"Face It Tiger...", Mary Jane Watson/Parker Appreciation

[Kevinroc]

Personally, I think the fact that they were introduced because their respective Aunts knew each other is a pretty good justification for why they know each other.

Normally they wouldn't interact since they don't travel in the same social circles. But their relatives knew each other, and decided to hook them up.

It's simple, realistic and down to earth. It's how a lot of people meet and start relationships. It's why I don't find MJ being a supermodel or an actress or a big name star all that unrealistic or that detrimental to Peter's status as an everyman. Because the very start of their relationship, before either party went onto further careers or success, was a very simple pairing initiated by their aunts.

Don't get me wrong. MJ's introduction into the franchise is one of the most fascinating things about her. It's easy to see why some creators thought MJ was supposed to be more important. Especially in comparison to the average introductions that some other characters got in the series.

[Blacksun]

Even the writers of the 90's Spider-Man animated show, where she says a line that I'm obsessed with now, "I finally understood that Physics and Drama are not that different from each other. They are both just trying to make sense of life", while explaining how she managed to do well in a college physics test even though Peter was too busy to help her. The 90's show was the first time I came across the theme of MJ being in a live play and Peter not being able to attend it despite promising to do so. And then the motif of the empty seat. Wouldn't be surprised if Raimi was inspired for SM2 by the show.

I think that's why Peter and MJ's compatibility is so fascinating even when you don't take their respective personalities into consideration: it's the perfect marriage (no pun intended) of science and the arts, two different interpretations of life, as Animated MJ aptly described them.

I loved the 90s animated Spider Man show. I like the pair Mary Jane and Peter, I started reading amazing spider man #1, hope they won't be so much time apart

[Hypestyle]

At this point-- is it assumed that MJ finished college or did she basically quit to get into modeling?

[Aruran.]

At this point-- is it assumed that MJ finished college or did she basically quit to get into modeling?

I think she didn't finish her undergrad. There was that time in the 90s when Peter and MJ went back to school right before Final Chapter, and MJ left at the end to go back to modelling.

[RobertMacQuarrie1]

Don't get me wrong. MJ's introduction into the franchise is one of the most fascinating things about her. It's easy to see why some creators thought MJ was supposed to be more important. Especially in comparison to the average introductions that some other characters got in the series.

I think one of the most interesting aspects about the history of the character is that none of her popularity and development was planned. It wasn't like a single creator just decided "She's going to be the greatest love interest of all" and singled her out in order to do so. A lot of creators contributed to her development over the course of decades, slowly building her character and showing- not simply telling- why she is a strong counterpoint to Peter and not just a pretty face.

I don't think it's anything that could be replicated or planned, and I do agree that it probably happened largely by accident rather than by design. But that's what makes her character so great- it wasn't something that was forced or awkward, but a natural progression in terms of style and substance.

But her intro really helped set her apart from the crowd...

[Kevinroc]

I think one of the most interesting aspects about the history of the character is that none of her popularity and development was planned. It wasn't like a single creator just decided "She's going to be the greatest love interest of all" and singled her out in order to do so. A lot of creators contributed to her development over the course of decades, slowly building her character and showing- not simply telling- why she is a strong counterpoint to Peter and not just a pretty face.

I don't think it's anything that could be replicated or planned, and I do agree that it probably happened largely by accident rather than by design. But that's what makes her character so great- it wasn't something that was forced or awkward, but a natural progression in terms of style and substance.

But her intro really helped set her apart from the crowd...

I agree completely. The fact that it took longer to find out who the Green Goblin was than to see what Mary Jane is something that many have noted. I find it endlessly fascinating that MJ took off the way she did. And attempts to recreate it (not just in Spidey but across all comics and entertainment as a whole) tend not to work out so well.

[Project Initiative Cascada]

I really want MJ to become a super hero or some kind of powered individual some day. Nothing too serious, but I am tired of her being washed down as an innocent civilian. I would love to see her become her own character and save others for once.

[RobertMacQuarrie1]

I really want MJ to become a super hero or some kind of powered individual some day. Nothing too serious, but I am tired of her being washed down as an innocent civilian. I would love to see her become her own character and save others for once.

I'll admit- I do kind of like this idea. The whole Jackpot thing from BND was one of the things I was actually very interested in, and a missed opportunity I feel.

Of course, I don't think that this would simply be a case of "Give her powers, the stories would be great." I think that there is potential for it to be good, but a lot of potential for it to be bad. It would definitely have to be handled carefully, with a clear beginning, middle and end. But I feel that if done right, this could add a lot of drama and complication to Peter's life. I'd like the idea of Peter being torn apart over the notion that the person he cares about the most is putting her life on the line, and subjecting herself to the same danger he finds himself in on a regular basis, and feeling that he ruined another person's life, the same way he "ruined" Harry or Flash's.

At the very least, it'd give MJ something to do that she genuinely hasn't done before.

[Rzerox21xx]

Mary Jane was on every issue of Marvel Swimsuit. would it be cool if Marvel bring that back with the artists they have now. not a entire issue but maybe swimsuit variants like Aspen comics does.

[Qrx2]

I loved the 90s animated Spider Man show. I like the pair Mary Jane and Peter, I started reading amazing spider man #1, hope they won't be so much time apart

I know it wont happen but I really wish they would go back and finish that series with a made for DVD movie or something.

[Rzerox21xx]

if they do a Japanese version of Spider-man again, would Mary Jane be a idol singer?

[Darthfury78]

I really want MJ to become a super hero or some kind of powered individual some day. Nothing too serious, but I am tired of her being washed down as an innocent civilian. I would love to see her become her own character and save others for once.

If Mary Jane becomes a superhero, forget about her and Peter ever getting back together again. Slott has a policy that Spider-Man should not date a super heroine.

[Punisher007]

Well Marvel seems to have little to no interest in putting them back together anyway. So the superhero thing could at least give her something interesting/important to do. She's kind of not doing much of substance in the books at the moment, besides being made to look like a clueless idiot in SSM.

[Darthfury78]

Well Marvel seems to have little to no interest in putting them back together anyway. So the superhero thing could at least give her something interesting/important to do. She's kind of not doing much of substance in the books at the moment, besides being made to look like a clueless idiot in SSM.

I think that Marvel doesn't have a problem with Peter x Mary Jane together. It's the writer. Thus, I feel that Slott should make MJ x Pedro ride off into the sunset for the timebeing until another writer wants to put them back together again.

And the reason why everyone was so clueless about SSM is because the Editors allowed Slott full reign on the story.

[Kevinroc]

I think that Marvel doesn't have a problem with Peter x Mary Jane together. It's the writer. Thus, I feel that Slott should make MJ x Pedro ride off into the sunset for the timebeing until another writer wants to put them back together again.

And the reason why everyone was so clueless about SSM is because the Editors allowed Slott full reign on the story.

Watch them reveal Pedro is really a Hydra agent or something.

(Hail Hydra! )