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M.O.D.O.K. (Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing) has never been more relevant in pop culture than this year, thanks largely in part to comedian and comic book lover Patton Oswalt. Earlier this year, M.O.D.O.K. received his own comic book miniseries entitled M.O.D.O.K.: Head Games (2021), written by Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum. Additionally, the oversized, wacky Marvel villain surged in fame this year as the protagonist of Hulu’s new stop-motion animated television series Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. (2021; Eric Towner, Alex Kamer). Blum and Oswalt (voice actor for M.O.D.O.K.) wrote ten hilarious episodes to kick off the first season of Marvel’s show. Grotesque violence, crude humor, and general debauchery abound in M.O.D.O.K., distilling elements of his ridiculous personality influenced by the Unbelievable Gwenpool comics.
Minor Marvel supervillain M.O.D.O.K. first made an appearance in Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s 1967 comic series Tales of Suspense #94, but M.O.D.O.K Superior’s character surged in popularity during the publication of The Unbelievable Gwenpool 2015 comic series. Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 1 follows the exploits of recently conceived mercenary hero Gwen Poole who is knowingly trapped inside a comic book. At the end of the first issue, Gwenpool crosses paths with the Superior version of M.O.D.O.K. Subsequently, the rest of the Gwenpool trade concentrates on Gwenpool’s subordinate relationship as a henchman to the wrathful M.O.D.O.K. as she gains a canonical archenemy in the first four issues of her own comic book series.
At the height of M.O.D.O.K. mania, why not read one of the several 2015 comic series that helped launch this unforgettable Marvel villain back into the public eye? M.O.D.O.K. meets his murderous match in the debut comic series of underrated mercenary hero Gwenpool. The Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 1: Believe It is written by Christopher Hastings, illustrated by Japanese illustrator company team Gurihiru, and is lettered by Clayton Cowles. The trade also collects the Gwenpool Holiday Special one-shot and the retitled Howard the Duck #1 issue, The Unbelievable Gwenpool #0. Discover two lesser-known Marvel characters in this comic series and laugh along as the duo goes giant head-to-head in a murderous battle of mercenaries!
Gwenpool Eliminates Her Enemies
Marvel’s Secret Wars 2015 comic book series sorted through multiple universe appearances, Battleworld, and multiple differing versions of the same characters emerging in the Marvel Universe. Not completely related but alluded to in Unbelievable Gwenpool, Secret Wars parallels do tie into Gwenpool’s clandestine storyline. In fact, Gwenpool’s character design initially appeared on the variant cover of a related Secret Wars comic, Deadpool’s Secret Wars #2. The Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 1 (or more succinctly Unbelievable Gwenpool) contains the subtitle, Believe It. Those two words summarize the comic’s main axiom.
The volume opens with Gwenpool’s first entrance into Marvel Comic’s modern pantheon. In the Howard the Duck #1 (2015) backup comic, Gwen Poole (not to be confused with Gwen Stacy or Spider-Gwen) entangles herself with Howard the Duck during his retrieval mission for Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat. Here, hardcore comic book fan Gwen makes it unmistakably evident that she is conscious of her existence within a comic book. While aiding Howard the Duck, Gwen further capitulates her unbelievable understanding of Howard. Throughout Unbelievable Gwenpool, Gwen evades explaining the origin of her presence in the comic universe. Instead, she adopts a cavalier attitude toward the fates of the characters she interacts with. But most significantly, Gwen yearns to be a true hero in her own story.
Succeeding the two opening issues in the volume, Gwenpool’s main story in an Earth-616 comic spans the final four issues of Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 1. The pink-clad vigilante has no real powers. Instead, she prefers guns in order to murder what she considers random extras and supervillains propelling her comic story in the opening pages. Caption boxes clearly reveal that she blurs the line between the reality of the fictional comic book world she lives in. After mowing down bank robbers with bullets, obtaining an NYPD police vehicle, and coercing the hacker, Cecil (who had been working for the bank robbers), to team up with her, Gwenpool speeds off in search of mercenary jobs to attain some sweet cash.
The Ultimate Face-Off: M.O.D.O.K. Vs. Gwenpool
The majority of Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 1 features Gwen’s indentured servitude, a.k.a. forced recruitment, into Agents of M.O.D.O.K. (the organization) by M.O.D.O.K. Superior (the floating head villain with a mohawk). Since she kills without remorse, Gwen accidentally assassinates M.O.D.O.K.’s top agent during an arms deal infiltration. Consequently, M.O.D.O.K. facilitates Gwenpool’s induction into his organization as a replacement hired mercenary, achieved by incinerating her new sidekick Cecil.
Gwen meets other mercenaries awaiting missions and huge payouts inside M.O.D.O.K.’s massive mobile fortress that patrols New York City. Among these D-lister Marvel mercs is Captain America antagonist Batroc the Leaper. Batroc mentors Gwen, divulging wisdom and teaching her how to actually fight since she is powerless. The C-lister villain often speaks (and yells) with a typecast French accent while sporting a thin mustache. Gwen informs Batroc, to his confusion, that his character is a questionable French stereotype. Under the kind Batroc’s tutelage and the gigantic watchful eyes of M.O.D.O.K., Gwen feels conflicted about her goal to act as a hero in her own comic story. Still, she murders on missions and constantly quips, threatening Thor’s (Jane Foster) life.
