The Unbelievable Gwenpool #1 Review: No Consequences

Unbelievably, The Unbelievable Gwenpool now has her very own ongoing series and in spite of myself, I liked it. Unbelievable.

The Unbelievable Gwenpool #1
Written by Christopher Hastings
Art by Gurihiru and Danilo Beyruth
Colored by Gurihiru and Tamra Bonvillain
Published by Marvel Comics

When I heard that Marvel was actually going to give Gwenpool her own ongoing series, I was pretty sure that was it. Marvel had finally hit rock bottom creatively and it was all downhill from here. I mean, the character showed up on one variant cover and all of a sudden, she has her own series? Really?

Spider-Gwen I could understand. There was actual story potential there. Even though I’m not a fan of the book, I can see why people would be interested in a series like that.

But Gwenpool? A Deadpool knockoff? Seriously? There was never much substance to Deadpool in the first place and now you’re going to turn the character into a franchise?

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Begrudgingly I went and bought the first issue basically so I could see how much of a train wreck this series was going to be and could write a scathing review. That and they had the Skottie Young variant for cover price, so why not?

So I sat and read The Unbelievable Gwenpool #1 and when I got to the last page I realized something startling. Something I really never saw coming. Something I never in a million years expected.

I was smiling.

The Unbelievable Gwenpool is a vapid, dumb, totally inconsequential excuse for a Marvel comic book. It will never win any awards, will never be called a classic and never be mistaken for a “serious” comic book series.

However, what The Unbelievable Gwenpool does give you is page after page of silly fun that, if you are anything like me, you will find incredibly enjoyable despite yourself.

Christopher Hastings creates a story that turns every preconceived notion about comic book storytelling (and Marvel specifically) on its collective head. Nothing goes as you are expecting here, which is what makes The Unbelievable Gwenpool such a breath of fresh air. Seeing Gwenpool laugh out loud at M.O.D.O.K. like all of us do whenever he shows up in a comic, is priceless, but then Hastings pulls a plot twist out of left field you won’t see coming. It makes for a comic where anything can happen and all the normal “rules” just don’t matter.

Usually to read something like this you need to go to Image or another small press publisher. It’s refreshing to see something like this from of all places, Marvel.

Add in some charming artwork that fits the tone Hastings is going for perfectly and you have a series that is absolutely nothing I thought it would be.

Which is exactly what I wanted, but didn’t know it.

The Bottom Line: The Unbelievable Gwenpool #1 is one of the most surprisingly enjoyable books I have read in a very long time. I still don’t know if a premise and character like Gwenpool can actually work in an ongoing series or if it is going to get tiresome after a handful of issues, but for now, consider me hooked.

I plan to enjoy this ride as long as it lasts.

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