| Gwenpool | |
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| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance |
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| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Gwendolyn "Gwen" Poole |
| Species | Human (posing as amutant) |
| Place of origin | Brooklyn, New York City,The Real World |
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Gwenpool (Gwendolyn "Gwen"Poole;colloquial: "GwenPool") is afictionalcharacter appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. A girl from thereal worldtransported to theMarvel Universe, Marvel initially produced two stories featuring Gwenpool as a character, created byChristopher Hastings, Heather Antos and Jordan D. White: first appearing as a backup story inHoward the Duck,[a][5] and aone-shotGwenpool Holiday Special, illustrated byGurihiru. Following the publication of the one-shot, an ongoing series titledThe Unbelievable Gwenpool by the same creative team was announced, illustrated by Gurihiru (withIrene Strychalski), which started in April 2016 and concluded in April 2018.The Unbelievable Gwenpool #0, collecting Gwen's appearances fromHoward the Duck and the firstGwenpool Holiday Special, was later released, as well as thelimited seriesGwenpool Strikes Back,Aromancing of Gwendolyn Poole, the final volume ofSpider-Man/Deadpool, andGwenpool (2025). InWest Coast Avengers, Gwen is depicted as the owner/mother ofJeff the Land Shark, appearing alongside him in the spin-off seriesIt's Jeff! from its second season onwards. Thenemesis of thesupervillainMODOK, Gwen faces off against him inThe Unbelievable Gwenpool,West Coast Avengers, andMODOK: Head Games.
The story arcBeyond the Fourth Wall introduces an evil future version of Gwen as thearchenemy ofMiles Morales, later featured as the main antagonist of the video gameMarvel Duel, of which Gwen also serves as the protagonist, and as a playable character inMarvel Contest of Champions,Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2, andFortnite.
In June 2015, following the popularity ofSpider-Gwen, all Marvel titles being published had alternate covers withGwen Stacy reimagined as other characters, such asDoctor Strange,Groot andWolverine.[6] One of those wasWade Wilson, featured onChris Bachalo'svariant cover forDeadpool's Secret Secret Wars #2.[4] After seeing how many fans werecosplaying as a character who was not even featured in any comic, Marvel editor Jordan White approached writer Christopher Hastings and editor Heather Antos with the task of creating a story around her, with the stipulation of the character being wholly unrelated in backstory to either Deadpool or Gwen (keeping her film and television rights atMarvel Studios, instead of at20th Century Fox orSony Pictures). They would introduce the character with a three-issue backup story in the ongoing volume ofHoward the Duck (November 2015–January 2016), titled "Ms. Poole if You're Nasty",[7][8] and then a one-shot comicGwenpool Special #1 (December 2015). After a meeting with White andHoward the Duck editor Will Moss, Hastings came out with the idea of a character aware of thefourth wall, "but it comes from this place of knowing she is in a comic book because she is from a world where the comic books actually exist", which would also initially lead to a cavalier attitude towards the world in which she inhabits "because she doesn't believe there [are] any consequences to her actions", something Hastings summed as "she decides to [initially] use that [comic book] knowledge like she's inGrand Theft Auto or something". A contrast would be that Gwenpool lacked any of the training or superpowers expected of Marvel characters.[9][10]
TheHoward the Duck arc, from November 2015 to January 2016, was drawn by Brazilian artistDanilo Beyruth, and the holiday special, published in December 2015, had art by Japanese duo Gurihiru. Once Marvel decided to make a Gwenpool ongoing series (namedThe Unbelievable Gwenpool), starting in April 2016, Hastings asked for Gurihiru's return to the artwork team, with the title being edited by Antos,[7]The Unbelievable Gwenpool solo series ended at issue #25.[11] also appearing in the specialsGwenpool Holiday Special: Merry Mix-Up #1 andEdge of Venomverse #2. Gwenpool then joined theFresh Start incarnation of theWest Coast Avengers in 2018. After that book ended, the character starred in the 2019 limited seriesGwenpool Strikes Back, written by Leah Williams and drawn by Spanish artist David Baldeón,[12] and appeared in the 2020–21 promotional limited seriesMODOK: Head Games byM.O.D.O.K.showrunnersPatton Oswalt andJordan Blum (with art by Scott Hepburn) as asupporting character. In 2022, she was added as a main character to thewebtoon seriesIt's Jeff!, written by Thompson and illustrated by Gurihiru, raising her "son"Jeff the Land Shark along withKate Bishop. In 2023, Gwen starred in a five-issue storyline in theromanceanthology seriesLove Unlimited entitled "Aromancing of Gwendolyn Poole" ("A Romancing of Gwendolyn Poole"), written by Jeremy Whitley, in which thecitogenesis-induced interpretation of the character beingaro-ace was madecanon in the text.