Betty Brant
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth "Betty" Brant is a supporting character
in Marvel Comics
’s Spider-Man
series. Created by writer Stan Lee
and artist Steve Ditko
, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man
#4 (September 1963).
editor J. Jonah Jameson
, and Betty took the position after her mother's death. Peter Parker (secretly Spider-Man
) and she were attracted to each other because Betty wanted a normal, ordinary man, and they were romantically linked. However, her brother was accidentally killed during a fight with Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus
, and she blamed Spider-Man. Later she forgave Spider-Man when she realized he was trying to protect them.
A year later, Betty broke up with Peter due to his inability to commit time to her- the two going on to develop a more sibling-esque relationship-, and she eventually married Bugle reporter Ned Leeds. However the marriage proved turbulent as Ned was often posted overseas. When he was stationed in Paris
she found the life impossible and left Ned to return to New York. She turned to Peter Parker once more but Ned followed her home and she was caught between the two men. Peter regretted getting involved with Betty again and allowed the affair to break abruptly, driving her back into the arms of Ned.
Later on in the series, it became clear that Ned Leeds
was in fact the villain Hobgoblin
, although it later turned out that he was a pawn of the real Hobgoblin. As Leeds became more hostile, Betty drifted into the arms of old friend Flash Thompson
. A jealous Leeds framed Thompson as the Hobgoblin after he insulted Hobgoblin in a televised interview, but when the two battled, the Hobgoblin's mask slipped, and Betty discovered that Ned and the Hobgoblin were one and the same. This revelation, coupled with Ned's murder by the Foreigner, sent Brant over the edge into insanity.
Betty joined the Students of Love cult
, led by the Teacher, before being saved by Flash and Spider-Man. Because her house had been sold during her time with the cult, Betty stayed with Flash for a time. During this, the demonic events of Inferno
happened, overwhelming much of New York City. Betty and Flash were attacked by demonic duplicates of Spider-Man and Ned Leeds. Betty overcame physical and psychological barriers and succeeded in destroying the monsters.
Flash and Betty drifted apart as Betty's recovery continued. She rejoined the staff of the Daily Bugle
as an investigative reporter whose newfound courageous assertiveness and investigative skill impressed her colleagues. She finally cleared Ned's name when she revealed that Roderick Kingsley was the real Hobgoblin. She remains a recurring character in the Spider-Man comics.
Currently, she has met up with one of Peter's old college friends, Debra Whitman
, during a book signing event for Debra's new book Two-Faced. The book described her relationship with Peter Parker/Spider-Man, which ended in Debra being the victim. However, when it was later revealed that the book was actually altered by the Bugles staff to make Spider-Man look like he ruined Debra's life, Betty secretly leaked information to the Daily Globe
, exposing the fraud. Her boss, J. Jonah Jameson, furious with the possible libel suit, now orders Betty to find out who had given the information.
She manages to keep her role even after J. Jonah Jameson
's heart attack forced his wife to sell the Bugle to Dexter Bennett, who renamed it The DB. As Dexter is trying to sidestep Betty and make her his "Girl Friday" again, Peter Parker drops hints of a fake family relationship between Betty and the deceased actor Marlon Brando
, bolstering her position in Bennett's eye as a gossip reporter.
Recently, she celebrated her birthday and asked Peter to organize for her friends to come over for a dinner, but due to her work at the new DB, nobody feels like befriending her. Betty is initially furious at Peter, angrily accusing him of ruining her night until he tells her the truth. She is sad, but he reassures her that everyone will forgive her soon. Betty realizes that Peter really is her best friend.
Her actions after the DB's destruction is unknown, but she is last seen with having gotten back together with Flash Thompson.
universe, Betty Brant is once again the loyal secretary of J. Jonah Jameson at the Daily Bugle. She's a headstrong woman, trying to get by in life and having as much fun on dates as she can get. She first appeared in Ultimate Spider-Man
#8, where she worked herself up into a rage while trying to build the Bugles website. Peter took over from her and got his job at the Bugle as a webdesigner.
