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The Unbelievable Gwenpool (Collected Editions) #1-5
Gwenpool Omnibus
Superfan becomes super hero! Gwen Poole was an avid comic book reader - until she found herself transported into the Marvel Universe! Now, surrounded by characters that she knows everything about - including their secret identities! - and fully aware of the tropes of super hero storytelling, Gwen is determined not to be an "extra" in this brave new world. But her attention-seeking journey from mercenary to Avenger (okay, West Coast, but still…) is complicated when she learns how to manipulate the comic books she herself appears in! As her continuity dramas get ever more convoluted, will Gwen go big…or go home? Collecting UNBELIEVABLE GWENPOOL #1-25, ROCKET RACCOON AND GROOT #8-10, CHAMPIONS (2016) #5, EDGE OF VENOMVERSE #2, WEST COAST AVENGERS (2018) #1-10, SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN (2018) #7-8 and GWENPOOL STRIKES BACK #1-5 - plus material from HOWARD THE DUCK (2015B) #1-3, GWENPOOL SPECIAL #1, GWENPOOL HOLIDAY MERRY MIX-UP and SECRET BRAVE NEW WORLD #1.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 25, 2025
Always interesting reading an omni with different series as the book varies in quality. The unbelievable gwenpool series was amazing and shows how interesting the character can be to read. The rest of the book was good but either not as good or gwenpool wasn’t written the same. Overall I enjoyed reading this though and I’m glad I got to see the origin of Jeff the land shark (not the main reason I got this but a big motive).
December 24, 2022
I've read all the single issues and trades in here, you can find my reviews for the trades on my GR. Rating the omni as a whole - excellent selection of comics and construction. Not a ton of extras here (just a cover gallery) but considering how many issues are in here and how chonky it is, I'm ok with that trade-off.
April 7, 2023
Gwenpool is one of my fav characters...so glad she got her own omni.
September 20, 2023
This collection was a bit of a mixed bag so I'm going to review the three major arcs / titles separately. If I had to give a rating to the entire work it would be a 7.75/10
"The Unbelievable Gwenpool" by Chris Hastings, Gurihiru - A farcical and eminently meme-able romp that deftly utilizes meta storytelling to poke fun at itself, famed comic creatives, and the wider Marvel universe. This story follows a young girl named Gwen Poole that is mysteriously transported from the our universe to Marvel 616 and adopts the super powered persona "Gwenpool". Initially, Gwen's 'power' is simply a deep understanding of comics and serialized publishing which she utilizes to subvert common pitfalls and combat adversaries whose secrets are all too familiar to her. As the series progresses she develops the ability to alter the structure of the narrative itself by escaping panel borders and manipulating layout / composition to influence past or future events. These devices are used to hilarious effect and make for a reading experience that is inventive and constantly engaging. What I found most compelling was the conflict of Gwen identifying as a hero while presenting as a villain, prioritizing her visibility and impact in the narrative over the suffering of others who are at best fictional characters and at worst nameless 'extras'. The art by Girihuru is also quite nice with clean lines, fluid action, and a saturated color palette that offers a really pleasing compromise between digital gradients and flat shading. 8.5/10
"The West Coast Avengers" 1-10 by Kelley Thomson, Stefano Caselli - This was not my bag. I was offput by the quantity of forced romance, where seemingly every character is dating another with little development put into relationships outside of physical intimacy. The characters on the whole feel very one note (with perhaps Kate / Hawkeye being the only exception) and Gwen is especially underwhelming being reduced to nothing more than a source of quippy, sarcastic one-liners. The humor on the whole fell really flat for me and given that was a large focus of the series the title was a slog to read, proving the adage 'nothing is worse than bad comedy'. I did like the overall plot trajectory and some of the set-pieces were pretty entertaining (especially the Kaiju battle of the first storyline) but overall the series was pretty underwhelming. 6.5/10
"Gwenpool Strikes Back!" 1-5 by Leah Williams, David Baldeon - While the humor of this series doesn't land as consistently as the original Hastings' title, it does utilize Gwen's meta-awareness to great effect and feels like a return to form for the character. The story line is incredibly contrived (intentionally) with Gwen trying to raise her profile within the Marvel universe so she isn't forgotten or cancelled (again) and engages in a series of plots to make her more needed within the wider continuity. While the storyline goes to some pretty silly places, I found the playful fourth-wall breaking well executed and many of the meta gags were exceedingly entertaining. The art, while pleasing, is probably my least favorite work in the omnibus with character designs that felt ill-fitting from the deranged wide-eyed portrayal of Gwen to the doughy, pixar-like appearance of characters like Steve Rogers and Tony Stark. 7.5/10
There are also some small crossover stories (Howard the Duck, Guardians of the Galaxy) that are serviceable fun but not really worth mentioning. However, the crossover in Champions #5 by Mark Waid was pretty awful with some of the most hamfisted and 'tell-not-show' social commentary I've seen in a comic.