[13] The same year, she appears inAlligator Loki attending a beach day with Jeff andLaura Kinney, illustrated with red hair and a blue beachwear version of her suit due to the series' colorist Pete Pantazis (on not being given a reference image for "Gwen" and not being familiar with Gwen Poole's character) having decided to instead give her the red hair and blue color scheme ofGwen Tennyson fromBen 10 as anEaster egg.[14] As part of the 2024Venom War event, Gwen was featured in the one-shotVenom War: It's Jeff #1 (November 2024), again written by Thompson and illustrated by Gurihiru.[15] In May 2025, Gwen returned in the solo seriesThe All-New All-Deadly Gwenpool (or simplyGwenpool), following her as she and Kate team up with Peter Parker against a purple-cladimpostor Gwenpool:Gwen Stacy, resurrected withWeapon X-like abilities as the hyper-violentX-31. After being rendered a ghost, Gwen then possesses Peter to face X-31 before being returned to life.[16][17]
Gwendolyn "Gwen" Poole arrived to the Marvel Universe from what she claims to be "the real world".[18] In her home reality, Gwen had been a comicssuperfan as anescape from her life as an unemployed 18- (or 19-)year-old[19][20]high school dropout. Unwilling to be an "extra" in the Marvel world, she went to a tailor for superheroes and requested her own costume. The tailor (named Ronnie) complied, but misread Gwen's application form, and thought Gwen went by the alias of "Gwenpool", leading to a costume similar toDeadpool's.[21] Upon gaining the ability to manipulate the borders of thefourth wall from an attempt to return her to reality, allowing her to travel in time, Gwenretcons the Marvel Universe into believing her to be amutant after being given the idea byKamala Khan, allowing her to enter the gates ofKrakoa.[22]
Gwenpool's first appearance as a character was inHoward the Duck Vol 6 #1 (later republished inThe Unbelievable Gwenpool #0), when she was involved in stealing a humanity-destroying virus fromBlack Cat and selling it toHydra to get money easily, believing that theAvengers would simply deal with any consequences. When she revealed toHoward the Duck the item she had stolen from Hardy and to whom she had sold it, Howard scolded her and informed her that the Avengers were not available to save the Earth from the virus. Guilt stricken, she then set out with Howard to retrieve the virus from a Hydra base.[23]
In the 2015Gwenpool Special, Gwenpool is hired on her first mercenary job, to kill a villain. After completing her mission, Gwenpool attends a Christmas party hosted byShe-Hulk, where she is seen talking toMs. Marvel.[24]
Following the events ofGwenpool Holiday Special #1, Gwenpool becomes a full-time mercenary.[25] While trying to deposit the money she made killing Orto, Gwen stops a bank robbery by killing all of the robbers, except for the gang's hacker Cecil, whom she enlists as a reluctant sidekick. After a mission revolving around extraterrestrial arms dealers where she killedMODOK Superior's best agent and took credit for his work, MODOK tracked Gwenpool down. He murdered Cecil to persuade her to become his henchman and an agent for his Mercenary Organization Dedicated Only to Killing. Gwenpool joins MODOK's elite squad, which also includes the alchemist Mega Tony, the magician Terrible Eye, andBatroc the Leaper, who gives Gwen basic combat and firearms training.[26]
Gwenpool then arranged a meeting between herself andDoctor Strange, in which she explained to him that she was from a reality where all Marvel characters are fictional characters in comic books. Doctor Strange agreed to transfer her history from Gwen's original world to create a fake background for her in the Marvel Universe, so that she could get herSocial Security number,driver's license and other essential documents. However, this allows MODOK Superior to discover Gwen's ordinary, powerless background, and he swears to destroy Gwen for lying to him and having no credentials to be a mercenary. Gwen and MODOK then engage in battle, and she defeats him with the hacking assistance of Cecil, who returns as a ghost.[27]
Without MODOK, Gwen becomes the new leader of the MODOK organization, but learns she is wanted by the alien arms dealers, who are known as Teuthidans. Assisted by a rogueDoombot named Vincent Doonan and MODOK's other agents, Gwenpool's team defeats the Teuthidans, but destroys the MODOK base in the process. Without a base or funding, Batroc and the others decide to disband MODOK.[28]
