All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4 Review

 

Writer: Stephanie Phillips

Artist: Paolo Villanelli

Colorist: Matt Milla

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artists: David Marquez & Federico Blee; Inhyuk Lee; Leirix; David Yardin

Logo Designer: Stacie Zucker

Production Designer: Kat Walkington

Editors: Emerald Bensadoun, Martin Biro, Jordan D White & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 19, 2025

 

After he abducted Judge Jeffrey Barbour, Carlos LaMuerto conducted a trial via cell phone. Carlos presented evidence of Barbour's corruption. The people of New York who tuned into his app voted that Barbour was guilty of embezzling public funds devoted to assisting the unhoused. Carlos tried to execute the people's mandate, but Spider-Gwen and his son Fabian stopped him. The authorities threw Carlos in Ryker's Island without access to a judge, attorney, phone, or visitors. He cannot even see Fabian.

 

Carlos isn’t the only one who is angry at the situation. As he helps Spider-Gwen track down the symbiote she abandoned, Fabian LaMuerto seethes at his father's imprisonment. So, when Spider-Gwen and the new Black Tarantula corner the symbiote in an alley, and Gwen refuses to take it back again, the alien lifeform finds a new host in Fabian. Can Gwen Stacy and Flash Thompson recapture the symbiote and free Fabian from its influence? Or are Spider-Gwen and Anti-Venom a match for a venomous Black Tarantula? Let’s thwip into All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4 and see!

 

Story

When Spider-Gwen and Anti-Venom track Fabian and the symbiote to Ryker’s Island, they find the facility in lockdown. Instead of securing the prisoners in their cells, tanks and armored vehicles surround the facility. Spider-Gwen and Anti-Venom take themselves to the leader. The soldier claims they are clearing the facility, but the power is down, and the soldiers cannot contact the corrections officers. He sees no option but to bomb the facility while the monster is inside.

 

In All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4, Flash and Gwen ask him to delay his air strike so they can defuse the situation. After they gain entrance, Gwen tries to control the situation by giving the symbiote a name. She attempts to bond with Flash and inject a little humor to lift their spirits. But as Gwen and Flash venture deeper into the prison, both realize how dangerous the symbiote has become.

 

Stephanie Phillips' story is a meditation on how anger drives us. As Gwen fights, she reflects on how the symbiote empowered her and why she wanted to get rid of it. Flash argues that Gwen shouldn't feel guilt over the symbiote's actions or what it forced her to do while bonded with her. But as her father told her, when Gwen put on the symbiote suit, it stole her joy. And even though she’s free of the symbiote, Gwen still feels its allure. Years of relying on anger tempt Gwen to attack problems instead of contemplating a peaceful solution in All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4.

 

Art

With the military on high alert outside Ryker's Island, Spider-Gwen startles a soldier when she lands beside him. Anti-Venom stands at ease in his armor. When the soldier reaches for his handgun, Gwen thwips it while Flash lifts his hands to explain. The soldier glances back at the entrance, where soldiers are assisting civilians from the facility. A star bursts from Gwen’s head when she grows angry, turning her into a partial silhouette. In response, Anti-Venom moves between her and the soldier. Then Flash pumps his fist, adopting a hero pose to assert his capabilities.

 

As Paolo Villanelli shows how Anti-Venom teams with Spider-Gwen while compensating for her impulsiveness, Matt Milla adorns All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4 with a limited fluorescent palette. While pink, yellow, and orange shine in the abandoned lobby, the symbiote amplifies the colors as the fighting grows intense. After Carlos experiences a revelation drenched in green, he pumps his fist to assert his capabilities. Yet amid the anger and emotions sending the prisoners into a frenzy, Gwen’s dominant color is black, while Anti-Venom’s is white.

