Radioactive Spider-Gwen #16 Review

Writer: Jason Latour / Artist: Robbi Rodriguez / Marvel Comics Oh, Marvel crossover events. We’ve seen you done poorly – most recently in the much loathed Civil War II – and we’ve seen you done surprisingly well now and then. Coincidentally, one of the more recent examples of an effective Marvel crossover was Spider-Women, an all-male written series of 3 women protagonists that began somewhat rocky but, all things considered, went well. Here we find ourselves in a Spider crossover that was inevitable, far too perfect an opportunity to be missed, a sensational pairing of two popular, relatively new non-white-dude characters during a time where diversity is recognized for its importance in entertainment. Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy kissing a comic book cover, the black Spider-Man (who doesn’t want to be known as a black Spider-Man, but that’s another tense issue) and Earth-65’s Spider-Woman: two young, popular heroes. As I discussed in the great Miles and Gwen-focused podcast, Ultimate Spin, I don’t begrudge Marvel seizing the opportunity – how could they not? – I only hope it proves to be less a gimmick than is the risk with every new crossover that sells yet disappoints.

The Spider-Man end of the crossover begins well enough, with Miles’ father having gone missing under S.H.I.E.L.D, and Radioactive Spider-Gwen #16 picking up from there with Gwen offering her help to find it. It becomes more complicated when integrated with her own story plot, where 1) she’s not the Spider-h…