Originally Posted by
Lee
If they did a reboot of the Marvel comics universe then it wouldn't be in continuity with the movies. If it was, then they wouldn't be able to re-introduce classic villains, because the movies would have first dibs on them. They wouldn't be able to do any soap opera with the existing characters, lest they contradict upcoming movies. Anything they did do in the comics wouldn't be referenced in the movies/TV shows, because only a tiny fraction of the audience will have read them. It's not going to happen. It would be a logistical nightmare.
They should always be adding new characters to the supporting cast and keeping the soap opera fresh. Especially characters that aren't super heroes or super villains. Who are Peter's friends these days? His neighbors? His rivals? His classmates? His co-workers? There's room for more characters, more stories, especially as some of the most famous characters (Gwen, Harry, Flash) have been written out of the series.
As for Batman, his civilian supporting cast is practically non-existent these days.
They might take issue if Marvel introduced a white Mary Jane Watson into the MCU. I don't think they'd take that same issue if Michelle Jones was introduced in the comics. Nobody made that complaint about Samuel L Jackson's Nick Fury or Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie when the comics introduced new versions to reflect the movies.
The situation sucks. Young girls who identified with Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane Watson got Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, the Mary Jane novels and Ultimate Spider-Man as their gateway into the publishing side of Marvel, featuring a recognisable version of that character. If they then moved onto the main series comics of that era, that Mary Jane wasn't too many steps removed.
Young girls who identify with Zendaya's Michelle Jones/MJ get nothing.