Spider-Man The Great Jane Debate!

I'm definately on the side of maintaining a Peter-MJ relationship.
I feel that while the MJ-Peter marriage was forced [due to the comic trying to match up with the comic strip] it unleashed a plethoera of story elements that have created some of the better Spidey stories of the past decades: The first Venom story, Parts of the clone saga, and dare I say the non-spider totem parts of JMS's run. But I beleive the far most important reason to keep the marriage alive in some fashion [through DSF method or otherwise] is JM Demattis' "Kraven's Last Hunt" where Peter's love for MJ allows himself to rip himself out of his own grave, his love for MJ and her love for Peter has never been better told in my humblest oppinion. The marriage has never harmed this character, only stregthened him [I daresay that the love of a woman has always enabled Spider-Man to take on some of the most important tasks of his life] more so than any ridiculous "The Other" storyline.
I want to see Peter progress as a man[we have USM to chronicle his earlier life]. I'm okay with him getting into Stark Tower, unmasking, or otherwise. The only thing I want to see is Peter Parker handling events as a human would and not as a super-hero would.
 
Ice said:
No, that was the perfect thing to do, because that's what helped people go, "Well, if a guy like him can land a girl like her, I can, too."
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I agree with TOG.

I just threw up a bit in my mouth...

But I do. Just make her a hot girl. She doesn't have to be a supermodel/actress. She doesn't have to be the end all and be all of pre-pubescent fantasies. Just make her a good looking, understanding woman that Peters married to. And I agree with Wade too. Having Peter move through an endless stream of faceless women wouldn't work either. He's had what, 4 major women (MJ, Gwen, Betty Brant and Aunt May) in his life? He works best CONTAINTED, not all over the place. If they kill her every time a new writer comes on he'll bring a new love intrest and with the current hit and run writing style we see these days that's be 3 or 4 new women a year. Blech
 
Baxter said:
I agree with TOG.

I just threw up a bit in my mouth...

But I do. Just make her a hot girl. She doesn't have to be a supermodel/actress. She doesn't have to be the end all and be all of pre-pubescent fantasies. Just make her a good looking, understanding woman that Peters married to. And I agree with Wade too. Having Peter move through an endless stream of faceless women wouldn't work either. He's had what, 4 major women (MJ, Gwen, Betty Brant and Aunt May) in his life? He works best CONTAINTED, not all over the place. If they kill her every time a new writer comes on he'll bring a new love intrest and with the current hit and run writing style we see these days that's be 3 or 4 new women a year. Blech
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But the point was not just any hot girl. Gwen was a hot girl and he got her. So what you say was done. But there's a level beyond that, the ones with supermodels and all that. "Just a hot girl" was done so showing that even a everyman like him can land a Supermodel.

He wasn't meant to stay with her, as we've seen because of the rush marriage. She was there to just show that it's possible for any guy to land a girl like her.
 
I think it's silly to get rid of the marriage just for the simple fact that probably 90% of the people reading Spider-Man comics now started AFTER he was already married. I mean, it was twenty frickin' years ago. Most people don't even know an unmarried Spider-Man. And those who do have stuck with the married one for twenty years! So they obviously don't care.

We have unmarried Spider-Man in Ultimate and Marvel Adventures comics. He's around on TV and in the movies. Why does he need to be in the regular comics too? I would think if anything all the other versions just give Marvel more of a reason to grow the original one.

I mean, does anybody really think an unmarried Spider-Man will pull in an extra 100,000, 50,000 or even 10,000 new readers for Amazing every month? Will it even get an extra 1 reader?
 
Joe Kalicki said:
I think it's silly to get rid of the marriage just for the simple fact that probably 90% of the people reading Spider-Man comics now started AFTER he was already married. I mean, it was twenty frickin' years ago. Most people don't even know an unmarried Spider-Man. And those who do have stuck with the married one for twenty years! So they obviously don't care.
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That doesn't bother me as much as this: what are they missing out on by having them married? What is so ruined and what are they not able to do? Turn MJ into DemoGoblin?

