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

[Jman27]

Do they really, though?

Maybe if current comic aunt May looked like Marisa I can probably buy the multiple love interest she has.

[marhawkman]

Maybe if current comic aunt May looked like Marisa I can probably buy the multiple love interest she has.

yeah.... comic Aunt May is traditionally drawn to look more like Pete's grandmother than aunt. Marisa is in her 60s though... soo... she's actually the right age.

[NC_Yankee]

Maybe if current comic aunt May looked like Marisa I can probably buy the multiple love interest she has.

Especially Otto trading Anna Maria for Aunt May.

[Kevinroc]

Do they really, though?

It's kind of the same thing as Zendaya as "MJ". I imagine most people just see her as Zendaya.

yeah.... comic Aunt May is traditionally drawn to look more like Pete's grandmother than aunt. Marisa is in her 60s though... soo... she's actually the right age.

Tomei's 57.

[Lukmendes]

Easier to explain I guess, even if it's really basic.

"This Spider-Girl is the daughter of Spider-Man who retired".

"This Spider-Girl is Peter with the opposite sex"

It's only slightly longer lol.

Technically, DC made Superman's son bisexual. And I think a lot of the headlines around it specified that it's the kid, and not Clark Kent/Kal-El this is happening to, so the backlash was significantly reduced. If they'd done it to the original Superman, all hell would have broken loose!

News use clickbait a lot, I'm pretty sure the headlines would say it's Superman, but the article itself would say it's his son, which, even if it's cleared up on the article, the clickbait did its thing.

That wouldn't fit the continuity of the comics, without getting into super science, magic etc. to literally de-age her. It's better to have a grounded supporting cast that doesn't get too involved in those things.

Aunt May already got de-aged anyways lol.

That wouldn't fit the continuity of the comics.

It wouldn't work to say Spidey was kissing Stark's ass since he was a teen, but JMS made Spidey into Stark's protégé despite Spidey starting first, so...

Maybe if current comic aunt May looked like Marisa I can probably buy the multiple love interest she has.

To be fair, aunt May never looked bad for someone her age, nowadays she looks even better, maybe some can even say she's a GILF .

[Lee]

Millions of people see Marisa Tomei as Aunt May, but the comics shouldn't try to replicate that?

I explained this in my post. One is easy to do naturally within the framework of the comics continuity, the other isn't.

These whataboutisms aren't relevant to Michelle appearing in the comics. To introduce Michelle all they need to do is introduce Michelle. She would be an addition to the comics mythology, not an alteration.

[Kevinroc]

I explained this in my post. One is easy to do naturally within the framework of the comics continuity, the other isn't.

These whataboutisms aren't relevant to Michelle appearing in the comics. To introduce Michelle all they need to do is introduce Michelle. She would be an addition to the comics mythology, not an alteration.

You're already arguing into altering the intent of the films to introduce "Michelle" into the comics. So I'm trying to figure out what the line is.

[NC_Yankee]

I explained this in my post. One is easy to do naturally within the framework of the comics continuity, the other isn't.

These whataboutisms aren't relevant to Michelle appearing in the comics. To introduce Michelle all they need to do is introduce Michelle. She would be an addition to the comics mythology, not an alteration.

Here is my question? What do you want to do with Michelle? If you want her in Miles comic I have absolutely no problem with that. But if she is used as a “Trojan Horse” to return Peter to High School in the comics and ( or) replace Mary Jane then I say no thank you. I can tell you I am not reading for even following a comic with a never ending Peter in High School never growing up and never growing old.

[marhawkman]

Here is my question? What do you want to do with Michelle? If you want her in Miles comic I have absolutely no problem with that. But if she is used as a “Trojan Horse” to return Peter to High School in the comics and ( or) replace Mary Jane then I say no thank you. I can tell you I am not reading for even following a comic with a never ending Peter in High School never growing up and never growing old.

Yeah, really. That's a HUGE question really. there's a reason why most alt-U characters are never seen again.

[Starrius]

yeah.... comic Aunt May is traditionally drawn to look more like Pete's grandmother than aunt. Marisa is in her 60s though... soo... she's actually the right age.

Marisa Tomei is not in her 60s yet.
She just turned 57 on December 4th.
She was born on December 4, 1964 in Brooklyn, New York

I was surprised that they went a bit younger and Italian with May Parker.

