Mary Jane Watson-Parker Appreciation 2024.

[Garlador]

This is why I never thought this concept would last and people put way too much thought into this whole thing.

I get that comic fans in particular can be neurotic by nature, but all the signs pointed to this being temporary from the beginning.

Maybe. You never know with this office though. I think many of us are viewing the Jackpot situation as an unwanted but inevitable pit stop at a shady gas station for a bathroom break after too much bad consumption when we’re ready to just back on track and moving towards a better destination.

[the human tortilla]

Chasm so far has had a couple of toys made so far and a mobile video game appearance(s) while the Jackpot persona hasn't had any so that tells you more of it being a temporary thing

Not saying that there will be or not be jackpot merch but chasm had a whole year head start (2022) over jackpot (less than a year so far) so there is more time designed and approved that kind of stuff

[Kevinroc]

Maybe. You never know with this office though. I think many of us are viewing the Jackpot situation as an unwanted but inevitable pit stop at a shady gas station for a bathroom break after too much bad consumption when we’re ready to just back on track and moving towards a better destination.

An office that argues that nothing should actually change isn't going to suddenly advocate that the franchise's most iconic love interest should become a superhero permanently.

[Frontier]

Chasm at least has a better design than Jackpot.

[Mercwmouth12]

MJ is at least written better this time in the Jackpot preview

[TinkerSpider]

MJ is at least written better this time in the Jackpot preview

MJ is barely written in the preview. She’s back to being the neophyte straight man to Felicia. And even then, Felicia takes out the cameras only after the two women have already been seen on them, so not sure what the point was other than to waste a few pages.

The mini is DOA anyway, not worth discussing.

[Garlador]

On a more positive note, I really enjoyed MJ being front and center in the USM #4 previews. The snarky way she says some people view true love as “a branding problem” made me chuckle.

[Frontier]

Pretty goofy heist scenario, though them throwing their overcoats to reveal their costumes was kind of/sort of cute.

But MJ's voice and personality are much more on-point in Ultimate.

[Kevinroc]

It is notable that Amelia is referred to as Felicia's "girlfriend" but they use the more ambiguous word "partner" to describe Paul's relationship to MJ in the recap. (And yes, "partner" can be used to mean a paramour, it can also mean something else entirely.)

I'm still of the belief that they are going to retcon whatever is going on between MJ and Paul to be a non-romantic, non-sexual relationship.

[rward777]

It is notable that Amelia is referred to as Felicia's "girlfriend" but they use the more ambiguous word "partner" to describe Paul's relationship to MJ in the recap. (And yes, "partner" can be used to mean a paramour, it can also mean something else entirely.)

I'm still of the belief that they are going to retcon whatever is going on between MJ and Paul to be a non-romantic, non-sexual relationship.

Like coparents to fake kids?

[Frontier]

It is notable that Amelia is referred to as Felicia's "girlfriend" but they use the more ambiguous word "partner" to describe Paul's relationship to MJ in the recap. (And yes, "partner" can be used to mean a paramour, it can also mean something else entirely.)

I'm still of the belief that they are going to retcon whatever is going on between MJ and Paul to be a non-romantic, non-sexual relationship.

The whole thing is weird, especially when they've slept in the same bed together and a recap mistakenly referred to them as married.

[Garlador]

The whole thing is weird, especially when they've slept in the same bed together and a recap mistakenly referred to them as married.

I feel like there’s miscommunication (or walking back) going on.

I’m still amused Paul was/is living with Aunt Anna and Anna appeared to have no idea about him last issue, but you could handwave that away with her illness.

[Frontier]

I feel like there’s miscommunication (or walking back) going on.

I’m still amused Paul was/is living with Aunt Anna and Anna appeared to have no idea about him last issue, but you could handwave that away with her illness.

Or she doesn't care about him compared to Peter .

[Knightsilver]

I feel like there’s miscommunication (or walking back) going on.

I’m still amused Paul was/is living with Aunt Anna and Anna appeared to have no idea about him last issue, but you could handwave that away with her illness.

Maybe she's just ignoring him, hoping he'd just go away. I can understand that.

[Kevinroc]

The whole thing is weird, especially when they've slept in the same bed together and a recap mistakenly referred to them as married.

It's clear the original intention was supposed to be that MJ and Paul were romantically involved, but somewhere along the way they started pulling back on that idea. As to what happened and why, we can only speculate. I fully expect that relationship to get revealed as non-romantic and non-sexual (whether that's from Wells or a future creative team). The fact that they've never so much as kissed on-panel makes that much easier.