January 2002. The first Spider-Man movie is still five months away to be released worldwide. More than ever in mankind’s popular culture history, the character is getting ready to be established forever as an icon, following the path of Marvel superheroes presented as live-action films in the big screen, paved by Blade (1998) and the successful sci-fi cinematic approach given to the X-Men (2000).
Meanwhile, while the Marvel comic books continuity history, the company is recovering itself from a near-bankruptcy; Joe Quesada becomes the new Editor-in-Chief and the company once again becomes a force to be reckoned with in the superhero comic book market. The X-Men – under the guidance of Grant Morrisson, becomes New X-Men; style-wise, the comic follows the trends provided by its movie adaptation, also heavily influenced by another great science fiction movie released at the turn of the century: The Matrix (1999). And so the movie and TV industry begin to realize how the comic book language can make a difference – by visual and plot storytelling – thus evolving in every single aspect of their formats, from story to characters, and even language.
Directors, screenwriters, cinematographers, comic book writers, and visual artists refine their storytelling techniques in order to appeal fresh and more realistic to a public who become more eager for different truths, even if presented through fiction, that still resonates with their own lives, or for adventure tales that still remain connected to the human element – something that can relate to us in an emotional and biological level.
There are many superhero comic books in the market which proportionate such message to readers, but most of them follow the legacy of one single comic book: The Amazing Spider-Man – the character’s core title and one of the few super-hero comic books in the market which chronologically tells the story, lifetimes and adventures of Peter Parker as the friendly neighborhood masked hero. And why is it special? Because unlike many other superheroes, Peter has a personal life; and just like real people, he goes through the same struggles anyone does. For all accounts and purposes, “he’s the hero who could be you.” His private life matters because the superhero comic book readership often seeks in heroes something which goes beyond the principles of morality and altruism: relatability.
Spider-Man stories are appealing because Peter Parker is one of the most recognizable human characters in the medium; so the readership ends up relating and even caring about him. And what happens to his private life, when he’s not undergoing fierce ordeals, can also happen to anyone.
For the comic book uninitiated, the Spider-Man movie trilogy by the director Sam Raimi showed to the world how Peter’s life as a hero is intricated to his personal life, mainly in his relationships; the three movies depict stories unfolded from actions, reactions, and consequences from himself and the people closest to him – the original template in which Steve Ditko and Stan Lee (co-creators of the character) established to make the hero unique. Not only because of his power but because of how his life and relationships are affected by it. And as if being the first independent teenager superhero was not enough, they also wanted to show the bad side of being one and the toll it takes from his personal life, unlike Clark Kent (Superman), Bruce Wayne (Batman), Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) and Steve Rogers – to name a few.
Although our lives, in reality, are devoid of the supernatural elements presented through our favorite forms of fiction – from old mythological tales to modern ones in comic books -, the stories of good vs. evil can show us the levels of human morality and help us to define in our consciousness what is right and wrong; good and bad.
From their example, the moral compass and altruism that some (super)heroes live by can light the path to righteousness, later to be applied in favor of the collective society we are inserted, if it’s a personal choice to do so.
The results from absorbing the moral concepts of such tales can also teach us in the path of self-discovery and further values about sacrifice, truth, respect, loyalty, humbleness, understanding, and forgiveness – regardless if their content is presented through action, mysticism, mystery, horror, comedy and even science fiction. Character storytelling is appealing because we can learn from their tales; therefore, their lives to us have meaning. So we end up caring about the characters themselves. What they go through in their secret identities can often relate to our own lives.
“When the story is in your mind, then you see its relevance to something happening to you in your own life. It gives you perspective of what’s happening to you.”
– Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth.
An inherent truth about Spider-Man: what he does as a hero affects directly the life of his secret identity as Peter Parker – mainly his relationships, his supporting cast.
When Peter Parker became Spider-Man, he was just a 15-year-old kid from Queens. The powers bestowed upon him gave him an opportunity to do everything a super-powered man could. In a sense, Peter’s behavior after gaining his powers was the logical response of how a kid would logically act under such circumstances without the supervision of an adult; so he acted in secrecy. Even his uniform, which covers the entirety of his body is the perfect analogy of how much he intended not to be discovered by the kid he was. And since he was no one’s sidekick either, he could do whatever an adult could – even more. Briefly, he enjoyed the freedom of being an adult, remaining as a boy without a care in the world. So he renamed himself as a man – a Spider-Man.
