The Unbelievable Gwenpool is the third in the Marvel Un-trilogy, sharing a prefix with The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and The Unstoppable Wasp. Each book was a new and interesting take on a female character in the Marvel comics universe. For Gwenpool, that’s playing with the idea of comics and comic conventions, and what they mean to the people who read them.
Gwen Poole is a regular girl from our world who has happened to find herself in the Marvel comics universe. She has no superpowers, but turns out if you understand the fundamental rules of storytelling, you can fake it till you make it.
Step one, get a costume so you’re not a background character. Main characters can’t get hurt or fail.
Step two, get involved with some recognisable characters to avoid being off page and thereby stop existing.
Step three, suffer absolutely no repercussions or consequences as a result of your treating all this like a fictional world.
None. At. All.
(Anime fans may notice this is basically the plot of the average isekai series. The difference here is that The Unbelievable Gwenpool is actually good.)
It’s a testament to the skill of Christopher Hastings and company that Gwen teeters constantly between manic comic energy and true sincerity. It’s a tough line to walk, especially in order to not have the character come off as grating.
The art collective of GuriHuru is absolutely fundamental to selling Gwen. Without their incredibly traditional cartoony style, the warped core at the heart of the story wouldn’t work as well. More importantly than that, Gwen’s ability to manipulate the structure of a comic and play with the panels just would not work in any other style. Realism would break the illusion, same with something less abstract or formal. Thick lines, bold colours, flat lighting. All that plus exceptional direction adds up to a joyous reading experience.
It says a lot about the writing team and the effect of the narrative that The Unbelievable Gwenpool doesn’t come off as being in the same boat as the average Harley Quinn and Deadpool comics. Even at her most memetic, there’s an innocence and earnestness that shines though.
More than just charming, funny artwork, and more than just clever, engaging writing. The Unbelievable Gwenpool brings both together alongside a fascinating concept that makes for a truly compelling series.
The Unbelievable Gwenpool is available from many sources, but the first volume is available here