"The Unbelievable Gwenpool" by Chris Hastings, Gurihiru - A farcical and eminently meme-able romp that deftly utilizes meta storytelling to poke fun at itself, famed comic creatives, and the wider Marvel universe. This story follows a young girl named Gwen Poole that is mysteriously transported from the our universe to Marvel 616 and adopts the super powered persona "Gwenpool". Initially, Gwen's 'power' is simply a deep understanding of comics and serialized publishing which she utilizes to subvert common pitfalls and combat adversaries whose secrets are all too familiar to her. As the series progresses she develops the ability to alter the structure of the narrative itself by escaping panel borders and manipulating layout / composition to influence past or future events. These devices are used to hilarious effect and make for a reading experience that is inventive and constantly engaging. What I found most compelling was the conflict of Gwen identifying as a hero while presenting as a villain, prioritizing her visibility and impact in the narrative over the suffering of others who are at best fictional characters and at worst nameless 'extras'. The art by Girihuru is also quite nice with clean lines, fluid action, and a saturated color palette that offers a really pleasing compromise between digital gradients and flat shading. 8.5/10
"The West Coast Avengers" 1-10 by Kelley Thomson, Stefano Caselli - This was not my bag. I was offput by the quantity of forced romance, where seemingly every character is dating another with little development put into relationships outside of physical intimacy. The characters on the whole feel very one note (with perhaps Kate / Hawkeye being the only exception) and Gwen is especially underwhelming being reduced to nothing more than a source of quippy, sarcastic one-liners. The humor on the whole fell really flat for me and given that was a large focus of the series the title was a slog to read, proving the adage 'nothing is worse than bad comedy'. I did like the overall plot trajectory and some of the set-pieces were pretty entertaining (especially the Kaiju battle of the first storyline) but overall the series was pretty underwhelming. 6.5/10
"Gwenpool Strikes Back!" 1-5 by Leah Williams, David Baldeon - While the humor of this series doesn't land as consistently as the original Hastings' title, it does utilize Gwen's meta-awareness to great effect and feels like a return to form for the character. The story line is incredibly contrived (intentionally) with Gwen trying to raise her profile within the Marvel universe so she isn't forgotten or cancelled (again) and engages in a series of plots to make her more needed within the wider continuity. While the storyline goes to some pretty silly places, I found the playful fourth-wall breaking well executed and many of the meta gags were exceedingly entertaining. The art, while pleasing, is probably my least favorite work in the omnibus with character designs that felt ill-fitting from the deranged wide-eyed portrayal of Gwen to the doughy, pixar-like appearance of characters like Steve Rogers and Tony Stark. 7.5/10
There are also some small crossover stories (Howard the Duck, Guardians of the Galaxy) that are serviceable fun but not really worth mentioning. However, the crossover in Champions #5 by Mark Waid was pretty awful with some of the most hamfisted and 'tell-not-show' social commentary I've seen in a comic.
January 30, 2023
This was actually an impulse read, I've never had any major interest in Gwenpool. I'm happy I read it though, the original Gwenpool run was great and it was nice to see actual character development in a comic book that seems to have stuck. The meta superpowers were also done in a really interesting way, which credit needs to be given because that kind of stuff in my opinion is super hit-or-miss. The West Coast Avengers was alright, not as good as the solo series, but I had to take off a star (debating even taking two) because Gwenpool Strikes Back at the end is terrible. Just because the comic realises it's doing annoying pop culture stuff doesn't excuse the fact it's doing it. It really sucked to have to end what I thought was a really good omnibus on a miniseries as horrible as that one. Personally for anyone interested in this omnibus, stop after West Coast Avengers ends. Gwenpool is too good of a character to have been subjected to GSB.
February 15, 2023
Is it silly, self-referential insular comics designed for a relatively small audience? Sure. But am I that audience? Yes. Is it delightful and fun? Yes! Really not a bad comic in the bunch, though the Rocket/Champions books felt a little out of place. The main run and the West Coast Avengers run are both A+ in my book
February 9, 2026
Gwenpool Omnibus by Christopher Hastings is one of Marvel’s strangest, smartest, and most self-aware experiments—a comic that weaponizes fourth-wall awareness not just for humor, but for existential horror, character growth, and genre critique. What begins as a gag character spins into a surprisingly sharp meditation on narrative relevance, reader attention, and what it means to exist only because someone is watching.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⚝ (4.0/5)
Overall Review
At its surface, Gwenpool looks like meme-bait: a pink-costumed Deadpool-adjacent character cracking jokes and hopping between panels. Hastings, however, steadily dismantles that expectation. The series evolves into a commentary on comic book disposability, continuity tyranny, and the terror of cancellation. Gwen Poole is not immortal because she’s powerful—she survives because she’s interesting, and the book never lets the reader forget how fragile that is.
