Amazing Spider-man 39 Preview

[Malachi]

I mean, that's a strained reading of what happened by people trying to bolster an "objective" reason for Paul being bad, but that is one complaint among many . . . and only from some of the detractors.

I feel like the status quo with regards to him and MJ being based on a series of Hobson's choices MJ had to make is the bigger issue that needs some kind of explanation not to be royally messed up.

He is truly proud of the work they are doing and per previous letters, few as they apparently are, most readers are too. Whatever goes on on twitter, here I guess and other sites are not representative of the readers experience. He more or less has said this over the letters. I’m using “more or less” because I neither can or feel like digging up each quote, if someone wants that then more power to them.

I wonder how malleable he feels the characters are. It’s obvious he and I disagree on this point as you have said the lengths they had do maneuver MJ to get this scenario is staggering. I would not be surprised if the sheer scope of it goes down in infamy among comic fans.

[Tuck]

He is truly proud of the work they are doing and per previous letters, few as they apparently are, most readers are too. Whatever goes on on twitter, here I guess and other sites are not representative of the readers experience. He more or less has said this over the letters. I’m using “more or less” because I neither can or feel like digging up each quote, if someone wants that then more power to them.

I don't think there's a way to know this really. But the volume of distaste for the run online, with minimal and meager defenses that mostly boil down to "it's not that bad" or "it's pretty ok", is something I can't remember happening since OMD.

As for readers' experience. Well, are we talking about people still reading? Or anyone keeping up? The book is selling well, and hasn't really dropped as far as I can tell, so people aren't bailing on the run. But there are people like me to who gave a few issues a shot and then bailed. (I'm not getting on this ride. I'll find out what happens second-hand after it's all said and done. Then maybe, depending on reactions to the run as a whole, I'll go back and read it as a whole piece.)

[Mercwmouth12]

I don't think there's a way to know this really. But the volume of distaste for the run online, with minimal and meager defenses that mostly boil down to "it's not that bad" or "it's pretty ok", is something I can't remember happening since OMD.

As for readers' experience. Well, are we talking about people still reading? Or anyone keeping up? The book is selling well, and hasn't really dropped as far as I can tell, so people aren't bailing on the run. But there are people like me to who gave a few issues a shot and then bailed. (I'm not getting on this ride. I'll find out what happens second-hand after it's all said and done. Then maybe, depending on reactions to the run as a whole, I'll go back and read it as a whole piece.)

Selling and shops having to over order for incentives are 2 very different things

[Tuck]

Selling and shops having to over order for incentives are 2 very different things

That's speculation. Maybe with reason. But still speculation.

And I assume Lowe is going by letters he receives. But those are as self-selected a sample as people complaining on social media.

End of the day, they're going to go by sales.

[Malachi]

Selling and shops having to over order for incentives are 2 very different things

I would not be surprised if shops over order on it. But I live outside of the states so I have no way of visiting stores and see how it is.

[Frontier]

That they actually think they need to explore and develop Paul more shows they really don't understand what the problem is.

(Also I take it that means they're not writing him out with the Jackpot one-shot).

[Tuck]

That they actually think they need to explore and develop Paul more shows they really don't understand what the problem is.

It would have probably helped earlier.

Modern storytelling (although comics have always been more like this) rely too heavily on withholding information to make a story compelling.

I like the Whedon philosophy better: "Play your cards early, then get new cards." (paraphrasing from memory)

[Frontier]

Peter can barely hold a group together, if only for the sake of tie-in's.

I hate how Wells is writing him and Miles.

It would have probably helped earlier.

Modern storytelling (although comics have always been more like this) rely to heavily on withholding information to make a story compelling.

I like the Whedon philosophy better: "Play your cards early, then get new cards." (paraphrasing from memory)

Probably, yeah, but at this point I don't think many people are interested in more Paul and getting to understand him better. And they'll probably still try to force his relationship with MJ.

[Mercwmouth12]

Peter can barely hold a group together, if only for the sake of tie-in's.

I hate how Wells is writing him and Miles.

Probably, yeah, but at this point I don't think many people are interested in more Paul and getting to understand him better. And they'll probably still try to force his relationship with MJ.

Well the comment from Lowe can mean a few things. Like it was all platonic and was with MJ for the kids sake and now that they are gone he's gonna try and fix his world since he has nothing left

[Frontier]

Well the comment from Lowe can mean a few things. Like it was all platonic and was with MJ for the kids sake and now that they are gone he's gonna try and fix his world since he has nothing left

...And go full Supervillain. I hope .

I guess the Jackpot one-shot will clarify a few things. And how far they're willing to take this Paul thing.

[Lifetap]

If the Paul + MJ thing was platonic they wouldn't have shown a panel of them sharing a bed and holding hands. I don't get how they can think people are reading Paul wrong when he has basically no character.

