Bad news for those hoping to see Spider-Man and Mary Jane as husband and wife, as it seems Marvel Comics just doesn’t want the two together again, at least not as a couple. A surprising observation from one of Marvel’s most experienced editors explains why readers won’t be seeing a Parker/Watson marriage anytime soon.
Speaking at Baltimore Comic Con 2024 (via PopVerse), Marvel editor Tom Brevoort was asked by a guest about editorial mandates and exactly who makes decisions for certain characters. When explaining how Marvel Comics’ leadership determines the right and wrong directions for its characters, a fan highlighted Spider-Man’s chances of reuniting with his lifelong love and now ex-wife, Mary Jane. Responding to the audience’s laughter, Brevoort gave a quick clarification about Peter and MJ’s future:
“He can get back with Mary Jane, he just can’t marry Mary Jane. Those are the ground rules. If you’re going to work on any character — if you’re going to work on Daredevil, you’re going to have to deal with the fact that he’s blind and will probably stay that way for a while.”
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Alternate in-universe versions of Peter and MJ are an entirely different story, though
Spider-Man and Mary Jane were once one of the most beloved couples in comics. But years after the two were officially married, they faced their biggest crisis in the highly controversial “One More Day” storyline, which saw Aunt May nearly killed, and Peter and Mary Jane negotiating with Mephisto (who altered history so that the two were never married) to save her. The storyline has become one of the most universally disliked, with many fans wishing that Marvel would eventually ‘right the wrong’. But to this day, Spider-Man and Mary Jane are no closer to getting married than they were after “One More Day.”
Of course, that’s only the case in the main Marvel Comics continuity, set on Earth-616. However, with the relaunch of Marvel’s Ultimate Universe line, fans have an ongoing series that features Spider-Man married to Mary Jane. Not only are they married, but they also have two children, Richard and May. Ultimate Spider-Man was a welcome change for many fans, who I liked seeing Spider-Man at a different stage in his life and, most importantly, in a relationship with the love of your life.
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Brevoort’s statements may be more off-the-cuff or light-hearted than an explicit directive, but they also won’t come as a surprise. A large portion of the fanbase wants Spider-Man and Mary Jane to get together, as demonstrated by the tremendous reception it has received. Ultimate Spider-Man it received. While the main Spider-Man title fulfilled the mandates and kept the two separate, few modern executions of Spider-Man comics, if any, received as much praise as the new Ultimate Spider-Man.
Mandate or not, one thing is certain: the comic book world knows that Peter Parker and Mary Jane, if anyone, should have already achieved marital bliss. That’s not the only reason Ultimate Spider-Man It’s a hit, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. The future of Marvel’s heroes may be difficult to determine, but for Spider-Man and Mary Janethe evidence speaks for itself.