A subverted reflection from adult superheroes, unleashed in a boy without a care in the world. Then, fate intervened. The carefree boy had indeed to learn fast how to be the man he claimed he was. And the truth about himself had to remain concealed, out of shame and guilt – powerful emotional reminders triggered whenever he was trying to show through the Peter Parker persona what he had learned as the (Spider-)man. And no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t be believed, he couldn’t show everyone the opposite of a fact, neither truth about himself because it would lead to a sorrowful consequence due to his irresponsibility. The boy behind the mask of the man had to keep his truths, victories, and discoveries for himself. Always.
And those who eventually knew his secret (Captain Stacy, his second father figure) or who became very close to his heart (Gwen Stacy, the Love of his life), died because they also became too close to him – and by default, the battles of Spider-Man.
So why reveal the truth? Why would he let people get close? Chronologically, time passed also passed by in the ASM pages, and so the identity of Peter Parker became the mask to conceal from others the irresponsible danger of what Spider-Man could be, by endangering anyone at any time. Guilt, secrecy, and often reclusive attitudes limiting his interpersonal relationships became his psychological norm, in order to forever atone for his greatest failures. Making himself oblivious to how many times he made a difference in people’s lives – people he didn’t even know. And therein lies another tragic truth about Peter Parker: he might be able to save everyone, but the ones closest to him will always be at a greater risk. That’s the price of his secret.
But what happens when the ones closest to us also have their truths and deep secrets to reveal? Every secret comes with a price and if held for too long, it becomes a constant lie – a mask. And if every relationship is based on trust, respect, friendship, and Love, ultimately the truth must be a constant, and no lie can remain covered forever.
Amidst the growing threat of the Hobgoblin, a new antagonist named Puma, and the shocking discovery that his black uniform is an extra-terrestrial live symbiote, Mary Jane Watson reveals to Peter that he knows he is Spider-Man.
Rendered with the truth and unable to contest (or lie – as he was already used to do it with Aunt May) he has no choice but to accept the fact that it is time to let someone in his life – not through blackmail, neither force -, but through respect and friendship. In fact, she is so willing to commit to his truth that she shares with Peter the story of her own life as well. She gives him (and the reader) something back, by revealing the reasons why she lived with her Aunt Anna Watson (just like Peter being raised by Aunt May) and be the party girl as she was first presented in ASM#42 vol.1 (Nov. 1966).
This single issue presented by Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz, and Josef Rubinstein is a milestone for both characters – mostly for Mary Jane because she explains to Peter he doesn’t need to fear the fact she might reveal his secret to the world. And even when he initially judges her in their conversation as the shallow party girl, she proves him wrong again; she has become more – a grown-up and a mature woman. From this issue, after a simple talk in the park, MJ becomes an important person (and character) with a strong personality and depth. Impressively enough, much more than Gwen Stacy ever was. And ironically, a side only briefly shown in the very same issue Gwen dies, because MJ refuses to let Peter alone with his grief. From then onwards, Mary Jane Watson becomes an integral part of Spider-Man’s life. To the point that her life matters to the readers just as Peter’s.
Still, Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz deserve a higher appraisal for their great work and contributions in the title. They helped to shape the template of how the relationship between MJ and Peter would be for the next decades.
DeMatteis and Bagley hit the peak of their collaboration in this anniversary issue. After eight issues lying in a coma due to a heart attack followed by the shock of the return of Peter’s (false) parents, she awakes. Chronologically in the story, a week goes by; with MJ by his side, and recovered from his mental burnout, Peter is shown spending some quality time with the most important people in his life.
Then, during a visit to the Empire State Building, Aunt May reveals to Peter she has known for many years about his secret. The brief conversation doesn’t last more than three pages. Peter (as shown above) is taken aback by the revelation and is clearly not ready to talk about it. Then, in a very private moment with Peter, while lying in her bed, May tells him that her time is nigh. She passes away, as Peter tells her a passage from the tale of Peter Pan.
And though it was revealed later that May was replaced by a genetically-altered actress, this story still stands as one of the most dramatic moments in the life of Peter Parker. For a while, May Parker was dead. For the second time.
(Hey, superhero comics.)
In a time (the 90’s) when the X-Men comics written by Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza took their time to devote so many single issues to develop the nature of the mutant characters through conversations based on fear, Love, prejudice, self-acceptance, and more, it’s a shame that in a milestone issue from one of the greatest superhero comics, so little was shown from this moment.
The Amazing Spider-Man comic book is also a soap opera with unique characters who evolve throughout the years of its publication.
Are constant action and adventure part of the unbreakable rules in superhero comics?
Not anymore.