This version of the character has a considerably different personality, even going as far as making bets about the deaths of missing coworkers. She also lacks the brown bob hairstyle of her Earth 616 counterpart, instead sporting long black hair, although her design was not concrete at the beginning of the series, the Betty Brant from the Doc Ock arc was considerably older than the Betty Brant that was depicted in the prior and subsequent arcs, for unexplained reasons.
In Ultimate Spider-Man #121, Jameson rejects her request to find out more about the disappearance of Nick Fury
, alleging that a brief affair with Kraven the Hunter before his arrest proves that she is incapable of any reporting assignment beyond covering college fashion shows.
Supporting character
A supporting character is a character of a book, play, video game, movie, television or radio show or other form of storytelling usually used to give added dimension to a main character, by adding a relationship with this character...
in Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
’s Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
series. Created by writer Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
and artist Steve Ditko
Steve Ditko
Stephen J. "Steve" Ditko is an American comic book artist and writer best known as the artist co-creator, with Stan Lee, of the Marvel Comics heroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange....
, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the adventures of the fictional superhero Spider-Man. Being the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a monthly periodical and was published continuously until it was...
#4 (September 1963).
Fictional character biography
Betty Brant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her mother had originally been the "girl Friday" of Daily BugleDaily Bugle
The Daily Bugle is a fictional New York City newspaper that is a regular fixture in the Marvel Universe, most prominently in Spider-Man comic titles and their derivative media...
editor J. Jonah Jameson
J. Jonah Jameson
John Jonah Jameson Junior is a supporting character of Spider-Man in the .Jameson is usually the publisher or editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, a fictional New York newspaper and now serves as the mayor of New York City...
, and Betty took the position after her mother's death. Peter Parker (secretly Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
) and she were attracted to each other because Betty wanted a normal, ordinary man, and they were romantically linked. However, her brother was accidentally killed during a fight with Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics since 1963. A highly intelligent mad scientist, Doctor Octopus is one of Spider-Man's greatest foes...
, and she blamed Spider-Man. Later she forgave Spider-Man when she realized he was trying to protect them.
A year later, Betty broke up with Peter due to his inability to commit time to her- the two going on to develop a more sibling-esque relationship-, and she eventually married Bugle reporter Ned Leeds. However the marriage proved turbulent as Ned was often posted overseas. When he was stationed in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
she found the life impossible and left Ned to return to New York. She turned to Peter Parker once more but Ned followed her home and she was caught between the two men. Peter regretted getting involved with Betty again and allowed the affair to break abruptly, driving her back into the arms of Ned.
Later on in the series, it became clear that Ned Leeds
Ned Leeds
Ned Leeds is a comic book character in the Marvel Comics universe, part of the supporting cast of Spider-Man, first introduced in 1964 in The Amazing Spider-Man #18, by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko...
was in fact the villain Hobgoblin
Hobgoblin (comics)
The Hobgoblin is the alias of several fictional characters that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first and best-known Hobgoblin is Roderick Kingsley. He first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #238, and was created by Roger Stern and John Romita, Sr...
, although it later turned out that he was a pawn of the real Hobgoblin. As Leeds became more hostile, Betty drifted into the arms of old friend Flash Thompson
Flash Thompson
Eugene "Flash" Thompson is a supporting character in Marvel Comics’s Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 ....
. A jealous Leeds framed Thompson as the Hobgoblin after he insulted Hobgoblin in a televised interview, but when the two battled, the Hobgoblin's mask slipped, and Betty discovered that Ned and the Hobgoblin were one and the same. This revelation, coupled with Ned's murder by the Foreigner, sent Brant over the edge into insanity.