 

Ariana Maher thwips uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons and red letters into turquoise-outlined boxes. A thick line of turquoise underlines the words that locate us in time and space. The text grows bold and enlarges for intonation, while intense emotion turns balloons spiky. An abrupt landing threatens to stop a soldier's heart. Then, heroes and villains battle amid hits and thwips while hissing echoes through the cells and dormitories of Ryker’s Island. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Gwen loves music filled with rage at the machine. Music with a post-punk experimental vibe (influenced by the grindcore scene) makes her feel alive. Yet as much as she delights in the punk scene, Gwen knows she should restrain her anger. Having a symbiote was like plugging herself into Wes’s amplifier. And like a magnet, the symbiote Gwen cast off makes a new home among prisoners filled with rage at the machine in All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #3 Review

 

Writer: Stephanie Phillips

Artist: Paolo Villanelli

Colorist: Matt Milla

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artists: David Marquez & Federico Blee; Corin Howell; Lucio Parrillo; CF Villa

Logo Designer: Stacie Zucker

Production Designer: Kat Walkington

Editors: Emerald Bensadoun, Martin Biro, Jordan D White & CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: October 29, 2025

 

While Gwen has a new suit, home, and powers, she strives to recapture what she lost. As she begins anew on Earth-616, she passes out flyers to start a new band. A guitarist named Wes answered her ad. Her friend Cindy Moon takes a crash course in bass guitar to support her. After their first practice, her dad rejoices to see Gwen so happy. But his observation that donning her spider-suit often saps her joy flops like Milli Vanilli’s bombshell announcement.

 

Now, Gwen’s guitarist is dead. Cindy is in the hospital. George Stacy wants his daughter in protective custody. Instead, Gwen and Fabian pursue Richard Mason, the man seen beside Wes' blood-spattered corpse. They also find something else. Something dark and monstrous. Can Gwen and Fabian defeat the scary monster made of spikes? Or will Gwen's anger get the better of her? Let’s thwip into All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #3 and see!

 

 

 

 

Story

When Black Tarantula kidnapped Judge Jeffrey Barbour from his home, New Yorkers discovered a new app on their phone. The app alleged that the judge had siphoned public funds into his bank accounts. While the app asked the public to decide Judge Barbour's fate, Black Tarantula's team robbed banks. Then Carlos LaMuerto used that money to do what the judge's actions prevented by caring for New York's unhoused community.

 

In All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #3, Carlos LaMuerto is angry. The authorities sent him to prison and ignored his legal rights. His court-appointed attorney reminds Carlos that Fabian was hip deep in his father's crimes. Paul Morgan urges Carlos not to press his visitation rights, lest the legal system target Fabian. But Carlos is fed up with being treated like a criminal while the corrupt judge remains at liberty.

 

Like Earth-616’s Peter Parker after his uncle’s death, Gwen Stacy hungers for revenge. Fabian is also angry. Yet while his father sits in prison, Fabrian restrains Gwen from killing Richard Mason. The spiky alien monster is a different story. In Stephanie Phillips' story, Gwen believes her anger makes her stronger. But beliefs and truth are two different things.

 

 

 

 

Art

On Ryker’s Island, size matters. But no one looms larger than Carlos LaMuerto. As Paolo Villanelli shows him bound in shackles, a comparison with the man who sent Carlos there, Mayor Luke Cage, is unavoidable. Just like size, colors also flaunt their stuff in All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #3. People who uphold the law wear blue. The man who did the wrong thing for the right reasons wears orange.

 

In the city where Carlos took the law into his own hands, we glimpse Spider-Gwen and Black Tarantula Junior through the monster's maw. While Gwen, Fabian, and their opponent wear black, the monster's green tongue links it with Richard Mason's jacket. Matt Milla enhances the dark creature with purple and green, the same colors he shaded people with on Ryker’s island. But as Spider-Gwen fights the monster before the dumpsters she tried to relegate it to, the strongest clash is between black on black.

 

Ariana Maher thwips uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons with conventional arrows and red letters into turquoise-outlined boxes. A thick line of turquoise underlines the words that locate us in time and space. The text grows bold and enlarges for intonation. Sound effects highlight Carlos’ anger and a fast and furious battle. Yet they also introduce someone who urges Gwen to think first and act later in All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #3. Thanks to Marvel for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Gwen's music was a way to channel her anger at the world. Her flyer sought musicians similarly outraged, even venomous. Gwen may not like to admit it, but her father is right about her spider-suit. Not because the costume is evil, but because of how Gwen uses it in All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #3.