During theCivil War II storyline, Gwenpool appears inGeorgia attempting to earn the bounty on an alien smuggler named Chammy, only to discover thatRocket Raccoon andGroot are also after him. The three end up fighting another alien named Reeve, who put the bounty on Chammy. After Reeve defeats them and escapes, Chammy tells Rocket, Groot and Gwen that Reeve is looking for a formula that could temporarily neutralizeCaptain Marvel's powers, allowing him to kill her. Gwen refuses to help at first, under the logic that Captain Marvel, being one of the most important "characters" in the current "story", would not be killed off in "a comic about a talking tree and raccoon". However, after coincidentally running intoKitty Pryde, Gwen falls under the mistaken impression that the comic she is currently in was being written byBrian Michael Bendis, a "big-deal comic book writer" with a fixation on Pryde who would have the authority to kill Captain Marvel. Convinced that Captain Marvel's life is actually in danger, Gwen accompanies Rocket and Groot to the Triskelion, where they and Chammy help defeat Reeve, and Gwen realizes that the real writer put Kitty Pryde on the street to trick her into helping.[29]
After short team-ups with theChampions,[30]Blade,[31]Deadpool,[32] and the duo ofGhost Rider andKate Bishop,[33] Gwen meets her brother Teddy, who drags her back to her world (or a close facsimile).[34]
Here Gwen loses her memories of her time in the Marvel Universe and resumes an ordinary life, but she gradually becomes once again aware that she is in a comic book. Gwen then begins experimenting with the fourth wall again and learns to interact with the comic book medium by erasing the walls between panels and even climbing out of the panels, finding herself looking in on her life.
Watching the past from outside the borders, Gwen sees the "extra pages" of herHoliday Special, in which when her brother Teddy was sucked into the Marvel Universe, he ended up working for Orto the snake swordsman. Upon seeing her kill Orto's henchmen, Teddy runs into versions ofSpider-Man, The Terrible Eye, and Vincent Doonan, who claim to be from a future where Gwen becomes a huge threat and destroys their lives. They offer him the chance to "return home" with his sister and fix things. Being concerned for Gwen's mental health, and having had a terrible time, he readily agrees. On finding this out Gwen, with her memory and costume restored, re-enters the borders, confronts Teddy for trying to undo the past and steal her dream of living in a comic, and shows him that their "parents" are not real, and they never even left the comic.
Terrible Eye explains that their attempts to send the Pooles to their home dimension created a pocket dimension from their memories that was almost identical to their real one. The three realize that trapping Gwen was what led to her gaining her powers over reality in the first place. When Spider-Man narrates a flashback sequence of the future evil Gwen's misdeeds, the evil Gwen herself travels through the flashback's panels to follow him to the present.
Future Gwen battles Spider-Man, Terrible Eye, and Doonan, while each side tries to convince the present Gwen to join their cause. Future Gwen turns out to be weakened by Present Gwen's doubt, but still effortlessly kills Doonan, Terrible Eye, and Spider-Man, horrifying Present Gwen, before explaining to her past self that she became a villain because she was tired of her good deeds being undone as the plot progressed, so she turned to committing evil that could always be undone on characters that "matter", demonstrated when Spider-Man's death is retconned a moment later because he is too important in the story to be killed. However, Present Gwen is disgusted at the idea of hurting the characters she has grown to love, and wipes her future self from existence. This comes at the cost of erasing all of the Evil Gwen stories and thus dramatically shortening Present Gwen's lifespan.[35]
Learning that the universe is attempting to make her into a joke villain, Gwen wants to make sure her evil self never comes to be. To catch the attention of the Avengers she visits Latveria in an attempt to face off with Doctor Doom, thinking him to still be evil, as she has not readInfamous Iron Man. It is revealed that she and Cecil, now in his mystical monster body, share an apartment and since she has given up killing people because it's hacking to pay the bills. A short time later after rescuing Vincent Doonan from Paste Pot Pete and throwing him into the void between comic panels as a demonstration of her new superpower, Gwen asks Vincent where to find the real Doom so she can defeat him and prove herself to be a fameworthy hero. Vincent leads her to Doom, who explains he is reformed, but Gwen still attacks him, releasing an evil version of Doom from within him.