As stated in the last post from this column, J.Michael Straczynski, John Romita Jr., and Scott Hanna finished their first arc with a bang. Aunt May discovers that her nephew is Spider-Man.
There was no subplot. No clones. No villain master plan. No cutscenes showing supporting characters developing a plan to follow Peter in his private life. In fact, there was no suspicion at all from her part to discover it; all it took was her idea to collect his spring clothes at his apartment the next morning and with the intention to drop them at the cleaners.
And his clothes were what she found. Alongside a truth almost impossible to bear.
Once again, the cycle repeats itself. But time has passed; though the situation seems the same, the characters are more prepared for it, because they’ve grown older. From all they’ve seen, they’ve become more experienced. The Parkers, just like the Murdocks, are made of the harder stuff. They confront their challenges, even if the aftermath hurts them even more.
In “The Conversation”, the arena is a familiar one: in Peter’s own apartment. And the challenge is to come to terms with his Aunt May about his life – the secret which he believed would kill the very woman who raised him as her own son. This is one of the most important moments in the history of such characters.
Right at its beginning, when Peter automatically tries to convince her that it’s not what she thinks, she begs him in tears – to stop lying. Because those lies were what kept them apart from one another for so long. And even though Peter’s sole intention was to protect her from the dangers that would possibly cause her harm, he was also protecting himself from the shame, guilt, and possibly judgment he would have to face in case she learned the truth: she lost the man she loved because of him. And yet, he tells it to her; he surrenders to the weight of his own truth.
Then, without tampering with the origin story of Spider-Man, JMS adds one detail in his mythology that doesn’t make a retro continuity difference in the life of the hero, but in the life of May Parker herself – and just like Mary Jane confided in him when she learned about him being Spider-Man, May also gives him something in return: her own shame and guilt. The detail is simple: on the night Ben Parker was murdered outside of his home, he had an argument with May and decided to take a walk to collect his thoughts. This walk led him to meet the burglar who murdered him. And that would be the secret she would never tell to anyone. So she too – shared self-imbued guilt and flawed responsibility to the man they loved and cared so much. So both of them, in a state of emotional reclusion, assumed things from one another without ever confiding their truths until then, without sharing important thoughts and parts of their own lives, in fear that they could make them both fall apart.
And just like that, the weight of the guilt from Ben Parker’s death is shared by both characters. But since they’ve been through so much and learned more about the harsh realities of life than many others in the Marvel Universe, the revelation of both truths does not come with a shock, but with a great sense of relief. And inevitably, out of sheer Love and deep appreciation for one another, they have no other option but to forgive themselves. And start over.
Through this conversation, May sets him free. He can grow up without the guilt that hindered his self-development to a near state of neurosis. No more. That secret was part of life when he was young. But so much happened to him. From a young mindset in which he believed he had to be a loner, overwhelmed by responsibility and guilt, he shut himself to the ones he cared the most, out of fear. Now, this secret is no longer a heavy burden, but a truth that can be shared, thus making the weight not so heavy.
From this point, May Parker becomes a much more real and functional character, instead of being the psychological chain to ground Peter Parker, despite the Love she gave to support him. She no longer has to be a presence in his life designed to make him feel more guilty about his secret identity; this conversation unburdened them both and brought them to the same level of intimacy. And this conversation matters because, for those who have been following these characters’ lives for forty years (until then), they know how important this moment/this issue is.
Some of the greatest moments in Spider-Man’s life are not his physical battles as the masked hero, but those in which Peter Parker grows stronger and more mature in his personal resolutions and the strengthening of his personal relationships – especially the ones he cares the most; and just like our personal lives, there’s nothing more sacred than that. It is by talking that we discover more about ourselves and our beloved ones – it is by talking that truths are unveiled, hearts can connect, weighs be unburdened and new truths can be learned – if not believed in.
Here’s a comic book that, through a sole single issue, provides solace, comfort, and even some inspiration.
Straczynski shows us how our personal lives can not only reflect, but also be in comics. This is an adult story, even though it’s not a story only for adults. It doesn’t mean violence gore and explicit sex. It means the depiction of emotional intelligence and maturity – to show us by relatability how we can be better human beings to the ones around us. That’s the nature of its “mature content”.
From a technical perspective, the issue is flawless. The writing style alone can be analyzed from many points of view because Peter and May have their own voice: through JMS’ style, the reader is able to hear the characters’ voices; through their words, it is possible to recognize and identify with their personalities, because talk for themselves, naturally, without excess, and not only as a means to push the plot forward. He just let them speak.