I thought she was gorgeous since I watched her in My Cousin Vinny in the Alameda Naval Station theater back in 1992.
She looked great in every outfit that she wore in that movie.
She won an oscar for her role in the movie.

[Lee]

You're already arguing into altering the intent of the films to introduce "Michelle" into the comics. So I'm trying to figure out what the line is.

It's a case by case basis, like it's always been. If Marvel has the rights to the character of Michelle Jones, then she would be easy to introduce into the comics as a separate character, since she has a different name, appearance and personality to Mary Jane Watson.

But if she is used as a “Trojan Horse” to return Peter to High School in the comics

Introducing a new character won't make Peter a teenager again.

[Kevinroc]

It's a case by case basis, like it's always been. If Marvel has the rights to the character of Michelle Jones, then she would be easy to introduce into the comics as a separate character, since she has a different name, appearance and personality to Mary Jane Watson.

She was never once called "Michelle Jones" in the movies, and once she was called "MJ", that is all they ever called her in FFH (and in the NWH trailers).

[Lee]

She was never once called "Michelle Jones" in the movies, and once she was called "MJ", that is all they ever called her in FFH (and in the NWH trailers).

Her name is Michelle. The Jones surname is behind the scenes trivia. We see the name Michelle on her passport in Far From Home. That is the character's name. Her nickname is MJ.

The comics already have another character, Mary Jane Watson, with the nickname MJ. If Michelle Jones was introduced into the comics, they would have two options:

1. Make her and Mary Jane having the same nickname a running gag
2. Just call her Michelle Jones

The second is the simplest solution. That's adaptation. It's not going to be 1:1 the same character as the movies, just like Nick Fury Jr. isn't 1:1 the same Nick Fury as the movies. It would be a version that fits into the universe and continuity of the comics, whilst still being largely recognisable.

Putting a character named Michelle into a Spider-Man comic isn't the insurmountable task you're making it out to be. Any potential difficulties would come more from the legal side and Sony's involvement, not the logistics of being able to fold her into the setting of the comics.

Another option, as I mentioned earlier, would be to launch a "Spider-Man Loves MJ" comic for the 2020s, set outside of the main continuity and using Michelle. I think they should do both.

[Kevinroc]

Her name is Michelle. The Jones surname is behind the scenes trivia. We see the name Michelle on her passport in Far From Home. That is the character's name. Her nickname is MJ.

The comics already have another character, Mary Jane Watson, with the nickname MJ. If Michelle Jones was introduced into the comics, they would have two options:

1. Make her and Mary Jane having the same nickname a running gag
2. Just call her Michelle Jones

The second is the simplest solution. That's adaptation. It's not going to be 1:1 the same character as the movies, just like Nick Fury Jr. isn't 1:1 the same Nick Fury as the movies. It would be a version that fits into the universe and continuity of the comics, whilst still being largely recognisable.

Putting a character named Michelle into a Spider-Man comic isn't the insurmountable task you're making it out to be. Any potential difficulties would come more from the legal side and Sony's involvement, not the logistics of being able to fold her into the setting of the comics.

Another option, as I mentioned earlier, would be to launch a "Spider-Man Loves MJ" comic for the 2020s, set outside of the main continuity and using Michelle. I think they should do both.

If your argument is she isn't "MJ" because of a brief look at a passport (we're talking a second or two at most) in FFH, that isn't much of an argument. For all intents and purposes, her name is "MJ". And a character with the name "MJ" in a Spider-Man story carries a lot of weight.

The reveal of the "MJ" name was a part of the climax of "Homecoming", and was used exclusively in FFH when other characters spoke to, or referred to, her. This was their way of trying to surprise audiences with their casting decision. This was their take on the "Face it, tiger" reveal.

You're arguing that Zendaya isn't playing the iconic Spider-Man love interest when you argue that her character should be disassociated from "MJ" despite the clear intention of the actors, writers, producers, and director of these films.

https://twitter.com/zendaya/status/1140799108841689088

Zendaya even tweeted this just a little while before the release of FFH. She knew exactly what she was doing. Her intentions are unambiguous.

[Mistah K88]

Say MCU MJ is brought into comics… how long is the shelf life for a supporting civilian character from outside the Lee-Ditko-Romita era? They don’t become mainstays of the series too often do they?