Perspective of a Lonely Hero

Across The Spider-Verse Issue 02: Join The Club

"Pressure mounts as Captain George Stacy leads the manhunt for Spider-Woman. Who is she? And why won't she show her face?" The voice of J. Jonah Jameson speaks on a TV news report on the Daily Bugle Network as Gwen walks through the streets with her head down. 

Her father speaks to the public during a conference on different TV's. "Peter Parker, an innocent young man. . ."

"I've known May and Ben Parker for 12 years." He goes on to say on every TV that Gwen walked past with her head down. "Peter Parker ate at my table. He was my daughter's best friend. And I will not rest until I find this Spider-Woman."

Little did he know that Spider-Woman was climbing into his apartment window and was his very own daughter. Gwen didn't say anything as she walked into her room but her father noticed her and hurried after her but paused. "Hey, hey, hey." he said, faltering before speaking again. "How's the band?"

"Uh. . . Uh, yeah, great." Gwen said hesitantly before blurting out. "I quit so, you know. . ." George was shocked to hear that and muttered, "You did, huh?" while she said, ". . . Thumbs up." While holding a thumb's up before she walked to her room.

"Okay." George said, confused by that change but accepting it. He leaned into her doorway. "We, uh-- We caught a break in the Spider-Woman case."

"Oh." Gwen said stiffly, walking to the side of her room. "That's good."

"We're close. I'm telling you, I can feel it."

"Me too." Gwen remarked sarcastically. Granted, she's not exactly wrong.

"It'll be good for us." George said, ignoring the sarcasm. "Don't be so sure." she retorted as she stuffed her school backpack.

"She killed your friend." George said sternly. Gwen tried to hold her tongue but she slipped. "You don't know that."

"What do you mean? I do know that." George said, sounding a bit confused by his daughter's tone. "I was there. She ran from the scene."

"Maybe she didn't have a choice." Gwen said, trying to sound dismissive in a way that wasn't rude or too angrily.

"I got a job to do, Gwen." George spoke sternly. And that was it. One of the reasons Gwen hasn't told her father her identity as Spider-Woman besides her own guilt over Peter's death was how he'd react.

Her mouth opened and she snapped out of frustration. "It won't bring him back."

"Uh, I don't wanna argue about this, okay?" George said, trying to sound soft.

"Yeah, I can tell." Gwen said, looking away and out her window.

George fiddled where he stood. Silence passed over them for a short moment before he spoke again. "Say, uh, too punk Rock to give your old man a hug?"

And just like that, Gwen used a bit of her superhuman speed and slammed into her father's chest to hug him tightly. "Oh!" was all he said to convey his surprise. His posture softened and he hugged her back just as tightly.

A detail you need to understand about Earth 65 is that color shifts in people's perspective depending on their emotions.

For example, Gwen's hair and her skin were in depressing blue shades until she hugged her father right in this moment. And the world around looked like a peaceful white.

This tranquil moment was interrupted by George's police radio in his jacket. "All units, possible superhuman event." the transponder spoke up. "Guggenheim Museum."