After a brief fight in which she realizes she cannot kill the Doom doppelganger, the real Doom comes to her aid and destroys his evil past self. He and Gwen have a chat about why she wanted to kill him, which turns out to be because since destroying her evil destiny self, her comic pages are running out and she believes she is doomed to be cancelled. With only a few pages left, once Doom is gone, she wonders if she has to become a super villain.
In the final chapter ofUnbelievable Gwenpool, a Gwen from the future appears to her and explains that while her first comic series has ended, she is already in several other comics, toys, games, fan works, and so on. Even if her current book ends, she and her side characters will return in future stories. Meanwhile, in between these pages, Gwen enlists the help of Stephen Strange and her friends to restore Cecil to human form. She is given a watch that counts down the issue's remaining pages and she uses the rest, one page at a time, to see old friends, team up with new superheroes, rescue her brother from Hell, meet the Marvel Universe counterparts of her parents, and chase off M.O.D.O.K. one more time. Future Gwen then says goodbye to the audience and goes back to where the chapter started to talk to her past self, creating a loop.
After recently having been beaten up and humiliated with tickling by aclone ofSquirrel Girl,[36] and later attending the funeral of a separateSkrull duplicate of Squirrel Girl, Gwen visits Kate Bishop in Los Angeles, before being drafted to join the accidentally reformedWest Coast Avengers. She instantly enters into conflict with one of the members,Quentin Quire, but their clashes and shouting matches eventually evolve into passionate kisses. However, Gwen later informs the camera crew following the team that she started a relationship with Quentin partly because she felt a romantic plot would make her less of a supporting player and thus less likely to die, having also considered establishing a romantic relationship withAmerica Chavez.[37] Along with the other Avengers, Gwen helps stop giant monsters created by the original M.O.D.O.K., adopts a baby land-shark she namesJeff, and faces an alliance of villains headed byMadame Masque.[38] Later, during theWar of the Realms storyline, Gwen and the West Coast Avengers assistOtto Octavius in protectingSan Francisco, and she uses her perspective as a Marvel Universe outsider and a fellow B-list hero to help him come to terms with his lack of a star role in the event.[39]
After popping up in the daydream of Wade Wilson while he fights alongside Peter Parker before finding her way "out of this book",[40] Gwen returns to assist the duo in taking on Robbie "The Manipulator" Thompson, a comic-book writer who had written a version of himself into the story as a supervillain, Gwen using her access to the Gutter Space outside reality (no greatly outpowering the duo) to provide the duo with weaponry,[41] and write them through various incarnations of popular events to defeat the Manipulator and render his destruction of realitynon-canon, before confining him to prison.[42]
In this miniseries, after breaking up with Quentin and using encounters withPeter Parker,Wade Wilson, and theFantastic Four asfiller for its first two issues,[43] Gwen uses a new ability to create flashbacks to things that had previously never happened (allowing her to manipulate reality) to acquire a fortune fromTony Stark post-Civil War II to allow her to pit the heroes of the Marvel Universe against one another in a battle royale.[44] After accidentally setting herself to combat theImmortal Hulk, Gwen pulls previous versions of herself, as portrayed by different writers and artists, from the Gutter, forming a six-Gwen team known as theGwenHive. Gwen leaves the GwenHive to enter combat with the Hulk while she dives intocontinuity, leading to the death of the Gwen fromChampions. Gwen returns, having stolenMjolnir and the severed arm ofThor Odinson, and uses them to defeat the Hulk. Gwen then finds herself facingKamala Khan as the tourney's final battle.[45] Fearing for her continued existence, and upon being accidentally inspired by Khan, Gwen uses the retcon ability to convince Khan and the wider Marvel Universe that she is amutant, hoping that as a "mutant" resident of Krakoa she will remain "in continuity"; upon arriving, she encountersJames "Logan" Howlett and Quentin.[22] After leaving Jeff with Wade while dressed in her originalChris Bachalo design,[46] Gwen later avoids participating in aFortnitetie-in while drinking withKwannon,Mystique,Storm andDomino.