AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #45 Preview

[Frontier]

This was the best issue of the Wells run to date. Which is to say it's a 2.3 star issue in a vast sea of 0.25 star issues. At least Peter didn't immediately fall down as soon as a villain took a punch and cried he was going to die and needed rescue. I guess we can also add Aunt Anna to the paltry, still on the fingers of one hand list of fights Spidey won. Glad to see the old woman in a straight jacket was no match for our hero!

She did bite him!

Guilty of what, however?

Being a victim?

Being kidnapped against her will and sent to a dead dystopian world where she saved Peter but was forced to fight for her life against monsters?

Being "chained" by fake kids and hunted by a murderous madman for four years?

Having undergone what would be severe trauma resulting in what should be a serious case of PTS? Bonding with the only other human being on that planet, on whom she was forced to survive, resulting in a trauma bond? Trauma and stress reshape the brain. And anyone would do the same in that situation. Humans are social animals. We band together for survival.

Being stalked by Peter, who didn't once ask if she was okay or needed help but instead proceeded to act like his possession was stolen from him?

This run actually deserves negative stars. I see red whenever I think of the situations Wells put MJ in, only for no one - Peter or apparently the majority of readers - showing her any empathy for the trauma she was put through. Of course, the story treats what should be a highly traumatic and nuanced situation as if MJ went to Starbucks for a few hours and came home with Paul, which is wholly the fault of the writing. The writing to date deserves all the criticism it rightfully receives and then some.

Peter is also terribly written as well, let me be clear.

Probably guilty of how she treated him when she got back and how she ultimately ditched him for Paul. Even if it was extenuating circumstances she still treated him coldly and practically rejected him despite everything he did for her.

Of course MJ deserves empathy for her situation but in-universe she basically showed Peter no empathy and Aunt Anna has no idea what MJ went through.

[HypnoHustler]

Relatively minor nitpick of a passable issue, but why didn’t Spidey’s spider sense warn him about Anna biting his hand?

[Frontier]

Relatively minor nitpick of a passable issue, but why didn’t Spidey’s spider sense warn him about Anna biting his hand?

No-Prize answer, but I believe in the past Peter's Spider-Sense didn't kick in regarding people he wouldn't see as a threat.

[9AlphaOmega1]

Guilty of what, however?

Being a victim?

Being kidnapped against her will and sent to a dead dystopian world where she saved Peter but was forced to fight for her life against monsters?

Being "chained" by fake kids and hunted by a murderous madman for four years?

Having undergone what would be severe trauma resulting in what should be a serious case of PTS? Bonding with the only other human being on that planet, on whom she was forced to survive, resulting in a trauma bond? Trauma and stress reshape the brain. And anyone would do the same in that situation. Humans are social animals. We band together for survival.

Being stalked by Peter, who didn't once ask if she was okay or needed help but instead proceeded to act like his possession was stolen from him?

This run actually deserves negative stars. I see red whenever I think of the situations Wells put MJ in, only for no one - Peter or apparently the majority of readers - showing her any empathy for the trauma she was put through. Of course, the story treats what should be a highly traumatic and nuanced situation as if MJ went to Starbucks for a few hours and came home with Paul, which is wholly the fault of the writing. The writing to date deserves all the criticism it rightfully receives and then some.

Peter is also terribly written as well, let me be clear.

MJ's trauma, her life were full of, should have been the focus upon, a mini series about what happen to her and how she deal with, is some I would buy and read about it. But no it have to be done off panel and not touch or talk upon, she should have received empathy not what the Spidey office trying to make her this weird Superhero.

[Malachi]

This was the best issue of the Wells run to date. Which is to say it's a 2.3 star issue in a vast sea of 0.25 star issues. At least Peter didn't immediately fall down as soon as a villain took a punch and cried he was going to die and needed rescue. I guess we can also add Aunt Anna to the paltry, still on the fingers of one hand list of fights Spidey won. Glad to see the old woman in a straight jacket was no match for our hero!



Guilty of what, however?

