Ultimate Spider-Woman: Change With the Light

Chapter 47: Public Relations

Walking side by side with her boyfriend Randy Robertson across the campus of Empire State University, Gwen Stacy reflected on just how much things had changed in the nearly two months since she'd gone steady with Randy. At first she'd been eager to form a steady relationship with him, especially after all the emotional support he'd given her, but then she'd become torn about whether to reveal her secret identity as the spectacular Spider-Woman once Randy had explained that he didn't like or trust superheroes. A chill had subsequently developed between them on New Year's Eve, when Gwen had to suddenly run out as Spider-Woman to fight the Brothers Grimm. Randy had seen through her feeble excuses and gotten angry at Gwen keeping secrets from him, until he'd finally come out and asked her whether she was Spider-Woman. The truth had finally come out, as Gwen admitted that she was the web-slinging heroine and explained to Randy just why she did it. In turn, Randy had come to better understand just what compelled her to do it.

All that seemed to be a thing of the past now, as Gwen and Randy had resumed dating and returned to their normal routines. In particular, Gwen enjoyed walking with Randy, leaning her head on his shoulder as they enjoyed the parklike atmosphere of the campus.

"Nice day, isn't it?" Gwen asked Randy, looking up at him as he took his eyes off the sky and returned her gaze. "Think the snow might melt soon?"

"You never know, I guess," Randy shrugged. "Winter does have its upsides, though."

"What's that?" Gwen asked curiously.

"Like the way that scarf matches your eyes," Randy grinned, referring to the royal blue scarf wrapped around Gwen's neck and the bright sparkle in her blue eyes.

Gwen only giggled at that.

"The cold's a good excuse for us to cuddle, too," she realized, as she drew Randy in for a kiss. "We need to keep warm, after all."

They resumed their walk, Gwen happy and relieved to finally have the whole business of Randy's suspicions about her secret identity behind her. Even if Randy didn't seem entirely comfortable with what she was doing, he was at least making every effort to support her choices. Her grades were also much better than they had been last semester, now that she could spend more time focusing on her studies, and her mother Helen Stacy was now as healthy as she had ever been.

Of course, there was still the frustration and stress Gwen had to deal with over the fact that she hadn't had any good acting or modeling work in months, the fact that so many supervillains had escaped from Riker's Island Penitentiary last week, and especially Vincent Gonzalez's public hate campaign against her as Spider-Woman, with all the sickening details that went with it.

SPIDER-WOMAN #47

"PUBLIC RELATIONS"

"Hello out there, I'm Mark Branden and this is Branded, the public affairs show that brings you the news and opinions that the establishment doesn't want you to know about," the TV pundit greeted his audience. "Tonight my guests will include Senator Hillary Clinton, who's going to fill us in on what she's got planned for Super Tuesday II. I'll also be joined by Al Edwards of Stop The Trough, with whom I'll be discussing his efforts to overturn this city's idiotic law that requires building projects to have funds set aside for public art."

"My first guest tonight, though, is Vincent Gonzalez of New Yorkers for a Spider-Free City, who's instigated an online hate campaign against the masked heroine Spider-Woman that's been spreading like wildfire. He's here tonight to talk about his plans to take his campaign to a whole new level!"

"So, Vincent," Branden said, turning from the camera to face Vincent Gonzalez, who was sitting in the guest's chair next to him, "what exactly is this whole new level you're talking about? Are you going to try and get Spider-Woman run out of town, or something?" Branden asked curiously.