[47] After being hired byA.I.M.Scientist SupremeMonica Rappaccini to kill MODOK (being accredited for having briefly killed him when she first launched him into space), Gwen assumes that she has been given a new ongoingGwenpool series and happily kills MODOK, only to realize with a sigh (upon viewing his projected memories of a family) that he is being humanised, and she is merely a guest star in his book—the villain of his story. Entering the Gutter, Gwen proceeds to rearrange the comic's pages and retcon MODOK's death to having been merely knocked out by anEMP. Gwen helps MODOK discover his family's home from his memories, and MODOK grants Gwen his respect.[48] Gwen is later seen wearing cosplay for afan convention,[49] and is also seen inLos Angeles celebrating the repeal ofKamala's Law withRobbie Reyes and the West Coast Avengers,[50] and leaves amug with her face on it to Kate as a parting gift.[51]
In 2022, after being anunseen character in the 2021 first season ofIt's Jeff!, Gwenpool returned as a main on-page character, continuing to raise her "son"Jeff the Land Shark along with Kate Bishop. While initially living in different houses, Gwen later moves in with Kate.[15]
InAromancing of Gwendolyn Poole, originally published asLove Unlimited: Gwenpool and announced as the similarly-spelledA Romancing of Gwendolyn Poole, Gwenpool explores her relationship withromance, trying to dateWither andElixir, and then datingJulie Power.[13] Over this series, after being trapped in the romance comic for several months, Gwen comes to the "realisation" (being told by Julie) that she is aromantic and asexual, oraro-ace.[52]
In the limited seriesGwenpool (2025),Gwen Stacy is resurrected withWeapon X-like abilities as Weapon X-31. Her mysterious handler known as the "Grand Architect" calls her by the "Gwenpool" name, which she dislikes. The real Gwen Poole teams up withPeter Parker in an unlikely adventure, both to figure out who revived Gwen, why she is wearing a purple version of Poole's suit, and how to stop her.[16][17][53] When Gwenpool was killed, her ghost remains. She would later interact with this Gwenpool and learned that this Gwen is actually the reanimated Gwen Stacy (Stacy's soul in a clone body) fromDead No More: The Clone Conspiracy. They worked together to fight the forces of the Weapon X base that the Grand Architect works in. When Spider-Man,Kate Bishop, andJeff the Land Shark arrive to join the fight, the Grand Architect is unmasked as a counterpart of Marvel Comics writerCavan Scott. After regaining her body which has been made into aDeathlok, Gwenpool persuades X-31 to spare the Grand Architect's life. While planning to have MegaTony work to restore her body by her next appearance, Gwenpool and the group then proceed to fightFin Fang Foom.[54]
Gwenpool originally had no real superpowers, only vast knowledge of theMarvel Universe from comic books in her universe, such as every secret identity of both heroes and villains. She has used this information to take downBlack Cat's criminal empire[21] and to stopThor from attacking her.[26] She is able to exploit her fourth-wall knowledge to her advantage, understanding when comic-book tropes will allow her to avoid unpleasant or life-threatening consequences, such as falls that would realistically be lethal. She also seems to gain uncanny luck at dodging bullets and eluding enemies just by merit of being the hero of her story.
Gwenpool is trained in weapons and hand-to-hand combat by Batroc duringThe Unbelievable Gwenpool vol. 2.[55] She continued to train after she left Batroc and with her skills much improved, she was able to take out a group of minions by herself while on theWest Coast Avengers using acrobatics and herkatanas.[56]
Gwenpool is fully aware that she is in a comic,[57] and can step out of and into comic panels, alter fictional characters, dump characters into the "gutter space" between panels, interact with word bubbles, and use her knowledge of the Marvel Universe to determine characters' weaknesses.[58] InWest Coast Avengers, Gwen notes she is not fully able to exploit the comics medium with her powers as she did in her own title, making her think it was part of a potential characterreboot, noting that her powers are specifically no longer working quite as well when other people are watching her.
InGwenpool Strikes Back, she learned she now has Evil Gwen's reality-manipulating power to alter history by "recalling" flashback sequences, retroactively causing them to have happened. Ms. Marvel, disbelieving the Marvel Universe reality to be a comic, incorrectly theorises that Gwen is actually a reality-altering mutant. While untrue, Gwen decides to accept this theory as Marvel Universe reality, allowing her to live care-free in the mutant nation ofKrakoa without her presence being questioned.