If there are such great stories they have and can't use for him because they are married, pull Bendis off USM and use them there instead of having 50 clones running around and all his friends being turned into monsters. Seriously - which is worse?!
 
E said:
That doesn't bother me as much as this: what are they missing out on by having them married?
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Because as Joe Q., Tom Brevoort, and the others like to repeat:

"Tell me what stories we can tell with an married Peter Parker that we can't tell with and unmarried Peter Parker?"


:?
 
Ice said:
Because as Joe Q., Tom Brevoort, and the others like to repeat:

"Tell me what stories we can tell with an married Peter Parker that we can't tell with and unmarried Peter Parker?"


:?
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I'm not sure I understand. Obviously I'm missing something.
 
E said:
I'm not sure I understand. Obviously I'm missing something.
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Basically they're saying that any story that they can tell with a married Peter, they can tell the same story with an unmarried Peter. So that's their bandwagon as to why they think Peter shouldn't be married.
 
Ice said:
Basically they're saying that any story that they can tell with a married Peter, they can tell the same story with an unmarried Peter. So that's their bandwagon as to why they think Peter shouldn't be married.
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Ah that makes total sense.

"We can tell the same stories with him married or unmarried, so let's undo 20 years of continutity."


:arrgh:
 
And the thing is, Peter never really had problems with getting dates. He always had a steady girlfriend, from Gwen on. The only story they're really missing out on is the break-up story. But a couple issues down the road he'd have someone new or be back with the old girlfriend anyway.

The only real difference is that people actually like MJ. She's a popular character. People want them together and like seeing them together. Hell, Marvel even puts out a book called Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane! They wouldn't do that if they thought people wouldn't like reading about them together!

Would they like seeing her dating Flash Thompson or something while Peter's dating some teacher from school or something?

I think you do more damage by breaking them apart than keeping them together. And real damage too, not just soem bizarre perceived damage.
 
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E said:
I miss Bill Jemas.
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I miss him, too.

Joe Kalicki said:
And the thing is, Peter neevr really had problems with getting dates. He always had a steady girlfriend, from Gwen on. The only story they're really missing out on is the break-up story. But a couple issues down the road he'd have someone new or be back with the old girlfriend anyway.

The only real difference is that people actually like MJ. She's a popular character. People want them together and like seeing them together. Hell, Marvel even puts out a book called Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane! They wouldn't do that if they thought people wouldn't like reading about them together!

Would they like seeing her dating Flash Thompson or something while Peter's dating some teacher from school or something?

I think you do more damage by breaking them apart than keeping them together. And real damage too, not just soem bizarre perceived damage.
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Exactly. But they'll never say anything besides their quote I said in the first post of this page.
 
Anyone who has ready anything by madgoblin understands the true importance of the MJ/Peter relationship.

Don't get me wrong; I'm the biggest supporter of Ultimate MJ getting decapitated on this website, however, I have been mildly in love with 616 Mary Jane since I was 5 years old and I imagine that I will be for some time.

Let's look at Peter's other relationships;

Betty? Don't get me started.

Gwen? She stopped being interested after about 30-some issues. Stan and his followers just didn't know what to do with her anymore.

Deborah? Despite the fact that half of the time she's written as a crazy *****, she couldn't handle the fact that he was Spider-Man.

Felicia? Anyone who could possibly see a long term relationship between the two is obviously an idiot. Besides, she's a part of the new "heroes for hire" who I, by the way, hate. And really, what matters more than pleasing me?

There have been others, but none have stuck in readers minds like Mary Jane has. Does that mean that they have to be married? Not really, but it's the natural progression of things. Peter has been written as a guy who "Wanted to get married" since the 60's. He wanted to marry Gwen when he was 19 years old for god's sake! He entertained the notion of marrying the black cat!!

I'm right, and Joey Q is wrong. I challenge him to a fistfight. Anywhere, anytime.
 
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