 

Rating: 9.2/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #31 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Luigi Zagaria

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Ceci De La Cruz; Sara Pichelli & Federico Blee; Frany

Production Designer: Sarah Spadaccini

Editors: Tom Groneman, Mark Basso, Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Cy Pedro Beltran, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 19, 2025

 

While Deadpool and Shift battled Midas and Output, Miles repaired Ellie’s phone so they could teleport back to Agent Gao’s hideout. After the two Deadpool & Spidey teams work together to knock out Midas and unhand Output, Miles’ storyteller god senses an interesting development. Then Agent Gao strides in, rocking a Greek outfit and a glowing sword. Is she channeling a higher power or just listening to Coldplay? Let's put on our vibranium suits, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #31, and find out!

 

Story

Agent Gao no longer speaks in terms of justice. Nor does she love the city she once served. Like Rabble, Julia Gao is hurting and seeks a target for her loss. She forgets that Spider-Man teamed up with her squad to help Scorpion, Gust, and Hightail protect New York against costumed villains. And despite New Yorkers arising amid the Gang War to overturn Fisk's Law, she blames Spider-Man for shuttering her Cape Killers crew. So when a mysterious stranger in a dark alley offers her a boon, she takes it. In Cody Ziglar's story, Agent Gao turns her back on democracy. All she wants is the power to enforce her will.

 

After Deadpool mistook Shift for Miles, Spider-Man, Deadpool, and Ellie clashed in a not-so-dark alley. But they’re (mostly) putting their grievances behind them. In Miles Morales: Spider-Man #31, Miles and Wade confront the new-and-improved Agent Gao. Despite Wade's impulsiveness, Miles and Deadpool fight side-by-side to take down the hate-filled, high-powered herald. While Deadpool is over the moon to battle alongside Spidey, Miles isn't ready to make Wade his BFF. But then, Wade speaks of matters Miles doesn't understand while Miles talks to someone no one else can see.

 

As Miles and Deadpool serve up the A-Team action, Shift and Ellie focus on Agent Gao's Not Ready For Prime Time Players. It’s too early to know if Shift’s relationship with Ellie will evolve like Ms Marvel’s. Still, both understand what it's like not to belong anywhere. This crossover began with a high-flying phone call. After Ellie explains why she fought so hard to fight alongside her father, Shift yearns to have a similar talk with his brother in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #31.

 

 

 

 

Art

Agent Gao's blue, white, and gold outfit coordinates with her paid help. Miles’ purple and red suit bonds him with the equally colorful Kwaku Anansi. Shift's red-and-black links him with Ellie and his new buddy (who tried to kill him but apologized later). Bryan Valenza makes Agent Gao’s eyes burn with the same yellow and orange fire that leaps from her curved sword. After she unleashes an Alderaan-incinerating laser beam, heroes and mercs regard Agent Gao amid light green smoke. Then Miles dances amid a yellow venom show that would make Dazzler applaud.

 

Agent Gao’s curved sword hovers before her before unleashing the sun's energy. Deadpool performs acrobatics to attack Agent Gao from behind. Midas and Output demonstrate resilience as Ellie leaps, and Shift gets super-stretchy and pays homage to his trickster god. But after Luigi Zagaria shows Shift and Ellie taking a selfie, Agent Gao does a thunderclap in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #31.

 

Cory Petit thwips uppercase letters into dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Miles' thoughts appear as white letters in red narrative boxes. Agent Gao's white balloons glow yellow, while 3D logos pop from balloons when heroes and mercs fight together. The dialogue grows bold for intonation, enlarges for volume, and rarely shrinks. Sound effects enhance snapping weapons, breaking bones, explosions, Deadpool getting jerked around, and Anansi's sweet champion thwipping for victory. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a copy for review. 

