Beba, grabs her by the hand, and yanks her out of the florist shop. Maka thwips above the running laundry store thieves to avoid the gangsters protecting Starchy & Cloth. Then, she webs "Dim and Dumb" and hauls them to a roof. Despite all the girl’s energy, Maka sits on her bed to contemplate her options, then leaves her section of the room to sink into her mother’s arms.

 

Amid the thieves’ attire, the rooftop she drops them on, the shop windows the next day, and Lady Bullseye’s appearance, gray forms a theme in Spider-Girl #3. Even Dr Tramma’s bright green suit shows gray accents, and Detective Shari Sebbins wears a gray suit. This mixture of white and black amid the brightly colored world of New York City underlines Maka’s moral quandary. 

By comparison, Dr Tramma floods Hijack's cell with light. As Hijack rests between punishing trials, or his eyes crackle with white energy, the yellow light evokes the sun's life-giving radiance as his captor increases his mutant powers. 

 

Joe Caramagna fills Maka’s latest adventure with uppercase black letters in white dialogue balloons and shows the Hawaiian’s thoughts with red letters in white narrative boxes. The words grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and rarely shrink. Yellow narrative boxes relay the narrator’s voice, while purple words in lavender balloons reveal Piper’s inner self. Lowercase black letters in white rounded boxes highlight the fleeting joys of fame. Sound effects accompany gunfire, alarms, arcing electricity, and the deadliest cut of all. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

When the Yakuza captured her, Bullseye inspired Maki Matsumoto to escape her captors. But Lady Bullseye knows that her lifestyle is not for everyone. After escaping a life of servitude and abuse, Lady Bullseye doesn’t want anyone to make Maka their pawn. But Maka’s unique ability to mimic others' abilities makes her an irresistible tool for villains in Spider-Girl #3.

 

Rating 9.6/10

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.