Face It, Tiger: Gwen Stacy is Spider-Woman

Marvel Comics is building to its latest event, the Spider-Verse, which promises to bring together the variety of wall-crawlers from across the various Marvel alternate universes for some epic action. Edge of Spider-Verse #2, released last week, introduces a new Spider hero that has immediately captured the attention of comic fans everywhere: Gwen Stacy, Spider-Woman.

Imagine that of instead biting Peter Parker that fateful day, the irradiated spider found Gwen Stacy. What would become of Pete? How will Gwen’s father, Captain Stacy of the NYPD, react to the vigilante? In just one issue, Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez bring us into this intriguing and, of course, amazing Spider-verse.

The high energy of every page and Gwen’s struggle with being viewed as a villain, not a hero, in this alternate universe create a book that just begs to be on ongoing series.

“We get to interpret the character of Gwen in this new light,” said Rodriguez in a Marvel.com interview. “We get to punk her out a bit, and make her a kind of heroine that even more female readers can relate with. Not just a female version of Spider-Man in a different costume, but a stronger character in her own right. A real individual who could, if the opportunity ever arose, take up Spider-Man’s role someday.”

When Gwen isn’t busy swinging across the NYC skyline, she’s the drummer in the band The Mary Janes—when she can actually make it to a gig, that is.

Inspired by Gwen and lead singer Mary Jane Watson, a real band called Married With Sea Monsters made their own version of the song “Face It Tiger” featured in Edge of Spider-Verse #2:

Check out the song, and be sure to pick up the issue, especially if you’d love to see an ongoing title starring Spider-Gwen. The first printing has already sold out, so call your favorite comic shop to see if it’s in stock. Spider-Gwen returns in other Spider-Verse tie-ins coming later this year.