Aunt May needs to know Peter’s identity again

[TinkerSpider]

A key difference between the MCU and the comics that is being overlooked here is that the Spider-Man movies have been rebooted twice already. Tom Holland is under contract for a certain number of films, he will eventually age out of the role, whatever. Eventually there will be a fourth cinematic Spider-Man and no one will ask why his Aunt May is older and doesn't know his identity anymore.
Marvel has staunchly resisted doing a full scale continuity reboot of their comics universe. Letting May know Peter's identity in the comics may be well and good (I'm partial to the reveal in Amazing 400, where she admits she's known for a while) but when Marvel needed to undo her knowing they had to go to extreme lengths to make that happen: Norman Osborn hired an actress to play Aunt May; Doctor Strange had to mindwipe the entire world. And neither of those "undoing" stories is well regarded by fandom, so Marvel isn't as free as the Marvel Cinematic Universe is as far as continuity, since the MCU knows that they will be losing actors to other roles, or those actors will age out. Reboots are practically baked in. The comics are ostensibly telling one story with the same characters for sixty years. They aren't analogous situations.

Agree they're not analogous - my point, which I should made clearer, is that people who come to the comics from the movies may not necessarily consider "secret identity that isn't shared with anyone" as a must have core concept, as has been previously discussed. They're used to versions of the characters who don't strictly maintain one.

But I'd argue that there are no bad reboot stories, just bad story executions. Those stories aren't well-regarded because they're...not good. Same for OMD, which was another attempt to undo continuity. It's a bad story. But that doesn't mean reboots can't be involving, engaging stories that get the reader on the reboot's side.

The other way to solve for the future is to grow and nurture legacy characters to stand along and eventually carry the weight of the universe on a go forward basis. The MCU appears to be taking two simultaneous approaches to the problem of rebooting and thus running the risk of "invalidating" the movies that came before: 1) multiverse - exhibit A: No Way Home, and 2) legacy and/or next gen.

[Minerboh]

I do not believe she needs to know. She is fine as she presently is.
One positive I saw in the current Spider-Man comics in how much they improved her character.
From an annoying pest with obvious mental issues, she became an enjoyable, autonomous and cute supporter.

[Matt Rat]

From an annoying pest with obvious mental issues

Current Aunt May is an annoying pest with obvious mental issues (because she can't remember Peter's identity like she should)

[PCN24454]

Current Aunt May is an annoying pest with obvious mental issues (because she can't remember Peter's identity like she should)

I thought Norman was the annoying pest with Mental Health issues.

[Lunala]

.

There can be only one.

Can we stop referring to her as an annoying pest with mental health issues?

[Minerboh]

Current Aunt May is an annoying pest with obvious mental issues (because she can't remember Peter's identity like she should)

Well... At least current Aunt May finally anknowleldged Otto Octavious as a menace and FINALLY started to reconsider her POV regarding Spider-Man.
Plus, no offense intended but you people really need to get over the OMD thing.

[Minerboh]

There can be only one.

Can we stop referring to her as an annoying pest with mental health issues?

Trust me, I am trying but recently the first issues of ASM are on the process of being re-released in Greece and I have re red them.
I couldn't believe how much annoying she was back in the day and we haven't reached the Amnesiac Spider-Man storyline (the one with that nullifier device) in which May displays one of the most unbelievable behaviours to date by giving Dr Octopus a room to stay.
And, please, do not let me started with the wedding.

[Matt Rat]

Plus, no offense intended but you people really need to get over the OMD thing.

No offense taken...and no, most of us aren't going to 'settle'. Until OMD is fixed, nothing that happens to Spidey in this altered timeline matters.

[PCN24454]

No offense taken...and no, most of us aren't going to 'settle'. Until OMD is fixed, nothing that happens to Spidey in this altered timeline matters.

OMD got rid of changes that I disliked (Peter moving into Stark Tower, becoming a teacher), so it’s not all bad.

[The_Sneezing_Stormtrooper]

OMD got rid of changes that I disliked (Peter moving into Stark Tower, becoming a teacher), so it’s not all bad.

Peter was no longer living in Stark Tower when OMD hit. I believe he was staying in a motel. Also, the teacher thing could have easily been written out without a deal with the devil and breaking continuity. Wasn't worth throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

[TinkerSpider]

Well... At least current Aunt May finally anknowleldged Otto Octavious as a menace and FINALLY started to reconsider her POV regarding Spider-Man.
Plus, no offense intended but you people really need to get over the OMD thing.

