Happy Gwensday, everybody!

After three months of anticipation and fan-generated hype, the Spider-Woman of "Spider-Verse" has finally crawled out of the shadows. As of today, the Spider-Gwen hype has a kick-ass comic book to back it up, one that feels every bit as vibrant and vital as the preview art led us to believe it would. This is an exciting first issue for the new Spider-Woman (which is actually titled "Edge of Spider-Verse" and numbered #2, because comics have to be at least a little confusing for newcomers), but...what's next?

Before I focus on the future, I have to pay a little bit of attention to the issue that we all -- seriously, all of you need this issue -- now have in our hands. I've spent three months being pleasantly bombarded with Spider-Gwen appreciation art from both pros and fans on Tumblr, and I've seen cosplayers excitedly bring Robbi Rodriguez's Spider-Woman design to life. From my point of view, Gwen Stacy: Spider-Woman won the summer just as much as "Guardians of the Galaxy" and Iggy Azalea did. The issue -- written by Jason Latour, illustrated by Rodriguez, colored by Rico Renzi and lettered by Clayton Cowles -- lives up to the hype that I've hyped up in this article.

This issue would not have worked if Latour hadn't succeeded in the unenviable task of building up an entirely new alternate Marvel Universe and introducing a fully realized Spider-Gwen in just twenty pages. A two-page spread early in the issue recaps Gwen's previous adventures, as she's bitten by a radioactive spider, endures her own Uncle Ben-esque tragedy, and comes under fire from J. Jonah Jameson. After just three pages, we get who this Gwen Stacy is, and we understand why she's decided to use her powers to benefit people other than herself.

Latour, Rodriguez & Renzi Web-Swing Gwen Stacy Into "Spider-Verse"

The most brilliant thing about Latour's origin for Gwen is her relationship with Peter Parker. The original Marvel Universe Gwen Stacy is remembered for two things: being Peter Parker's girlfriend, and dying. The character has never been able to shake off those powerful traits. Gwen died in the early '70s, a time period when creators were just starting to entertain the notion of female independence. By the time writers felt like giving emotional depth and complexity to Spider-Man's girlfriend, Gwen had been dead for years and Mary Jane received that nuance. Finally, after being dead for forty-one years, this issue gives us a Gwen that is not defined by being a love interest and -- more importantly -- not dead. In fact, it's Peter Parker's death that acts as the catalyst for Gwen's heroism.

I have to praise Rodriguez and Renzi's artwork as a whole. These two collaborate on Vertigo's "FBP: Federal Bureau of Physics," and their artistic mindmeld continues in this issue. Rodriguez's art is frenetic (Gwen's drum solos) and patient (Gwen's rooftop brooding) when it needs to be, and it always crackles with energy. Much like the rock and roll played loudly by the Mary Janes, every chase, fight, and flip Rodriguez draws feels percussive and musical. Spider-Woman puts her drumming skills to work on Rhino's head and you feel it in your teeth. Similarly, Renzi's colors enhance every single panel -- specifically the skyline brooding scene. The modern energy Latour and Rodriguez worked into the story would have been lessened if they had been filtered through a traditional color scheme. Knowing that, Renzi's dazzlingly pop color work can't be praised enough. This book looks fresh because it's infused in the same colors currently being used in the music videos, ad campaigns, and fashion of 2014. The neon blue kicks Spider-Woman sports and her lime green spider-sense make this character feel like a hero for right now.

I'll admit this: I've never had a letterer cause me to do a double take. I was absolutely shocked to see that Clayton Cowles, the guy that letters at least a quarter of Marvel's output, had worked on this issue. Yeah, Spider-Gwen is so modern that even the lettering got a sleek, indie-feeling update, with the sharp balloon tails used in pretty much every Marvel comic ever replaced with smooth lines. The sound effects also got overhauled; every one of them pops in concert with Renzi's palette. In every single way, from the story to the lettering, this comic feels thoroughly 2014 in the best way possible.

