What would you think if Peter and MJ were a couple again, but did not marry?

[Celgress]

The same can be said about the romantic aspirations of a lot of Marvel heroes.

While the Richards are safe because they're off the grid, and Peter and MJ still somewhat prevail through alternate realities, most if not all of the company's iconic pairings have been removed in the last ten to fifteen years, some even allowed to actually go through things like divorces. There's no real effort by the company to revisit any of these relationships (unless a writer is a big fan), and when they do, they go out of their way to make the pairings even worse off than they previously were and then instruct the readers through deconstruction not to bother investing in a reconciliation again

True, although I think 616 Spider-Man is the only character those in charge of Marvel have publically stated, on multiple occasions no less, can never get married. While it may be an unwritten rule for many other characters because it has never been stated so bluntly, there is always the possibility of an evolving romantic relationship in the minds of the readers. Unlike with Spider-Man, who is narratively hamstrung as a result.

[comicscollector]

It's not what they said, it's what they did. By breaking up Peter and MJ, they made it clear Peter's not going to be able to stay with anyone. If they didn't respect MJ, who was made by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and designed by John Romita, Sr, why would they respect any newcomer? What would make the newcomer special? Like I said, Carlie, Cindy, and Lian have already come and gone.

As for Rebecca, she a wannabe standup comedian who Peter's dating in the the Spectacular comic.

Thanks for the info in Spectacular Spider-Man everybody,i am just reading Amazing Spider-Man.

Anyways,by breaking up Peter and Mary Jane have nothing to do with how well the relationships can be written in the stories.
Thats my point.
Just because Peter and MJ broke up due Marvel decision after that same relationship being writen for twenty years in the Spidey stories,it actually helps my point that Marvel would make a relationship that is well writen to be in the stories.
Otherwise Peter and MJ relationship would not had lasted twenty years in the stories.
Saying that Marvel is against well writen and long relationships in their stories becaus of OMD,is the same as saying Marvel was against super heroes being single after publishing Amazing Spider-Man Annual#21,that had Peter and MJ marrying.
I rest my case.

[SilverWarriorWolf]

Thanks for the info in Spectacular Spider-Man everybody,i am just reading Amazing Spider-Man.

Anyways,by breaking up Peter and Mary Jane have nothing to do with how well the relationships can be written in the stories.
Thats my point.
Just because Peter and MJ broke up due Marvel decision after that same relationship being writen for twenty years in the Spidey stories,it actually helps my point that Marvel would make a relationship that is well writen to be in the stories.
Otherwise Peter and MJ relationship would not had lasted twenty years in the stories.
Saying that Marvel is against well writen and long relationships in their stories becaus of OMD,is the same as saying Marvel was against super heroes being single after publishing Amazing Spider-Man Annual#21,that had Peter and MJ marrying.
I rest my case.

I'm not saying they can't write good relationship stories. I think they can and they should. What I'm saying is that they won't. Can't says no ability, won't says no desire. Marvel has the ability to write good romantic relationships for Peter, but they don't have any desire to do so. They want to write him hopping from girlfriend to girlfriend, so they won't allow him to be serious with any of them.

They're against writing long relationships for him because it would mean they can't introduce a new original character (Carlie, Lian, Cindy, Rebecca, and Anna Maria, even though the last was SpOck's girlfriend) or crossover pairing (Carol and Bobbi). They'd have to choose one.

[Mister Mets]

Exactly the problem: all suspense has been removed from future romantic entanglements by this publicly announced policy. Any relationship 616 Peter partakes in is doomed to either failure or stagnation. As a result, storylines have been greatly restricted rather than expanded. Which is ironic considering one of the arguments postulated by those in charge of Marvel when they erased the marriage was the opposite would occur.

Wouldn't all suspense be removed by the restoration of the marriage as well?

[SilverWarriorWolf]

Wouldn't all suspense be removed by the restoration of the marriage as well?

In romance, yes, suspense would be removed, but it would lack the inevitable feeling of failure that breakup after breakup gives.

[Celgress]

Wouldn't all suspense be removed by the restoration of the marriage as well?

Nope, there are possibilities that certainly can be explored via the avenue of marriage RVY is proof of that. Also, note I actually think MJ is a weak choice for Peter's significant other (I greatly prefer a Spider-Gwen type version of Gwen or even in certain instances Felicia). Here are a few possibilities off the top of my head:

Peter and his Wife can have a kid
Peter and his Wife find out they can't have a kid and go through that challenge
Peter and his Wife can move to a different state or city to start fresh
Peter and his Wife can fight crime together (after Wife gains powers if she is not a superhero already)
Peter's Wife could want him to stop being Spider-Man and the tension that creates
A villain can go after Peter's Wife
A villain can replace Peter or his Wife to obtain revenge
Peter and his Wife can separate for awhile*
Peter or his Wife could get lost in another dimension for a while
Peter or his Wife could die for a while
Peter's Wife could grow jealous of a superhero, villain or another character who shows a romantic interest in his alter ego of Spider-Man creating a love triangle.
Peter could even have a Wife that doesn't know he is Spider-Man
One of the relatives of Peter's Wife could be a supervillain (like in Homecoming)

* I put "for a while" because nothing is forever in the world of comics.

Furthermore, my point wasn't all forms of suspense have been removed from the comics, rather suspense surrounding romantic relationships has been because of the current mandate.

[Spiderfang]

I know it's been a few years but that boat has up and sailed already. Marvel is capitalizing on vintage Peter Parker ala 60's Spider-Man when he was single and/or casually dating/flirting with people (i.e. Betty Brant). Honestly I'm not too broken up about it and I think Marvel could have ended the relationship with Peter & MJ a lot more adult and realistically rather than a magical monkey's paw wish from an evil djinn.

