Marvel Just Made the Biggest Change to Spider-Gwen Since Her Debut

A new solo series for Spider-Gwen, Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider #1, is giving the Marvel heroine a major change of scenery. A preview for the upcoming debut issue shows the in-universe reaction to her coming to Earth-616, for good. Instead of being a Spider-Verse hero limited to her own world or multiverse adventures, she is joining Marvel’s main comic universe.

Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider #1 has the creative team of Stephanie Phillips and Chris Campana. It is slated for release on May 22. Originally from Earth-65, this iteration of Gwen Stacy debuted in 2014 in Edge of Spider-Verse #2. She has quickly become a fan-favorite and has had a surge of popularity since her adventures in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018).

Now, Ghost Spider will be jumping universes for good within her upcoming series that has her living on Earth-616 alongside Marvel’s other heroes, including Miles Morales and Silk.

Gwen Stacy Begins A New Adventure in Upcoming Marvel Solo Series

The preview, shared by Looper, shows her suited up and fighting criminals as onlookers seem surprised to see her. Miles and Silk make brief appearances here but have yet to interact with the heroine. Based on what is known about the series, there’s likely a reason. So far there are more questions than answers, but Gwen’s life has been full of turmoil in recent years. After power losses, run-ins with symbiotes, and strained relationships with her closest friends, moving to an entirely different universe could provide the change-up she needs to feel like she has a home again. The synopsis is as follows:

TRAPPED IN THE 616…FOR GOOD! Welcome to New York! Gwen truly becomes a Ghost-Spider when she moves full time to the universe where Gwen Stacy died years ago. But why did she leave Earth-65? Why aren’t the other spiders supposed to know she’s here? Why isn’t she supposed to suit up? And who will get hurt when she does?

Gwen Stacy’s Earth-65 debut marked the biggest change the character had undergone since her early history within Earth-616. The variant heroine marked a resurrection of sorts, bringing Spider-Man’s former love interest back from the dead in a fun way. With a different backstory, her rise to heroism was swift and engaging. Another major change came when she gained a Venomized iteration in Spider-Gwen #25 in 2018. This change was only temporary, however, making it a fun sidestep in her life instead of a major paradigm shift. Her move to Earth-616 will be the next biggest change Gwen Stacy will undergo considering her alternate self there is still dead.

Spider-Gwen is Following in Miles Morales’ Footsteps

Stephanie Phillips, writer of Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider #1 told Looper, “I want to tell the best Gwen story I can tell, and there’s this directive of how we’re going to shift the Marvel Universe around her, and that’s a big job, but a very cool thing to get to take the lead on and making that happen. And I know we’ve seen it with somebody like Miles before, so getting to be the person that does that with Gwen is pretty cool.”

Miles Morales originally existed within the Ultimate universe (Earth-1610), before eventually residing permanently in Earth-616. Miles’ move was facilitated by major shifts with the Multiverse, as it was reshaped. Now, Gwen could be undergoing a similar change. Marvel’s young Spider-Man has been able to successfully make a name for himself in his own right since his merger into the main universe, laying a path for Spider-Gwen to potentially do the same. With a teased relationship that hasn’t had a chance to bloom between the two, there could be lots of growth and more major life events in her upcoming future.

Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider #1 will be available on May 22 from Marvel Comics.

Source: Looper