Why can't Marvel make Betty Brant Peter's Love Interest Once Again?

[Jman27]

Forget Betty/Peter romance.
But should Betty be let in on the secret of Spider-Man being Peter?

I dont think she can handle it

[Will Evans]

I think it would be good and make sense, but it’d just lead to a hostage scenario and Peter’s fear coming true. I mean sure, you can tel her, but what do you do with that? At least Jonah has had some fun moments where he harangues Peter and gets pissed at him for not doing what Jonah thought he should do.

Did we ever see her reaction to Peter’s reveal during Civil War, before OMD retconned it away?

[hobnob]

Did we ever see her reaction to Peter’s reveal during Civil War, before OMD retconned it away?

Would have to check but I think it’s in one of the ASM issues. Jonah’s immediate reaction is to speak to Legal and he brings fraud charges against Peter. I think she’s in the background of a Daily Bugle shot capturing everyone’s shock.

[Tuck]

Did we ever see her reaction to Peter’s reveal during Civil War, before OMD retconned it away?

She's one of the few who handled it well.

She went to Deb Whitman's book signing and laid into her for going after Peter in her book.

[Daibhidh]

Did we ever see her reaction to Peter’s reveal during Civil War, before OMD retconned it away?

Yes. She was supportive of Peter while he was being hunted by Tony's forces in the Back in Black era, as did Flash.
I think if she knew Peter was Spider-man it would streamline scenes where she has a story and has to exposit to Peter and then Peter goes away so Betty can exposit to Spider-man. I suppose Peter having to duck out of those scenes and change may work as a way of breaking up chunks of exposition, but it feels like unnecessary stage business at the moment.

[PCN24454]

I think it would be good and make sense, but it’d just lead to a hostage scenario and Peter’s fear coming true. I mean sure, you can tel her, but what do you do with that? At least Jonah has had some fun moments where he harangues Peter and gets pissed at him for not doing what Jonah thought he should do.

Considering how often she gets attacked anyways, this doesn’t matter.

The only reason why Peter shouldn’t tell her is if he doesn’t trust HER.

[Frontier]

Considering how often she gets attacked anyways, this doesn’t matter.

The only reason why Peter shouldn’t tell her is if he doesn’t trust HER.

As mentally unstable as Betty is, I don't blame him.

[PCN24454]

As mentally unstable as Betty is, I don't blame him.

I would be mentally unstable too if my husband came back to life and impregnated me.

[Frontier]

I would be mentally unstable too if my husband came back to life and impregnated me.

Or you joined a cult...

[Jman27]

Or you joined a cult...

yeah that cult of love arc was something else. Also always surprising to see Flash fighting alongside Spider-man

[Darthfury78]

Do we really want Peter to dive back into the insanity that is dating Betty Brant?

One could say the same insanity about Black Cat as well. Yet, Felicia is a off again on again love interest, depending on the writer. If the writers can keep a former love interest like Black Cat around, why can't Betty Brant as the alternative?

[Darthfury78]

I get the argument. Betty was Peter's first serious love interest, and was in some defining stories. They have a shared history. They did hook up again in the Wolfman run. Betty's main issues with Peter were that she has a much safer vision of what a husband should do, but she's changed from then. If she were to break up with Ned (which would not be shocking, considering how often they've broken up and reconciled) it would be a unique dynamic for Peter to date a single mom.

The main reason it hadn't happened was that Betty was with other people (mostly Ned) while Peter was single, and then MJ became Peter's primary love interest immediately after Ned Leeds was killed. By Brand New Day, Betty hadn't been a love interest for Peter in nearly 30 years. She's evolved into being one of his female friends, and that dynamic would be affected if they hooked up again.

Not really. Black Cat was Peter's female friend for over 30 years. Yet, we see Black Cat more than Betty Brant. I'm sure that the dynamic between Betty and Peter would not be affected anymore than Felicia. In fact when Felicia and Peter resumes their relationship, they pick up where they left off. The same would apply toward Betty and Peter's relationship if it resumes again where it left off.