The writing balances absurdist comedy with real emotional stakes, while the art (primarily by Gurihiru) uses clean, expressive visuals that make metafictional tricks legible rather than overwhelming. The omnibus format strengthens the reading experience, allowing Gwen’s psychological arc to land with cumulative weight.
Story-by-Story Breakdown (Spoiler-Filled)
1. Gwenpool Strikes Back / Initial Appearances
Gwen Poole is introduced as a Marvel fan from the “real world” transported into the Marvel Universe. She understands comic logic instinctively—knowing when characters won’t die, which villains matter, and how panels work.
2. The Mercenary Phase
Gwen attempts to build relevance by becoming a mercenary, assembling a rotating cast of minor Marvel characters. These arcs parody superhero team books while quietly establishing Gwen’s fear of narrative insignificance.
3. The Future Gwen Arc
One of the series’ strongest sections introduces an older, hardened Gwen who has survived cancellation by becoming ruthless and emotionally numb.
4. Supporting Cast Deconstruction
Characters like Batroc, Cecil, and even Deadpool are examined through Gwen’s shifting perspective. They stop being “tools” and start being people.
5. The Cancellation Arc
The final act directly confronts the inevitability of the series ending.
Thematic Analysis
Metafiction as Existential Horror
Unlike Deadpool, Gwen’s fourth-wall awareness is not empowerment—it’s anxiety. She knows her life is contingent on sales numbers, reader interest, and editorial decisions.
Relevance vs Morality
Gwen’s early belief that survival matters more than kindness mirrors how comics discard characters. The series critiques this industry logic by making the cost personal.
Identity Without Continuity Armor
Gwen lacks the safety net of legacy characters. She must justify her existence every issue, making her one of Marvel’s most precarious protagonists.
Comparative Context
Compared to Deadpool, Animal Man, or She-Hulk, Gwenpool is far more emotionally sincere. Where those characters break the fourth wall for satire or humor, Gwen breaks it because she’s afraid. In tone, it aligns more closely with Grant Morrison’s existential metafiction than with comedy-forward Marvel books.
Final Assessment
Gwenpool Omnibus is far smarter and more emotionally resonant than its premise suggests. It transforms a joke character into a vehicle for discussing disposability, narrative survival, and reader complicity. Beneath the bright colors and absurd humor lies a quiet plea: please keep reading—I want to exist a little longer.
September 7, 2023
Don't cry because Gwen Pooled
Smile because Poole Gwened
Smile because Poole Gwened
August 29, 2024
Don't miss this!
Gwen Poole is the best new hero I've read in a long time.
I gave the 5 star rating because any lower risks her very life!
I recommend this book to anyone who needs a vacation from this world into the Marvel Universe.
Excelsior!
Gwen Poole is the best new hero I've read in a long time.
I gave the 5 star rating because any lower risks her very life!
I recommend this book to anyone who needs a vacation from this world into the Marvel Universe.
Excelsior!
July 3, 2023
This was endearing, interesting and even unique in the second part of her story arc. Gurihiru's art fits perfectly with the character but the second artist not so much (thankfully, it's only for 5-10 issues). In short, this was a joy to read. Gwenpool is my favorite new character in Marvel. You know, the one that isn't from the 60s or 70s.
I have only praise for this book before we get to the 10 West Coast Avengers issues. Nonetheless, a huge majority of the omnibus are the Gwenpool issues and they were a joy to read. I don't want to say anything about their content, just read it for yourself. She goes through a hero's journey, through a character transformation and maturation. The side characters and villains add much to it all as well.
Now, about the Avengers team, which consists of 2 Hawkeyes and a bunch of random heroes most ppl haven't heard of.
These are the wokest comics I've ever read and I wouldn't recommend them. It's odd that they're included here, since Gwen is barely in them - and she's not well used at all. She barely gets any lines.
Of course, everyone has funny remarks non stop, especially during a fight scene (most of them aren't funny). At one point, a black girl literally says that just by living as a black woman in the US makes her a super hero.
All of the men are feminine (half of them are bi), aside from Hawkeye. The only cool characters are the two Hawkeyes. The villains are lame and ridiculous. And you guessed it, the lesbian couple is more masculine than the two men in their Avengers team.
Even without those things, this was boring as hell. You can tell it was made by ticking diversity boxes first and "we'll come up with some story" second. Just like most Hollywood shows and movies today.
No wonder this series got canceled soon after these 10 issues. I would have much preferred if they weren't included here. It would make this huge omnibus lighter, easier to read and cheaper.
