Zendaya's "MJ": Future as a Comics Character?

[Hypestyle]

So, should the Zendaya movie character, Michelle "MJ" Jones, become a supporting character in the Spider-Man comics series?

If so, who should be a supporting character for?

Peter?
Miles
Ben?
Gwen? (on her world or 616?)
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There's an argument to be made that Michelle Jones’ emo-snarky character could be a relatively easy fit for Miles who is still in high school.
In comparison, the character would presumably have to be rebooted at least slightly to fit in better with the social worlds of adult Peter, as well as Ben Reilly.
Apart from that, if Michelle were placed more directly as a supporting character of Gwen Stacy, that would have interesting implications for Gwen’s college world (as well as being a refugee of her home Earth).

[Kevinroc]

The problem is this character uses the "MJ" nickname that is so closely associated with Mary Jane. She certainly isn't going to work as a supporting character for comics Peter. Or for Gwen (since Gwen also has her own Mary Jane in her supporting cast).

(There really should be a "none of the above" option. She is massively underdeveloped in the MCU. Disassociating her from Mary Jane sounds like nothing but trouble. And trying to bring MCU characters into the comics has never really worked.)

[Spiderfan001]

Not w/ that name.MJ is and always will be a Spider-man Peter character and won't last long anywhere else.
That and both Mary and Jane and Michelle are Peter characters in comics, and the MCU version is also Peter

And w/ how little development she has, I'll take the unmentioned none of the above option

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Sean pop up in Ahmed's run for Miles. He basically fulfills the MCU Flash role but better. So I'd do the same with Michelle but I feel like Barbara from Bendis's run fills her role so I'd just use her instead.

[Lukmendes]

Eh, she's MJ the producers decided to pretend for a while that she's not MJ, there's little point to bring an MJ counterpart to the comics when MJ is alive and dating Peter.

Plus, EmJay is already in 616, we don't want 616 to have too many MJs, do we? .

I'm not exactly opposed to it, but again, I don't see the point of bothering, and if they bother, really don't see why she should be around either Peter or Gwen, since they have MJs, Miles would likely sound like the most fitting choice, and if she's adapted to not be a love interest, and in that case she could be a supporting character for Ben, but either way, whatever.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

I doubt there are plans to import or create a Neo-MJ in comics, nor do I see it as likely. But who knows?

[Spiderfan001]

Eh, she's MJ the producers decided to pretend for a while that she's not MJ, there's little point to bring an MJ counterpart to the comics when MJ is alive and dating Peter.

Plus, EmJay is already in 616, we don't want 616 to have too many MJs, do we? .

I'm not exactly opposed to it, but again, I don't see the point of bothering, and if they bother, really don't see why she should be around either Peter or Gwen, since they have MJs, Miles would likely sound like the most fitting choice, and if she's adapted to not be a love interest, and in that case she could be a supporting character for Ben, but either way, whatever.

The idea that Miles will have the same name love interest as Peter is scary and funny to me

Also they are probably gonna ignore the whole emjay thing in the Gwen-verse, aren't they?

Barbara seems a great "MJ" for Miles IMO, and they were hitting it off before starling in Ahmed's run IIRC

[Lukmendes]

The idea that Miles will have the same name love interest as Peter is scary and funny to me

Even funnier if someone says near Peter that Miles is dating MJ .

Though they'd probably only reference "MJ" once in a while, but mostly call her "Michelle" or whatever.

Also they are probably gonna ignore the whole emjay thing in the Gwen-verse, aren't they?

Probably, it's a weird detail from a tie-in, and while the story ends with Gwen going back to the battle, she doesn't show up there, so it's pretty inconsequential, and Marvel is pretty ass at continuity, since editors don't exist and most writers don't care...

Basically, it'll be more surprising if the EmJay situation is referenced at all.

It's also weird that Gwen's teleporter wasn't really working, I think the tie-in was made before it was decided the comic was gonna be cancelled, because the teleporter not working, and EmJay still having something from Knull within her, yeah, sounds like those are plot points that would be dealt with later, but will most likely be ignored now.

Then again, even if Knull could still control EmJay, that's irrelevant, he's dead now, unless the original plan had Knull not dying at all and that ending would be used for something else eventually if he returned... Eh, I'm probably overthinking lol.

Barbara seems a great "MJ" for Miles IMO, and they were hitting it off before starling in Ahmed's run IIRC

Huh, if Miles has a love interest now, then Michelle being adapted anywhere is even less likely, and I already thought that her being adapted at all is unlikely, specially as a supporting character for someone who's not Peter lol.

[HypnoHustler]

No. No, why would she become a new character in the comics. She is MJ. People may not like this interpretation of MJ, but that’s who she is.

[Revolutionary_Jack]

No. No, why would she become a new character in the comics. She is MJ. People may not like this interpretation of MJ, but that’s who she is.

Exactly. Introducing a new character would be supremely dodgy on many levels because it would argue that Zendaya wasn't MJ, either in terms of representation or intention or allegory, or that MJ can only be white. If you introduce the character as a 616 love interest it creates an odd situation of Peter drawn to girls called MJ which would be hard to swing and it's more or less unnecessary. Introducing a MJ for Miles or other spiders creates an issue of them getting a love interest with the same initials as prime Spider-Man which would be cringe.

[Chris0013]

Where is the "Please, Dear God, no.." option?

[Frontier]

Did anyone ready that Spidey's School's Out mini that basically adapted her as Glory? Like, she looked exactly like the MCU but she was GG for Glory Grant .

[Ursalink]

Bad idea, honestly. But if they go that way, then I suppose "Michelle Jones" should be Miles' MJ. Otherwise, I can't see any future for the character.

[Digifiend]

Sean pop up in Ahmed's run for Miles. He basically fulfills the MCU Flash role but better. So I'd do the same with Michelle but I feel like Barbara from Bendis's run fills her role so I'd just use her instead.

That was actually the intention. MCU Peter is a composite character (his best friend Ned is a renamed Ganke). So it makes sense that Miles gets the characters based on MCU Flash and MJ (Sean and Barbara) added to his supporting cast. Barbara appears to have been downplayed though, to make way for Tiana/Starling, who is herself inspired by another MCU character (Liz, who in the MCU is related to Vulture).

[exile001]

Characters don't tend to transfer well from screen to page as so much is in the actor/actress' ability, mannerisms and general charisma. Zendaya is an absolute star and is doing incredible work both in the MCU and outside. Without the actress how much of cinematic MJ is left?

I'm sure there are better examples but my immediate go-to is the time Marvel decided to bring the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Absolute disaster!

Did you read where they eventually went with Coulson? Look what they did to my boy.