Is It Time....

[Lee]

You did say "continuing to portray her as". If she's currently being portrayed well, then there's nothing to fix.

[Frontier]

You did say "continuing to portray her as". If she's currently being portrayed well, then there's nothing to fix.

Well, yeah, they're writing her like I said would be the better alternative then continuing the old portrayal .

[gregpersons]

You did say "continuing to portray her as". If she's currently being portrayed well, then there's nothing to fix.

We have seen at least 3 continuities (pre-OMD, Ultimate, and MCU) where May knows, and in each of those, the dynamic between Peter and May is a million times more interesting.

There isn't a good argument AGAINST telling May, other than "that's how it is." There isn't enough story potential in "oh no I have to hide this from Aunt May" compared to the conversations they could be having.

It's understandable when he's a teenager, I guess, but I think Peter looks like a selfish ass if he is a grown adult and still keeping this a secret from someone he supposedly loves.

[JTait]

She should either find out, or be killed off. Without either of these things happening, the character is no longer interesting enough to be worth keeping around.

[PCN24454]

She should either find out, or be killed off. Without either of these things happening, the character is no longer interesting enough to be worth keeping around.

That’s really annoying logic, as it implies that pshe and by extension none of the Spider-Man characters have lives outside of Peter which is boring and degrading.

[JTait]

That’s really annoying logic, as it implies that pshe and by extension none of the Spider-Man characters have lives outside of Peter which is boring and degrading.

I don't think that I'm implying anything of the sort. I just think that the character doesn't really have anywhere to go at this point unless she finds out Peter's secret identity. I am tired of seeing retreads of the same old storylines every few years, and I would honestly rather see more interesting supporting characters given page time.

I will always be fond of her, but Aunt May has had plenty of storylines devoted to her where other characters like Betty Brant and Liz Allen (literally the first two names that popped into my head) have remained relatively underdeveloped.

I don't think that she was missed at all when she was killed off for a few years in the 90's. It was a truly dreadful decision to bring her back from the dead.

[PCN24454]

I don't think that I'm implying anything of the sort. I just think that the character doesn't really have anywhere to go at this point unless she finds out Peter's secret identity. I am tired of seeing retreads of the same old storylines every few years, and I would honestly rather see more interesting supporting characters given page time.

I will always be fond of her, but Aunt May has had plenty of storylines devoted to her where other characters like Betty Brant and Liz Allen (literally the first two names that popped into my head) have remained relatively underdeveloped.

I don't think that she was missed at all when she was killed off for a few years in the 90's. It was a truly dreadful decision to bring her back from the dead.

I liked her best when she actually had friends to converse with like at the Senior Center or when she was working at F.E.A.S.T. I think the real disservice to her character is that for all she does, she will only ever be seen as Peter's aunt. Well that and the fact that much of post-OMD Spider-Man was a retreading of previous storylines.

I'm not really arguing against putting her on the back burner though. It's just what happens to characters.

[Lee]

Well, yeah, they're writing her like I said would be the better alternative then continuing the old portrayal .

I've not kept up with the series in recent months. So she knows Spider-Man's secret identity again?

What's this thread about then?

There isn't a good argument AGAINST telling May, other than "that's how it is." There isn't enough story potential in "oh no I have to hide this from Aunt May" compared to the conversations they could be having.

May finding out, and trying to come to terms with it is interesting. After she's come to terms with it, it ceases to be interesting. It diminishes the double life of Peter Parker/Spider-Man.

The interesting part has already been done, and it was eventually reverted for a reason.

[gregpersons]

May finding out, and trying to come to terms with it is interesting. After she's come to terms with it, it ceases to be interesting. It diminishes the double life of Peter Parker/Spider-Man.

The interesting part has already been done, and it was eventually reverted for a reason.

If it is so uninteresting and diminishing, why did Marvel decide to have Aunt May know his identity in the MCU? Because hiding the ID is a boring, outdated trope -- with a bad message, no less -- compared to the story potential of having Aunt May be Peter's Alfred/Jarvis like confidante.

[PCN24454]

If it is so uninteresting and diminishing, why did Marvel decide to have Aunt May know his identity in the MCU? Because hiding the ID is a boring, outdated trope -- with a bad message, no less -- compared to the story potential of having Aunt May be Peter's Alfred/Jarvis like confidante.

That’s an even worse idea.

Would you bring your mom to work with you?

[gregpersons]

That’s an even worse idea.

Would you bring your mom to work with you?

How did you make that leap? Are Alfred and Jarvis often in the field with Batman and Iron Man?


Edit: Here's what I'm proposing. Aunt May should have a life besides "worrying about Peter" and "being lied to by Peter." Her character is at her most interesting when she's independently involved in helping -- like with FEAST, which is a good development for her -- and when she can offer a legitimate and different POV to Peter's activities (as she did in Ultimate and the JMS run after she found out and came to terms with it).

[Tuck]

but I think it is time to have Aunt May "Sleep With The Fishes."

You want them to dump her body in the East River?

That’s really annoying logic, as it implies that pshe and by extension none of the Spider-Man characters have lives outside of Peter which is boring and degrading.

Degrading? Huh?

[Snoop Dogg]

May knowing or not doesn't really affect her much but if writers start making her stories all about her in relation to Peter's life and don't do anything with her established character of independently looking for ways to help people, then that's the fault of those writers and not the decision to let her know again.

[Frontier]

May knowing or not doesn't really affect her much but if writers start making her stories all about her in relation to Peter's life and don't do anything with her established character of independently looking for ways to help people, then that's the fault of those writers and not the decision to let her know again.

I would say it affects her a lot since it can change so much about her dynamic with Peter and how she relates to him as, basically, his mother.

[vhm74]

I say yes. And she should know she has a niece, too.