Spider-Woman #16 - SPOILERS

[Dreaded Porcupine]

Outstanding issue! Roger not only cheated death twice but he got Jess. I couldn't be happier how this turned out. I was hoping it would just be those two who knocked the stuffing out of Hobby but I'll accept Carol for the save. I thinked carol was stunned that Jess and Roger are now an item. Hopeless did a sensational job with this series. The best I've read in years. Maybe ever. What a shame it is ending. Marvel has to relaunch this. There is definitely massive potential for a continuing story. Jess and Roger have to show up somewhere. They can't just ride off into the sunset like #17 depicts. Again a flat out outstanding series!

[Seren]

Well said Matterniv.

I loved this issue. In fact I've loved this whole run. Nothing Hopeless has written in the past has ever engaged me and I've always liked Jessica but not really followed her closely but this series is probably one of my favorites right now. Every now and then a writer/character combination just click (same thing with Aaron/Mighty Thor) and it's glorious. Really going to miss this book, but it looks like a fun fade out to the sunset ending coming next issue which I expect will be sweet and satisfying. (I hope that will help a little Seren )

100% Agree. Hopeless got Jess in a way that I am not sure many others would understand. It also helps that Hopeless was a Spider-Woman fan going into the book - and he's said it's his favorite things he's ever written. And I think when it comes to great story telling, that helps a lot.

I agree Klynn, I think you're right about the final issue. I can't wait to read it - but I am also sad because it will be the last one. So, bittersweet, but all good things must end.

And I wouldn't say that Roger got Jess as more that Jess got Roger?

[Huntsman Spider]

I thought the resolution was poor. When I pick up a comic called "Spiderwoman" I expect Spiderwoman to save the day, not a guest star to just randomly show up in the final 3 pages of the plot. It doesn't matter that they are close friends, it is bad writing of the deus ex machina variety.

Also the Roderick Kingsley Hobgoblin never had a flaming sword, that was the inferior Phil Urich Hobgoblin, who now goes by the title of Goblin Knight and wears a blue cape.

Nowadays, Phil Urich is calling himself the Goblin King and trying to run the Goblin Nation/Underground after Norman Osborn was taken down by Spider-Man (Peter Parker) in the Superior Spider-Man finale and "cured" of the goblin formula. And yes, while Kingsley never used a flaming sword before, given how notoriously opportunistic he is, I wouldn't put it past him to use anything he thought would work. That aside, while the resolution might not have been what was expected or anticipated, I am glad the series seems to be ending on a somewhat happy note.

[Seren]

I could swear Cindy put Phil Urich behind bars in a previous issue of Silk - which would explain why Kingsley has the sword. Also, what Huntsman Spider said XD

[Michael Watkins]

the lack of a slugfest between Hobgoblin and Jessica made the issue feel rushed; to me.

[SplinteringHeart]

the lack of a slugfest between Hobgoblin and Jessica made the issue feel rushed; to me.

Hey Michael, this is off topic, but respectfully can I ask you about your signature, the liberal meltdown quote...is this your shared view, or are you being ironic?

Jon

[TerminalSanity]

This is the end....This is the end... My only Friend the end.....

Happy some people liked this run but frankly it never clicked with me seemed like Marvel was trying to change her status quo as quick as possible to get her away form that unpleasant cover business and the arc had a rushed feel because of it. I hope Jess's next run is notably better.

[LordRyus]

I thought the resolution was poor. When I pick up a comic called "Spiderwoman" I expect Spiderwoman to save the day, not a guest star to just randomly show up in the final 3 pages of the plot. It doesn't matter that they are close friends, it is bad writing of the deus ex machina variety.

Also the Roderick Kingsley Hobgoblin never had a flaming sword, that was the inferior Phil Urich Hobgoblin, who now goes by the title of Goblin Knight and wears a blue cape.

It felt a cheap way out of an impossible situation to me and definitely felt like closing the series in a way that mostly kept the status quo (save for adding a baby and boyfriend).

That said, I, mostly, forgave it since it fixed the "no longer friends" thing Civil War 2 set up. It was a light happy ending, I kinda wanted more, Jess deserved a huge feat that's been robbed from her in so many other stories... but artistically I got why Hopeless did it. He really wanted to set up the status quo of Jess as a mom, Jess and Carol BFFs which meant helping her, and give a nobody villain character he liked a path to going full hero and Jess is that path. When comics that try to change things end sometimes authors, like presidents leaving office, care more about the legacy of the changes they made throughout the series than the final arc being an epic "omg!!! wtf just happened!?!"

I'm personally hugely suspecting next issue is just some big wrapup. Im kinda worrying though that it's more his (Hopeless) desire for a happy set up the future, hence why we haven't gotten any relaunch announcement. Most other writers likely don't want to write about a single mom with a happy new boyfriend most of them have no idea who he is, as they want to play with their favs with Spider-Woman instead. Think of it like, how many times did the Fantastic Four have their kids go away for long stretches or at least minimally there... a lot. So it's likely be a while until it gets picked up again, Marvel editorial likely will be shopping for a writer willing to tell their future desired direction.

[Michael Watkins]

Hey Michael, this is off topic, but respectfully can I ask you about your signature, the liberal meltdown quote...is this your shared view, or are you being ironic?

Jon

I'm saving it for when Trump flames out. I want to see if somacula is still laughing at others discomfort.

