Mary Jane Watson/Parker Appreciation Thread 2018

[Confuzzled]

For MJ to be "more" essentially needs her to have development away from - or at least outside of - superhero antics.

Not really... in the post Spider-Verse landscape, MJ can be in the thick of superheroics (maybe being caught up in a plot involving all of her alternate universe selves, including the superpowered ones) and still get major development and be the protagonist of her own story. MJ-Verse series FTW!

[Confuzzled]

Yes and this is why I keep calling it missed potential. Her being in the Iron-Man book was essentially their chance, but they got cold feet. Saddest thing about that.

Again, swapping out Peter with another hero for MJ to play support to doesn't necessarily give her "more potential" development wise. A good writer can do that no matter what her status quo is.

[Huntsman Spider]

Not really... in the post Spider-Verse landscape, MJ can be in the thick of superheroics (maybe being caught up in a plot involving all of her alternate universe selves, including the superpowered ones) and still get major development and be the protagonist of her own story. MJ-Verse series FTW!

Hmm, yeah, there are at least a few A/Us where MJ became (a) Spider-Woman, and beyond that, there were the MJ Month variant covers last year where Mary Jane got to be just about every major superhero there was at the time. Plenty of room for an Mary Jane-centric multiverse series, and could even bring back the Hydro-Clone MJ from the 90s animated series.

[Jman27]

Hmm, yeah, there are at least a few A/Us where MJ became (a) Spider-Woman, and beyond that, there were the MJ Month variant covers last year where Mary Jane got to be just about every major superhero there was at the time. Plenty of room for an Mary Jane-centric multiverse series, and could even bring back the Hydro-Clone MJ from the 90s animated series.

I honestly hate reveal of Hydro-Clone Mj when I watching the old show mainly because I feel like Spiderman should have known he married a water clone. Also they went to get the real Mj at the series finale never showing the audience where she was. And it wasnt until Spiderman Unlimited which I didint know was a sequel to the 94 series that they remarried. SO yeah Hydro Mj brings bad memories

[Kevinroc]

I honestly hate reveal of Hydro-Clone Mj when I watching the old show mainly because I feel like Spiderman should have known he married a water clone. Also they went to get the real Mj at the series finale never showing the audience where she was. And it wasnt until Spiderman Unlimited which I didint know was a sequel to the 94 series that they remarried. SO yeah Hydro Mj brings bad memories

Spider-Man Unlimited isn't a sequel to the '94 series.

[AngelJD]

Hmm, yeah, there are at least a few A/Us where MJ became (a) Spider-Woman, and beyond that, there were the MJ Month variant covers last year where Mary Jane got to be just about every major superhero there was at the time. Plenty of room for an Mary Jane-centric multiverse series, and could even bring back the Hydro-Clone MJ from the 90s animated series.

I want to write more about this later (I did before but my computer crashed losing tons of what I just wrote which enrages me) but I just want to say I loved the Hydro-MJ version very much and hated that she died.
I also wrote before a idea using both the Gwen and MJ variants Multiverse theme (I'm a fan of both versions and majority of the Multiverse made Gwens and MJs).

Hopefully I'll rewrite and post later in the week as I have very little time now to write.

[Miles To Go]

Spider-Man Unlimited isn't a sequel to the '94 series.

Yeah, it's a sequel only in Slott's headcanon, it doesn't align with any of the continuity from that show. A little bit of the '94 theme is heard in the beginning of Unlimited when Peter switches to his traditional costume, but that's it.

And it wasnt until Spiderman Unlimited which I didint know was a sequel to the 94 series that they remarried.

Technically they wouldn't have had to remarry, as nobody in the world knew clone MJ had "died" other than Peter and Warren (unless Warren told Landon). That was another intriguing plot thread that was dropped with Peter having to reveal who he was to MJ all over again and persuade her to play along and be his wife for real when from her perspective they had barely begun dating more seriously.

