A creative enough team could move beyond MJ I think. I'm not saying it is ideal but it is better than what we have now. This frozen in amber relationship state is beyond stale. If Peter & MJ had never wed it would be tolerable, or if Big Joe had not told us fans why they must separate it would be okay, but, because both those things happened we all know there is no point to their relationship. This is the classic ruining a magic trick by showing the audience too much trope. Editorial wants desperately to go back to the Love Triangle Era(s) (PeterxGwenxMJ, or PeterxFeliciaxMJ) but there is no going back far too much has happened both on-screen and behind the scenes since then.
Last edited by Celgress; 01-24-2022 at 10:49 AM.
"So you've come to the end now alive but dead inside."
It's really the same with any relationship though, if Marvel don't want Spider-Man married because it ages him, no romantic couple will get to that point. So either a love interest is going to be not a serious one, or if it develops to as serious as MJ and she is somehow replaced with someone new and fans accept her as the new love of Peter's life, we'll be back in the exact same boat as Peter is with MJ.
Problem is and has been stated many times you can't move onto anyone else because it won't work out and will fail like it did during all the time after the fact. No matter who you try to pair Peter with they'll fail. So it's time to let him grow and let the other spider characters have that young group and edge Marvel wants
Indeed, I added this last part as you replied -
Editorial wants desperately to go back to the Love Triangle Era(s) (PeterxGwenxMJ, or PeterxFeliciaxMJ) but there is no going back far too much has happened both on-screen and behind the scenes since then. They want us to forgot what was said during the build-up to OMD, for example. Big Joe did those who followed him no favors by running his mouth to anyone who would listen at the time. OMD was NOT an organic development rather it was a mandated story to serve a "greater" purpose.
"So you've come to the end now alive but dead inside."
I'm sorry but they don't care, that is the brutal truth. We the comic book buying fans have bitched and moaned for 15 years now yet the marriage is no closer to being restored nor has man-child Peter been taken off the table. I'm sorry but we should not delude ourselves about our "power" to change things.
"So you've come to the end now alive but dead inside."
I really only believe there is a chance until the entire Marvel editorial ages out/retires and we get a new one. Then it's a coin toss because it depends who is in charge and what they think. The inevitable thing to happen in my mind is its going to become painfully obvious is that what they are currently doing with the character is a very stale and boring formula for both writer and fans. Again, it would have worked with a Spider-Man like Ben Reilly who doesn't have the baggage of having a well defined true love. But for Peter it is ingrained in the mythos that he has his MJ.
Last edited by Vortex85; 01-24-2022 at 11:03 AM.
I'm completely fine with this if it means Peter's relationship with MJ will also grow from where it was post wedding pre OMD but the cynic in me just doesn't believe it. If they get married again I fear they will tread water they already had for 20 years. And instead of having that I'd rather have new relationships explored even if none has the history MJ has.
That's the thing. It's not serious or maybe I should say not as serious as it could have been because marvel chickened out from making Peter a family man and messed up everything in the process and ever since then they are dragging their feet. Spencer's run is littered with clues that Peter and MJ will be a couple again yet nothing substantial came out of it and now they are gonna break up again if solicits are to be believed. At this point it's beating a dead horse. And if they get married again, and that's a big if, I don't want any more dead daughters, Norman's shananigans to mess with Peter's life, breakups, clone bs, stupid retcons etc. Just a happy Peter living with his family with occasional superheroics. Marvel showed superheroics and family can go together all the way back in silver age with F4.
Last edited by Doom'nGloom; 01-24-2022 at 11:27 AM.
I don't mind returning to the marriage with problems and Peter not being a father. That is my favorite status quo, so I'd be fine with that forever. They can bring back the Renew Your Vows or Spider-Girl (mayday) if they wanted in other titles for an older Peter who is a father. But I am actually in favor of Peter having a child too eventually in 616. I am also in favor of how it was before. Both marraige scenarios work for me. Both are superior to the current single Peter who can never marry the woman he loves and it never works out with anyone else thing.
That's a very good point about the larger superhero setting or genre in general, and why I appreciate that one comment Daredevil gives in his interaction with Iron Man in issue 22 of Chip Zdarsky's run, paraphrased: "You call it 'street-level,' I call it 'people-level.'"
The spider is always on the hunt.