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

All great stories poise characters on the cusp of change. As Ellie tries to pull a sword out of stone and gods prepare to renew old conflicts, heroes and villains reexamine and forge new identities in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #31.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #29 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Daniele Di Nicuolo

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Sara Pichelli & Federico Blee; Javier Garrón & Jesus Aburtov

Design: Jay Bowen

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 15, 2025

 

T’Challa gave Miles a key. Shuri gave him a heart-shaped herb. The divine panther at the soul tree gave Miles an invitation. But Miles’ vampirism brings Varnae’s spirit into Bast's domain. Worse, his connection to his god allows Kwaku Anansi to crash the party. While Bast seethes at these unwelcome guests, Anansi promises to heal Miles.

 

Bast calls Anansi a Trickster and trusts him like Thor trusts Loki. Can Anansi heal Miles? Or will Miles get trounced in a divine fight club, leaving Shift to assume Miles’ identity and become Brooklyn’s Spider-Man? Let's inscribe seals in a stone circle, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #29, and find out!

 

Story

Humans love stories about the gods. The gods delight in tales of legendary heroes. Anansi controls the Web Of Life And Destiny. He watches his spider-heroes wage villains across the multiverse. So, Anansi offers to heal Miles in return for a great story.

 

Anansi may claim he is the Storyteller God. But in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #29, he severs Varnae’s spirit from Miles and puts it back into T’Challa. The Black Panther attacks Miles with knives and claws. In this realm of the Vodū, all Miles has is his fists. But Miles cannot damage T’Challa’s Vibranium suit.

 

Before they entered Bast’s realm, T’Challa urged Miles to be calm. Shuri warned Miles not to believe what he saw. Both prove easier said than done when Anansi ups the stakes. Forget a vampiric Black Panther. Miles has faced far worse. Those conflicts left Miles stressed and beset with panic attacks. Tiana Toomes convinced Miles to try journaling. Dr Kwan tried the talking cure. But those remedies tackled Miles’ fear of others attacking him or his family. When Varnae bit him, the first vampire inverted Miles' battle. Instead of fearing what others will do to him, Miles fears what he will do to them.

 

While Cody Ziglar pits Miles against villains from his past, Miles must face his most oppressive foe. It isn't vampires or supervillains. It is the one thing that can hold Miles back from becoming all he can be. In Miles Morales: Spider-Man #29, Miles must decide if he will accept Franklin D Roosevelt’s challenge to Americans (including Brooklynites) or remain in his Great Depression.

 

 

 

Art

While Daniele Di Nicuolo shows his eyes bulge, Miles leaps and avoids Black Panther’s claws. But Anansi displays no fright in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #29. Bast regards the fight with displeasure, but a smile dances across Anansi's face. The Storyteller is in his element, even hanging upside down like Spider-Man. But don't expect him to give Bast an affectionate kiss.

 

Amid the purple and pink air and the bluish-gray clouds, Bryan Valenza thwips green webs into Bast’s realm in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #29. The thick webs rise like the chords supporting Riley’s Sense Of Self in Inside Out 2. But they also twist and attack Miles. They hurl him through a realm filled with yellow-green wheels, twisted turquoise and purple-striped buildings, and orange worlds. While Miles fights for his future, Shift arrives "home" in his red hoodie. He enters the kitchen with the red dining table and chairs. Like Bast, Rio shines with purple. Unlike Bast, she may dole out an affectionate kiss.

 

Humans speak black uppercase letters into white balloons. Gods speak colored words into similarly bordered divine dialogue balloons. Other characters talk into gray or black balloons. Miles' thoughts appear as white letters in red narrative boxes. The delicate font grows bold for intonation, enlarges for volume, and rarely shrinks or sways. Cory Petit employs sound effects to spice up a fight in the spiritual realm and make Shift more endearing (if that’s even possible). Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a copy for review. 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Bast warned T’Challa that he would pay for letting Varnae slip into her realm. In Miles Morales: Spider-Man #29, the great spider-god Anansi offers Miles healing. The challenge the Trickster offers isn't what Miles thinks it is. And like the Black Panther, if Miles escapes Varnae’s influence, he must pay a price for such divine benevolence.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider #8 Review

