Comics Keeping or Dropping ASM?

[Zenien]

Dropping it, unlike a lot of people, I don't find Dan Slott to be a great writter (his She Hulk is meh, his Avengers is proving above average so far) so that aspect holds no appeal, and I have no interest in the continiuty changes they're making. They are bringing Spider-Man back to his core by strip minning his character depth and removing one of the best marriages in comic history? No thanks.

 

[Infidel]

Dropped it, but I read an issue of OMD and boy was it pointless.
Civil War #2 was terrible and pointless but what they could of done with it. I don't mean side stories in books that don't sell any good numbers about SPidey's old pals. I mean make it a big story!

Now, that won't have happneded and neither would the SPider-man books I Really loved: KRaven's last hunt, Venom, Spidey gets beaten up by Doctor Doom-all gone.

There' s no point. He has no history and he's going to face a bunch of generico characters.

 

[Eternalzero]

Another 8 more "regular issues."

Not renewing my subscription, I will be extremely pissed off if the marriage is over.

Spider-man's romantic life = Peter and Mary Jane Ultimately. In this continuity, they've "killed off" mary jane, they lost a child, they.... have been through tooo much to just throw it away.

In the begginning of the series, have him date around like in TAS, but there is no way that Peter and Mary Jane don't ultimately end up together. Having them disappear for another stupid reason is just going to piss everyone off.

 

[daveswb]

Here is my take on the issue. I had been out of collecting for a few years and got sucked back into it with the Civil War story line. I got sucked in by all the hype that Marvel drummed up for it. I thought it a very intersting concept and was a place the Marvel U hadn't been before. Now I have to say I was very dissappointed with the ending. for multiple reasons. The main one being I felt the sucked the marvel U into the same place the Ultimate universe is where the government controls heroes. That is sooooo boring. The other issue I had is the wrote Spidey into a corner. He is now a criminal. he is more down and out then he has ever been. And because of the fall out of Civil war there is no way out for him.

Now enter OMD. all the hype is here again and here we go again. It feels to me that what they are doing is trying to get Spidey out of the corner they wrote him in. Erase the marriage to save Aunt May. What is the fall out of that? Erasing everthing MJ ever influnced in Peter's life. That is a lot of changes.

And what if we just take the imediate. spidey not joing the avengers, not being influnced by stark. Ok, no unmasking then. Aunt May is safe. What about Peter's involvment in CW? would it have changed the out come of the war? Peter would of most likely been against registration from day one. Would it of changed the out come of the war?

How many other Majoe Marvel/Spidey Story lines would it change? I'm sure the list is 500 pages long. CW, house of M, the clone saga, maximum carnage, the other, World war hulk, Everything would have a ripple effect.

And the BS about possibly bringing Harry and/or Gwen back. Why erase the marriage and bring back gwen? If Gwen was bac wouldn't she most likely be married to Peter? Didn't they elude to that in House of M? Stan Lee had said they origionally wanted the 2 of them to get married, but they ended up making the character boring, and MJ was more fun, so they killed Gwen and Peter married MJ. So there you go, if Gwen lived Pete would of married her and had a more boring life.

And I really hate that Joe Q said he just wants the character to evolve. and he really isn't against the marriage, he just feels it limits the directions the character can go in. So his answer is to bring him back to the 60s? Come on now. get real! Peter has evolved more since he married MJ than he ever did as a swinging bachelor.

Joe Q just becuase you can't get it up don't run Spider-man by trying to live vicaresly through him!

 

[Venom 1988]

How many other Majoe Marvel/Spidey Story lines would it change? I'm sure the list is 500 pages long. CW, house of M, the clone saga, maximum carnage, the other, World war hulk, Everything would have a ripple effect.

Exactly, if this did indeed happen, it would affect everything starting with Kraven's Last Hunt

 

[farmernudie]

What I hate the most is how forced everything feels and is as JQ pounds everything into place to reach his agenda of getting rid of the marriage.

#1....OMD should REALLY have been titled Maximum Marriage.

#2....I feel like the writers have made MJ into one of those ugly dolls with a pull string on their backs and with the annoying PREPROGRAMMED voices. They put MJ in their forced scenarios and then have her say the dumbest things.


>pull string<

MJ: "Yeh, of course Gwen slept around with Mr. Osborn and other fathers...and I kept it secret. hee hee"



>pull string<

MJ: "Of course you should unmask in front of the entire world. Forget the past and what's happened with even one bad person knowing. hee hee"


>pull string<

MJ: "Of course you should give up me & our marriage so that your elderly aunt can live another year. I am sure the only way to save her involves marriage sacrifice too. I am a great wife and I support your selfish decision. I will sacrifice for us and your elderly aunt. We are only married afterall and that limits you. hee hee"

 

[iloveclones]

I think you are taking three instances and blowing them way out of proportion. And frankly, I don't think any of the three of them (yes, even the Sins Past one) put her out of character.