No offense, but readers don’t have to do anything except engage with the story on their own individual terms, not anyone else’s.

And quite frankly, OMD not only breaks continuity but it breaks the central theme of the series. There is nothing more irresponsible than handing over to the Devil what the Devil wants. That’s not heroic, it’s what a weak-minded villain would do. Not to mention, it’s also willfully stupid to take Mephisto’s word at face value - dude is literally known as the Prince of Lies.

[Webhead]

Plus, no offense intended but you people really need to get over the OMD thing.

Speaking as someone who'd settle for it to be acknowledged, if not reversed, Marvel has been cashing on the OMD disgust up to this day (Spencer's run, RYV), so it's not exactly fair for them to expect people to be over it when they themselves clearly aren't.

[Huntsman Spider]

Peter was no longer living in Stark Tower when OMD hit. I believe he was staying in a motel. Also, the teacher thing could have easily been written out without a deal with the devil and breaking continuity. Wasn't worth throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

No offense, but readers don’t have to do anything except engage with the story on their own individual terms, not anyone else’s.

And quite frankly, OMD not only breaks continuity but it breaks the central theme of the series. There is nothing more irresponsible than handing over to the Devil what the Devil wants. That’s not heroic, it’s what a weak-minded villain would do. Not to mention, it’s also willfully stupid to take Mephisto’s word at face value - dude is literally known as the Prince of Lies.

Pretty much these, especially the second. Hell (pun intended), just look at how taking the Devil at face value worked for Johnny Blaze. It's only by authorial and editorial fiat that similar levels of misery haven't been heaped on Spider-Man by now . . . or maybe with Zeb Wells's current run . . . they already are.

[Minerboh]

I reply to all the users that had replied to my Get Over the OMD.

I never said OMD was something good that have happened. It shouldn't had happened but it did happened.
Personally I never thought (and I beleve most of the readers) Spencer would reverse it. It would be too much daring and Spencer, after the HydraCap fiasco is not the one to take such risk.

Suppose they do reverse it. Then what? They erase a decade's worth of storylines that took place in the BND and beyond and put Spidey back in the tough position (time travel?) or leave him in his present spot only with MJ as his wife? That would made an even more frustating mess than the one OMD caused.

As for May learning his identity again... I do not know. And then what will happen? A new major event that will rock the MU and make Peter's family a target by all of his rogue gallery again forcing Peter to make a new stupid desicion, deal, whatever?
As for Marvel trolling us with whenever they reverse the OMD or not, I strongly believe that it's because we keep bringing the issue over and over and over. If we stop (the way we stop demanding Jean Grey back), who knows, they might do it (it will require one hell of a writter though).

At this point, I believe that Peter should marry... or try to marry MJ again and start over from scratch. Not reverse a storyline just to make Peter and MJ two get back together.

[Lukmendes]

Plus, no offense intended but you people really need to get over the OMD thing.

I doubt fans would get over OMD so soon even if Marvel undoes it (And conveniently lets Spidey keep his secret identity) lol.

Trust me, I am trying but recently the first issues of ASM are on the process of being re-released in Greece and I have re red them.
I couldn't believe how much annoying she was back in the day and we haven't reached the Amnesiac Spider-Man storyline (the one with that nullifier device) in which May displays one of the most unbelievable behaviours to date by giving Dr Octopus a room to stay.
And, please, do not let me started with the wedding.

She had an alright moment in ASM#18 with her speech about Parkers not giving up, but uh, yeah, that was the one time, she's mostly just annoying back then lol.

I reply to all the users that had replied to my Get Over the OMD.

I never said OMD was ssomething good that have happened. It shouldn't had happened but it did happened.
Personally I never thought (and I beleve most of the readers) Spencer would reverse it. It would be too much daring and Spencer, after the HydraCap fiasco is not the one to take such risk.

Making Hydra Cap to begin with was a far bigger risk lol.

Plus, even if he wanted to, Marvel editorial just won't mess with OMD, they respect it too much.

As for Marvel trolling us with whenever they reverse the OMD or not, I strongly believe that it's because we keep bringing the issue over and over and over. If we stop (the way we stop demanding Jean Grey back), who knows, they might do it (it will require one hell of a writter though).

I mean, the whole situation is their fault, make a stupid story, fans will whine about it, keep dangling it once every few years and make fans hope they'll undo or acknowledge it, they don't do either, and fans will have more reasons to whine lol.

It's Marvel's fault to begin with, they're the ones constantly poking at that wound with a stick covered in salt, so it's no wonder fans will keep having reasons to remain butthurt.