Comics All Others Will Fail Compared to MJ

[Blader5489]

They could NEVER replace Mary Jane she's Peter's wife, His soulmate .

The same thing was said about Gwen over 30 years ago.

 

[The Caped Knight]

The same thing was said about Gwen over 30 years ago.

Bubby Gwen wasn't as popular as MJ, also This is the third time Marvel's try to pull this same old Bull**** .

I believe like before after Marvel gets another Backlash from the fans . Peter & MJ will be reunited .

 

[stillanerd]

^^^^
Correct. Plus the only reason why people even remember Gwen at all was because she died in such a dramatic way that today's comic book writers constantly remind and relive that moment at every opportunity. Just think of how many times as Spidey gone back to "the Bridge" in the last 30 years.

The same thing was said about Gwen over 30 years ago.

Certainly true. Thanks to my Spider-Man DVD collection, I've actually read some old letters concerning the death of Gwen Stacy, and the reaction was sharply divided since Gwen, at the time, was the comics "leading lady." Some applauded Marvel for taking a bold step, others were outraged. Kind of like how we comic book fans are now about certain things.

However, there's something we have to take into consideration. Spider-Man, at the time that the "Night Gwen Stacy Died" issue came out was only 10 years old, and while certainly popular, was not near to being the same kind of cultural icon that he is today, and certainly not in the same level of statue as say Superman or Batman. Marvel could kill off Gwen because, quite frankly, they were still "the new kids on the block" in comparison to DC.

Today, however, Spider-Man in just a few short years will be, as a comic book character, 50 years old. Already, there are people who have a clear idea of what Spider-Man should be and should not be, which characters are important and which are not. It could be said that the character of Mary Jane Watson is just as integral to the franchise of Spider-Man now as is Aunt May and J. Jonah Jameson. After all, Mary Jane first appeared in the comics (with her face obscured) all the way back in ASM #25 and was mentioned by Aunt May a few issues before that. You have her classic reveal by John Romita with the second most often quoted line from Spider-Man: "Face it Tiger, you just hit the Jackpot!" She's been featured as a girlfriend for much of that time, and, before the retcon of One More Day, his wife for 20 years in real time. The first movie, like the first Superman movie, came out when the character was 40 years old, and the "leading lady" in that film was Mary Jane--which has been seen by a lot more people than those who actually read comics. Not to mention cartoons, video games, and other comics in which she's also the "leading lady," and Marvel has actively promoted her as being "Spidey's girl." She may not have been intentionally created to be a leading lady, but over time she has certainly become one. And Spidey and Mary Jane are now seen as a "couple" in the same vein as say Superman and Lois Lane and Batman and Catwoman for most people. For those reasons, even if Peter and MJ aren't together now, there's no reason to think that Marvel won't ever bring them back together later on.

 

[iloveclones]

All very true, but there's one thing you're not taking into account, stillanerd: This was not easy to do. I know a lot of people want to envision JQ running around the Marvel offices with a red wig on screaming "I hate Marriage!" But the truth is, this wasn't done on a whim. Anytime you monkey with a character, you'll face the wrath of the fans. With one as popular as Spidey, be prepared. And being the flagship character, you better please the stockholders, too. They might not notice changes made to Speedball or Jubilee, but they will Spidey. So if sales of comics go dramatically down, or more importantly, merchandise, they will have the ultimate say. My point in saying all that is to point out that I don't think this will change without a serious drop-off or a change in EIC, because he's shoved the whole pile to the middle of the table with this one. (And beware, stockholder, etc, do not distinguish quality. And in my estimation, right now a prime candidate for that position would have to be Bendis...Be careful what you wish for.)

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

All very true, but there's one thing you're not taking into account, stillanerd: This was not easy to do. I know a lot of people want to envision JQ running around the Marvel offices with a red wig on screaming "I hate Marriage!" But the truth is, this wasn't done on a whim. Anytime you monkey with a character, you'll face the wrath of the fans. With one as popular as Spidey, be prepared. And being the flagship character, you better please the stockholders, too. They might not notice changes made to Speedball or Jubilee, but they will Spidey. So if sales of comics go dramatically down, or more importantly, merchandise, they will have the ultimate say. My point in saying all that is to point out that I don't think this will change without a serious drop-off or a change in EIC, because he's shoved the whole pile to the middle of the table with this one. (And beware, stockholder, etc, do not distinguish quality. And in my estimation, right now a prime candidate for that position would have to be Bendis...Be careful what you wish for.)