[LordRyus]

This the end....This is the end... My only Friend the end.....

Happy some people liked this run but frankly it never clicked with me seemed like Marvel was trying to change her status quo as quick as possible to get her away form that unpleasant cover business and the arc had a rushed feel because of it. I hope Jess's next run is notably better.

I kinda agree, I think they where planning statue quo changes already but the controversy either speed up there random thoughts and they pulled something out fast.

Anyways, I think Spider-Woman should go full hero again. Maybe not Avenger, especially with all their bad stories atm, but at least drop the Private Eye biz. Jessica Jones will just steal her spotlight here because of the free marketing of Netflix and Bendis. While Jessica Drew was the Private Eye first it's kinda Jessica Jones only thing, Jessica Drew has had tons of roles and could easily shift better to a new one... plus her biggest claim to fame was reappearing in New Avengers, only die hards really know her past as a Private Eye and too many dropped Hopeless's run before that started either. To most people these days, she's an Avenger and Spy. She can still investogate stuff in either role so not much really has to change but optics.

She could join Carol perhaps, maybe do something with Silk, possibly Mockingbird, or maybe even Black Widow. All are kinda good possibilities atm. All offer benifits for Jessica.

Silk would keep everything at Spider Editorial so Jessica could have free reign to all the characters Spider-Man isn't using atm. Plus we could get back to the master and apprentice plot they had going (maybe even bring back Anya Corazon). This way she could stay in New York city and keep the Porcupine & single mom story in the forefront.

Tieing her in with Captain Marvel meaning they could hang out way more in both stories and Carol could give Jessica and crew things to investigate near the Triskellion (New York city, so again nothing drastic thus single mom stories could easily be told). Anya Corazon might be a good match her too as she's been trained by both Carol and Jess.

While Black Widow and Mockingbird usually mean Shield, they could easily rework it to fit in a location like New York city so Jessica could stay at home between missions/investigation.

To his credit, Hopeless got Jessica's personality mostly right. Though he majorly rushed her quiting the Avengers to just a few lines spread over 4 issues prior to it and the Mother thing was very 'OMG shocking cover read to find out more', my only real complaint there was Jessica historically hating kids or at least avoiding them and the whole 'who's the dad set up' that didn't actually reveal anything. I suppose a future writer now will get to pick the father one day, because it's too good a plot not to. I hope Hopeless doesn't regret leaving it open one day. Well, maybe that will be a shocking twist in next issue and Hopeless will get the last say here, lol.

[Seren]

Considering that Jess worked with Brand before as well, I could totally see her doing investigative stuff for Alpha Flight every once in awhile - but then. I looks like Bendis is having Jones do that as well.

I dunno. Something will pop up for Jessica. She definitely gonna pop in on Spider-Gwen from time to time (or at least get mentioned - Latour seems to be making an effort to do that the last few issues). And the squeeky wheel gets the grease. You just gotta keep bugging Marvel for another Spider-Woman book and eventually we'll get one.

[LordRyus]

Considering that Jess worked with Brand before as well, I could totally see her doing investigative stuff for Alpha Flight every once in awhile - but then. I looks like Bendis is having Jones do that as well.

I dunno. Something will pop up for Jessica. She definitely gonna pop in on Spider-Gwen from time to time (or at least get mentioned - Latour seems to be making an effort to do that the last few issues). And the squeeky wheel gets the grease. You just gotta keep bugging Marvel for another Spider-Woman book and eventually we'll get one.

I'm a few issues behind on Gwen, hence why I didn't mention Latour. The holidays where very busy for me and I haven't caught back up on everything yet, lol. Anyways maybe Latour is vying to continue Spider-Women. I'd like that, good idea for a mini and I think it'd make a nice ongoing too.

[Seren]

Well Latour did mention at NYCC that Jess would always have a home in Gwen's book - and that's when we first started getting wind that the series (Spider-Woman) might get canceled. If Latour takes over Jess' book, I would not complain. He writes Jess well.

That said, I get your disappointment Lord Ryus - I was initially slightly disappointed myself but I really do love this issue now. And I'm definitely intrigued to see how he wraps up the series in the next issue (Man. April is gonna be a sad month for me.)

[Vegeta]

I'd agree if taking Hobgoblin down would have been the primary goal. It wasn't. She wanted to save her guy, she saved her guy and she pratically crawled through knives to get there.

Only she didn't really save him, Carol did.

I'm sorry but if that's the caliber of storytelling that the book could muster then it's not surprising sales are in the toilet.

I'm sure we'll see a reboot at some time, my only hope is that they don't make the character return as a another damn SHIELD agent or private investigator. That seems to be the only thing writers can think of with female superheroes these days, it's cliche and stale. (Kate Bishop: P.I., Jessica Jones: P.I., Black Cat when she's not evil: P.I., Misty Knight: PI, Black Widow and Mockingbird: SHIELD, etc. etc...) Seriously, try giving the character an actual life and career here in the "real world." If they can't do that, then just give me Julia Carpenter, her story at this point seems more interesting.

[Seren]

Sorry you didn't enjoy the book Vegeta, but I guess not every comic is for every person. Hopefully you'll find that book you enjoy. (I would suggest Hulk since Jen is out in the "real world" as a lawyer and all that. It's been pretty great).