I know it’s a cliche thing to say, but “because you demanded it”, I proudly present a sequal to “Bertone Hates Betty”. Why do I hate Ms. Brant today? Let’s take a look at her friendship with Sha Shan.
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Things between Sha Shan and Betty started off friendly enough. They seemed pretty civil to eachother whenever the group gathered for supporting cast events. Like the image below from “Spectacular Spider-Man” issue 24.
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Betty is insisting people call her “Brant” instead of “Leeds” because this is an era where Betty had left Ned (ON THEIR HONEYMOON) so she could persue Peter. MORE ON THAT IN A FUTURE EDITION….I PROMISE.
As you could see in the preview image, Betty and Sha Shan didn’t stay friendly. What happned? Well it probably had something to do with Betty sleeping with Sha Shan’s boyfriend. Let’s look at the scene from “Amazing Spider-Man” issue 280 in full context.
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If looks could kill! What does Betty think about all of this?
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To paraphrase what Betty said, “I never realized I was hurting Sha Shan when I was sleeping with her boyfriend”. Really Betty?
So Betty is regretful over this right? She’s realized she wronged Sha Shan and she’s sorry right? Right?
Wrong. Take a look at their reunion in “Amazing Spider-Man” issue 622.
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The icicle speech balloons are a cool callback to the Ditko days but take a look at that scene again. Betty isn’t responding to Sha Shan…Betty starts it! Betty doesn’t greet Sha Shan with an apology or any remorse. No! She’s mad at Sha Shan! Why? What did Sha Shan do to her? It’s not like they had a Betty/Veronica relationship. Betty stole Sha Shan’s man! Sha Shan has a right to be mad! Betty doesn’t!
Betty Brant is the only woman who will have an affair with your boyfriend and then somehow be mad at you as if she was the victim. What a horrible person.
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Aww thanks!
man i love this series.and i am amazed by Bertone’s deep knowledge of spider-man’ history. keep up the fantastic work
If I Was In Charge I Would:
“Have it turn out that it was Betty who cut the deal with Mephisto to destroy the Parkers’ marriage.”
Loooove it! I haven’t read these issues since I was a kid and so didn’t pay attention to the insane Betty.
O dear!
I just assume that Flash still was in the army and still went to Vietnam…but it wasn’t for the Vietnam War. Perhaps his platoon went to Vietnam for another US mission.
I would assume that the current history would still have Flash for some reason go to Vietnam when he signed up, because Spider-Man: BLUE had him join the army instead of being drafted.
@Proto Goblin – I hope not. I particularly liked her portrayal in Spectacular Spidey.
I hope if the writers of the next spidey cartoon have Betty in it they use these articles as resarch, cause its about time Betty started being portrayed in the shows/movies as the mentally unstable cheating B#tch that she is in the comics. I seriously wonder if this is the way all the comic writers see her, because it can’t just be by sheer accident that she has been portrayed this consistently batsh#t crazy throughout her entire history pretty much.
Thanks for such a great article, I am not a huge Betty fan myself! =)
I really like these articles by Bertone. He has convinced me, I hate Betty too!
Thanks, another great Betty piece! She’s a piece of work!
It’s impossible for me to read any stories where she appears without reading her dialogue in Bertone’s “Betty” voice.
Just curious, what’s the deal with Flash & Sha Shan’s continuity these days? In current “canon”, did she and Flash still meet while he was serving in Vietnam? For that matter is Flash still a Vietvet, is that part of current continuity? Sorta ages him. Thanks.
That last panel from ASM 622 with the line “did I mention she’s your new physical therapist” needs a trumpet going “wah wah waaaaah” to make it complete.
Wow, what a whore. XD
Either Sha Shan needs to go back to Flash, or Flash needs to dump Betty and live the single life.
Worst case scenario? The Symbiote eats them both, and takes Flash for itself.
Sha Shan should throw down with Betty in Spider-Island. I’d rather see that than Venom versus Anti-Venom.
This scene was discovered by accident when looking over art with fellow Crawlspacer contributor DMG. Here is when we realize the awfulness of Betty in this scene. This took place about 30 minutes before the article was written.
[8:56:37 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: that is an EXCELLENT panel of Flash there
[8:56:40 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: great writing
[8:56:45 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: perfect expression
[8:56:49 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: yea
[8:56:53 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: except Peter and Harry are jerks
[8:56:54 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: not to kowtow to Weisman, but real talk
[8:57:03 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: oh no
[8:57:06 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: this story was awesome
[8:57:18 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: i love the icicle balloons with betty and sha shan
[8:57:20 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: but then on second glance
[8:57:27 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: wtf does betty have to be pissed at sha shan about
[8:57:35 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: haha!
[8:57:36 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: remember that “do you love me ned” page?
[8:57:39 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: hahaha
[8:57:41 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: she’s remorseful over sha shan
[8:57:50 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: now she’s pissed at sha shan
[8:57:50 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: W
[8:57:51 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: T
[8:57:52 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: F
[8:57:53 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: i got it
[8:57:59 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: not only is Betty a B
[8:57:59 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: she’s EXTREMELY jealous
[8:58:06 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: of everyone
[8:58:08 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: because since Sha Shan will be helping Flash
[8:58:17 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: she’s threatened
[8:58:25 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: plus, Flash went with Sha Shan before Betty
[8:58:26 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: but WTF
[8:58:27 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: not
[8:58:29 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: so there’s that
[8:58:34 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: “oh Sha Shan..I’m sorry for what happened”
[8:58:46 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: “Who invited you?”
[8:58:50 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: (looks at page again)
[8:58:51 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: OMZg
[8:58:54 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: and Betty does it first
[8:59:00 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: she’s not responding to Sha Shan or anything
[8:59:01 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: she’s..
[8:59:03 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
[8:59:08 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: she friggin starts it
[8:59:08 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[8:59:13 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: WRITE THIS NAO MAN!
[8:59:15 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: NOW
[8:59:17 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: WWWW
[8:59:18 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: DUDE
[8:59:19 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: ITS ON
[8:59:26 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: IT’S MORPHIN’ TIME!
[8:59:27 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: Bertone Hates Betty Editorial
[8:59:29 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: part 2
[8:59:32 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: expect it tomm
[8:59:34 PM] Joshua Lapin-Bertone: or tonight evn
[8:59:40 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: heck yea
[8:59:44 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: hahaHAHA!
[8:59:49 PM] Donovan Morgan Grant: get her!
Sha Shan needs to show up in the Venom series, if for nothing else to punch Betty in the mouth.