Being a victim?

Being kidnapped against her will and sent to a dead dystopian world where she saved Peter but was forced to fight for her life against monsters?

Being "chained" by fake kids and hunted by a murderous madman for four years?

Having undergone what would be severe trauma resulting in what should be a serious case of PTS? Bonding with the only other human being on that planet, on whom she was forced to survive, resulting in a trauma bond? Trauma and stress reshape the brain. And anyone would do the same in that situation. Humans are social animals. We band together for survival.

Being stalked by Peter, who didn't once ask if she was okay or needed help but instead proceeded to act like his possession was stolen from him?

This run actually deserves negative stars. I see red whenever I think of the situations Wells put MJ in, only for no one - Peter or apparently the majority of readers - showing her any empathy for the trauma she was put through. Of course, the story treats what should be a highly traumatic and nuanced situation as if MJ went to Starbucks for a few hours and came home with Paul, which is wholly the fault of the writing. The writing to date deserves all the criticism it rightfully receives and then some.

Peter is also terribly written as well, let me be clear.

That’s because none of that matters to Marvel. It was all just to move MJ and Peter from point A to B. The mystery and drama were both added bonuses and necessary because if they had been upfront about it the story would have been received even worse then it was. Hard to imagine I know…

So what happened had to be told because it’s part of the contract established between us readers and marvel. They have to show us the bare bones at a minimum to stop us renegading on our part, in other words: stop buying.

Which means whatever happened to MJ and how she dealt with it are after constructions, unintended consequences, plaster to spackle the cracks or just plain unimportant. It’s there to tell a story about tragedy but that tragedy has never been about MJ. Heck not even Peter too. It’s just so some characters can be put back in the box and others can be picked up or introduced. It’s all about Norman, new love interests, Tombstone and so on.

I have seen this being floated around and I am starting to consider it. There has been a shift in that Spider-man is what’s important and Peter is just a framing device so we can have new Spider-man stories. When I started reading it was about Peter Parker, a man who got thrust into this situation that was both a blessing and a curse. Total freedom and no freedom at all. In hindsight I don’t think it’s odd that I like Peter Parker. If you were a long time reader of Spider-man it was Peter Parker you were reading about.

[Frontier]

I have to imagine if Aunt Anna found out about MJ being Jackpot she would immediately tell her how dumb an idea it is for her to fight crime.

[TinkerSpider]

Of course MJ deserves empathy for her situation but in-universe she basically showed Peter no empathy and Aunt Anna has no idea what MJ went through.

But Peter has showed MJ no empathy!

The writing is awful a full 360 degrees.

Aunt Anna wanted MJ to date Tony Stark in the FCBD Hellfire Gala preview, which also showed Anna and MJ going on television to hawk the Krakoa drugs that cured Anna - so Anna wasn't suffering from dementia then.

Which does beg the question, since that took place after MJ returned from dystopialand, if Anna has already met Paul and decided MJ could do better. Either way, Anna should have known about Paul and the kids and MJ should have given her a reason why she and Peter weren't together.

Of course, that's assuming this run cares about a coherent, cohesive continuity and consistent characterization, which is plainly not the case!

I have to imagine if Aunt Anna found out about MJ being Jackpot she would immediately tell her how dumb an idea it is for her to fight crime.

Absolutely.

They have to show us the bare bones at a minimum to stop us renegading on our part, in other words: stop buying.

IMO, Hickman's USM - although early days - is demonstrating just how much money Marvel is leaving on the table by sticking with their current strategy for 616.

[Frontier]

But Peter has showed MJ no empathy!

The writing is awful a full 360 degrees.

Aunt Anna wanted MJ to date Tony Stark in the FCBD Hellfire Gala preview, which also showed Anna and MJ going on television to hawk the Krakoa drugs that cured Anna - so Anna wasn't suffering from dementia then.

Which does beg the question, since that took place after MJ returned from dystopialand, if Anna has already met Paul and decided MJ could do better. Either way, Anna should have known about Paul and the kids and MJ should have given her a reason why she and Peter weren't together.

