ASM 32's Romita Sr Tribute

[hobnob]

Not a hate post, posing this in good faith.

Was this choice of cover art a good idea for their Romita Sr tribute, with everything that's going on regarding fan disquiet over Mary Jane in the current run?

Do you think its use was

(A) An attempt to calm things down and tell MJ fans they are heard
(A2) Possible sign of things to come
(B) A tone deaf olive branch to MJ fans/evidence of mismanagement
(C) Something else?

I just can't believe someone thought this was a good idea and that it would calm things down. A good chunk of the fandom is pissed AF. It seems too on the nose to suggest, "It's just the cover they chose", especially when they did a fake out of her death about 10 weeks ago and Comics Twitter caught fire at the sight of it.

[Jman27]

its not even the biggest image from that tribute so I'm going to go with option C: absolutely nothing they just choose his best images that are probably the most popular. Kinda crazy and possibly arrogant to think they choose this image to appease Mj fans

[RJT]

This topic should be Exhibit A of how spending too much time on these boards gives people brain worms. John Romita, Sr. is possibly the most iconic Spider-Man artist of all time, definitely top 5. Marvel did a tribute to his passing and included one of his most famous covers and the first thought was "What secret message is Marvel sending us about the Spider-marriage?" The idea that anyone at Marvel would use a tribute to John Romita, Sr. to needle fans is such a paranoid notion, I'd scarcely believe it if I hadn't spent much time reading through these boards. There are a couple dozen people on here who are wholly fixated on a status quo change that happened over 15 years ago, and they spend all their time talking to each other about it and it seems to be warping their minds.

[Mister Mets]

I think it's an iconic cover with Spider-Man, Mary Jane, guest-starrs and supervillains. That's why they picked it.

He had more famous covers, but some of them are just of Spidey, and some feature Spider-Man and one other character.

[Venomsaurus]

I just want to say I understand it hurts. It hurts that we lost John. It hurts that the marriage isn't restored. I get it. It hurts for me too. It hurts to see that ad and know one of the greatest talents to ever live in comic book history is gone. And yes, silly as it may sound to some, seeing that cover can feel like a slap in the face with the current stuff going on in Spidey. Even though I'm certain that's in no way the intention by whomever made the ad. You're not wrong to feel how you feel, and if it bothers you. It bothers me too, even though I know logically it's just his most famous cover and arguably one of the most iconic comic book images of all time, so of course they use it in an advert to celebrate his life.

That being said, yeah, it's just a cover they use because it's iconic. Just as they used iconic covers when George Perez passed to celebrate his legacy. It doesn't mean anything more, or less, it's just an image that will forever be associated with the creator.

[hobnob]

This topic should be Exhibit A of how spending too much time on these boards gives people brain worms.

Really no need for that tone mate. You’re also a guy on a forum with opinions held with equal vigour. To suddenly consider yourself better than others is a little rich. I just wondered what people thought. Lowe made a joke to Wells about not going to comic con, they get hate mail every day, they get angry tweets. I just found it incredible that they’d risk kicking the hornets nest of people they feed with consumerism until they’re dropping $500 on a playarts figure or a signed comic book.

[ARkadelphia]

This topic should be Exhibit A of how spending too much time on these boards gives people brain worms. John Romita, Sr. is possibly the most iconic Spider-Man artist of all time, definitely top 5. Marvel did a tribute to his passing and included one of his most famous covers and the first thought was "What secret message is Marvel sending us about the Spider-marriage?" The idea that anyone at Marvel would use a tribute to John Romita, Sr. to needle fans is such a paranoid notion, I'd scarcely believe it if I hadn't spent much time reading through these boards. There are a couple dozen people on here who are wholly fixated on a status quo change that happened over 15 years ago, and they spend all their time talking to each other about it and it seems to be warping their minds.

Couple dozen or half dozen?

[Garlador]

I will simply stay positive and say that while Spidey editorial likely has zero agenda here, I’m happy to see a tribute with a cover that changed my entire view of Spider-Man and meant a lot to me growing up.

I’ll miss JRSR, but his work is eternal.

[Conn Seanery]

R.I.P. John Romita. It's a real shame someone would distastefully hijack a page intended as a tribute to you and your wonderful work just to whine about the Spider-marriage.