Although I have never minded them ending the marriage, I think JMS has done a great job making MJ interesting again. If anything, he's made his job harder in getting rid of her.

 

[Dangerous]

JMS has not done a great job of making MJ interesting again.
He was almost making her entertaining once more circa PP and MJ getting back together.
Since then MJ has essentially been a one dimensional bore who stays in waiting for PP all the time, and no longer has a life or any personality.

When I think of MJ's character being portrayed successfully- it was by the writers who made her exciting to read. She lights up any room she is in and is the chick that loves going out to party's and clubs. I know she ain't like that all the time, and there is a lot more to her,- but I don't once remember seeing that defining and crucial side to her character during JMS' run.

 

[iloveclones]

JMS has not done a great job of making MJ interesting again.
He was almost making her entertaining once more circa PP and MJ getting back together.
Since then MJ has essentially been a one dimensional bore who stays in waiting for PP all the time, and no longer has a life or any personality.

When I think of MJ's character being portrayed successfully- it was by the writers who made her exciting to read. She lights up any room she is in and is the chick that loves going out to party's and clubs. I know she ain't like that all the time, and there is a lot more to her,- but I don't once remember seeing that defining and crucial side to her character during JMS' run.

Boy, that's the kind of marriage that I'd like to see.

Everyone grows up. People are so desparate for Pete to grow old and die right in front of our eyes, but MJ has to stay the Party Girl?

 

[dan1]

I think you are taking three instances and blowing them way out of proportion. And frankly, I don't think any of the three of them (yes, even the Sins Past one) put her out of character.

The Sins Past one was completely out of character because MJ would have told Peter the truth the day she found out he was Spider-Man because:

1) She knew about the Green Goblin/Spider-Man fight where Gwen died
2) She knew Captain Stacey Died in a fight involving Spider-Man
3) If she knew there were kids of Gwen's out there in need of Spider-Mans' help she would not have hid that from Peter (How the *uck can you hide a secret like that for that many years from the man you are suppossed to be trusting 100%)
4) No one, not even MJ, is that stupid.
5) She was still such a free spirit and competing for Peters' affection so strongly in the 80's that in no way could she have been harboring such an evil secret that would have affected Peter Specifically. There was never a hint of any harbored feelings like that towards Peter in any speech bubbles. She just wasn't written that way, because, oh my gawd, here's a shocker................................................MJ wasn't hiding anything like that from Peter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*ucking lame.

Flame on!

 

[farmernudie]

>pull string<

MJ: "Yeh, of course Gwen slept around with Mr. Osborn and other fathers...and I kept it secret. hee hee"



>pull string<

MJ: "Of course you should unmask in front of the entire world. Forget the past and what's happened with even one bad person knowing. hee hee"


>pull string<

MJ: "Of course you should give up me & our marriage so that your elderly aunt can live another year. I am sure the only way to save her involves marriage sacrifice too. I am a great wife and I support your selfish decision. I will sacrifice for us and your elderly aunt. We are only married afterall and that limits you. hee hee"


^^^
Iloveclones: I think you are taking three instances and blowing them way out of proportion. And frankly, I don't think any of the three of them (yes, even the Sins Past one) put her out of character.

I think all three of these were definitely written out of character with the sole purpose of pushing the story/agenda forward. But, we all can have our opinions on this.

Again, what wife would want to take part in mystically sacrificing her marriage to save an old lady, (tho very loved by us all) prolly has reached her time die..and has to be allowed to die someday.

 

[DACrowe]

The Gwen one I wouldn't see as out of character if she was that close to Gwen and didn't want to tarnish her image in Peter's eyes aftter she was gone, EXCEPT....

SHE WAS NEVER THAT CLOSE TO GWEN. In fact, they pretty much disliked each others company until about 10 issues before Gwen's death. And then they were just casual friends as they had boyfriends who dated and were about as close as two people who have a quiet disliking for each other can. I mean everyone sees/saw this in college.

With that said the second one was extremely out of character because she only had that idea of him needing to unmask until they came clean with one another. When Peter explained it she spent maybe 20 issues disapproving of Spidey and the early marriage wanting to come clean. But after seeing what Venom did knowing the identity and then later on GG with killing their daughter...she kind of quit that BS.

Not to mention Harry.

As for #3, she loves Aunt May, but I don't htink she'd be willing to sacrifice what makes her life "complete" and what made her happy all these years and what completes Peter, for a duex ex machina.

But it fits Q's goals. Whatever.

 

[spideylover89]

Boy, that's the kind of marriage that I'd like to see.

Everyone grows up. People are so desparate for Pete to grow old and die right in front of our eyes, but MJ has to stay the Party Girl?

No she doesn't have to be the party girl, but that outgoing/funloving aspect of her character didn't need to just vanish. She went from the "live life in the moment" type to a *****y, moaning, worry wife (thanks Mackie). Frankly no matter how old they get there are still a lot of people who always know how to turn life into a good time and that's MJ.