I have only praise for this book before we get to the 10 West Coast Avengers issues. Nonetheless, a huge majority of the omnibus are the Gwenpool issues and they were a joy to read. I don't want to say anything about their content, just read it for yourself. She goes through a hero's journey, through a character transformation and maturation. The side characters and villains add much to it all as well.
Now, about the Avengers team, which consists of 2 Hawkeyes and a bunch of random heroes most ppl haven't heard of.
These are the wokest comics I've ever read and I wouldn't recommend them. It's odd that they're included here, since Gwen is barely in them - and she's not well used at all. She barely gets any lines.
Of course, everyone has funny remarks non stop, especially during a fight scene (most of them aren't funny). At one point, a black girl literally says that just by living as a black woman in the US makes her a super hero.
All of the men are feminine (half of them are bi), aside from Hawkeye. The only cool characters are the two Hawkeyes. The villains are lame and ridiculous. And you guessed it, the lesbian couple is more masculine than the two men in their Avengers team.
Even without those things, this was boring as hell. You can tell it was made by ticking diversity boxes first and "we'll come up with some story" second. Just like most Hollywood shows and movies today.
No wonder this series got canceled soon after these 10 issues. I would have much preferred if they weren't included here. It would make this huge omnibus lighter, easier to read and cheaper.
February 27, 2023
Five stars for Unbelievable Gwenpool, which is the She-Hulk for the 21st century. Adorable, cringe, tongue in cheek and earnest in perfect combination.
Four stars for West Coast Avengers, which somehow manages to add the horny woke energy of Kelly Thompson to the lovable misfit charm of Gwenpool, but also has a lot of unrelated unfunny nonsense. The usual assortment of spinoffs and guest appearances are fine too I guess. Props to Christos Gage for stepping way outside his usual oeuvre and doing a decent Gwenpool.
One star for Gwenpool Strikes Back, which is a crime against comic books that was probably written by Evil Future Gwenpool to draw out the energy of readers' suffering. This mini has character assassination and nonsense powers that would make Chuck Austen proud. The nadir of Leah Williams' career.
Four stars for West Coast Avengers, which somehow manages to add the horny woke energy of Kelly Thompson to the lovable misfit charm of Gwenpool, but also has a lot of unrelated unfunny nonsense. The usual assortment of spinoffs and guest appearances are fine too I guess. Props to Christos Gage for stepping way outside his usual oeuvre and doing a decent Gwenpool.
One star for Gwenpool Strikes Back, which is a crime against comic books that was probably written by Evil Future Gwenpool to draw out the energy of readers' suffering. This mini has character assassination and nonsense powers that would make Chuck Austen proud. The nadir of Leah Williams' career.
Read
March 16, 2023It was fun watching this series kinda wobble between being maybe a bit much and then maybe quite enough for a few steps before really finding it’s footing. Throw in Kelly Thompson’s excellent West Coast Avengers run and this is a heckuva volume. It’s also very cool to have not only Gwenpool’s initial run collected but also two successive adaptations to see where other people went with the character.
August 3, 2023
tbh i havent read all fo the random comics shes in for one or twoo issues But unbelievable gwenpool (even though its been a couple years since i read) was So good and i was thinkign abt bc the differnce in how well wrtiten she is here and how poorly shes handled in west coast avengers (2018) so i wanted to put htis as read shes so cool love her
October 26, 2023
I really loved the Unbelievable Gwenpool issues, drawn by Gurihiro! It was a pity that that arc ends about two thirds through this massive tome. Would really have loved to see that story continue further (e.g. what happened to Teddy?).
The remaining storylines were sometimes a bit hit or miss for me but never actually bad.
The remaining storylines were sometimes a bit hit or miss for me but never actually bad.
February 17, 2023
Sadly a mixed bag. While I was really enjoying the main story at first it then seperates into tie in issues none of which I enjoyed so by the time the main story finally resumes I'd had enough and was done with the character and ready to check out.
April 1, 2023
Absolute peak fiction, idk how they were able to make a random character mashup from a variant cover into one of the best executed mfs I've ever seen 🔥🔥🔥
November 27, 2023
Around 60% of this is really good the other 40 is really not good, thus a 3/5
January 7, 2026
This Gwenpool Omnibus collects the first 53 comic book appearances of Gwenpool. Because these 53 appearances were spread out over 5 series and a 5 one-shots, you can't really judge them all together with one wide brushstroke, so it's easier to rate them series by series.
As a collection: Great, 5/5 stars. It has all the appearances of the character from 2016 to 2018. Plus it includes the letter pages, little explainers in between a few series, and all of the variant covers of each book in the back. There's nothing really else you could ask it to do.