So, what's next?

For the past three months, my Spider-Gwen gushing has actually been tempered by my uncertainty. After all, this is an alternate reality take on a character. There's been no guarantee that she would ever show up again after "Spider-Verse" -- or even after this issue. We now know, through solicitations and the teaser copy at the end of "Edge of Spider-Verse" #2, that this Spider-Woman has at least two more appearances coming up. She'll be in November's "Amazing Spider-Man" #9, and in December's "Spider-Verse Team-Up" #2. But after that, what's next?

The immediate and overwhelmingly positive response to Gwen Stacy: Spider-Woman had to have taken Marvel a bit by surprise. Marvel also had to have known what they were doing, too. They knew they had that costume design and this creative team before they made the announcement. They knew they were putting Gwen Stacy, a character that found a second -- albeit stupidly brief -- life on the big screen thanks to the fantastic Emma Stone, in a garage rock band. This comic feels every bit as tailor made for the taste-making Tumblr generation as DC's all-new take on Batgirl. Marvel knew they had a hit on their hands. So, again, what's next?

Marvel can't keep this character in limbo. This character rallied a rabid fanbase based off of a few preview pages and design sketches. There's a market for this character. Honestly, there's a need for this character. Her existence represents a joyous victory in place of comicdom's most notorious fridging. And, as far as we know, she's the only super hero -- definitely the only Spider hero -- in her universe. That's something that the main Marvel U Spider-Woman and Spider-Girl can't claim. I love Jessica Drew and Anya Corazon, but they will forever be second fiddle to Peter Parker, the super that rocked the "Spider" moniker first. This Spider-Woman gets to be the super hero of her own universe. That's a big deal.

Because of that, dragging this Gwen into the Marvel Universe proper would do her a great disservice. It would also do a disservice to the Gwen Stacy that died. Her death is actually one of the few in comics that both mattered and matters. Having a Gwen, even an alternate reality one, swinging around in the 616 would undermine her counterpart's important -- yet still trope-y -- death.

That's why Marvel needs to launch a "Gwen Stacy: Spider-Woman" ongoing series set in her home dimension. If you think that's a long shot, just remember that there's a precedent for pretty much this exact same thing. May "Mayday" Parker, the daughter of Peter and Mary Jane from an alternate future, debuted in "What If?" #105 back in 1998. This was intended to be a one-off story, but the fans demanded more -- through AOL message boards and letter writing, probably? By the end of 1998, Marvel launched "Spider-Girl," a series that would run in one form or another for over a decade. She even outlasted Marvel's attempt to build an entire universe around her with their MC2 line. Spider-Woman should follow in Spider-Girl's footsteps.

Marvel also should not feel pressured to build a line of titles around this one issue of "Edge of Spider-Verse." We don't need that, not yet at least. We just need more Spider-Gwen, and we need a comics publisher that isn't afraid to, well, pull an Archie. Yeah, Archie Comics. That company has been fearless when it comes to launching comics that follow alternate takes on their established stable of characters. Both "Life with Archie" and "Afterlife with Archie" have become colossal, news making hits for the company, and I've never heard anyone complain about the Archie continuity being too confusing to follow because of these self-contained parallel universe titles. Marvel should follow in Archie's footsteps.

I don't know what the future holds for the Gwen Stacy I met today. I do know that I want to hang out with her and her friends on a monthly basis -- or, more accurately for Marvel, a biweekly basis. The audience is there and precedents have been set, so hopefully we'll get a big announcement about the character's future soon. Until then, we have "Edge of Spider-Verse" #2, and it's awesome enough to keep me entertained while I wait for more.

Brett White is a comedian living in New York City. He co-hosts Matt & Brett Love Comics, writes for the sketch comedy podcast Left Handed Radio, and makes videos for the Upright Citizens Brigade as a member of UCB1. His opinions can be consumed in bite-sized morsels on Twitter (@brettwhite).