Mary Jane Watson-Parker Appreciation 2023

[Lukmendes]

Because that worked so well last time. Wait, it didn't.

Maybe the second time is the charm .

Cyclops and Spider-Man have a surprising lot in common after putting some thought into it, particularly with regards to how they both suffer from a rather severely overdeveloped sense of responsibility and moral obligation, influenced by their father figures, that has driven wedges between them and their loved ones. Of course, the major difference between them is that while Peter can theoretically throw out the costume and live a somewhat normal life, Scott doesn't have that option because he'd be hated and targeted --- not only by supervillains --- for being a mutant, anyway. Plus, they both have redheads as their most iconic and well-known love interests, respectively, to keep this soliloquy somewhat relevant to this thread.

And it's also interesting to note how they contrast with each other, 'cause their attitudes are night and day when the situation isn't tense, and when it gets tense they still are different, since Cyke has a slightly better handle of his emotions

No, not at all. They had to reveal she was alive all along and had just been kidnapped by some telepathic stalker obsessed with stealing Peter Parker's life barely a year later.

And even the page that has the plane exploding has a door being dropped off, to imply MJ is still alive, even Byrne was smart enough to notice that killing MJ is a bad idea lol.

Wonder what they think would be so "shocking" about killing her when that's what everyone thinks would happen. Just get this over with and stop wasting people's time.

If it is her it's not surprising they would hype it as being surprising, companies do that a lot lol.

They just don't know how to write her and therefore always look for any excuse to either not have her around in general or not be around Peter somehow. That's all this "mystery" and "husband and kids" stuff is about, yet another hollow plot device to attempt to keep her away from him as long as possible because they don't know to write them together. And they know that as long as she is around in some capacity, they'd have no choice but to inevitably have them back together at some point again. It's laughably pathetic how far they went this time around, now she has kids, now she is "like a sister" to him and they still know none of that would make any difference a few years from now. So maybe this time they finally threw in the towel and decided to kill her off "for good", which would basically be an admittance of their incompetence.

It's not even a case of knowing how to write them together or not (Which, Wells probably doesn't, but he's just one writer), they're basically repulsed by the idea of Spidey having a serious love interest, and they likely make MJ pay for it since she's not the star of the comic, so she can get fucked over more.

If I'm right, it means MJ represents what they detest about ASM, and they make her pay for it, which's hilariously childish and fanfiction-tier of lack of maturity and bad writing.

[WebLurker]

They just don't know how to write her and therefore always look for any excuse to either not have her around in general or not be around Peter somehow. That's all this "mystery" and "husband and kids" stuff is about, yet another hollow plot device to attempt to keep her away from him as long as possible because they don't know how to write them together. And they know that as long as she is around in some capacity, they'd have no choice but to inevitably have them back together at some point again. It's laughably pathetic how far they went this time around, now she has kids, now she is "like a sister" to him and they still know none of that would make any difference a few years from now. So maybe this time they finally threw in the towel and decided to kill her off "for good", which would basically be an admittance of their incompetence.

Maybe the second time is the charm .

Frankly, I think, this many years down the road, Peter/MJ has become too integral a piece of the franchise for this to work (could be wrong, but, while enough fans seem to be putting up with the OMD retcon for Marvel to back down, I really doubt that trying to get rid of MJ for good will be accepted; Peter/MJ is one of the most popular comic book couples of all time).

If this's indeed Marvel's intent to kill her off, I guess it'll remain to be seen what method there is or is not to their madness; knowing why will give us a better picture of things (e.g. is this Wells just wanting this for his own vision of his story, is Marvel trying to erase MJ so they can try to get past the backlash and rejection of not wanting a fan-favorite element of the franchise around, or what?).

Do have to say that it's a really odd situation of a company seeming to hate, resent, or whatever, one of their most successful products. Kinda have to laugh at the absurdity of it al

[Kevinroc]

I'm thinking the reveal is going to be that MJ never did anything against Peter, but she had to break his heart for reasons that she thought were for his own good and the good of the world. That would make the situation "tragic," which is what Editorial wants out of this. I don't think this was necessarily the idea when they started out (but I don't think they had an idea when they started out), but this is what they settled on.

They really should have plotted this all out. Maybe then he execution wouldn't have been completely awful.

(Also, she and Paul aren't actually a thing. They just wanted to make it look like they were as part of said reasons.)

[twobit]

The real MJ was in The new Kraven series where Peter and MJ are married and having a kid…that was the Spider Man I know and love

[K7P5V]

Carlos Gomez drawing MJ-Spinneret is very welcome, in my book.

LOL! Carlos Gomez drawing anything that has to do with MJ is always welcome...

[Lukmendes]

Frankly, I think, this many years down the road, Peter/MJ has become too integral a piece of the franchise for this to work (could be wrong, but, while enough fans seem to be putting up with the OMD retcon for Marvel to back down, I really doubt that trying to get rid of MJ for good will be accepted; Peter/MJ is one of the most popular comic book couples of all time).

Again, it wouldn't really work because of other media to begin with lol.

MJ is that kind of character who's a known name for the franchise even if adaptations about her are mostly half assed, so she can be written as a nothing character like Gwen Stacy, but she will be around just because Mary Jane is a known name.