[Flashback]

I don't think it helps that the writers themselves haven't really done much with her, when there really is so much they could do. But I guess because she's a "Spider-Man supporting character" means that she can only really do things in Spider-Man books, and given her most famous trait is being the girlfriend of the main character, it seems its hard to not wanna call back to it.

I can't really fault the writers, most fans of MJ were content with MJ supporting Peter when he was down. Writers only had to write a few scenes of MJ as the "loyal" and "dutiful" wife and BAM! most were happy.

Yes and this is why I keep calling it missed potential.

It was missed potential, it could have changed the narrative of people thinking that MJ is simply peters love interest/girlfriend. I think I remember reading in an interview that Bendis was excited to write MJ and that he had plans, but as you know in the end Riri and Doom took most of his attention.

It's the unfortunate reality to being a supporting character they either have to become a hero themselves or stay relevant by supporting the lead of the series.

This right there is the sad truth...as much as I and others want MJ to be more she only has two options. Either go back and stick her with Peter/another Hero (as support) or have her become a hero herself. (which if we're talking about MJ 616 it is unlikely)

[Miles To Go]

She can be more and still be Peter's love interest. One issue of ASM in the late 1990s set in the future said MJ would become well known and a major influence to the superhero community while she remained with Peter.

I don't understand why a minority want her to be necessarily detached from him in order to accomplish anything different.

[Agent Z]

I honestly hate reveal of Hydro-Clone Mj when I watching the old show mainly because I feel like Spiderman should have known he married a water clone. Also they went to get the real Mj at the series finale never showing the audience where she was. And it wasnt until Spiderman Unlimited which I didint know was a sequel to the 94 series that they remarried. SO yeah Hydro Mj brings bad memories

Why would he? She seemed pretty normal up until that reveal.

[Inversed]

I can't really fault the writers, most fans of MJ were content with MJ supporting Peter when he was down. Writers only had to write a few scenes of MJ as the "loyal" and "dutiful" wife and BAM! most were happy.

I wouldn't say that was the reason fans were content with MJ, they liked whenever she played an active role in a story, and those scenes were easy and usually really nice ways of giving the character attention. Not to mention they usually weren't the only things she did.

Slott was the one who decided he didn't want to use her, and Bendis was the one who decided to not do anything really important with her.

[Digifiend]

Was the Tony coma thing that triggered the relaunch with Riri and Doom editorial interference? It ended up with the International Iron Man name for the second book not making a lot of sense, since he actually travelled more in Invincible Iron Man. Riri's intro was rushed too. That's why MJ didn't do much, everything got accelerated.

[Confuzzled]

Was the Tony coma thing that triggered the relaunch with Riri and Doom editorial interference? It ended up with the International Iron Man name for the second book not making a lot of sense, since he actually travelled more in Invincible Iron Man. Riri's intro was rushed too. That's why MJ didn't do much, everything got accelerated.

Maybe, but seeing his other latter Marvel works like Uncanny X-Men and All-New X-Men, Bendis had shown a tendency to throw in too many characters and ideas into the mix only to not use some of them for long stretches of time.

[Kevinroc]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2018/09/...man-ps4-review

Perhaps most of all, though, I loved Peter and Mary-Jane’s relationship. It’s well-trod territory, but Insomniac injects new life into it, in part thanks to Spidey and MJ actors Lowenthal and Laura Bailey’s performances. These are two people who have a history together, and watching them try to figure out what future they have, if any -- as friends, coworkers, or more -- is an absolute joy to watch.

A number of Peter and MJ’s scenes feel instantly relatable, from the two having their first dinner in months together, navigating whether they’re comfortable with one another, to Peter trying not to lose his cool over a misinterpreted text. It’s one of my favorite romances in a game ever, and contributes to a story with personal stakes as captivating — and often much more — as anything the MCU (and most superhero movies) has delivered.

[Miles To Go]