The Unbelievable Gwenpool: 4/5 stars. It's the 25-issue series that put Gwen on the map. It's written by Chris Hastings, my favorite comic writer (and the whole reason I bought this book), so I am probably biased in this opinion. However, imo this series was pure Hastings doing what Chris does best: taking a goofy, comedic character and writing a long-game plot that has serious moments throughout (contrasting the baseline goofiness) and which endears you to the character by the end of the story so that it is very heartfelt and emotional when the series ends. It's the same formula he used for Dr. McNinja and it's a good formula! I wouldn't say The Unbelievable Gwenpool is among "peak" comic craftsmanship, but it is certainly good and exceeds the "meh" bar that a lot of generic superhero series will set. Speaking of that...
West Coast Avengers: 2.5 or 3/5 stars. Gwen's first proper series after The Unbelievable Gwenpool ended. It's not amazing, this is the typical "meh" superhero content I was referring to. Kelly Thompson writes all of the characters to feel kind of young and hip and quippy, regardless of each of their single allotted personality traits. I get that in team books it's harder to flesh out individual characters and do as much development as you would in a solo title, but even the relationships between characters just feel kind of "eh" and not super compelling to keep reading about. Romantic relationships seem to pop up out of nowhere: America Chavez and Fuse's sister meet each other in one page, and then the very next issue they are dating. Gwenpool and Quentin hate each other and then all of a sudden "haha they're making out now because opposites attract I guess?" Fuse's sister gets obligatory powers just cuz. There's just a lack of depth all around and everyone is too cool and spunky in a bland way.
Gwenpool Strikes Back: 4/5 stars. is Gwen's third series, bringing her back to being a solo protagonist, and it only receives five issues. But it kicks butt! I was pretty skeptical going in after having such a lackluster experience with West Coast Avengers, but Gwenpool Strikes Back reminded me I like reading comics! It's a little bit more of a crazed, dramatic, approach to Gwen than Hastings' original run was, and it verges on tripping over its own intentional plot convolutions at multiple points, but overall I think Leah Williams creates something decently special here. I was finding myself getting emotional alongside Gwen by the end of the miniseries and had trouble putting it down as the finale drew near.
The one-shots are all fine, same with the two ongoing series in which Gwen guest-stars for a few issues each. (Rocket Racoon & Groot and Superior Spider-Man.) They're not incredible, but I didn't find any of them as dull as West Coast Avengers.
Overall, this is a good book to pick up and I'd recommend it to anyone who has read some amount of superhero comics before. There are a lot of in-jokes and meta-commentary about the superhero comic book industry that would go over the heads of people who are brand new to the genre/medium, so for the sake of getting the best experience I'd recommend reading some other superhero book first and then coming to this.
As a collection: Great, 5/5 stars. It has all the appearances of the character from 2016 to 2018. Plus it includes the letter pages, little explainers in between a few series, and all of the variant covers of each book in the back. There's nothing really else you could ask it to do.
The Unbelievable Gwenpool: 4/5 stars. It's the 25-issue series that put Gwen on the map. It's written by Chris Hastings, my favorite comic writer (and the whole reason I bought this book), so I am probably biased in this opinion. However, imo this series was pure Hastings doing what Chris does best: taking a goofy, comedic character and writing a long-game plot that has serious moments throughout (contrasting the baseline goofiness) and which endears you to the character by the end of the story so that it is very heartfelt and emotional when the series ends. It's the same formula he used for Dr. McNinja and it's a good formula! I wouldn't say The Unbelievable Gwenpool is among "peak" comic craftsmanship, but it is certainly good and exceeds the "meh" bar that a lot of generic superhero series will set. Speaking of that...
West Coast Avengers: 2.5 or 3/5 stars. Gwen's first proper series after The Unbelievable Gwenpool ended. It's not amazing, this is the typical "meh" superhero content I was referring to. Kelly Thompson writes all of the characters to feel kind of young and hip and quippy, regardless of each of their single allotted personality traits. I get that in team books it's harder to flesh out individual characters and do as much development as you would in a solo title, but even the relationships between characters just feel kind of "eh" and not super compelling to keep reading about. Romantic relationships seem to pop up out of nowhere: America Chavez and Fuse's sister meet each other in one page, and then the very next issue they are dating. Gwenpool and Quentin hate each other and then all of a sudden "haha they're making out now because opposites attract I guess?" Fuse's sister gets obligatory powers just cuz. There's just a lack of depth all around and everyone is too cool and spunky in a bland way.
