Comic Review: Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #3 – Wasted Potential in an Alternate Gwen’s World
After the first two issues, one could expect that the finale of this story would be emotional, intense, and fully use the potential of the universe where Earth-65’s Gwen found herself. Unfortunately, Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #3 is largely disappointing rushed, predictable, and lacking tension, with an ending that leaves more questions than satisfaction.
Quick Wrap-Up Instead of a Developed Story
The story closes the threads introduced in the Spider-Geddon tie-in, showing what happened to Gwen after the events of the second issue of the event. In theory, this should have been an emotional conclusion to her time in the alternate world where her counterpart became the Green Goblin. In practice everything happens too easily and too quickly.
Gwen and MJ track down this world’s Gwen Stacy by following clues connected to the band known from Earth-65. They find her in an abandoned warehouse a location meaningful in both realities. You’d think we’d get a tense psychological battle to reach the friend trapped in a dark persona… Instead, MJ says a few average, not particularly moving lines, and surprise the problem is gone. Goblin-Gwen instantly “snaps out of it,” and the drama that could have lasted at least two more issues is wrapped up in just a few panels.
A Missed Chance for Real Emotion
From the start, the story emphasized that Earth-65 Gwen was absolutely necessary to save her alternate version. Yet in the climax, she seems… irrelevant. MJ is the one who “defuses” Goblin-Gwen, while the protagonist herself is more of an observer than an active player. This is a huge narrative problem when the character we’re following is pushed to the sidelines in the key scene, the whole drama collapses.
On top of that, for years the characters had been looking for a way to save this world’s Gwen Stacy and suddenly all it takes is a couple of MJ’s sentences. No gradual breaking down of her resistance, no real emotional scenes, no sense that this was a true psychological struggle.
Technical Aspects – Mediocre Across the Board
The dialogue here is serviceable fine, but lacking spark or memorable lines. The art remains average. It has a certain indie-like charm, but the action scenes lack dynamism, and the emotional moments don’t land with the needed expressiveness.
Tie-In Ending – Adds Little to Spider-Geddon
From the perspective of the whole Spider-Geddon event, this tie-in has little weight. Gwen gets trapped in an alternate dimension, has a short adventure, and returns. In terms of the main plot zero impact. As a standalone story, it has potential and a few neat ideas (like parallels between the two Gwens), but the ending undercuts the importance of the earlier events.
Summary
Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #3 could have been an emotional earthquake but instead ends as a lukewarm finale with no real tension or drama. It closes an interesting arc too quickly, sidelines its main character, and leaves the impression of wasted potential.
Final Score: 4/10 – only for die-hard Gwen fans who want every piece of her story.
Pros:
+Interesting concept of an alternate Gwen as the Green Goblin+Some subtle parallels between Earth-65 and this reality
+Potential in the MJ – Goblin-Gwen relationship
Cons:
-Ending too quick and lacking emotional weight-Earth-65 Gwen pushed into the background
-Average dialogue, no memorable moments
-No real impact on the main Spider-Geddon event
-Mediocre, uneven art
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