 

Writer: Stephanie Phillips

Artists: Paolo Villanelli

Colorist: Matt Milla

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artists: Mark Brooks; Ernanda Souza; Edwin Galmon & Federico Blee;

Design & Production: Carlos Lao

Editors: MR Daniel, Kaeden McGahey, Jordan D White & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: December 4, 2024

 

Black Tarantula kidnapped Jeffrey Barbour. He accused the judge of misappropriating public funds and releasing violent criminals onto the streets. Black Tarantula created an app detailing the judge’s corruption. He gave the public five hours to vote on Barbour's innocence or guilt. How will the kidnapping and trial of a New York judge affect the city? And how will it impact Gwen Stacy’s relationship with Black Tarantula? Let's thwip into Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider #8 and find out!

 

Story

Luke Cage ran for mayor because he wanted to uphold justice. He tried to imprison Tombstone for becoming the new kingpin of crime. But Tombstone bribed the judge hearing his case. Even after Tombstone tried to kill his daughter and had a brutal fight with Spider-Man, the judge freed Tombstone. So now Black Tarantula presents another corrupt judge to the public. No payoffs can prevent the public from voting on Judge Barbour’s innocence or guilt. No lawyers can raise objections, make arguments, or delay the trial. Black Tarantula wants to sweep aside New York City’s representative form of government and replace it with a direct democracy. But as Gwen asks in Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider #8, can an unjust man provide justice?

 

This is a vexing question for Gwen, as Chameleon tarnished her reputation. By perpetuating crimes using her image, Chameleon made it impossible to grant Spider-Gwen a fair hearing. Everyone saw her traumatize children, vandalize buildings, and steal cars. Then, Gwen saved Chameleon from Black Tarantula, making her look more guilty. The police issued an arrest warrant for her. But when Black Tarantula's "news" builds on people's suspicions of government corruption, Mayor Cage needs help to put down civil unrest. Although she hails from Earth-65, Spider-Gwen is one of the "heroes" Luke fought to protect by overturning Fisk's law.

 

While Stephanie Phillips weaves a complex story around our trust in the government, she keeps the spotlight on Gwen. Black Tarantula tried to kill her. Then he invited Gwen to dinner, invaded her home, and sent her flowers. Gwen wants a relationship with Fabian, the young man she met in a coffee shop. Yet her days are filled with threats like Chameleon and Black Tarantula. She is a visitor to this world. Her apartment isn't safe anymore. And she fears whatever apocalypse affected her world will impact Earth-616. Jessica Jones proves the voice of reason in Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider #8. After encouraging Gwen to pursue her interest in Fabian, Jessica tries to get Luke Cage to see the larger picture. But tackling Black Tarantula and getting him to defuse the tension he created in New York City falls on Gwen Stacy's shoulders.

 

 

 

Art

As a storm descends on New York City, the streetlights switch on. People grab their umbrellas and gather outside City Hall. But the mayoral address takes on a crazed look as an aggrieved citizen pulls a gun, and Spider-Gwen bursts in to protect Mayor Cage. After Chameleon sprayed graffiti on buildings and Black Tarantula invaded her home, someone invaded and defaced the atrium of City Hall. But unlike Black Tarantula's flowers and Miles Morales' artistic displays, crude spraypainted slogans greet visitors who ascend the central staircase.

 

Gray, purple, and blue dominate the dark streets, punctuated by green and magenta, and the energy Spider-Gwen unleashes. As a shadow hangs over Gwen’s future, darkness seeps into the ivory walls as Gwen and Luke converse. When the clouds vanish, and two men share a table in a cheery diner, Matt Milla unleashes a palette of brilliant color while a man clad in gray armor looks on. A green gas seeps into panels in Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider #8, aggravating people's fears and transforming those nearby into monsters. Amid the furious clash of colors, Gwen relives the devastation of her world, and an adversary assumes the appearance of the ravens that flock to her.