I think Tom Brevoort actually. Bendis is a popular writer, but Tom has been involved with editing and group editing at Marvel back when Bendis was still a struggling independent writer. Longer, iirc.

 

[iloveclones]

Unfortunately, promotions to that kind of position don't always work that way (although they always used to at Marvel.)

 

[stillanerd]

All very true, but there's one thing you're not taking into account, stillanerd: This was not easy to do. I know a lot of people want to envision JQ running around the Marvel offices with a red wig on screaming "I hate Marriage!" But the truth is, this wasn't done on a whim. Anytime you monkey with a character, you'll face the wrath of the fans. With one as popular as Spidey, be prepared. And being the flagship character, you better please the stockholders, too. They might not notice changes made to Speedball or Jubilee, but they will Spidey. So if sales of comics go dramatically down, or more importantly, merchandise, they will have the ultimate say. My point in saying all that is to point out that I don't think this will change without a serious drop-off or a change in EIC, because he's shoved the whole pile to the middle of the table with this one. (And beware, stockholder, etc, do not distinguish quality. And in my estimation, right now a prime candidate for that position would have to be Bendis...Be careful what you wish for.)

That's a very good point. I did try to point out that the more popular a character or franchise becomes, there are certain elements that do stick in people's minds; but the notion that the creators not wanting to make drastic alterations out of fear of negative backlash is something that should be considered. And you're certainly correct in saying that you often find the more radical changes done to characters who are off the radar screen. I think where I might disagree with you slightly with regards to Spider-Man and his marriage to Mary Jane, however, is that Marvel has been wanting to make Spidey single for a long time. For years, Marvel has been using the marriage as a scapegoat for the comics problems--as opposed to say the actual content and quality of their own stories. After all, the whole purpose of the Clone Saga was an attempt to no longer have Spider-Man be married, and even when their solution went south, their original plan was to have the marriage dissolved regardless. Ironically, that might have been the best time to do it, but Marvel, as Joe Quesada is now, was too afraid to have the characters divorce for fear of stigmatizing their flagship character (as opposed to having him make deals with the devil, apparently). So the fear wasn't in so much in breaking them up but rather HOW they would break them up. And even now, after they broke them up, we still have Quesada leave open the possibility that Peter and MJ could get back together again, most likely because that's what most fans (and stockholders) would want, although he certainly will not have them get married any time soon, especially since he's in charge.

As for the next EIC, I can definitely envision Brain Michael Bendis taking over, considering how the bulk of his work has shaped the landscape of the modern Marvel Universe (even Civil War was based on one of his ideas). However, I'm wondering if by hiring Jeph Loeb that Quesada is trying to groom him for the job as well. Of course, I'm sure some would love it if Dan Slott became the next EIC because his tendency to actually remember continuity.

 

[farmernudie]

Although now, if slott did become EIC, WHICH continuity would Slott choose to remember.

The world where Pete and MJ married or the world where they didn't.

Hopefully, he'd (or whomever) would go back to regular continuity and not alternate.

 

[Blader5489]

As for the next EIC, I can definitely envision Brain Michael Bendis taking over, considering how the bulk of his work has shaped the landscape of the modern Marvel Universe (even Civil War was based on one of his ideas). However, I'm wondering if by hiring Jeph Loeb that Quesada is trying to groom him for the job as well. Of course, I'm sure some would love it if Dan Slott became the next EIC because his tendency to actually remember continuity.

I'd rather have Loeb in the EIC chair than Bendis or Slott, if only because it'll mean we won't have to see another story written by Loeb.

 

[stillanerd]

Although now, if slott did become EIC, WHICH continuity would Sloot choose to remember.

The world where PEte and MJ married or the world where they didn't.

Hopefully, he'd (or whomever) would go back to regular continuity and not alternate.

That's certainly true. Then again, the whole mantra at Marvel these days is to "pick and choose" when it comes to characters' history no matter who is writing.

I'd rather have Loeb in the EIC chair than Bendis or Slott, if only because it'll mean we won't have to see another story written by Loeb.

Abso-frigging-loutely! It seems like his Hush story on Batman was the last decent thing the guy ever came up with, and even THAT went to pot towards the end.

 

[DACMAN]

The same thing was said about Gwen over 30 years ago.

