ALL-NEW SPIDER-GWEN: GHOST-SPIDER #4 – A New Plan

Creative Team – Stephanie Phillips, Paolo Villanelli, Matt Milla, VC’s Ariana Maher

Published by Marvel Comics

Catch up with All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #3 here!

The Story

In All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #3, we found out that it was Gwen’s former symbiote, Tantrum, who was behind the attacks. While trying to stop Tantrum, Fabian was bonded with the symbiote, which was absolutely not the plan. Tantrum, now with Fabian in tow, escaped and made their way to the prison where Fabian’s father, Carlos, is currently imprisoned. At the end, there was a surprise appearance by the one person who is perfect for the job, Flash Thompson, AKA Agent Anti-Venom.

Now, in the fourth issue, Flash and Gwen are at the prison, and they realize something isn’t right with this symbiote. Tantrum can bond with multiple people at a time, making it impossible to try to unpair the symbiote from Fabian. With the military outside, antsy to blow the prison to smithereens, and Gwen and Flash at their wits’ end trying to fight off the prisoners who are bonded with Tantrum, a new plan is heavily needed.

The Writing

What I love about All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider is that you never know what will happen next. Stephanie Phillips does a fantastic job keeping you on your toes throughout the comic, having a surprise at each and every turn. In All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4, there are a couple of those surprises that wait for you that only elevate the story.

Another thing I appreciate is the inner dialogue of Gwen, giving you a perfect look at how she’s handling this situation. Gwen has been through so much, and she deals with it the best she can in every issue. In this particular issue, you see Gwen work on herself by trying to think things through rather than react out of anger, which is such a fitting narrative when fighting against a symbiote. All in all, another excellent comic from Stephanie Phillips that leaves me anxiously waiting for the next issue to drop.

The Art

The artwork of All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4 feels very symbiote-coded with the excellent amount of shading and the creative ways to show the spreading of Tantrum. This is all thanks to Paolo Villanelli, who is the artist of the comic. With the symbiote energy all throughout the comic, there’s also a big focus on the color black, juxtaposing the vibrant and abstract backgrounds. The color schemes perfectly fit the story, and that’s thanks to Matt Milla, who handles the coloring of the comic. Together, Villanelli and Milla’s work perfectly complements each other and makes each page stunning.

Final Thoughts

All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4 should be on everyone’s pull list. The stakes are higher than ever, the action is fantastic, and the story gets better and better with each issue. Hats off to the creative team!

Overall Grade – 9.5/10

Let me know in the comments below what you thought of All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4!

This review was written by Megan from the Vigilante Vibes Podcast. If you liked my review, be sure to check out my other reviews! Let me know what you think of All-New Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4, or tell me what comics you’d recommend me trying out! Find me on my socials, and check out my Marvel podcast, Vigilante Vibes, by clicking here!