 

Ariana Maher thwips uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons with long white arrows and places rouge words in white narrative boxes outlined with turquoise. The text grows bold for intonation and enlarges for raised voices. Amid all the thwipping, the sound of rushing air links violence at a news briefing with a villain who transforms reality into nightmares. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

The Gang War brought New York City to its knees. Now, the Black Tarantula arouses people's distrust in government. As Spider-Gwen fights to protect elected officials and the frightened public, another villain inflames Spider-Gwen's fears that the apocalypse that hit Earth-65 will follow her to Earth-616 in Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider #8.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Deadpool #6 Review

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Andrea Di Vito

Colorist: Guru-eFX

Letterer: Joe Sabino

Cover Artists: Taurin Clarke; CF Villa & Marte Gracia; Paco Medina & Federico Blee

Designer: Carlos Lao

Editors: MR Daniel & Drew Baumgartner; Ellie Pyle & Mark Basso; CB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: September 18, 2024

 

Deadpool defeated Death Grip, but it cost him an arm and a leg. Death Grip's Muramasa Blade nullified Deadpool’s healing factor. While Wade Wilson hopes his limbs will regrow, the rat in the water cooler has spawned a family, and Taskmaster wants to get paid. Can Ellie and Princess boost Wilson & Daughters LLC’s prospects while Wade regenerates? Or will they think Daddy heartless for asking them to bring home the bacon? Let's leap into Deadpool #6 and find out!

 

Story

Agent Gao invited Deadpool to join the Cape Killers, but Wade Wilson was tired of ignoring orders, not getting along with his teammates, and disrespecting leaders. Wade has become a surprisingly successful captain of industry and found a reliable lieutenant in Taskmaster. Not only has Princess stuck by Deadpool, but Ellie has proved a capable warrior. If he can regain his healing ability and get Doug to clean up the office, Wade will be 100% happy! Until then, he is the guy in the chair. It will give him time to contemplate his company's and family's futures.

 

First, Wilson & Daughters LLC must generate income to replace Taskmaster’s beautiful Bula and the accompanying arrow Ellie stole from Taskmaster. (So what if Taskmaster stole the arrow from Hawkeye?) With no clients throwing cash in his blotchy face, Wade wants to grab people's attention with a high-profile theft. How better to ring in Taskmaster's term as CEO than stealing from the Russian Mafia? 

 

Cody Ziglar thrusts the Wilson girls into the spotlight in Deadpool #6. After riding to Wade's rescue in Death Grip's temple, Task-Daddy teaches them what it means to be a rookie on a mercenary team. Ellie encourages Princess’ efforts at humor, enjoys using her new weapons, and endeavors to obey her dad’s ground rules. This job is all about helping Ellie gain battlefield confidence. Building a positive corporate image for Wilson & Daughters LLC is a bonus. But then, marketing is Deadpool’s new thing!

 

 

 

Art

Ellie cobbled together a combat suit when she and Princess rode to their daddy’s rescue. This issue, she is in awe of her new suit. Ellie doesn’t wear a Taskmaster shirt and gloves. Still, Task-Daddy bestows an emblem of his pride in Ellie’s achievement. Even the rat pauses to gaze up at her scarlet finery. Later, Ellie wishes she wasn't pulling rookie duty as she rests her face in her right hand and her left arm on Princess' snout. But as Taskmaster sucks down a soda, Ellie spies a mobster popping the top off a can. She launches into battle with a head kick, and Princess protects her with a spinning-tail shield. The Wilson sisters face someone wearing a blue mask with a white star, but he's not Captain America. And Ellie rides Princess The Big Red Symbiote Dog into battle again in Deadpool #6.

 

Guru-eFX lavishes a loaded palette of bright contrasting colors on Andrea Di Vito's scenes in the rubble-strewn office and the Russian mobster's headquarters. Pink highlights on Ellie's hair match her shirt, lips, and the ribbon on Wade's gift. Taskmaster's attractive blue is echoed on Ellie's shoulder and by the new jug in the water cooler. (Not all rats like sewer water). Backgrounds shine blue, turquoise, and green, while Ellie's new weapon illuminates everyone nearby in white-yellow energy.