No one finds Gwenpool’s reckless behavior more suspicious than her boss. Gwen’s expenses start piling up, and M.O.D.O.K.’s suspicion of Gwen’s identity grows. In order to obtain forms of identification, Gwen enlists the help of her costume designer, Ronnie. Ronnie uses her connections, ultimately pointing Gwen in the direction of dimension-traveler Dr. Strange. Strange offers Gwen a glimpse into her past, altering events before enabling her real existence in this comic book story. But M.O.D.O.K. discovers the truth just as Strange works his magic. M.O.D.O.K. reiterates his self-proclaimed trait of being the smartest person on the planet before confronting Gwenpool about her lack of superpowers. Unable to exhume how Gwen managed to kill his finest mercenary, with jealousy over Gwen’s intellect boiling over, M.O.D.O.K. battles Gwenpool.
Batroc’s fighting (and leaping!) maneuvers pay off for Gwenpool as M.O.D.O.K. unleashes his multi-weapon fury on his new archenemy. Gwen uses Cecil’s enchanted skull, courtesy of Doctor Strange, to summon Cecil. After a disorienting kick to M.O.D.O.K.’s eye, Cecil seeks revenge on the enormous floating head in a rocket chair. Ghost Cecil uses his hacking abilities to initiate a cyber-attack. Finally, M.O.D.O.K. is defeated after Cecil’s attack compromises his chair rocket and boots his behind into space! Maybe Gwenpool is a hero after all?
Gwenpool: A Merc With A Mouth… And A Conscience?
Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 1 writer, Christopher Hastings, homages Gwen Poole as an amalgam of existing characters Gwen Stacy, Spider-Gwen, and Deadpool, but subverts her characterization. Gwen has no powers in Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 1, forging a key narrative pathway. Unlike Deadpool, Gwenpool breaks the fourth wall through voice-over and dialogic acknowledgment of her existence in the comic book realm without ever directing her comments toward the audience. Essentially, Gwen realizes her own limitations as a character in a Marvel comic story. Hastings carves Gwen her own character structure, abilities, and awareness in Unbelievable Gwenpool, producing an original character with a clear-cut identity.
Throughout the volume, plot threads and callbacks naturally connect the core four issues. Several Deadpool iterations are predicated on utter mayhem, affixing as many meta-jokes as possible to his stuffed comic book narratives. Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 1 incorporates the comedy and gallows humor from Deadpool but remains contingent on the overarching plotlines present. Yes, the comic channels the chaotic nature of fast-talking mercenary antiheroes, but Gwen’s supercilious attitude about entrapment in a comic book fluctuates. She finds coping with her emotional responses in the aftermath of murder emotionally challenging. Hastings’s script intersperses sentimentality, reckless disinhibition, and perfectly executed comedy. Then he throws M.O.D.O.K. into this already hysterical story.
Incorporating M.O.D.O.K. supplements the comic’s humor with alacrity. M.O.D.O.K. and Gwenpool work as near-perfect foils to one another. Both characters kill, but their motivations diverge drastically. Gwen expresses an internal desire for herodom, and M.O.D.O.K. is obsessed with being recognized as a killing machine. Their needs versus wants are incongruous between one another. Smartly, Hastings shows how their worldviews actually overlap throughout the comic. While the two view diverging outward perceptions as fundamental to their existence, they also experience cognitive dissonance regarding their inward identities. M.O.D.O.K. as an antagonist aligns magnificently with the tone, characterization, and rife comedic dialogue in Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 1.
Pink, Penguins, And Pantomimes!
Japanese artist team, Gurihiru’s (Superman Smashes the Klan, Avatar: The Last Airbender graphic novels) cartoony, eye-catching art style is central to the resonance in Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 1. Gwenpool may not be as foul-mouthed as her red-bodysuit counterpart, but her vibrant pink appearance and penchant for penguin merchandise doesn’t stop her from wielding glittery gray guns. Gurihiru uses soft lines in illustrating Gwen’s outfit. Harder linework portrays the weapons on Gwen’s back and her necessary gun holster, juxtaposing with the soft pink and penguin-plush aesthetic.
Overall, Gwen’s appearance reminds readers that she is a female, but Gurihiru draws the teenager respectfully. Her character design matches her mercurial mercenary personality. Background details like Gwen’s room plastered with comic book characters such as Miles Morales, Captain Marvel, and Kamala Khan add both charm and meaning to the story. This imagery subconsciously discloses character information about Gwen. Posters on the walls marshal details about her intimacy with comics. Hastings’s dialogue denotes Gwen’s cognizance about comic books, but Gurihiru’s artistic attributes graphically corroborate this fact.
Gwenpool and M.O.D.O.K. both exude exaggerated characteristics. Gurihiru’s illustrations are savvy, molding the characters’ faces to shape their pantomimed demeanors. Absurdity runs amok in both the script and the art of this comic. Explosions of pink hand bombs and the ridiculous green color of M.O.D.O.K.’s mohawk elevate the level of ridiculousness. In key junctures, Gurihiru issues abundances of pink pastel colors that remind readers that this is Gwenpool’s world and we’re just observing it. Pink permeates the comic, including any time Gwenpool has interior or external dialogue. Clayton Cowles’s lettering comes across intensely through bold black letters against the pink backgrounds. Words and sounds are transparent, heard on the page through bubbly or rattling SFX. Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 1 casts Gwen and M.O.D.O.K in a lived-in comic book universe bursting with color, detail, and a whole lot of pink.
Yes, Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 1 Is Unbelievably Great
Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 1 functions as a necessary introduction to both Gwenpool and M.O.D.O.K. If Marvel’s new M.O.D.O.K show piqued your interest in the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing character, this comic trade acts as a supreme jumping-off point. While some readers may come for M.O.D.O.K., you’ll stay for Gwenpool. Similar to M.O.D.O.K., Gwenpool is a character that is unlike most Marvel comic heroes. Gwen’s story unfolds according to her actions yet veers off in unforeseen directions. Anyone who wants to mix up their comic book reading with a story featuring a wacky villain, an accidental antihero, and an abundance of pink, read Unbelievable Gwenpool Vol. 1.