In herLove Unlimited arc, Gwenpool specifically requested to have "dynamite gams" added to her wiki entry as one of her powers, after it was said by Julie Power, while faking an educational history to allow her to leave Krakoa and attend a university.
Gab Hernandez ofScreen Rant referred to Gwenpool as one of Marvel's "iconic West Coast Avengers," writing, "TheWest Coast Avengers have always been admired for their more oddball cast of characters, often including weirdos like Moon Knight and Gwenpool in their ranks. The variety of members and their fascinating ensemble personalities make fans love the roster of the West Coast Team. [...] Gwen is one of the most happy-go-lucky heroes in the Marvel universe, and fans love her fourth-wall-breaking ways. In many respects, Gwenpool is essentially just a comic book fan who has somehow ended up in the 616 universes, and that really shines with how much she fangirls over certain characters. Gwenpool is very optimistic, and while her mile-a-minute talking makes her annoying to some, most fans find her relatable. Despite her fourth wall knowledge though, she does have a charming naivety to her, and generally believes the best out of everyone because sheknows what their best looks like. Usually."[59]
David Harth ofComic Book Resources described Gwenpool as one of Marvel's "joke characters long-time fans will always love & remember," stating, "Joke characters are a venerable tradition in comic books. So many Silver Age concepts are humorous and it's from those older concepts that comics got their stigma as an art form only for children or infantilized adults. Marvel, even back in the Silver Age, had always fought against that sort of thing, presenting comics that were more serious for an older audience. […] The mere idea of Gwenpool is so ridiculous that it boggles the mind that she's became so popular in a very short amount of time. To date, she's probably the only character to ever get a full fledged comic run because she was popular on the cosplay scene. She first appeared as a gag on a variant cover [and] it's kind of doubtful anyone involved guessed how popular she'd become. What really saved the character was the thought put into her- she was a girl from an alternate universe who loved Marvel and ended up in the Marvel Universe, where she would use her knowledge of comics and her powers to literally manipulate the comic medium to her advantage."[60]
Steven Petite ofGameSpot described Gwenpool as "one of the most interesting recently created characters under the Marvel umbrella."[61]
John Tibbetts ofWhatCulture called Gwenpool one of the "best new comic book characters of the decade," asserting, "Marvel has been on something of a god damn roll this last decade. Sure the comics aren't seeing even a fraction of the movies' success, but at least the stories are always top quality for the most part. For proof of this, look no further than Gwenpool. Despite what the name may imply, this is not Gwen Stacy dressing up as Deadpool. No, this is a girl from the real world dressing up as Deadpool after being sucked into the Marvel universe. Now, we've seen this trope a lot – especially if you like current anime. But what makes Gwenpool so interesting is that the story plays both for laughs and for drama the fact that Gwenpool knows both comic book storytelling tropes AND the industry behind them. Meaning not only do the inside jokes she makes cut a LOT deeper than other stories of this nature, but it leads to some shocking moments like when her first friend dies a bloody gory death, and she realizes that the guy isn't popular enough to convince Marvel to bring him back so he's likely gone for good. Gwenpool is a thesis paper on metafiction and meta-commentary personified in a single character, and we love her to pieces for it."[62]
Gwenpool has been described as one of Marvel's most notable and powerful female heroes.[63][62][64][55] Gwenpool is one of the first openlyaromanticasexual superheroes in American comic books, and the first openly asexual or aromantic character to come out in a book published by Marvel Comics.[65]
According toDiamond Comic Distributors,Gwenpool Holiday Special #1 was the 16th best selling comic book in December 2015.[72][73][74]
