Dan Slott on the "real" MJ

[Confuzzled]

Why do you think Aunt May would set up Peter with MJ? Because she partied? No. Because May knew what I did. Pete = MJ. Period.

Lol this! It makes too much sense to make MJ more wholesome. Otherwise why would May troll Peter by setting him up with Miss Flightypants.

I also second and third everyone's opinions that the marriage and MJ's personality suffered because the bulk of 90's Marvel was inane in general. Can you imagine how the marriage would have been written in current times under say, the joint writing of Matt Fraction and Kelly Sue DeConnick?

[Shockdingo]

Lol this! It makes too much sense to make MJ more wholesome. Otherwise why would May troll Peter by setting him up with Miss Flightypants.

I also second and third everyone's opinions that the marriage and MJ's personality suffered because the bulk of 90's Marvel was inane in general. Can you imagine how the marriage would have been written in current times under say, the joint writing of Matt Fraction and Kelly Sue DeConnick?

I very much like that idea to the point that I'm drooling. I need a bib...a Cosmic Bib at once!

[Rahul]

In the context of long running commercial comics, is there such a thing as 'real' characterization?

Some would say grim and gritty Batman is the real Batman, as opposed to well balanced and boyscout Batman, just as pre-marriage MJ and post-marriage MJ.

It would be more proper to say that a particular take on Mary Jane is more popular than the other, rather than declaring a particular one to be the 'real' one. And this I say as a fan of the mature MJ.

[oldschool]

or how the 90s would've been if comics were handled better.

Indeed. If only the balance of perceived value on the part of editors were switched a wee bit off of the explosive art and back onto storytelling….

[oldschool]

Especially weird considering he was the one who "hunked up" Peter.

Actually, it was Romita SR (not JR) who "hunked up" Peter; compare ASM #38 to ASM #39 and it is night and day. Romita SR came from drawing romance comics and wasn't used to drawing spindly nerdy guys as Ditko portrayed Peter so he drew him, deliberately or not, to be much more handsome and buff.

[Mister Mets]

Lol this! It makes too much sense to make MJ more wholesome. Otherwise why would May troll Peter by setting him up with Miss Flightypants.

I also second and third everyone's opinions that the marriage and MJ's personality suffered because the bulk of 90's Marvel was inane in general. Can you imagine how the marriage would have been written in current times under say, the joint writing of Matt Fraction and Kelly Sue DeConnick?

Fraction's best work is when he has the freedom to be stylistically inventive, like Casanova and Hawkeye. "To Have and to Hold" was excellent, but his Spider-Man appearances in Iron Man weren't that impressive.

We've seen DeConnick's take on Spider-Man in her issues of Avenging and the Osborn mini. And those don't come up very often.

[David Walton]

I tend to think the 90s get a worse reputation than they deserve when it comes to the writing. The Clone Saga came out of the gate swinging, and it wasn't until two-thirds of the way through that it fell apart. The immediate, back-to-basics post-Clone Saga era was well received by fans, but sales had already dropped so much that Marvel tried more extreme measures with Mackie/Byrne.

[ViewtifulJC]

I just straight up don't like most of the character development that happen to MJ. I don't like tragic backstory MJ, I REALLY don't like "she's known from the very beginning he was Spidey omg they're totally made for each other" Parallel Lives MJ. I don't like nagging, worried housewife Mary Jane, or failed actress Mary Jane, or take up all the best friend/lover/supporting cast panel time Mary Jane, or worshipful MJ from JMS' run.

I don't know, I think sometimes people see three dimensional characters as just inherently superior to the others. Jar-Jar Binks was a three dimensional character too, but I wouldn't trade him for Chewie or R2D2 in a second.

[David Walton]

As far the marriage goes, I still find most of the interactions enjoyable. Mary Jane worrying about Peter never bothered me, as it seems healthy for a married woman to feel concerned that her husband is putting himself in danger for others. There was a nice balance between those kinds of scenes and MJ kicking ass. She took down a stalker and and busted Chameleon up with a baseball bat! I never got the sense that MJ was frail, even when she felt like she was on the verge of falling apart. So that core Lee/Romita Sr. spunk was still there, but fleshed out as MJ was forced to confront her demons.

The irony is that Wolfman, Stern and DeFalco actually initiated the marriage when they attempted to create an insurmountable barrier between Peter and MJ. Her past was going to be the reason why she'd never go for a long term relationship. But in creating the problem, they actually invited the solution. If MJ could work through those issues, she could find happiness with Peter.

[Michael P]

Jar-Jar Binks was a three dimensional character too

I don't know what you're smoking, but I know I don't want any.

[Tuck]

Nice post; I very much agree with the part about Marvel's poor writing in the 1990's----the period of the marriage. Makes me wonder how it would have been handled in another era.

We don't have to wonder. We have the JMS era.

[Tuck]

Mary jane can't catch a break, other day romita jr say she was too beautiful for nerd peter parker

You know, individuals are individuals, but contrary to popular belief, intelligence and physical attractiveness correlate.

The really smart guy is probably also attractive.

[Agent Z]

I just straight up don't like most of the character development that happen to MJ. I don't like tragic backstory MJ, I REALLY don't like "she's known from the very beginning he was Spidey omg they're totally made for each other" Parallel Lives MJ. I don't like nagging, worried housewife Mary Jane, or failed actress Mary Jane, or take up all the best friend/lover/supporting cast panel time Mary Jane, or worshipful MJ from JMS' run.

I don't know, I think sometimes people see three dimensional characters as just inherently superior to the others. Jar-Jar Binks was a three dimensional character too, but I wouldn't trade him for Chewie or R2D2 in a second.

That's not the type of "three dimensional" people talk about when they talk about MJ. And I will take all of those MJs (yes even nagging housewife MJ) over shallow, ditzy airhead MJ.

[Punisher007]

Given how Slott's been writing MJ over the past few years, I really don't find his opinion on anything related to MJ to be all that credible.

[Confuzzled]

Actually, it was Romita SR (not JR) who "hunked up" Peter; compare ASM #38 to ASM #39 and it is night and day. Romita SR came from drawing romance comics and wasn't used to drawing spindly nerdy guys as Ditko portrayed Peter so he drew him, deliberately or not, to be much more handsome and buff.

My bad, I read it as Sr. making that comment. To be fair though, Jr. did continue his father's tradition of making Peter as gorgeous as MJ.



^These three panels basically sum up the prison in which Marvel wants to keep the Peter/MJ relationship btw.