Jessica Drew gets a soft reboot in “Spider-Woman” #5. Read on for our spoiler free review of an issue that revitalizes a character and does more than enough to turn on a lot of people on to the character.
Written by Dennis Hopeless
Illustrated Javier Rodriguez
NEW COSTUME! NEW STATUS QUO!
• With SPIDER-VERSE in the rear-view, Jessica strikes out to make a new life for herself.
• But she’s not going to do it alone, as she’s joined by new SPIDER-WOMAN supporting cast-mate and classic Marvel character BEN URICH!
I have to admit, I don’t have have a ton of familiarity with Spider-Woman. I know of her role in “Secret Invasion” and as a “Captain Marvel” fan, I know of her close friendship with Carol Danvers. I don’t know much about her personality, if she has any of her own villains or even much about her background. Needless to say, I approached “Spider-Woman” #5 with a great deal of caution. Claiming that this issue presents a new status quo five issues in sounded a little unbelievable however, “Spider-Woman” #5 is a completely accessible issue for both new and longtime readers.
“Spider-Woman” #5 basically reintroduces Jessica Drew. “Spider-Verse” is over and like many of the other characters involved, she’s readjusting to life after all that. She wants a change and so she’s quit the Avengers and has started anew as a solo hero on the streets on New York City. Unfortunately, she’s not very good at it. She’s made a mess of most situations she’s been in but that may all change when Ben Urich asks her for help on a case.
There’s been a lot of talk about the so called “Batgirling” of superheroines. First off, I hate that term. Let’s call it what it is – the leveling of the playing field for female heroes. Characters like Batgirl, Spider-Gwen and now Spider-Woman are now catering to a broader audience. Instead of super tight, super bright and almost unbelievable spandex, they’re wearing more reasonable clothing without losing femininity. Something almost “realistic” for a hero fighting in the city. Spider-Woman’s new costume, designed by Kris Anka, has all the hallmarks of a good superhero costume. She’s got a recognizable logo, a nice amount of color without sticking out too much and it’s something you can believe someone fighting in. The leather jackets gives Jessica a certain level of attitude.
Dennis Hopeless’ story is scripted pretty well. This is a good first case for her to work on because it allows her to really get into her own insecurities and prejudices as a hero. Working this closely to people isn’t necessarily as black and white as working with the Avengers. A thief might not be as easy to read as someone like Thanos because there may be some underlying reason as to why the robbery is happening. The downside to this is of course the almost too obvious resolution to this case. Something extra will have be done to keep things fresh so that “Spider-Woman” doesn’t get lost in the very large sea of superhero comics.
“Spider-Woman” #5 has a nice amount of humor and Jessica really comes off likable with a ton of sass. She’s not Peter Parker, in fact, she’s far more cynical and sarcastic and it’s quite refreshing. I don’t know if this is how she’s been characterized before but it’s this sarcasm and tough exterior that has partially hooked me to this series for the long run. I like heroes that aren’t perfect people and Jessica Drew is not perfect but I believe in her heroic qualities and want her to succeed.
Javier Rodriguez could become a bonafide star with “Spider-Woman”. The first few pages are extraordinary because of how much movement Jessica has. She moves like a gymnast full of grace but when she lands, it’s pure superhero action goodness. Her punches and kicks land hard and do serious damage. Rodriguez doesn’t lose a step in detailing when he illustrates Spider-Woman in action and I appreciate that immensely. Often times, artists aren’t as tight with character detailing, whether it be in facial expressions or costume details but Rodriguez is and this makes it steps above many other superhero comics that came out this week.
Continued belowRodriguez evokes the same kind of tone that exists in Fraction and Aja’s “Hawkeye”. It’s gritty without being what the internet refers to as “grim-dark” in the sense that it actually feels like New York City all while still being a superhero book. Rodriguez does a lot with the pages he has through the use of as many panels as he can get on a page. He doesn’t waste a single space but he also doesn’t overdo it. The facial expressions for the most part are very well done. There are a couple of minor hiccups where I think Jessica doesn’t look quite the same as she did in earlier places. His color choices are downright gorgeous. This is vibrant issue that really evokes much of the same work he’s done on “Daredevil” as fill in artist but he’s pushing himself even more. He doesn’t allow any character to fade into the background with less than detail colorwork and the way he colored the rain is fantastic.
Spider-Woman is not a character as old as Spider-Man but she was in need of an upgrade nonetheless. She’s more modern, more approachable for a new reader and visually, looks like she belongs in 2015. “Spider-Woman” #5 is a true winner that has won over at least one new fan.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – Ignore the numbering. This is a fresh start for Spider-Woman that deserves your attention.