I feel like the only things we know about him are that he was partly responsible for genocide, he feels bad about it (I guess? This is never shown), he is taking responsibility for his actions somehow (again this is never shown), and he used MJ's money to pay for Peter's medical bills.

It is also tiring them going into a response saying they aren't going to undo OMD in one letter and in the next response saying they have a lot planned for MJ. So basically they are saying MJ will be in Peter's orbit constantly, but never a girlfriend (because at some point if you are a girlfriend long enough people expect marriage), and they expect people to be excited about this?

I feel like no matters thoughts on OMD this is a negative
If you hate it you want them to be together > so this makes you angry
You don't care about it > so you don't really care about MJ as a side character/romance subplots > she is constantly in the book to tease a will they/won't they > this makes you angry

[Frontier]

She-Hulk has very durable pants.

[TinkerSpider]

It's very funny to me that few are discussing the story (with good reason, it's thin and risible) but are instead discussing the letters page.

That in and of itself demonstrates that the run is not connecting with readers, regardless of Nick trying to do his best amateur magician impersonation ("Don't look at what my fingers are doing, just pay attention to what I say!"). The misdirection doesn't work for the amateur magician and it's not working for Nick, either.

[Mercwmouth12]

It's very funny to me that few are discussing the story (with good reason, it's thin and risible) but are instead discussing the letters page.

That in and of itself demonstrates that the run is not connecting with readers, regardless of Nick trying to do his best amateur magician impersonation ("Don't look at what my fingers are doing, just pay attention to what I say!"). The misdirection doesn't work for the amateur magician and it's not working for Nick, either.

It also doesn't help the actual gang war section with Spidey is over in 10 pages or so and they try to focus back to tombstone and it doesn't feel fluid and like it was lacklusterly pieced together

[Hurricane Billy]

It's very funny to me that few are discussing the story (with good reason, it's thin and risible) but are instead discussing the letters page.

That in and of itself demonstrates that the run is not connecting with readers, regardless of Nick trying to do his best amateur magician impersonation ("Don't look at what my fingers are doing, just pay attention to what I say!"). The misdirection doesn't work for the amateur magician and it's not working for Nick, either.

Agreed, Lowe's responses to the fan letters feel very reminiscent of the ending of Wizard of Oz.

"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!"

If the Paul + MJ thing was platonic they wouldn't have shown a panel of them sharing a bed and holding hands. I don't get how they can think people are reading Paul wrong when he has basically no character.

I feel like the only things we know about him are that he was partly responsible for genocide, he feels bad about it (I guess? This is never shown), he is taking responsibility for his actions somehow (again this is never shown), and he used MJ's money to pay for Peter's medical bills.

It is also tiring them going into a response saying they aren't going to undo OMD in one letter and in the next response saying they have a lot planned for MJ. So basically they are saying MJ will be in Peter's orbit constantly, but never a girlfriend (because at some point if you are a girlfriend long enough people expect marriage), and they expect people to be excited about this?

I feel like no matters thoughts on OMD this is a negative
If you hate it you want them to be together > so this makes you angry
You don't care about it > so you don't really care about MJ as a side character/romance subplots > she is constantly in the book to tease a will they/won't they > this makes you angry

At this point, it really seems to me that the original plan was for Paul and MJ to not only be a romantic couple, but that Wells and Lowe most likely originally intended for them to actually be married, hence the conflicting reports on their relationship status. No idea if they'd always planned for the kids to actually be magic illusions or if they were also planned to actually be MJ's biological kids at the start. However due to the severe backlash from the fanbase that followed, they've likely had to go back to the drawing board and backpedal hard on how far they went with the two.

So now we have this rather toothless relationship between Paul and MJ, where it's somehow feasible that they aren't actually in a romantic relationship, even if that is still the obvious answer. And of course, all the while, we keep being told that Paul really is a nice guy and that his misguided/unwitting assistance in aiding in a planetary genocide as a grown man is somehow comparable to the irresponsible inaction of a literal child.

I have no clue if Lowe and Wells seriously have plans for proper development and insight on Paul that could somehow sell this character and turn the vitriol against him around, but I admit that I find the chances very low.

EDIT: As for your point on OMD, I have to agree with you in that OMD continues to be an albatross on the 616 Spider-Man comics. And at the end of the day, even if staff at Marvel happen to personally disagree on the matter, I don't think you can really get rid of MJ as a character in the Spider-Man books in such a way that they could double and triple down on their preference for Peter being a bachelor. Not anymore.

Beyond the 20 years they were married in the comics, there's been too much non-comic media lately in animated shows, video games and movies that highlight and cement MJ as the de facto love interest for Peter Parker. And now we've even got a film that outright shows them married with a kid. So realistically the chances of success in completely ejecting MJ from the Spider-Man books now are incredible miniscule... so the only real alternative is to undo OMD and commit back to Peter/MJ as a couple being a mainstay aspect of the books again.