Comic book covers are known to often be more than a little misleading with regard to the actual content of the book they’re trying to sell.  Between that and Marvel’s official description of Spider-Gwen #2, one could imagine the need for readers to adjust their expectations at least a little bit when they get down to reading the issue, but even then things seem to take a harder turn than normal, as Gwen’s conflict with the Vulture in this installment is virtually nonexistent.  That doesn’t diminish things in any way story-wise, but may create disappointment for readers looking for a continuation of their fight.

So far, the most consistent gripe I’ve heard about Spider-Gwen #1 is that it doesn’t start off with quite the bang that some readers seemed to be hoping for.  It was good, they generally acknowledge, but it was a little too lacking in high stakes and excitement for such an important title.  While I understand the desire for excitement and action in superhero stories, I’ve never been shy about pointing out the need for character exploration and plot development, things that are often very difficult to achieve when you’re moving from brawl to brawl.  With the previous issue, we got a bit of action; now it’s time for a bit of decompression as we get to know this character and her world.

It is in these moments that the stakes are heightened, and the payoffs for later excitement are built up, and that’s exactly what Jason Latour is doing in this issue by emphasizing the more domestic relationships in Gwen’s life.  Her last-minute escape from the dire fate the Vulture tried to deal her leads her on a head-trauma-induced, Spider-Ham-guided escapade from a garbage scow to the apartment shared by her (former?) bandmates, the Mary Janes.  Her father, meanwhile, is trying to walk the line between doing his duty as a police detective and protecting his vigilante daughter, while simultaneously dealing with her mistakes and hoping she’ll finally call.

It’s moments like these that ultimately lead to me caring (or not) for a protagonist, and Latour really populates Gwen’s with meaning.  In the space of just over a page’s worth–a few panels–of Spider-Ham’s introduction into the story, we get the character’s trademark animal-themed snark, a believable reason for why he (out of all the other Spiders Gwen recently met in Spider-Verse) shows up as her spirit guide, and the strong likelihood that Gwen is suffering head trauma after her fight with the Vulture.  By having him also wisely point out, whether she wants to hear it or not, that Gwen needs to concentrate on the non-superhero parts of her life as well, Latour sees to it that his heroine tries to balance the more “mundane” aspects of her life with the heroic problems, one of the trademarks of Peter Parker’s life as Spider-Man.

Captain Stacy also gets considerable exploration in this issue, showing that he will continue to play an important role in his daughter’s life.  He’s a good cop in a less than ideal situation, and it’s fascinating to see him examine who he is, and who he could have ended up becoming if he hadn’t been made aware of Gwen’s double life as Spider-Woman.  By doing everything he can to cover for his daughter and nervously regarding his colleague, this reality’s Frank Castle, as a potential ticking time bomb in his pursuit of Spider-Woman and Wilson Fisk, it’s clear that the stress of his job and situation will come to bear as things deepen in their lives.

I’ve got to hand it to Latour–he really knows how to turn a corner on the various aspects of Gwen’s life and make the non-action parts just as interesting as the conflicts with supervillains.  While I can see this issue being a bit of a bore for readers who like a faster pace in their superhero comics, it was a completely engrossing read for me.  It may be the Vulture that Gwen’s currently fighting, but her father, the NYPD, Glory and MJ, and her music are things that will be there when she’s done, and she will need to address them.

I really have very little to say about the artwork in this issue that I haven’t already said in previous issues.  Simply put, it’s a very pretty comic, and Rodriguez’s line work combines nicely with Renzi’s colors to give us a memorable visual exploration of these characters.  Frank Castle in particular looks mean and dangerous, while Matt Murdock, in places, resembles Conan O’Brien a little too much for me to take seriously.  The visual depictions of Spider-Ham were also pretty amusing, particularly his consumption of a corn dog, much to Gwen’s dismay.  It’s a joy to look at as well as read, and I’m very glad this creative team continues to work so well together.

In the end we get a fairly introspective issue for the two Stacys, that does little in the way of all-out action but tells us a lot about these characters and their priorities.  Captain Stacy covers up evidence of his daughter’s activities as a wanted vigilante, while Gwen comes to the realization that there are some areas of her life that need to be addressed outside of superheroics.  They may not be the most dynamic of character beats, but they are nevertheless important bits of characterization that will undoubtedly have ramifications for later.