Spider-Woman (2015) #16

Previously in Spider-Woman #15

Jessica and Roger’s reunion looks like broken bones, contusions, and reckless maneuvers on motorcycles and hover boards, oh, and explosions. Did you expect anything less?

Most of this issue is Jessica kicking ass and not bothering to take names. She’s got a lot of pent up grief and anger (granger?) and she wants to take it out several faces. While she’s being her badass self, Roger thinks about how amazing she is, how she’ll do anything for the people she loves, and how he can’t believe how lucky he is to have pressed his lips against hers.

Once he stops fanboying, he realizes he has become quite the heroic badass in his own right, and jumps in to help. If these wise-cracking beatdowns are what we have to look forward to now that Roger is back and they’ve acknowledged their feelings, then I’m all in.

The end to this arc was kind of abrupt - Carol comes in for a last minute assist, saving Jessica and Roger from more injuries - but it worked because its purpose was to bring them together and it did. And in doing so, it delivered one of the funniest panels I’ve ever seen: Carol moseying along after witnessing some smooching between Jessica and Roger.

I am curious to see if Jessica and Carol’s friendship is back on solid ground like this issue implies. I have a feeling it is, and I’m okay with that, especially since Jessica has now experienced the loss of Bruce and the supposed loss of Roger. I can see her adjusting her priorities and not holding grudges.

The next arc appears to kick off with a road trip with Jessica, Ben, Roger, and baby Gerry. I dig it. Roger’s beard might be back as well. I dig that a bit less.