Jim Johnson ofComic Book Resources describedGwenpool Holiday Special #1 as a "funny and whimsical holiday one-shot," asserting, "Beyruth's art is the most traditional of this comic's artistic talent, but it readily carries the comedy of Duggan's script with seemingly little effort. Duggan's story also has a sappy but likeable sugary Christmas ending, and even serves as one of the feature's final laughs. Lastly, "Gwenpool's Holiday Adventure" by Christopher Hastings and Gurihiru is a delightfully whimsical story that defies any kind of believability, but that's just fine. Armed with all the skills a partially-viewed YouTube how-to video can supply, Gwenpool goes up against a villain who's more akin to an evil version of the genie in Disney's "Aladdin" than any kind of real threat, but—as scripted by Hastings and illustrated by Gurihiru with a touch of manga influence—the story is too much fun not to like. "Gwenpool Special" #1 isn't taken over by Gwenpool, like Kris Anka's rendering of the character on this comic's cover would indicate, but that's no issue, as the creators involved collectively make Christmastime for Marvel fans a little more enjoyable."[75]
Jesse Schedeen ofIGN gaveGwenpool Holiday Special #1 a grade of 7.5 out of 10, writing, "The Deadpoool/Hawkeye team-up from Gerry Duggan and Danilo S. Beyruth is probably the most well-rounded of the bunch. Duggan once again mines this unusual pairing to good effect and shows that there's a real, genuine bond between Deadpool, Hawkeye and "Guy Hawkeye" (as Clint is apparently now referred to in the Marvel U.). Beyruth's art captures the tone of the story well, offering a tinge of darkness but focusing mainly on expressive figure work and humor. As for the Gwenpool tale, it only suffers from the fact that it feels rather shoehorned into the rest of the book. Her own conflict has nothing to do with any thing Christmas-y, merely showcasing her skills as the most clueless yet effective assassin in the world. Her only connection to the rest of the book is that she, along with dozens of other Marvel heroes, is invited to She-Hulk's big shindig. But on its own merits this story is plenty entertaining. Guruhiru's cartoonish, manga-esque art is a perfect complement to Christopher Hastings' script. Gwenpool is arguably the least essential element of this holiday-themed anthology comic. Still, her presence is one extra dose of fun in a book that already has a lot going for it. The various stories here combine to form a charming look at how Marvel's heroes come together to celebrate the holidays."[76]
According toDiamond Comic Distributors,The Unbelievable Gwenpool #1 was the 6th best selling comic book in April 2016.[77][78][79]The Unbelievable Gwenpool #1 was the 92nd best selling comic book in 2016.[80]
Jim Johnson ofComic Book Resources calledThe Unbelievable Gwenpool #1 a "fun and decidedly comical precedent that bodes well for the series," asserting, "As this issue combines a sweet and beloved character with one of comic's deadliest and most sarcastic mercenaries, Hastings places himself on a tightrope with his story; falling off to one side means developing Gwen as a little too sugary for hardboiled Deadpool fans, and the other means making her a killer in the eyes of those who see her as an alternate version of Peter Parker's onetime girlfriend. He largely dodges that choice for now, and justifiably so, and so this high wire act is a persuasive selling point for the series' upcoming issues for now. [...] There's a kind of uncertain demeanor to "The Unbelievable Gwenpool" #1, where Hastings begins to explore his character in earnest while remaining vague about the concept's longterm workability. For now, though, the comic carries a lot of darkly humorous fun and has earned the benefit of any doubt."[81]
Jesse Schedeen ofIGN gaveThe Unbelievable Gwenpool #1 a grade of 8.3 out of 10, stating, "This issue encapsulates that conflict nicely. It's a fun, amusing start to Gwenpool's solo escapades, but one that doesn't shy away from the darker side of the character. It may seem like there's no more room at Marvel for goofy, lighthearted superhero fare, but The Unbelievable Gwenpool instantly finds it niche. As silly and charming as this first issue is, its real success is in contrasting Gwen's carefree spirit and devil-may-care attitude with the real, tragic consequences of her behavior. Gwen Poole isn't a role model, but she's a heck of a lot of fun to read."[82]
George Chrysostomou ofScreen Rant includedThe Unbelievable Gwenpool comic book series in their "Marvel Comics: The 10 Best Comic Book Runs For Young Readers" list.[83]
According toDiamond Comic Distributors,Gwenpool Strikes Back #1 was the 31st best selling comic book in August 2019.[84][85][86]Gwenpool Strikes Back #1 was the 362nd best selling comic book in 2019.[87][88]