Of course, that's assuming this run cares about a coherent, cohesive continuity and consistent characterization, which is plainly not the case!

I guess at least from the get-go it's fair to say that Peter wasn't really receptive to MJ's situation or the whole Paul thing (though I think that was partially shock).

[Ursalink]

Heh, even Aunt Anna realizes the current mess here is MJ's fault.

[Huntsman Spider]

That’s because none of that matters to Marvel. It was all just to move MJ and Peter from point A to B. The mystery and drama were both added bonuses and necessary because if they had been upfront about it the story would have been received even worse then it was. Hard to imagine I know…

So what happened had to be told because it’s part of the contract established between us readers and marvel. They have to show us the bare bones at a minimum to stop us renegading on our part, in other words: stop buying.

Which means whatever happened to MJ and how she dealt with it are after constructions, unintended consequences, plaster to spackle the cracks or just plain unimportant. It’s there to tell a story about tragedy but that tragedy has never been about MJ. Heck not even Peter too. It’s just so some characters can be put back in the box and others can be picked up or introduced. It’s all about Norman, new love interests, Tombstone and so on.

I have seen this being floated around and I am starting to consider it. There has been a shift in that Spider-man is what’s important and Peter is just a framing device so we can have new Spider-man stories. When I started reading it was about Peter Parker, a man who got thrust into this situation that was both a blessing and a curse. Total freedom and no freedom at all. In hindsight I don’t think it’s odd that I like Peter Parker. If you were a long time reader of Spider-man it was Peter Parker you were reading about.

Indeed. It's the humanity at the core and root of Spider-Man's character that we got invested in as fans, not (just) the high-flying, death-defying, web-slinging adventures, and unfortunately, too many of those currently in charge of the character don't see that as being all that important.

[Aura Blaize]

This issue was honestly rather competent. Though it feels like the ending is either spoiling what happens in Superior or ignoring it all together

[Huntsman Spider]

This issue was honestly rather competent. Though it feels like the ending is either spoiling what happens in Superior or ignoring it all together

Wouldn't surprise me . . .

[jsg2295]

Just got to the comic and read it today and I must say that Peter may have CTE from all the punches he has been taking for the last 30+ issues. His interaction with people in the issue was odd and I generally wondered if Norman slipped him something in his ovaltine before he went out to Ravencroft.
If Wells had these plans from the beginning of his run then I am truly impressed because Peters actions were so off it was amazing. His Spider reflexes being on the fritz as an elderly lady is not only able to bite him but generally hurt him. Then when he gives her the antidote he immediately wants to take her home. All red tape be damned…I’m not going to bore anyone with the repercussions but Im sure no less than 5-10 squad cars of NY finest would have been surrounding AnnaÂ’s house as she was dusting her foyer.
Then he takes off his clothes in the middle of Central Park.i am assuming he webbed all the cameras and I assumed he trusted his spider sense to make sure no one was watching. What MJ did I have no idea
Peter gets to the hospital and somehow manages to trigger a dangerous super villain by mentioning he knows Spider-Man. Couldnt have just told him he saw him in the newspaper or that his face is more famous than Mount Rushmore. Maybe next time he can just say he’s cousins with Hydro man and see what that does to ol Sandy.
An insane issue but if Wells is building up to a climax that Norm had been drugging him all along then all I can say is that I will be truly impressed.

[Majesty]

No-Prize answer, but I believe in the past Peter's Spider-Sense didn't kick in regarding people he wouldn't see as a threat.

I just go by that one scene in No Way Home when Peter got bread thrown at him.
"I thought you'd have the tingle?"
"I do. But not for bread."

That's pretty much a perfect explanation on why the Spider-Sense does and doesn't go off at times.

[vhm74]

Relatively minor nitpick of a passable issue, but why didn’t Spidey’s spider sense warn him about Anna biting his hand?

I'd say Spider Sense has been disabled for the majority of Wells' run, or nerfed to the point of being a non-factor.