Gaming
ByJames DornLast Update on
Gwen Stacy‘s journey in Spider-Man lore has been defined as much by heartbreak as by heroism. As Peter Parker‘s first love and one of comic fandom‘s most tragic figures, Gwen‘s romantic history fuels much of Spidey‘s motivations across mediums.
Peter Parker: Spider-Man‘s First True Love
Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy‘s star-crossed relationship has become cemented as one of the most iconic and impactful in comic book history. As Peter‘s lovely blonde lab partner at Empire State University, Gwen captured Spider-Man‘s heart from their earliest stories together.
In Amazing Spider-Man #31 in 1965, Gwen and Peter shared their first kiss after Peter walked her home from a night out. This kicked off a long, winding romantic saga filled with the thrills and disappointments one expects from a superhero trying to balance love life with saving New York City on a regular basis.
Over 100 issues filled with tender moments, false starts and close calls followed for the couple as they grew closer despite Peter‘s disappearing acts and broken plans as Spider-Man. Fan favorite highlights include:
- ASM #59 – Gwen surprises Peter with a cake for his birthday, the first time she tells him she loves him
- ASM #75 – Peter finally reveals his identity as Spider-Man to Gwen
- ASM #121 – Gwen graduates college with Peter there to celebrate, speculation they may get engaged
However, in the now infamous ASM #121-122 storyline dubbed "The Night Gwen Stacy Died" in 1973, Gwen is kidnapped by the Green Goblin and killed tragically in Spider-Man‘s arms as he tries desperately to save her with a web catch that snaps her neck. This shocking outcome forever cemented Gwen as Spider-Man‘s first true love, lost too soon.
| Year | Key Peter Parker/Gwen Stacy Romance Moments |
|---|---|
| 1965 | First kiss in ASM #31 after Peter walks Gwen home |
| 1969 | Gwen tells Peter "I love you" for the first time in ASM #59 |
| 1973 | Gwen‘s death at the hands of the Green Goblin in ASM #121-122 |
While the finer details vary across comics, TV shows and movie reboots, Gwen‘s tragic death and impact on Spider-Man remains one of the most pivotal recurring story beats in Spidey canon.
Gwen Stacy of Earth-65: Romance with Miles Morales?
In recent years with the popularity of Marvel multiverse storylines, Gwen Stacy has reemerged as the spider-powered hero Spider-Gwen/Ghost-Spider hailing from an alternate reality Earth-65.
This version of Gwen gained her own comic book series and had a standout role in crossover events and the acclaimed Into the Spider-Verse animated movie. Her spunky attitude and cool costume design earned Spider-Gwen legions of new fans.
In the Spider-Verse sequel Across the Spider-Verse, Spider-Gwen forges a bond with another alternate universe wall-crawler – Miles Morales of Earth-1610, successor to that world‘s Peter Parker.
As the two young heroes team up to save the multiverse, there are hints Miles may harbor a crush on Gwen. This includes nervous stammering when they first meet and blushing smiles when she grabs his hand mid-adventure.
In their climatic battle against Spot, Spider-Gwen even gives Miles a surprise kiss on the cheek, causing him to short circuit momentarily. She cracks jokes about getting him back for all the times he‘s made her blush, too.
While Gwen writes off pursuing things further due to her slightly older age, the groundwork seems set for potential future romance between this dynamic duo. And in at least one comic spinoff titled Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider, Gwen does end up Miles‘ girlfriend at his high school.
As both popular playable protagonists in games like Spider-Man Miles Morales and the upcoming Spider-Man 2, this Gwen and Miles pairing has captured the crossover appeal to delight fans across mediums, becoming a fan-favorite Spider-ship in the making!
Tangled Bonds Across the Spider-Verse
Gwen Stacy‘s journey has taken her full circle from the highs of first love to the depths of tragedy and now second chances reigniting romance across parallel dimensions.
In revisiting Gwen‘s impact on Spidey lore, we reexamine the hope and loss at the core of these heroes‘ stories. While Gwen and Peter‘s bond burns bright but brief, her ties to Miles blossom with promise.
As the Spider-Verse continues to expand, we can only speculate where the tangled web of Gwen Stacy‘s relationships may lead next. But one thing is certain – wherever Gwen goes, broken hearts and passionate fans will follow!
Data sourced from Marvel Fandom and Spider-Man Crawl Space databases
