I thought Aunt May knowing the secret was one of the highlights of the JMS run. Besides, the MCU version is aware that her nephew is Spidey, and we all know how the comics like to imitate the film franchise.
Yes
No
Unsure/Don't Care
I thought Aunt May knowing the secret was one of the highlights of the JMS run. Besides, the MCU version is aware that her nephew is Spidey, and we all know how the comics like to imitate the film franchise.
"The White Queen welcomes you, TO DIE!"
Because:
There's only one new Spider-Man movie every 2 or 3 years. The movies only need concern themselves with whether something is a good plot development for 2 or 3 films. The Marvel Comics Spider-Man continuity has been running for over 56 years, with dozens of Spider-Man comics each year and no end in sight. They have to think long-term.
Of course she should know. More than a decade ago it was the status quo for her character across both 616 and Ultimate Universe. It also was a development in the Ultimate Spidey animated series, and the MCU May knows who he is. 616's ongoing allergy to actual growth and development is just comical now.
The last time they went down this road, they got one or two years of story out of Aunt May adjusting to the new information. Then it settled on May being supportive of Peter/Spider-Man, making his life easier, removing a source of conflict, weakening the divide between Peter's life and Spider-Man's life.
If May learns Spider-Man's secret identity again, do they repeat the "adjustment arc"? By the previously established rules of Doctor Strange's spell, she should regain her all memories of previously knowing who Spider-Man was, of already going through that arc. Do they do a different arc? Would it have the impact of the first time they did it? What is left when that arc is over? Does it enhance the conflicts of the series? Does it work as a story engine?
Well, we're already repeating decades of stories where Peter has to hide his identity from Aunt May, and that doesn't seem to be an issue. Why would repeating this beat be so detrimental?
"Peter hiding it from Aunt May" has been mined for all its worth. It boxes their relationship into a corner. As you point out "what happens after Aunt May knows?" hasn't been explored as much... which means it holds more potential for new and interesting directions.
Spider-Man from the beginning was exciting because it subverted the expected tropes of superheroes (we didn't see Superman or Batman sewing their costumes, etc) ... so why should a character built on being surprising be entirely predictable forever?
Yes! Yes! Yes! Honestly her not knowing doesn't make her more interesting. It's makes her being in the stories annoying IMO. Either let her know or write her out of the books. She's dead wieght from a storytelling perspective by not knowing at this point.
Can't this be said about every character? Should everyone in Peter's life know his secret identity?
They explored it pretty thoroughly. The transition period was the interesting part, where the drama was. After that transition period, it became a static status quo. Effectively, they'd traded one static status quo (May supports Peter, but doesn't know about his life as Spider-Man) for another static status quo (May supports Peter and his life as Spider-Man).
I don't think an "anything goes" approach is of value, especially in a series that's intended to last forever. A series has to be about something. If a change is to implemented, that would have long lasting ramifications, then it needs to be very carefully considered.
Would now even be a good time for this? Aren't they already doing a storyline where J Jonah Jameson knows Spider-Man's secret identity? Has that stopped being exciting already?
Just prior to OMD, that's what we got, and it led to some engaging stories.
That's not what we were getting though, the status quo was beginning to expand, Aunt May get to interact with Avengers, Jarvis in particular, you could easily have had May start up FEAST and other things while involved in the superhero community. That would have furthered the drama when you had to bring in Mr. Negative etcThey explored it pretty thoroughly. The transition period was the interesting part, where the drama was. After that transition period, it became a static status quo.
No, it's refreshing and plenty of good stories have come of it lately.Aren't they already doing a storyline where J Jonah Jameson knows Spider-Man's secret identity? Has that stopped being exciting already?