Sam Stone ofComic Book Resources calledGwenpool Strikes Back #1 the "zaniest appearance the character has had to date," writing, "Baldeón, fresh off illustrating the recentDomino miniseries, is joined by color artist Jesus Aburtov to render the colorful eye-catching return of Gwen. Gwenpool has always been a relatively bright, vibrant character -- a figure leading a bubblegum pop tour of the Marvel Universe -- and the art team more than delivers from medium-bending monologues to the reader to a back-and-forth exchange between Gwen and Spidey fresh off the heels of a gun-toting bank robbery. There is a slapstick element to the book that has always been present with the character and the art team is able to channel that signature sense of fun. True to its title,Gwenpool Strikes Back has the eponymous, irreverent Marvel character return with a vengeance and slated to cross paths with the biggest names in the Marvel Universe. Somehow even more zany than ever before, Williams makes the character her own with a rapid-fire, hyper-verbal first issue elevated by Baldeón's fan-favorite artistic flair. Wonderfully weird and a clear labor of love from the creative team, the new miniseries repositions Gwenpool as the wackiest new Marvel character in recent memory."[89]
Megan Peters ofComicBook.com gaveGwenpool Strikes Back #1 a grade of 4 out of 5 stars, saying, "Gwenpool Strikes Back welcomes a fan-favorite heroine to a universe she was never meant to enter. The quirky character is recognizable in all her fourth-wall chaos, and Gwen has no care for social constructs. From dabbing to memes, the heroine rightly calls herself a queen ofcringe culture, but it somehow works with this debut's issue as Gwen acts against a clean-cut Peter Parker. And with a new power in tow, this series promises to be one of Marvel's most outlandish on shelves these days."[90]
An evil alternate future version of Gwen, called Evil Gwenpool in merchandise or Dark Gwenpool in some video games, is introduced in the story arcBeyond the Fourth Wall as the futurearchenemy ofMiles Morales, who travels back in time to prevent Gwen from becoming her due to evil Gwen having startedCivil War III, exposed Miles' secret identity to the world, and manipulated the future Goblins into killing Miles' parents, wife, and child for her. After Gwen rejects her evil self, she is apparently wiped from existence.[35] Dark Gwenpool would return as the main antagonist of the video gameMarvel Duel, and make a cameo appearance in the alternate universe ofPeter Parker & Miles Morales: Spider-Men Double Trouble, attending a villain convention withBatroc the Leaper.[91]
An alternate universe's version of Gwen merges with aVenom Symbiote that has unique medium awareness and knowledge of the Marvel Multiverse,[92] but is killed and absorbed by the "Poisons" ofVenomverse.[93]
An alternate version of Gwen appears in the third issue of this miniseries. Gwen is hired byMoon Knight and thePunisher to find the location of evil versions ofMagneto,Red Skull,Abomination, andDoctor Doom, who are controllingDeadpool to kill that Marvel Universe's heroes. It is revealed that the series takes place in a reality similar to that ofOld Man Logan, as Deadpool comes across the X-Men's Mansion afterMysterio tricksLaura Kinney / Wolverine into slaughtering the X-Men.Old Man Logan realizes that this is what is happening over the course of the issue.[94]
| Title | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 1:Believe It | The Unbelievable Gwenpool #0–4 | November 29, 2016 | 978-1302901769 |
| The Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 2:Head of M.O.D.O.K. | The Unbelievable Gwenpool #5–10 | March 28, 2017 | 978-1302901776 |
| The Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 3:Totally in Continuity | The Unbelievable Gwenpool #11–15, and material fromGwenpool Holiday Special: Merry Mix-Up #1 | August 29, 2017 | 978-1302905477 |
| The Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 4:Beyond the Fourth Wall | The Unbelievable Gwenpool #16–20 | January 2, 2018 | 978-1302905484 |
| The Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 5:Lost in the Plot | The Unbelievable Gwenpool #21–25 | April 24, 2018 | 978-1302910402 |
| West Coast Avengers: Best Coast | West Coast Avengers (vol. 3) #1–4,Young Avengers Presents #6, andThe Unbelievable Gwenpool #1 | February 19, 2019 | 978-1302913458 |
| Gwenpool Strikes Back | Gwenpool Strikes Back #1–5 | February 19, 2020 | 978-1302919238 |
| Gwenpool Omnibus | The Unbelievable Gwenpool #1–25,Rocket Raccoon and Groot #8–10,Champions #5,Edge of Venomverse #2,West Coast Avengers (vol. 3) #1–10,Superior Spider-Man (vol. 2) #7-8,Gwenpool Strikes Back #1–5; and material fromHoward the Duck (vol. 4) #1–3,Gwenpool Special #1,Gwenpool Holiday Special: Merry Mix-Up #1,Secret Empire: Brave New World #1,Not Brand Ecch #14 | December 20, 2022 | 978-1302948207 |
| Gwenpool (2025) | Gwenpool (2025) #1–5 | 2025 |
The Japanese release of each volume comes with a different trade cover byGurihiru.[112]
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