 

Joe Sabino stabs white and colored dialogue balloons and narrative boxes with black and white uppercase lettering in Deadpool #6. The dialogue rarely shrinks, while one character’s snoozing and another’s humming are writ large. Colorful and energetic sound effects enliven a hand-to-paw celebration, bullets striking symbiote flesh and an enormous gun preparing to fire. Well, everyone needs to compensate for something! Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

When Ellie-Bear and Princess undertake a mission, Deadpool discovers the unkindest cut of all in Deadpool #6.

 

Rating: 9.8/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

 

Deadpool #4 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Pencilers: Rogê Antônio & Eric Gapstur

Inkers: Jonas Trindade & Eric Gapstur

Colorist: Guru-eFX

Letterer: Joe Sabino

Cover Artists: Taurin Clarke; Jan Bazaldua & Federico Blee; Greg Land & Frank D’Armata

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 3, 2024

 

Ellie wants to be a partner in her dad’s business venture. Deadpool’s new mercenary team already acts like a family, even if Doug lacks superpowers, Taskmaster wants extra pay for fieldwork, and Wade's symbiote alien-canine daughter Princess wants to eat negative reviewers. (Ouch!) At least the rat in the water cooler seems content. Will Ellie emulate the rat? Or, like Kirk's little rascals on Sigma Iotia II, will Ellie demand a piece of the action? Let's leap into Deadpool #4 and find out!

 

Story

Deadpool’s life is dangerous. If Ellie won’t return to Terry and Emily's home in Arizona, Taskmaster insists Wade’s Human daughter learn to protect herself. Ellie works hard in Taskmaster’s lessons, but success doesn’t come easy. Still, faster than Harry Potter turned the tables on Professor Snape during their Occlumency lessons, Ellie surprises Taskmaster. Blame it on her hyperactive neurons!

 

Deadpool is proud of his Human daughter. She can learn to protect herself, and her super-healing ability insulates her from danger. But that doesn't mean he wants her to seek it out. Nor does he want her to go around killing people. Ellie sought him out because she wanted to participate in his life. So, in Deadpool #4, the Merc With A Mouth wonders how to shield his Human daughter from danger while encouraging her interests and nurturing her abilities.

 

 

 

Cody Ziglar doesn't let Deadpool dwell on his problems for long. Instead, he offers Wade Wilson a new one. Everyone loves a party, but Deadpool isn't wild about Death Grip's invitation. Sure, he'd like to stop the psychotic martial artist from hurling convention wreckers like Crossbones at him. Still, who can resist a rematch?

 

Deadpool #4 is a descent into brutality. Taskmaster's method of training Ellie involves seeing what he can break. Death Grip took the Muramasa blade from Solem, but instead of wielding it, the master of magic and martial arts became a sword-swallower. Now, a sword forged from the dark portions of the Human soul inhabits the leader of a death cult. Can the leader of The Touch kill the unkillable Deadpool? Or will the joke be on Death Grip?

 

 

Art

Rogê Antônio, Jonas Trindade, and Eric Gapstur pool their talents to portray Team Deadpool’s homelife. Princess looks on as Ellie battles sword-wielding Taskmaster in a boxing ring. A multiple exposure shot reveals when Tasky’s lessons hit home, and Ellie forces Taskmaster to drop his beverage can. Yet her vulnerability shows when she sits before her father at the dinner table.

 

Guru-eFX lavishes a loaded palette of appealing colors on the action and drama in Deadpool #4. As Deadpool and Taskmaster watch the fighting projected on the big screen, a shot from behind colors the two men light blue against an inked background. The sores covering Wade’s head blend with his costume, even when red hearts cover his eyes. A nearly Black and White invitation leads to gray-robed warriors in a pink and lavender lobby. Orange surrounds Wade’s head, a blue-white glow suffuses Taskmaster’s beloved weapon, and the background turns Deep Purple as Deadpool and Tasky reenact their version of Thor and Loki’s Get Help. Honestly! Who’d be a Soldier Of Fortune?