[Darthfury78]

To answer the OP, Betty has a kid. That's why she's out of the running as a romantic interest. If Peter can't be married because "it ages him", I think it's fair to say that Spider-Step-Dad ages him more.

I like to think that the Betty Brant who has a child(w/ Ned) is a clone. Lazy storytelling on Nick Spencer's part. Why pair Betty up with Ned(considering how he treated her in the past)? That seems out of character on her part, let along having a child for that matter. She wouldn't want a child with Flash Thompson. Why have a child from a jerk like Ned Leeds(who she divorced)?

I hated that Marvel made Tigra and Spider-Woman into single parents for no reason whatsoever.. Making Betty Brant a mom was a very dumb move just to forward the return of Ned Leeds who was clone. The same might be with current Betty Brant and child.

Betty isn’t crazy. What she went through with Ned, her brother, working under Jameson’s anti Spider-Man propaganda, and Peter’s flaking when she needed him combined with her lack of confidence allows for most of her stories to make sense. Modern Betty will have struggles with all the hobgoblin drama but she’s grown as a character. Peter and Betty love each other in a plutonic way, understanding they enjoy each other the most as friends.

Mary Jane’s flexibility with social situations, work, and experience with spider drama is why it’s hard to find a better love interest. Betty, Liz, Carlie, and most of the grounded characters have too much responsibility and needed structure to be successful.

Even if Felecia love’s Peter Parker as much as spider-man. Peter too grounded in a normal day to day world for her.

Liz Allan could had worked had the writer(who wrote Giant Size X-Men #1) not married her off to Harry Osborn and made her a mom immediately.

[exile001]

One could say the same insanity about Black Cat as well. Yet, Felicia is a off again on again love interest, depending on the writer. If the writers can keep a former love interest like Black Cat around, why can't Betty Brant as the alternative?

To reiterate what I said earlier, the last time Betty and Pete were romantically last involved was before Black Cat even existed!

While I'm against Felicia being paired with Pete again (I think Felicia is more interesting outside of that), at least she has always shown an interest in him one way or another. Betty hasn't.

And Wells is the only writer to actually pull the trigger on having them date again (they've hooked up once or twice), and he... I don't know what happened. Got bored? It lasted a very short time.

we see Black Cat more than Betty Brant.

Because she's a far more popular and interesting supporting character.

I think writers have found it hard to place her and Robbie since Peter left the Bugle, because having Peter casually meet up with friends is impossible to write, apparently.

The same would apply toward Betty and Peter's relationship if it resumes again where it left off.

...with her married to another man and trying to initiate and affair? I mean, Ned is back so it's a possibility.

Or going back further, with her constantly in tears because of some imagined sleight?

I like to think that the Betty Brant who has a child(w/ Ned) is a clone.

She isn't. There's no evidence to support that.

Why pair Betty up with Ned(considering how he treated her in the past)? That seems out of character on her part, let along having a child for that matter.

She has been shown to miss Ned, especially after Hobgoblin Lives, where she proved his innocence and it was revealed his shitty behaviour at the end was due to Kingsley's brain washing device.

She wouldn't want a child with Flash Thompson. Why have a child from a jerk like Ned Leeds(who she divorced)? I hated that Marvel made Tigra and Spider-Woman into single parents for no reason whatsoever. Liz Allan could had worked had the writer(who wrote Giant Size X-Men #1) not married her off to Harry Osborn and made her a mom immediately.

I ain't touching that.

Making Betty Brant a mom was a very dumb move just to forward the return of Ned Leeds who was clone.

This Ned isn't a clone. It's the real Ned returned via the Goblin Serum (which is somehow a bit more silly).

I don't disvalue your interest in seeing new and different things, I enjoy your threads and Spidey definitely needs some fresh ideas, but you're not really giving a good reason to want to see this one.

[CaptainUniverse]

Okay, you want to know why Betty Brant can't be Peter's love interest anymore? I'll tell you...it's because SHE'S A ZOMBIE!!!