Not that MJ getting half assed adaptations is a good thing (I'm even kinda annoyed Sam Raimi's version is so known when her character is pretty eh), but again, she's a known name to the point that her exclusion can be pretty noticeable lol.

Hell I even have a cousin who knows nothing of comic books, or even Spider-Man in general, and she refuses to call Michelle by her name, and calls her "Mary Jane".

If this's indeed Marvel's intent to kill her off, I guess it'll remain to be seen what method there is or is not to their madness; knowing why will give us a better picture of things (e.g. is this Wells just wanting this for his own vision of his story, is Marvel trying to erase MJ so they can try to get past the backlash and rejection of not wanting a fan-favorite element of the franchise around, or what?).

Honestly, at this point I don't even care that much about why they do it.

Like, only in a ridiculous case like aliens invaded Earth because they detested Spidey getting married and Quesada decided to sully his name by being known as the guy who caused OMD to happen, to stop this secret alien invasion, that I would actually care that much about the why, but since it's not the case, does it really matter why they do it? If it's a misguided attempt at improving ASM, or some higher up who hates redheads, or whatever else, the result is, getting runs like this.

Do have to say that it's a really odd situation of a company seeming to hate, resent, or whatever, one of their most successful products. Kinda have to laugh at the absurdity of it al

Right? On the super-hero setting, the only love interest who's possibly more popular than MJ is Lois Lane, and that's huge.

Now, also keep in mind that MJ is not just a love interest, but also a pretty good character on her own, I'm sure there are plenty of companies who would literally kill to have a character as iconic and interesting as MJ, and Marvel would rather throw this character in the garbage can.

They really should have plotted this all out. Maybe then he execution wouldn't have been completely awful.

With how Zeb Wells has shown how much he respects MJ, I have my doubts.

(Also, she and Paul aren't actually a thing. They just wanted to make it look like they were as part of said reasons.)

Is this denial? Lol.

LOL! Carlos Gomez drawing anything that has to do with MJ is always welcome...

Oh hey, I didn't see the first two before.

[Agent Z]

Cyclops and Spider-Man have a surprising lot in common after putting some thought into it, particularly with regards to how they both suffer from a rather severely overdeveloped sense of responsibility and moral obligation, influenced by their father figures, that has driven wedges between them and their loved ones.

Don't forget having been targeted by mad scientists who specialize in cloning, having dated women that have been both heroes and villains, and frequently having their previous love interest get killed off or turned into a worse person so they can get with a new one.

Remember when Marvel tried to kill off MJ and then undid that decision due to how unpopular it was? They did the same thing with Jean Grey, except it was arguably more successful that time since it took 13 years for her to come back.

I used to feel bad for Gwen Stacy fans. Now I envy them.

[dornwolf]

LOL! Carlos Gomez drawing anything that has to do with MJ is always welcome...

One thing MJ has going for her is that no other love interest, not just Spider-man, but comics in general get this level of art. Lois Lane doesn’t even. Or maybe I’m just not looking

[Jman27]

One thing MJ has going for her is that no other love interest, not just Spider-man, but comics in general get this level of art. Lois Lane doesn’t even. Or maybe I’m just not looking

Yeah your not looking

[Kevinroc]

With how Zeb Wells has shown how much he respects MJ, I have my doubts.

I did say "maybe," lol.

Is this denial? Lol.

It's just a thought on how they can make MJ's actions actually sympathetic in all of this. This is probably the simplest way to do so given everything that has happened to this point. But it's clear they didn't plot anything out and this is all going to be thrown together at the last minute. Maybe I'll be way off-base with all of this.

[Frontier]

LOL! Carlos Gomez drawing anything that has to do with MJ is always welcome...

Every time I come into this thread and see some Carlos Gomez art, I smile.

One thing MJ has going for her is that no other love interest, not just Spider-man, but comics in general get this level of art. Lois Lane doesn’t even. Or maybe I’m just not looking

You should check out the latest Superman run (and I mean that seriously, it's good stuff).

[Kevinroc]

So I'm gonna guess that MJ's power watch device was created by Paul (or Post-Apocalyptic Paul if they aren't the same guy).

(We really had two stories involving MJ and the X-Men in one year and nothing ties them together.)

[Vegeta]

One thing MJ has going for her is that no other love interest, not just Spider-man, but comics in general get this level of art. Lois Lane doesn’t even. Or maybe I’m just not looking

I'm not a DC guy, but I wonder if in terms of official artwork (ie: variant covers, poster books, etc.) if Lois gets the same treatment as Mary Jane? (Granted, Lois is a journalist and MJ's best known career choices are either actress or fashion model. So Mary Jane cover art just seems more natural.)

[Frontier]

I'm not a DC guy, but I wonder if in terms of official artwork (ie: variant covers, poster books, etc.) if Lois gets the same treatment as Mary Jane? (Granted, Lois is a journalist and MJ's best known career choices are either actress or fashion model. So Mary Jane cover art just seems more natural.)

This reminds me of all the cosplay live-action Lois' have done .

[Kevinroc]

One thing MJ has going for her is that no other love interest, not just Spider-man, but comics in general get this level of art. Lois Lane doesn’t even. Or maybe I’m just not looking

Most superhero love interests are other superheroes. How many superheroes have civilian love interests? Superman, The Flash, and Spider-Man sometimes seem like the only ones.