 

Joe Sabino stabs white and colored dialogue balloons and narrative boxes with black uppercase lettering in Deadpool #4. The font shrinks for lowered voices, emboldens for inflection, and swells for increased volume. Sound effects help us hear Taskmaster emulate Captain America, Ellie slams into a corner post, and gunfire rings out in The Touch's temple. A scream accompanies a panel of the inflamed pain centers of Deadpool's brain. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

Final Thoughts

When Death Grip offers Deadpool a deal he can’t refuse, the Merc With A Mouth discovers pain like he's never experienced and feels an emotion he's not used to in Deadpool #4.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

 

 

X-Men #25 Review

 

Writer: Gerry Duggan

Artist: Stefano Caselli

Colorist: Marte Gracia

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Joshua Cassara & Marte Gracia; C. F. Villa & Federico Blee; Mark Brooks; Alex Ross; Bryan Hitch & Alex Sinclair; Peach Momoko; Russell Dauterman & Matt Wilson; Sergio Davila, Sean Parsons & Romulo Fajardo Jr.

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $5.99

Release Date: August 2, 2023 

 

 

 

Kamala Khan died earlier this year in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man. But her latent mutant gene prompted her rebirth in X-Men: Hellfire Gala #1, proving that you can't keep a good Inhuman down. Perhaps this gets Kitty Pryde down, as she believes she can't be reborn if she dies. But if I understand Kitty's history rightly, she died and was reborn. Will X-Men #25 perplex or delight you? Let's leap into this special forty-plus-page issue and find out!

 

 

 

Story

The powerful Orchis organization has transformed Tony Stark's Iron Man suits into machines that do its bidding. They've blamed the mutants for a massacre and portrayed them as terrorists. Additionally, they've tampered with medicine mutants intended to benefit Humanity. 

 

 

 

With mutant hatred skyrocketing, governments allow Orchis to arrest mutants. Surgeons experiment on them. Authorities hunt down, imprison, and deport mutants to Mars. Sadly, the Martians don't exactly welcome them with open arms.

 

 

 

I rarely read an X-Men book, but I was captivated by X-Men #25. This issue mirrors contemporary problems, making it compelling reading. I can empathize with Kamala Khan's struggles. As for Kitty Pryde, she complains that she can't travel through Krakoa’s gates, yet she travels through the gate system several times. Years ago, I enjoyed following her romance with Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy and Legendary Star-Lord. Now she's known as Shadowkat: a highly trained ninja. 

 

 

 

Old School fans who insist superheroes don't kill won't like X-Men #25. If you enjoy martial arts movies, you'll love her scenes. Still, I wouldn't have minded seeing Lockheed. But then, I share Rubeus Hagrid’s love of dragons. Perhaps some of you do as well?

 

 

 

Art

Characters are appealing, expressive, and lifelike. Most people can't phase through walls, but Stefano Caselli makes me believe Kitty could. Energy and movement come across, and you’ll notice plenty of fine detail, such as the woven appearance of Kitty’s sword hilts. The Stark Sentinels inspire awe, as do the space sequences. I also like the Orchis soldiers’ red suits. Marte Gracia’s rich colors provide contrast and enhance atmosphere and drama. Panels scream with life from within black pages.

 

 

 

If I could change one thing, it would be to make the lettering larger. Clayton Cowles’ tiny, lowercase black words require a mutant gene to read. Still, Gerry Duggan delivers plenty of narrative and dialogue, and the good folks at Marvel give you a free digital copy. You can scale that up to whatever size you want and immerse yourself in this fascinating issue. If you’re interested in following the cataclysmic chaos unfolding amid the Fall Of X series, buy the cover of X-Men #25 that most appeals, and prepare for an epic ride!

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

False flag attacks, illegal imprisonment, and racial hatred turn Humanity's gifted benefactors into America's Most Wanted in X-Men #25.

 

Rating 9/10

 

Preview interior art & get another reviewer's perspective at Comic Book Dispatch.