[WebLurker]

It doesn't affect newer readers as much. It will always have at least some effect, because the older stories are still available, and newer fans often interact with older fans.

Maybe, although even if they did encounter the old materials, I'm not sure how it would affect their views; they might see it as a different version from "their" version. Case in point, despite the character still being a big deal in the franchise's history, with a lot of backstories and whatnot, Gwen Stacy is not part of "my" Spider-Man, figuratively speaking (I know the character exists and can appreciate the importance on a mental level, but I don't really like her that much), and I don't really get the cult the character has established.

Moreover, Mary Jane still manages to maintain a fairly high profile in general, notwithstanding her marginalization these past ten years.

I find that a little more likely; I mean, the main reason I consider her to be a integral part of the franchise was because she was an important character in the original Raimi movies.

[Miles To Go]

Wouldn't all suspense be removed by the restoration of the marriage as well?

It depends whether or not you think at this stage of their lives they would have any tension. I think there's plenty to still explore, as you would have to factor in all the years they spent apart, all the years they were mean-spirited or distant to each other, and explore the possibility of how to overcome their trust issues going forward in their revitalized relationship. A renewing of vows so to speak

Or alternatively, you just reveal 616 Peter and MJ are corrupt time remnants and switch them out with the older RYV versions.

DC restored Superman's marriage and they're steadily beginning to introduce high stakes with the Mr. Oz revelations, promising that by the time the arc is over, you will be questioning the future of the family members.

The ASM newspaper comic has minimal tension, but it still finds creative ways of making you care about Peter and MJ's relationship. They had a whole trilogy in 2013 where Peter could not get back home due to being pulled away to Las Vegas, LA and then a foreign country, and in the current arc MJ was forced to carry on her promotional movie tour without her husband and couldn't make it back for Aunt May's wedding despite promising Peter she'd try.

[Vaegrin]

In romance, yes, suspense would be removed, but it would lack the inevitable feeling of failure that breakup after breakup gives.

This ... is not true. Marriage does not remove suspense in romance. Not at all.

Suspense in romance comes from the same fundamental place whether the characters are married or not. It comes from anything that threatens to keep the couples apart in some way. For example, see current issues of Aquaman.

Marriage does not prevent suspense, because any number of things may still threaten to keep the couple apart. The only limitation of marriage is that any suspense in the relationship will consistently involve the same two people. On the other hand, readers will likely be more invested in that case, and in light of the stronger commitment associated with marriage, the stakes will be higher whenever something threatens to keep the characters apart.

[Mister Mets]

This ... is not true. Marriage does not remove suspense in romance. Not at all.

Suspense in romance comes from the same fundamental place whether the characters are married or not. It comes from anything that threatens to keep the couples apart in some way. For example, see current issues of Aquaman.

Marriage does not prevent suspense, because any number of things may still threaten to keep the couple apart. The only limitation of marriage is that any suspense in the relationship will consistently involve the same two people. On the other hand, readers will likely be more invested in that case, and in light of the stronger commitment associated with marriage, the stakes will be higher whenever something threatens to keep the characters apart.

Will an audience that is aware that Peter Parker is unlikely to permanently find love really be convinced that anything might tear Peter and MJ apart?

[Vaegrin]

Will an audience that is aware that Peter Parker is unlikely to permanently find love really be convinced that anything might tear Peter and MJ apart?

Probably not. But that is a much less significant obstacle. I may know that they will be together in the end, but I do not know how it will happen, how long it will take, or what price will need to be paid. This is no different from most stories. In most blockbuster movies, everybody knows that the good guys are going to win. But how, and at what cost? How much will they suffer before the victory is won?

Moreover, have you ever read a book or watched a movie and found that it had a greater emotional impact the second time around? Uncertainty is powerful, but often overrated. Investment is far more important to suspense than uncertainty. It is possible to respond more powerfully to a story the second time around because, even though you know the outcome already, the prior viewing has instilled a stronger investment in the characters, enabling you to empathize with them more fully.

The foundation for suspense is not fear, but hope or desire. I may think that a character could really die, but it matters little unless I have a strong desire for the character to live. I may think that a couple might actually break up, but it is inconsequential unless I genuinely hope for the couple to stay together. As long as that investment is in place, there is a solid foundation for suspense. But if I know from the outset that a new romance is doomed to failure, it becomes much more difficult to persuade me to become invested in the first place.

[farmernudie]

Wouldn't all suspense be removed by the restoration of the marriage as well?

No, that's like saying all suspense is removed by allowing Peter Parker to have ANYTHING. Like having a job. Well now people won't be worried if he can FIND a job if he has one.
Or, oh Peter is dating now, now all suspense is removed on who he will date or if anyone will date him at all, so we can't let him date. I'm married and have been for 17 years and i can promise you i still have stories and suspense daily lol Having a job, a relationship etc should ENHANCE the story possibilities if anything.

The only time suspense is TRULY removed from a written character is when one announces before the stories happen, that there is a mandate publicly in place, that Peter Parker cannot ever ________ fill in the blank. The writers have then handcuffed the character from whatever it is he is not allowed to do.

[Scarlet Spider-Man]

I'm okay with any of the options honestly.

On a related note. The main problem for me isn't Peter's & MJ's marriage, or lack thereof, rather that Mephisto in essence won during OMD. Until that is reserved in some fashion, I'll also feel 616 Peter is not truly my Spider-Man.

This. The dissulotion of the marriage was only part of the problem.

[Scarlet Spider-Man]

Wouldn't all suspense be removed by the restoration of the marriage as well?

No, because there's always the chance that it could end again in the future.

I find that there's more anxiety in trying to maintain something than in acquiring it in the first place.