Thread Drift: Spider-Gwen VS Mary Jane

[Celgress]

I don't see the point if she's still going to be dead one way or another. Not much point in conflating the two Gwen's now other then to add to the revisionist history.

I think it could be to further cement her heroic status (as Ghost Spider) for other media interpretations, synergy and all that. Spider-Gwen is a cash cow for Marvel/Disney. This will likely offend many users here but kids today have no idea who MJ is but they do know who Gwen is (thanks to Ghost Spider) and that she even once dated Peter in the comics (which surprises me a bit).

[Kevinroc]

I think it could be to further cement her heroic status (as Ghost Spider) for other media interpretations, synergy and all that. Spider-Gwen is a cash cow for Marvel/Disney. This will likely offend many users here but kids today have no idea who MJ is but they do know who Gwen is (thanks to Ghost Spider) and that she even once dated Peter in the comics (which surprises me a bit).

Spider-Man for the PS4 sold over 13 million copies (as of August 2019).

[Spider-Tiger]

And let's not forgot the MCU films which feature MJ. And ITSV which had MJ as Peter's love Interest (albeit in a smaller role than Spider-Gwen.)

And going on sales AMJ #1 outsold GS #1. So no I doubt MJ is unknown or known less than Gwen.

[Kevinroc]

And let's not forgot MCU MJ.

Into the Spider-Verse leaned very heavily on Peter/MJ.

[Spider-Tiger]

Into the Spider-Verse leaned very heavily on Peter/MJ.

Edited my comment before I saw this, but yes that's true as well.

[Celgress]

Spider-Man for the PS4 sold over 13 million copies (as of August 2019).

Hey, I'm just telling you what I hear from kids I know. For example, the girls all want to be Spider-Gwen none of them want to be MJ.

[Kevinroc]

Hey, I'm just telling you what I hear from kids I know. For example, the girls all want to be Spider-Gwen none of them want to be MJ.

That's a different argument. But the idea that Spider-Gwen has supplanted OG Gwen is something that has been discussed before.

[VolcanikTiger86]

Hey, I'm just telling you what I hear from kids I know. For example, the girls all want to be Spider-Gwen none of them want to be MJ.

That has nothing to do with being more popular, with everything there is greater push for girls being top heroes so they may want to be Spider-Gwen but still like MJ. Hope I said that without offending anyone.

[Celgress]

That's a different argument. But the idea that Spider-Gwen has supplanted OG Gwen is something that has been discussed before.

How is it a different argument? I was talking about synergy and making OG Gwen make akin to Spider-Gwen because Spider-Gwen is insanely popular, especially with young people.

I'm going to say something that might blow your mind but we comic book fans (who follow the printed floppies religiously) are the MINORITY of Spidey IP fans (by a rather large margin). MJ is popular with us but not so much with other Spidey IP fans (which I've experienced first hand). She's seen as a Spidey girlfriend nothing more nothing less whereas Spider-Gwen is seen as a cool hero in her own right.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

MJ is insanely popular with us but not so much with other Spidey IP fans (which I've experienced first hand). She's seen as a Spidey girlfriend nothing more nothing less whereas Spider-Gwen is seen as a cool hero in her own right.

That's not exactly controversial, my dude.

Mary Jane is a supporting character, a very popular supporting character, and arguably the most prominent civilian character in Marvel comics (with only Jameson being a close contender). Quite obviously, that can't be graded on the same curve as an actual female heroine.

Spider-Gwen's popularity does not in any way diminish Mary Jane's. Quite the opposite. It just confirms that Gwen Stacy was never meant to be Peter's love interest, that she is most interesting apart from Peter (and Christos Gage's Gwen series set in a Pre-Peter era does not exactly counter that one jot).

And in any case, it's more than a little creepy to assume that the way too young Spider-Gwen would be any kind of romantic possibility for Peter or a rival to Mary Jane.

[Kevinroc]

How is it a different argument? I was talking about synergy and making OG Gwen make akin to Spider-Gwen because Spider-Gwen is insanely popular, especially with young people.

I'm going to say something that might blow your mind but we comic book fans (who follow the printed floppies religiously) are the MINORITY of Spidey IP fans (by a rather large margin). MJ is popular with us but not so much with other Spidey IP fans (which I've experienced first hand). She's seen as a Spidey girlfriend nothing more nothing less whereas Spider-Gwen is seen as a cool hero in her own right.

Because Spider-Gwen ≠ Civilian (or OG) Gwen.

[Celgress]

...And in any case, it's more than a little creepy to assume that the way too young Spider-Gwen would be any kind of romantic possibility for Peter or a rival to Mary Jane.

Okay, I never mentioned that but fine....

[Spider-Tiger]

I'm not following why this even became a discussion of Spider-Gwen's popularity v. MJ's popularity. Like maybe Marvel wants to make OG Gwen more heroic like Spider-Gwen. That's a valid point, but what does that have to do with Mary Jane?

That's not exactly controversial, my dude.

Mary Jane is a supporting character, a very popular supporting character, and arguably the most prominent civilian character in Marvel comics (with only Jameson being a close contender). Quite obviously, that can't be graded on the same curve as an actual female heroine.

Spider-Gwen's popularity does not in any way diminish Mary Jane's. Quite the opposite. It just confirms that Gwen Stacy was never meant to be Peter's love interest, that she is most interesting apart from Peter (and Christos Gage's Gwen series set in a Pre-Peter era does not exactly counter that one jot).

And in any case, it's more than a little creepy to assume that the way too young Spider-Gwen would be any kind of romantic possibility for Peter or a rival to Mary Jane.

Exactly. They're both popular in their own way and aren't directly comparable as they each fill a different niche. Spider-Gwen isn't a Peter Parker supporting character or love interest.

[Celgress]

Because Spider-Gwen ≠ Civilian (or OG) Gwen.

I think the character syngery is due to Disney. Disney wants the Marvel Office to make OG Gwen (retroactively) more like Spider-Gwen. They are blurring the lines because, well, OG Gwen is not as marketable.

[Chubistian]

I don't know how this discussion started and I don't get it's main point, but trying to add from what I've read so far in this thread: I think that a change in Gwen's original personality to something closer to Spider-Gwen's is influenced by the fact that Gwen died in 1973 and it's hard, or maybe even impossible, to tell new stories with her without she coming out as an anachronism if there aren't changes in her character. She also needs to become more heroic and proactive to hold a series with her as a protagonist. It's like when Bucky was brought back: he changed from a kid who uncovers Captain America's secret identity, to a underage soldier meant to become a symbol while doing the dirty work Steve didn't feel comfortable with. I still don't know what any of that has to do with MJ though