Gwenpool Strikes Back: 4/5 stars. is Gwen's third series, bringing her back to being a solo protagonist, and it only receives five issues. But it kicks butt! I was pretty skeptical going in after having such a lackluster experience with West Coast Avengers, but Gwenpool Strikes Back reminded me I like reading comics! It's a little bit more of a crazed, dramatic, approach to Gwen than Hastings' original run was, and it verges on tripping over its own intentional plot convolutions at multiple points, but overall I think Leah Williams creates something decently special here. I was finding myself getting emotional alongside Gwen by the end of the miniseries and had trouble putting it down as the finale drew near.
The one-shots are all fine, same with the two ongoing series in which Gwen guest-stars for a few issues each. (Rocket Racoon & Groot and Superior Spider-Man.) They're not incredible, but I didn't find any of them as dull as West Coast Avengers.
Overall, this is a good book to pick up and I'd recommend it to anyone who has read some amount of superhero comics before. There are a lot of in-jokes and meta-commentary about the superhero comic book industry that would go over the heads of people who are brand new to the genre/medium, so for the sake of getting the best experience I'd recommend reading some other superhero book first and then coming to this.
December 20, 2024
I read a lot of comics and I completely forget that technically this counts towards my reading goals. I'll have to get better about adding them in the future and writing reviews for them...
That being said, I'm glad that I finally got around to finishing this complete collection of the Gwenpool series. I'm not going to lie and say that Fortnite didn't have a lot to do with why I wanted to learn more about this character, but it did. I've always known about Gwenpool even before she was added to Fortnite, but I fully believed that she was a Gwen Stacy variant of Deadpool and had no real interest in her until I learned that she was just a fan of comics who got sucked into the Marvel Universe whose name happened to be Gwendolyn Poole.
I like learning about different characters and where they got their start. The omnibus and for that matter Gwenpool herself does a fantastic job at letting the reader understand how she became a thing that eventually lead to her very own series. I can't really say that Howard the Duck is one of the most popular characters ever created (at least to me) but Gwenpool receiving her start there was definitely a choice. Ultimately I really enjoy the journey that Gwen finds herself on throughout her story.
Actually it's funny, when "The Unbelievable Gwenpool" first begins, I actually didn't like her very much. I thought they would fully go in the direction of her just not caring about anything because she fully believed she was in a fictional world with no real consequences. When she eventually realizes there are consequences to her actions that leads to her being forced to work under M.O.D.O.K. even that didn't seem to impact her nearly as much as the latter half. I didn't like that every character she interacted with eventually hated her or found her insane (even Deadpool) so the crossovers weren't all that exciting until the "West Coast Avengers" really took off. Although I did like her relationship with Kate Bishop and Ghost Rider.
Gwenpool is not really a likeable character, but something about her is endearing. The end of "The Unbelievable Gwenpool" was actually a fantastic arc and I was very excited to continue on. Which leads to my thoughts on "Gwenpool Stikes Back" the only real redeeming factor to this series was her conversation with Ms. Marvel and where it ultimately ends. I did also really enjoy how she plucked different versions of herself throughout her past and added them in a hilarious way to the main story. RIP Champions Gwen you will definitely not be missed.
All in all, it was a fun enjoyable ride. I definitely like the character a lot, she grew on me especially when she began to really feel love for the characters in her world and regretted the decisions she had made in the beginning.
That being said, I'm glad that I finally got around to finishing this complete collection of the Gwenpool series. I'm not going to lie and say that Fortnite didn't have a lot to do with why I wanted to learn more about this character, but it did. I've always known about Gwenpool even before she was added to Fortnite, but I fully believed that she was a Gwen Stacy variant of Deadpool and had no real interest in her until I learned that she was just a fan of comics who got sucked into the Marvel Universe whose name happened to be Gwendolyn Poole.
I like learning about different characters and where they got their start. The omnibus and for that matter Gwenpool herself does a fantastic job at letting the reader understand how she became a thing that eventually lead to her very own series. I can't really say that Howard the Duck is one of the most popular characters ever created (at least to me) but Gwenpool receiving her start there was definitely a choice. Ultimately I really enjoy the journey that Gwen finds herself on throughout her story.
Actually it's funny, when "The Unbelievable Gwenpool" first begins, I actually didn't like her very much. I thought they would fully go in the direction of her just not caring about anything because she fully believed she was in a fictional world with no real consequences. When she eventually realizes there are consequences to her actions that leads to her being forced to work under M.O.D.O.K. even that didn't seem to impact her nearly as much as the latter half. I didn't like that every character she interacted with eventually hated her or found her insane (even Deadpool) so the crossovers weren't all that exciting until the "West Coast Avengers" really took off. Although I did like her relationship with Kate Bishop and Ghost Rider.