That‘s an incredible display of talent and technique combined; few writers in the business are able to accomplish such a feat. For the continuity, it’s a shame that this single event issue, so drastically important in Peter Parker’s life has been ignored when JMS left the title and the Brand New Day came to pass in the character’s chronology and publication history.
As for the art, the team of John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna, and Dan Kemp excel once again in their craft: JRJr proves again not only to be a great action artist but a masterful storyteller; let it be reminded that this single story happens in the confinement of Peter Parker’s small apartment; and yet, the camera moves around them freely, depicting every angle with the right amount of emotional impact in the character’s expressions, not to mention the framing used to gauge the proper depth of their speech according to the moment and pace. Scott Hanna’s shadows are complemented by Kemp’s colors, depicting only but a pair of light sources, developing specific shadows under their eyes – and still creating a safe environment for this conversation to happen. And even though it takes place indoors, the reader’s eye knows that dusk is approaching.
Overall, the visual side of this story makes a perfect match to any of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s issues in PREACHER in which the characters act and speak without boundaries with perfect pace and characterization.
This issue also has its personal value to Kevin Feige – the president and main architect of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
At the end of the trade paperback collecting the J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada’s One More Day, he states:
“My favorite J.M.S. Spidey moment also happens to be my favorite Spidey moment period: Aunt May discovers Peter’s secret. It has become my mission to put that moment on the big screen. Someday we will. I promise.”
This story, this conversation, for its emotional content, echoes the tale told in issue #248 vol.1: “The Kid Who Collected Spider-Man”. It depicts nothing more than Peter talking to his biggest fan – a boy named Tim Harrison. This conversation takes place at a cancer hospital; Tim has leukemia and has only a few weeks to live. Due to such harsh truth, mixed with great admiration for Tim, Peter reveals to him his secret identity. A very touching tale penned by Roger Stern and drawn by the great Ron Frenz.
Peter’s life is what attracts us to his story, which will always be a learning curve, no matter how old he becomes, no matter if he’s married to MJ, he is destined to fail as he did many times over. And that’s what makes this story by Straczynski, Romita Jr., Hanna, and Kemp so unique: here’s a moment in Peter Parker’s life that he is becoming more confident, more resolute, more evolved, and prepared for what may come.
As for May, who will no longer partake in the adventures of Spider-Man as before – being the old lady in a forever state of emotional distress -, gains a proper function as the mother figure she now emboldens: she provides solace to the mind and heart of Peter Parker when he needs it; he no longer requires to find out truths for himself the hard way, he can count on May to offer him a different perspective of things he doesn’t fully understand at first, just like a mother would do for his son. And that is how important this revelation, more than any other Peter had to face before, helps him to become a stronger character. He doesn’t need to be a scared and alone kid anymore. He is his own man, free in his soul.
In the history of Marvel Comics (if not in the entire history of superhero comic books), this issue alone represents one of the best examples of how the company was willing to evolve and adapt itself to the 21st century. By the time of its publication, The Amazing Spider-Man title was about to complete its 40th anniversary. This story is the coming of age for its main character because some of its core concepts – and initial templates – such as Aunt May’s naivety and obliviousness towards the private life of her own son had been erased; how Mary Jane discovered that a part of her life belongs to Peter, just as a part of his belongs to her – and they still miss one another; how the mindset of Peter Parker, who could never atone for the irresponsibility that motivated him to be the hero, motivated mainly by guilt, had been broken. He is no longer the tormented teenager overprotective of his secret. He is finally one with the mask he decided to create for himself years ago. He has accepted himself. He is now the fully grown man behind the Spider.
He is Spider-Man, like never before.
End of interlude.
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“We’ve never had Peter make the decision to tell Aunt May the truth, which I think would be different enough to be worth doing”
This is an excellent point. Could make for a great story.
Only problem I see with doing this again is how Marvel will twist themselves to undo it all over again. Is it worth the damage to the series that could result?
I love both stories where Aunt May finds out, although the first one is very condensed (she finds out and almost immediately dies). The second one allowed JMS to do so much with her character – she’s never been better.
I’ve heard on the podcast more than once the opinion that Marvel won’t let Aunt May find out Peter’s identity again because “They’ve already done that.” However, both of those times Aunt May found out on her own and then confronted Peter with that information. We’ve never had Peter make the decision to tell Aunt May the truth, which I think would be different enough to be worth doing (I think someone said on the ASM v5 #1 podcast that they suspect Spencer will have Aunt May “find out”, and this would be an interesting way for it to happen). Just don’t have her say “I know – somehow I’ve always known” (like Leia finding out Luke is her brother – if you always knew that, why did you kiss him on Hoth?)