 

[spideylover89]

As for #3, she loves Aunt May, but I don't htink she'd be willing to sacrifice what makes her life "complete" and what made her happy all these years and what completes Peter, for a duex ex machina.

But it fits Q's goals. Whatever.

Not to mention the fact that Aunt May wouldn't want that either. She has always adored MJ and I can't see her accepting Peter's choice to save her, but sacrifice the love of his life.

 

[farmernudie]

If she could, Aunt May would explain to Peter how she has lived a full life, and how it would make no sense to alter with time and everyone's minds and give up his marriage just to stretch out her life a little longer.

 

[Dangerous]

No she doesn't have to be the party girl, but that outgoing/funloving aspect of her character didn't need to just vanish. She went from the "live life in the moment" type to a *****y, moaning, worry wife (thanks Mackie). Frankly no matter how old they get there are still a lot of people who always know how to turn life into a good time and that's MJ.

Exactly her character just changed.
She used to be the gal that the fans would look forward to reading because she was so fun. Once Mackie shows up that all goes out the window. Following that, in JMS run- it seems MJ has had a personality transplant.

 

[iloveclones]

Exactly her character just changed.
She used to be the gal that the fans would look forward to reading because she was so fun. Once Mackie shows up that all goes out the window. Following that, in JMS run- it seems MJ has had a personality transplant.

You guys have a very short memory. MJ has been un-fun for a very very long time. The most interesting thing she did in the McFarlane era was to start smoking (whooo, we're having some fun now) and the rest of the time she was either being kidnapped, threatened (once by Pete!), or boo-hooing about worrying about Pete. And that was all before the evil Mackie came along. And you can complain about it all you want, but it all started shortly after the marriage. There were some bright spots where they tried to friend her up with Jill Stacy and get her to go back to college. But other than that, she has been a real drag.

 

[dan1]

There were some bright spots where they tried to friend her up with Jill Stacy and get her to go back to college.

I hear ya. She wasn't written as well as she could have been for a long long time. She should have gone on Fashion Assignments way more often and eventually open her own Runway School on Paris, or LA or something like that, as an example to keep her ultra busy but still her own person, not Peter's emotional sidekick.

By the way, who wrote the storyline for the bright spot you mention above

 

[Hobgoblin]

If she could, Aunt May would explain to Peter how she has lived a full life, and how it would make no sense to alter with time and everyone's minds and give up his marriage just to stretch out her life a little longer.

Exactly. I would think that May would actually be disappointed in Peter for choosing this course of action. Like, I said before, its selfish of him.

 

[iloveclones]

I hear ya. She wasn't written as well as she could have been for a long long time. She should have gone on Fashion Assignments way more often and eventually open her own Runway School on Paris, or LA or something like that, as an example to keep her ultra busy but still her own person, not Peter's emotional sidekick.

By the way, who wrote the storyline for the bright spot you mention above

I don't remember. Was it Mackie? I wouldn't be surprised. Mackie was Marvel's Golden Boy (much like Bendis is today) after his stint on Ghost Rider. He really didn't deserve the crap that he got for Spidey, but that is the nature of the biz. (It should give Bendis detractors some hope how fast Mackie's star fell. Byrne, too. The guy should be in a Comics Hall of Fame on the first vote for his past work, but the only thing that counts is what is coming out this week, right or wrong.)

 

[DACrowe]

It depends several writers wrote her great throughout the '80s and '90s. DeMatthis for example. But we seem only to remember the ones to ***** about.

 

[DACrowe]

P.S. McFarlane wrote a terrible MJ (like everything else). I mean he can draw, but his MJ was an airy ditz who had no purpose. Michillinie wrote a pretty good MJ in that era though.

 

[hulkamania85]

Don't these "I'm totally dropping the book" threads come up at least once a year.

-They made Gwen betray Peter. I'm dropping the book!
-They made him a freak in whatever that one storyline was where he died. I'm dropping the book!
-They changed his costume. I'm dropping the book!

Looking back the Gwen thing was really crappy, and I wish they'd find a way to make the marriage thing work (you've aged the character over the years, deal with it. You have Ultimate for a young Spidey). But after this mess is over I might actually give Amazing a shot again. With these new creative teams, and JMS gone, maybe some interesting stories will come about. Plus it's nice that they are cutting down on the number of Spidey books to have to keep track of.

If the fans should be pissed at anything, it's that "still only 399 cents" crack. That's not funny, and just rubs it in people's faces that these books keep getting pricier. I'd be willing to go back to newsprint if it meant being able to afford a few more books each time I go to the comic store.

 

[Doc Destruction]

Don't these "I'm totally dropping the book" threads come up at least once a year.

Yes, but some of us HAVE.t:

 

[hulkamania85]

Yes, but some of us HAVE.t:

I guess I have too, but I didn't make a dramabomb about it. It was just a matter of not having the time anymore at that point.