Gwenpool is not really a likeable character, but something about her is endearing. The end of "The Unbelievable Gwenpool" was actually a fantastic arc and I was very excited to continue on. Which leads to my thoughts on "Gwenpool Stikes Back" the only real redeeming factor to this series was her conversation with Ms. Marvel and where it ultimately ends. I did also really enjoy how she plucked different versions of herself throughout her past and added them in a hilarious way to the main story. RIP Champions Gwen you will definitely not be missed.
All in all, it was a fun enjoyable ride. I definitely like the character a lot, she grew on me especially when she began to really feel love for the characters in her world and regretted the decisions she had made in the beginning.
December 18, 2024
I’ve been very happy to have this book steadily on my night stand for me to read whenever I can’t sleep. I really love Gwenpool as a concept and as a character. Not all Gwenpool arcs are created equal, but contrary to what others say, the “bad” Gwenpool arcs aren’t bad at all, or out of character for her.
The Unbelievable Gwenpool: definitely where Gwen peaked. The art is gorgeous and the writing is top notch in a way that really makes you care about Gwenpool. It also immediately differentiates itself from Deadpool which I think is helpful.
West Coast Avengers: Kelly Thompson can be really funny sometimes, but unfortunately not nearly as much as she tries to be. Gwenpool is not bad on this team, and it’s nice to see her in a group dynamic. Unfortunately I don’t think the group bonded nearly enough, and that directly affects Gwen in the book because it limits all her interactions with everyone to being about how “nuts” she is. I do think the Gwen reboot concept is cute and funny, and I love Kate and Clint and America. The rest of the team feels like it lacks an “it/star” factor.
Gwenpool Strikes Back: While I get why people don’t like this comic, (it’s not really funny and Gwen feels very out of character), I actually really like the concept of Gwen going through an existential crisis trying to keep herself “relevant”. I don’t think she should’ve been a mutant (same as I don’t think Ms Marvel should’ve been made a mutant), but the ending was still really cute.
The venom side comic was adorable and I can’t wait to show it to Cadance (aka the biggest Venom (and soon to be Gwenom) fan)
The Unbelievable Gwenpool: definitely where Gwen peaked. The art is gorgeous and the writing is top notch in a way that really makes you care about Gwenpool. It also immediately differentiates itself from Deadpool which I think is helpful.
West Coast Avengers: Kelly Thompson can be really funny sometimes, but unfortunately not nearly as much as she tries to be. Gwenpool is not bad on this team, and it’s nice to see her in a group dynamic. Unfortunately I don’t think the group bonded nearly enough, and that directly affects Gwen in the book because it limits all her interactions with everyone to being about how “nuts” she is. I do think the Gwen reboot concept is cute and funny, and I love Kate and Clint and America. The rest of the team feels like it lacks an “it/star” factor.
Gwenpool Strikes Back: While I get why people don’t like this comic, (it’s not really funny and Gwen feels very out of character), I actually really like the concept of Gwen going through an existential crisis trying to keep herself “relevant”. I don’t think she should’ve been a mutant (same as I don’t think Ms Marvel should’ve been made a mutant), but the ending was still really cute.
The venom side comic was adorable and I can’t wait to show it to Cadance (aka the biggest Venom (and soon to be Gwenom) fan)
June 1, 2025
I thought this was going to be another “too meta for its own good” kind of book, like Squirrel Girl (which I read recently and found kind of hit or miss). But Gwenpool surprised me—in a good way. The meta stuff is definitely there, but it actually works and fits the story rather than feeling like a gimmick.
What really caught me was how the whole “comic awareness” thing gets used. It’s not just fourth-wall breaking for jokes—her powers end up being pretty clever and kind of terrifying if you think about it too hard. The way they’re introduced and evolve feels organic and not over the top.
Gwen as a character is also pretty refreshing. She’s not a traditional hero at all—at times she leans toward being a villain, and the book doesn’t shy away from that. Her whole arc is chaotic, messy, and honestly kind of relatable. She does get a “happy” ending, sure, but it feels like she earned it by stumbling her way through a lot of chaos.
Also: Jeff the Land Shark. That little dude stole every scene he was in.
Art-wise, Gurihiru’s style clicked for me right away. Clean, expressive, and fun. Even when other artists stepped in, the transition was smooth and didn’t take me out of the experience. Pretty rare for a long omnibus like this.
Would recommend it to anyone who likes Deadpool but wants something a little lighter and more self-aware without being obnoxious. It’s meta but meaningful, weird but not hollow.
What really caught me was how the whole “comic awareness” thing gets used. It’s not just fourth-wall breaking for jokes—her powers end up being pretty clever and kind of terrifying if you think about it too hard. The way they’re introduced and evolve feels organic and not over the top.
Gwen as a character is also pretty refreshing. She’s not a traditional hero at all—at times she leans toward being a villain, and the book doesn’t shy away from that. Her whole arc is chaotic, messy, and honestly kind of relatable. She does get a “happy” ending, sure, but it feels like she earned it by stumbling her way through a lot of chaos.