Yes, but he never married Gwen and he only had a 5 year relationship with her in the comics. His relationship with MJ in the comics spans more than 25 years and people associate MJ and Peter as much as Lois and Clark. Not to mention Peter himself has said he and MJ are soul mates while he NEVER said that about Gwen.

 

[DACMAN]

Certainly true. Thanks to my Spider-Man DVD collection, I've actually read some old letters concerning the death of Gwen Stacy, and the reaction was sharply divided since Gwen, at the time, was the comics "leading lady." Some applauded Marvel for taking a bold step, others were outraged. Kind of like how we comic book fans are now about certain things.

Yeah, it isn't "divided" at all. It's pretty one sided.

 

[stillanerd]

^^^
Well, certainly in the case of Mephisto dissolving Spider-Man's marriage, that's VERY true.

 

[Donald Thomas]

I think after a while (a few years of slow build up), MJ and Peter will be back as a "dating" couple, and I can tell you now that JQ would have no problems with that.

Aloha,
I would agree.I don't think I've read anything where MJ is going to be out of the Spider-Man Universe.Specifically, Peter's life. But a new dynamic with other women like in the Silver Age will also be happening.
Spidey rules

 

[DACMAN]

I think after a while (a few years of slow build up), MJ and Peter will be back as a "dating" couple, and I can tell you now that JQ would have no problems with that.

What would be the point then? If it's that he will never get married again, what's the point of dating? We know it will never lead anywhere as long as Joey "the man who ruined Marvel" Q. is head honcho.

 

[farmernudie]

Yeh...been there seen that.

Those would be some new and exciting stories let me tell you....

Pete and MJ dating again....even tho they've been married for 20 years, and part of their souls remember, but let's have them date AGAIN, but we won't let them marry again or KNOW they're already married but in an alternate world where they WEREN"T ever married, but their souls DO know that they once were, where they WERE before, but not where they ARE now.



Fun stuff!



Again, let's re-tell the same stories int his new alternate world with all the characters...what else is there to do, since we've forsaken continuity and progression.

 

[DACMAN]

^
nuff said.

 

[Blader5489]

Yeh...been there seen that.

Those would be some new and exciting stories let me tell you....

Pete and MJ dating again....even tho they've been married for 20 years, and part of their souls remember, but let's have them date AGAIN, but we won't let them marry again or KNOW they're already married but in an alternate world where they WEREN"T ever married, but their souls DO know that they once were, where they WERE before, but not where they ARE now.



Fun stuff!



Again, let's re-tell the same stories int his new alternate world with all the characters...what else is there to do, since we've forsaken continuity and progression.

Please stop saying "alternate world."

 

[farmernudie]

Alternate History???

What on earth.

It's alternate. It's a "place" that doesn't share the same history.

They make an alternate whatever, and some people cringe when people use the word that it is...sheesh.

 

[DACMAN]

It's like the new "N" words.

 

[farmernudie]

Joe and them even say it is more like "SLIDING STINKIN DOORS" AND NOT like BACK TO THE FUTURE. This isn't time travel.

Sliding Doors makes me think "parallel" world, which is an alternate. I mean, you can't have it both ways, have everything alternate, without time travel, yet say it's the same...sure there can be similarities in alternate worlds.

It is a place with an alternate history, alternate present, different memories, different motives, etc....

Sheesh...how dare i say something alternate is alternate...!??

 

[DACMAN]

I was kidding...

I totally agree.

 

[farmernudie]

sorry, i was meaning that BLADER has a hard time acknowldeging alternate anything as being ALTERNATE...lol...

 

[VICTORVONDOOMX]

They could NEVER replace Mary Jane she's Peter's wife, His soulmate .

There's that F'n word again!

Can anyone actually define it, much less explain why adults should believe in such Harliquin romance NONSENSE? Good matches... even PERFECT matches are possible... but ONLY through hard work & diligence. To make it some spiritual predestiny cheapens the act of maintaining a healthy union. Such baseless fantasy contributes to people's dissatisfaction (and the divorce rate) because they expect everything to be peachy just 'cause they found someone. Sheese.

And I hate to break it to ya, kids, but if a "soulmate" actually exists for Peter Parker... that person was Gwen Stacy. MJ was second choice... second best... second rate... leftovers.

So whattaya do when yer "soulmate" is dead?

 

[DACMAN]

People who've never met their soulmate would have a reaction like that. I feel sorry for your wife.