Gwenpool: Neither Spider-Gwen Nor Deadpool — Discuss.
The real people’s champ is here—Gwenpool is an antihero for the meta-commentary age. Here’s everything about Gwendolyn Poole.
There’s a common attitude in the comic book industry that “comics don’t make any original heroes anymore” and blah blah blah. Setting aside how hard it is to launch a hero without a known name or property, you might be missing the originality of Gwenpool. Yeah, she’s got the infamous “pool” name. But this is no Deadpool ripoff—no, folks, Gwendolyn Poole is one-of-a-kind. And she could have been your next door neighbor.
Who is Gwendolyn Poole?
Gwendolyn Poole was born and raised in our reality. That’s right, her original home was Earth-TRN565. There, you and I read about the fictional Marvel comic book characters to escape the dread of our mundane lives. And so did Gwen! In fact, she used the Marvel comics to distract herself from a directionless life (relatable.) Unable to find a job as a high school dropout, Gwen was in a rut. Until…
Gwendolyn Poole Becomes Gwenpool
Due to circumstances unknown, Gwen and her brother Teddy found themselves (separated) on Earth-616, the main Marvel universe. What would any of us do? If you said “use our special knowledge of the universe to become a comic book character,” then you’re a little Gwenpool yourself.
In the beginning, Gwenpool had very little regard for the lives of people in her new universe. In order to get some money to start a new life, she undertook a number of mercenary jobs without much thought to the consequences. In fact, when she’s finally reunited with her brother, he’s horrified at her treatment of their beloved Marvel universe characters.
It’s hard to say if Gwenpool is a hero or a villain—it’s probably best to consider her an antihero. When she first arrived on Earth-616, her treatment of the locals definitely fell under villain territory. During this time, she goes against a lot of Marvel superheroes working for M.O.D.O.K.
She also does battle with a potential future version of herself, which helps to show her why she shouldn’t be a jerk to her fellow Marvel citizens. But overall Gwen, much like that other pool-guy, usually operates as a free agent. She gives big chaotic-neutral energy.
Are Spider-Gwen and Gwenpool the Same? Is She Related to Deadpool?
Surprisingly, Gwen Poole is not an alternate-reality version of Gwen Stacey. I know, right?! The costume certainly gives you a “Spider-Gwen” first impression but the two are not related.
Gwenpool is also not another version of Deadpool. Instead, the name is just a play on her real name! But with the difficulty of licensing and fans’ resistance to new properties, her similarity to both characters is convenient. For merchandising, of course.
Powers, Abilities, & More
Being a fourth-wall-breaking character has its advantages. Gwen already knows a lot about the Marvel universe, which would give her a leg up. Thanks to some training from the one and only Batroc the Leaper (name drop!), Gwen trains to be a pretty good fighter during her henchperson days. But her real powerset comes from her ability to interact with panels, bubbles, and other writing devices used by her author. It’s called “gutterspace,” the place between pages where it seems that only Gwenpool can move.
Is Gwenpool LGBTQ?
Our lady of Poole is, in her own words, an “asexual icon”. It’s revealed that a lot of her “failure to launch” in our reality began when her close group of friends began dating while Gwen had no real interest in romance or sex.
Gwenpool identifies as asexual and aromantic. Her girlfriend, Julie, helped her figure out her orientation. Gwen is said to have really looked up to Rogue and Gambit’s romance, admiring the no-touching aspect of their plight.
Gwenpool in Other RPGs & Media
Marvel Crisis Protocol
Thanks to the insight of our own MCP expert Adam Harrison, Gwenpool is a great character to have in your lineup.
Gwenpool is a surprisingly durable threat 4 character. She’s got that lovely Plot Armor to keep her around. Furthermore, she’s got the ability to dish out those pesky conditions to really mess with the enemy. But what I think really makes her good is her ability to surprise folks with her Travel Through Gutter Space. It allows her to get to a character and toss out an attack in order to slap a condition on them. And to cap it off, she’s got the re-rolls to her attacks or defense via her Retcon power—f you’ve got the energy for it. There’s few teams out there that can’t find a use for her brand of crazy.
Marvel Multiverse RPG
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Gwenpool has made it into one of the biggest Marvel RPGs on the market. But the future is bright, so don’t give up hope just yet.
How to Play Gwenpool in D&D
Gwenpool, like Deadpool, is a pretty goofy character. She has decent skills as a martial character in hand-to-hand combat and gymnastics or flexibility, but she also some of those fourth-wall-breaking powers, too. I would duel-class her as something hands-on and speed driven, like Monk, with some kind of wizard. As Chronurgy Wizard she would be able to play with time a little, which would mimic her jumping through comic panels, and generally have a greater idea of what the bigger picture looks like and how to effect it on a constant basis.