Also: Jeff the Land Shark. That little dude stole every scene he was in.
Art-wise, Gurihiru’s style clicked for me right away. Clean, expressive, and fun. Even when other artists stepped in, the transition was smooth and didn’t take me out of the experience. Pretty rare for a long omnibus like this.
Would recommend it to anyone who likes Deadpool but wants something a little lighter and more self-aware without being obnoxious. It’s meta but meaningful, weird but not hollow.
July 5, 2023
Lo que al principio era una broma a costa de Gwen Stacy y el personaje de Spidder-Gwen que se extenció Gwendificando portadas de otros personajes, adquirió personalidad propia en la serie del pato Howard y dio para una serie limitada muy meta y bastante entretenida. Luego, haciendo realidad las ideas de la serie, Gwenpool se resiste a desaparecer y se integra en los Vengadores de la Costa Oeste (algo así como la casita del pueblo donde dejas las cosas que estorban por casa). Destrozado el grupo en el habitual macroevento cósmico, Gwen recibe una segunda serie limitada bastante más floja que la primera.
Es un tomo muy desiguaq en el que Gwenpool pasa de elemento disruptor a protagonista para luego ser secundario desaprovechado y finalmente protagonista dela Calavera de Cristal una obra derivativa y aburrida.
Es un tomo muy desiguaq en el que Gwenpool pasa de elemento disruptor a protagonista para luego ser secundario desaprovechado y finalmente protagonista de
June 25, 2025
It being a collection, the quality varies a bit, with Unbelievable Gwenpool and West Coast Avengers being the best (though the latter is obviously less Gwen-specific/heavy). I also liked the latter half of Gwenpool Strikes Back a lot. Also the art is, for the most part, excellent (especially all of the Gurihiru stuff, which I love SO much).
Overall/in general there are some standout parts I loved and some meh things that I didn't really care about, but ultimately I like the character a lot and am looking forward to seeing more of her in the future.
4.5
Overall/in general there are some standout parts I loved and some meh things that I didn't really care about, but ultimately I like the character a lot and am looking forward to seeing more of her in the future.
4.5
December 3, 2025
I picked this up because the Squirrel Girl run by Ryan North was a delight and Christopher Hastings was my other favorite webcomics writer when I was in college.
This is a little less good than Squirrel Girl, but it is still a lot of fun, particularly Hastings' original run. The omnibus nicely includes most (all?) of Gwenpool's appearances up to the time of publication which pays off in a clever way in the final few issues.
Gwenpool is at its best when she is playing up the differences from Deadpool and her reality manipulation powers. Overall a fun but not exceptional comic.
This is a little less good than Squirrel Girl, but it is still a lot of fun, particularly Hastings' original run. The omnibus nicely includes most (all?) of Gwenpool's appearances up to the time of publication which pays off in a clever way in the final few issues.
Gwenpool is at its best when she is playing up the differences from Deadpool and her reality manipulation powers. Overall a fun but not exceptional comic.
September 20, 2025
Hey true believers, I recently discovered this character thanks to the recent marvel Fortnite season and was curious about her. The more I looked into her, the more I realized how totally awesome she is. Not only did she start as a variant cover that evolved into so much more, but she's also an asexual icon! Her book is pretty fun and wacky too! Gotta love this one. Shame it got cancelled.
December 30, 2024
can't believe i finally got my hands on this out-of-print behemoth. i love this series so much, mostly because gurihiru's art makes me soooo incredibly happy. i can't wait to reread this as many times as i want.
November 24, 2024
Som part was fantastic, others was relly boring. But over all very nice comic
November 6, 2025
we love you gwenpooool
February 2, 2026
So good! I want to be Gwen
February 27, 2025
I had a very good time reading through “Unbelievable Gwenpool”. In my opinion it’s Marvel’s equivalent of Grant Morrison’s Animal Man run and something every Marvel fan should read.
I do wish the book had gone on longer because you could tell that Christopher Hastings had a lot more story arcs he wanted to do because the last issue is literally just Gwen Poole speeding running to tie up all the loose ends throughout the series.
It is a shame that Gwen is kind of just stuck in supporting character limbo right now all because her second solo title didn’t do as good. I hope that the character gets another chance one day and maybe even an MCU animated show in the style of this comic.
I do wish the book had gone on longer because you could tell that Christopher Hastings had a lot more story arcs he wanted to do because the last issue is literally just Gwen Poole speeding running to tie up all the loose ends throughout the series.
It is a shame that Gwen is kind of just stuck in supporting character limbo right now all because her second solo title didn’t do as good. I hope that the character gets another chance one day and maybe even an MCU animated show in the style of this comic.
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