Dying, metatextually or in any other case, has lengthy been one thing of a revolving door in superhero comics. Not even probably the most well-known deaths have ever actually stayed actually everlasting–however at Marvel if there’s one which’s stayed fairly shut, and stands amongst a rarefied group on the writer, it’s Gwen Stacy’s. Gwen’s legacy at this level, even because it’s been carried on by alternate incarnations like Spider-Gwen within the final decade, is nearly intrinsically tied up within the iconic second of her demise as it’s anything she did within the comics. Which after all, is why Marvel will discover it very simple to seize individuals’s consideration with a little bit of proverbial graverobbing.
Final evening Marvel launched a cryptic piece of teaser artwork depicting an unknown determine digging up Gwen’s grave, together with a easy observe that “nothing is sacred,” in addition to a Might 2025 launch date.
True to that tease, nothing actually is sacred: as a result of that is removed from the primary time that Marvel has performed with the shock of Gwen’s potential return after the legendary “The Evening Gwen Stacy Died” storyline in Superb Spider-Man #121. She would seemingly return simply a few years later in Superb Spider-Man #144, after which once more many years after that in 2016’s Clone Conspiracy occasion, solely each time for her to be revealed as duplicates concocted by the villainous Jackal (each incarnations of the villain, Miles Warren after which one of many different well-known Spidey clones, Ben Reilly–Clone Conspiracy was loads!). Gwen’s most up-to-date resurrection, albeit far briefer, got here within the pages of the X-Males/Avengers/Eternals occasion Judgement Day, in 2022, the place the actual Gwen’s soul bought to say goodbye to Peter for a not-so-seemingly final time.
It’s at the moment unknown simply what form this return will take–whether or not it’s a part of a standalone occasion, or a brand new storyline within the upcoming relaunch of Superb Spider-Man below the brand new inventive crew of Joe Kelly, John Romita Jr., and Pepe Larraz, stays to be seen. However the splashy, headline-grabbing comes at a traditionally unpopular time for the mainline Spidey ebook. Though Marvel gross sales knowledge is commonly mercurial, final 12 months was dominated by the relaunch of Final Spider-Man below author Jonathan Hickman, with no subject of Superb, normally an everyday mainstay as one of many writer’s best-selling books, breaking into the highest 10. Zeb Wells’ run on the collection, marked by common controversies from all the pieces like its momentary killing-off of Kamala Khan or how the ebook torpedoed the favored relationship between Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson so quickly after its return to prominence, wrapped up late final 12 months, and the collection has been in a holding sample by way of a magically-infused arrange for this 12 months’s One World Beneath Doom occasion whereas ready for this April’s Superb Spider-Man #1 relaunch.
Whereas suffice to say Marvel Comics might be advantageous with the truth that at the very least one Spider-Man title is doing very effectively proper now, given Superb‘s enormous legacy it’s clear there’s stress to show fan notion on the title round once more. Will graverobbing be sufficient to take action, or ought to some issues in actual fact keep sacred? We’ll discover out extra quickly–Marvel is planning to disclose extra particulars about Gwen’s return subsequent week.
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