What makes a man? Peter Parker has learned that throughout the years. Always questioning himself, but if you look back the real question is “What makes Peter Parker a BETTER man.” The answer is simple. Mary Jane Watson! His soulmate and long best friend. This article focuses on the depth of the character and why (least I think and many others) think Peter and Mary Jane BELONG together.I know what you’re saying. There are fans to the other women Peter has had the pleasure of knowing throughout his years and I am not dissing them. I’m just giving you a solid case on why Mary Jane is and always has been the one! This is an in depth look at this character and the relationship history she has with Peter.
When we were introduced to the character back 1964 in Amazing Spider-Man #15 we had no idea who she was. Aunt May favored her nephew so much that she went out of her way to set him up with Anna Watson’s niece, Mary Jane. Of course, this is a blind date and Peter knew full well, that blind dates, the odds are stacked up against you. The readers themselves (especially the ones back then when this it the shelves) knew that as well. Peter used every excuse in the handbook to get out of actually meeting this girl.
It wasn’t until Amazing Spider-Man #25 that we got a glimpse of her, actually more like a tease. That oversized potted plant that blocked the reader’s view of her face became an iconic moment. Looking at that panel, we had an idea of what Mary Jane looked like even before Peter.
This kind of panel made the readers curious and yearned for more. During this time we saw the girls Peter was pinning for. Betty Brant and Liz Allen were the first to actually see her and they were SHOCKED! T If this girl gave the two girls that Peter used to pine after a run for money, that made the reader want to know more. Mary Jane was a just a mystery girl. We knew nothing about her besides being Anna Watson’s niece. That alone makes the character interesting.
It wasn’t till the end of Amazing Spider-Man #42 in 1966 that Mary Jane was revealed. Letting both Peter and the readers know that he indeed did hit the Jackpot. She looked absolutely gorgeous and you have John Romita to thank for that.
According to the artist himself, when envisioning Mary Jane he used the actress Ann-Margret from the movie “Bye Bye Birdie” as a guide. Using her coloring, the shape of her face, her red hair and her form fitting short skirts. That was a genius move. For those of you who don’t know Ann-Margret was considered “Too Sexy” for the part, but eventually did get the part. ” Romita played on that and the outcome paid off.
These are animated gifs of Ann-Margret. The actress that John Romita Sr based Mary Jane Watson’s looks on.
Peter couldn’t take his eyes off her. This was a girl he was trying to avoid?! Mary Jane had what Liz, Betty, and even Gwen didn’t. A fun and more interesting personality. Every time she showed up in a panel if was like the sun just came out. Peter said it better himself. “What a living Doll! She makes everything seem like a party!” That was our first look at Mary Jane and she made a very good impression. Stan always intended for Gwen and Peter to get together but somehow, someway Mary Jane was just too much of an interesting character than Gwen, so let’s dive into that.
Fun, full of personality, and gorgeous to boot, you would figure Mary Jane had it all. The “Party Girl” image lasted and she was one of Peter’s closest friends after they met. Even though Peter was dating Gwen and she was dating Harry, there was harmless flirtation going on between the two. It wasn’t really until Amazing Spider-Man #122 that we started to get a glimpse on who Mary Jane really is. Gwen just died mind you and Peter is pretty shaken up about it. Who wouldn’t? Being the first woman you loved just passed away. “Party Girl” MJ showed just what a good friend she was to Peter during this horrific time. She’s not all “party” as you, or even Peter, thought she was. It’s a powerful Epilogue if you ask me.
In Amazing Spider-Man #123 Mary Jane continued to support Peter during the grief of losing Gwen. It really wasn’t until Amazing Spider-Man #143 where we saw some sparks fly.
It was the end of Amazing Spider-Man #150 (the first clone saga) where Peter, came to realize that Mary Jane was the one for him.
It wasn’t though until the end of Amazing Spider-Man #257 that Mary Jane revealed a shocker to both Peter and the readers.
HOW Mary Jane knew Peter was Spider-Man. Amazing Spider-Man #257 was published back in 1984 and the there was a gap that needed to be filled. Thanks to Gerry Conway that gap was officially filled in properly with the 1989 (thanks crawlspacer, ) published Amazing Spider-Man Parallel Lives #1. Mary Jane knew who Peter was the night Uncle Ben was shot! Peter actually confirmed this in Amazing Spider-Man #652 so it’s definitely in canon! (special thanks to crawlspacer Joshua Nelson for pointing that out)
EDITORS NOTE: YOU ALL SHOULD PICK THIS UP, IT’S A GREAT BOOK!!!!
It was Amazing Spider-Man #182 that Peter proposed to Mary Jane for the first time. He got his answer in Amazing Spider-Man #184. Mary Jane didn’t want to be tied down by anyone, but still very much wanted to be friends with Peter. (thanks to crawlspacers @Spider-Dad and @hornacek for helping out on this one)
In Amazing Spider-Man #192 and #193, Peter want to try again and set up a date with Mary Jane. She agreed, but Spider-Man business got int he way and MJ felt stood up.
What follows in Amazing Spider-Man #258 and #259 shows who Mary Jane REALLY was. An alcoholic father that blamed her, her sister and his wife for all the troubles he went through. Mary Jane had a very troubled childhood and used the facade of a “Party Girl” to hide it from the rest of the world. Although the world saw her as careless and free, she was really troubled and trapped. She used acting and drama to break away from the harsh reality and often used dancing at clubs to sooth the real pain that she was in. She never wanted to settle down like her folks did or like her sister did. They all ended up badly and she wanted nothing to do with that which is why she never truly committed to one man in a relationship. After a long talk they continued on as friends.
It was Amazing Spider-Man #290-291 however that changed, Mary Jane grew up a little bit and Peter asked again.
Mary Jane declined the proposal the first time stating because of what her parents went through and what her sister went through, she didn’t want to be tied down. Peter respected her decision but still remain deeply in love with her and being there as a good friend. In Amazing Spider-Man #292, after fighting a spider slayer and Peter being there to get Mary Jane’s dad arrested, Mary Jane finally closed the door to being scared in a steady loving commitment. Peter didn’t even have to ask again, she just said “YES”
When they were married they went through it all. Another clone saga, Jonathan Caeser, Venom, A miscarriage, Black Cat, Peter’s Identity being revealed to the world during Civil War. They went through it and got through it, they endured it all and still managed to completely love each other.
Mary Jane is a very attractive character, but she’s also very strong, has so much rich history, truly understood Peter. It just fits. She has a personality and spirit like no other female character that loved Peter. She’s been written out of context at times, but there’s a reason why people still think of Peter and Mary Jane as Power Couple in comics. They are right up there with Lois and Clark, there is no denying that. She’s been there for Peter, more times than he can count.
One More Day was an editorial decision to split the two up because the EIC at the time, Joe Quesada thought Spider-Man should be single and free. It was a mistake, the reasons on why they decided to do that, just don’t add up logically. For the last 10 years that sting has not gone away for true hard core fans. Renew Your Vows and Spider-Girl comics are a direct result of that. You can write a married Spider-Man and make it interesting and fun. There’s not doubt about it. Spider-Man isn’t himself without Mary Jane in his life.
Cheers Everyone!
If you want to read a REALLY GOOD comic that illustrates the the depth and destiny of these two characters. Do yourself a favor and pick up “PARALLEL LIVES” by Conway and Saviuk. You’ll be glad you did!
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Hey, I’m now receiving emails when there are follow-up posts! Glad this has been fixed, I haven’t been receiving these type of emails for the past couple of weeks.
Nice article.
Although MJ was never intended to be “the one”, it somehow evolved that way. Gerry Conway was instrumental in making that change, and as those panels demonstrate above, did a great job of helping grow MJ from being the 1 dimensional party girl, to something more. Stern, Defalco and Michelinie built on that added even more depth to her.
For this reader, MJ works because she did not appear with GIRLFRIEND stamped on her forehead. She had a different purpose for the book, and it evolved into something more. You know, something that might happen in real life. And that is what the Amazing Spider-Man was all about…
Thanks for the shout-out, Chi-Town!
@Joshua
That’s great news! Ha, gonna have to update the article again.
There’s passion and respect in this article. I liked a lot. Each one of these stories prove without a shred of doubt how MJ is one of the most powerful and charismatic supporting characters in superhero comics.
This article also provides proof of how pivotal to
Peter’s personal growth MJ is.
And I can’t get enough of how masterfully conceived the last page/epilogue of #ASM 122 is; the 9-page grid Ditko structure and framework is impeccable. In this one single page, by each panel, MJ evolves. It’s a great example of comic book storytelling.
Every single reader, by discovering this issue for the very 1st time was taken aback; there’s more to MJ’s than anyone else could perceive.
ASM#150’: another landmark of Peter’s journey to adulthood; and MJ is right at the center of such acknowledgement.
ASM#259: MJ’s backstory; decades before “The Conversation” by J.M.Straczynski, Romita Jr. and Scott Hanna, spider-fans embraced an intimate moment of MJ’s relationship: they talk; and she opens up about her childhood. Another great moment of growth for both characters masterfully crafted by DeFalco, Frenz and Rubistein.
MJ avoided him for a long time and THE UNTOLD TALES OF SPIDER-MAN #16 by Busiek, Oliffe and Giordano offers more background to it.
Still, a great article and an ode to the woman who helped to shape Peter Parker into a man.
Cheers, Chi-Town! Great to have you in the club!
OH I agree on that point. What “came out of nowhere” was their decision to rewrite everything in the most insulting way possible to both characters. A deal with the devil..come on now..
Nice article. I remember making some similar points back in my Overlooked Gems piece on “The Big Question”.
It’s astonishing (and annoying) that people like Joe Quesada, Tom Brevoort, Dan Slott, etc. think they can simply push a character like Mary Jane Watson to the side and replace her with other love interests after so many years of being Peter Parker’s soulmate. And their argument that the marriage “came out of nowhere” and was “inorganically rushed” is demonstrably untrue.
THIS is why Mary Jane has a leg up on anyone they try to replace her with. She has an extensive history with him in the book. You can’t stick your head in the sand and just pretend none of this happened!
No matter what Marvel tries to tell me, I will ALWAYS see MJ as the definitive soulmate to Peter Parker. I wouldn’t mind characters like Carlie Cooper if she wasn’t meant to be a love interest, or the only purpose of her is to be a love interest. Never gonna do better than MJ.
@Cheesedique
Thanks! She’s such a great character, had to write about her. There’s so much more to tell that frankly I didn’t have time write. Just wanted people to know that she’s STILL out there and STILL thought of as the soulmate to Peter Parker aka Spider-Man.
Great article man! Such a rich comics history to Mary Jane that Marvel tries to actively ignore.