Betty joined the Students of Love cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
, led by the Teacher, before being saved by Flash and Spider-Man. Because her house had been sold during her time with the cult, Betty stayed with Flash for a time. During this, the demonic events of Inferno
Inferno (Marvel Comics)
Inferno was a Marvel Comics company-wide crossover in 1989 that mainly involved the mutant titles, namely The Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, X-Terminators, Excalibur, and The New Mutants...
happened, overwhelming much of New York City. Betty and Flash were attacked by demonic duplicates of Spider-Man and Ned Leeds. Betty overcame physical and psychological barriers and succeeded in destroying the monsters.
Flash and Betty drifted apart as Betty's recovery continued. She rejoined the staff of the Daily Bugle
Daily Bugle
The Daily Bugle is a fictional New York City newspaper that is a regular fixture in the Marvel Universe, most prominently in Spider-Man comic titles and their derivative media...
as an investigative reporter whose newfound courageous assertiveness and investigative skill impressed her colleagues. She finally cleared Ned's name when she revealed that Roderick Kingsley was the real Hobgoblin. She remains a recurring character in the Spider-Man comics.
Currently, she has met up with one of Peter's old college friends, Debra Whitman
Debra Whitman
Debra "Deb" Whitman is a comic book character in the Marvel Comics universe, and was a brief love interest of Peter Parker in the Spectacular Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man comic titles in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
, during a book signing event for Debra's new book Two-Faced. The book described her relationship with Peter Parker/Spider-Man, which ended in Debra being the victim. However, when it was later revealed that the book was actually altered by the Bugles staff to make Spider-Man look like he ruined Debra's life, Betty secretly leaked information to the Daily Globe
Daily Globe (comics)
The Daily Globe is a fictional New York City newspaper in the . It was introduced in Amazing Spider-Man #27 , and for a long time its Editor was Barney Bushkin.-History:...
, exposing the fraud. Her boss, J. Jonah Jameson, furious with the possible libel suit, now orders Betty to find out who had given the information.
She manages to keep her role even after J. Jonah Jameson
J. Jonah Jameson
John Jonah Jameson Junior is a supporting character of Spider-Man in the .Jameson is usually the publisher or editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, a fictional New York newspaper and now serves as the mayor of New York City...
's heart attack forced his wife to sell the Bugle to Dexter Bennett, who renamed it The DB. As Dexter is trying to sidestep Betty and make her his "Girl Friday" again, Peter Parker drops hints of a fake family relationship between Betty and the deceased actor Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando, Jr. was an American movie star and political activist. "Unchallenged as the most important actor in modern American Cinema" according to the St...
, bolstering her position in Bennett's eye as a gossip reporter.
Recently, she celebrated her birthday and asked Peter to organize for her friends to come over for a dinner, but due to her work at the new DB, nobody feels like befriending her. Betty is initially furious at Peter, angrily accusing him of ruining her night until he tells her the truth. She is sad, but he reassures her that everyone will forgive her soon. Betty realizes that Peter really is her best friend.
Her actions after the DB's destruction is unknown, but she is last seen with having gotten back together with Flash Thompson.
Ultimate Betty
In the Ultimate MarvelUltimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel is an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and updated versions of the company's superhero characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. The imprint was launched in 2000 with the publication of the series...
universe, Betty Brant is once again the loyal secretary of J. Jonah Jameson at the Daily Bugle. She's a headstrong woman, trying to get by in life and having as much fun on dates as she can get. She first appeared in Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man was a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...
#8, where she worked herself up into a rage while trying to build the Bugles website. Peter took over from her and got his job at the Bugle as a webdesigner.
This version of the character has a considerably different personality, even going as far as making bets about the deaths of missing coworkers. She also lacks the brown bob hairstyle of her Earth 616 counterpart, instead sporting long black hair, although her design was not concrete at the beginning of the series, the Betty Brant from the Doc Ock arc was considerably older than the Betty Brant that was depicted in the prior and subsequent arcs, for unexplained reasons.
In Ultimate Spider-Man #121, Jameson rejects her request to find out more about the disappearance of Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
, alleging that a brief affair with Kraven the Hunter before his arrest proves that she is incapable of any reporting assignment beyond covering college fashion shows.
Television
- The character has appeared in the 1960s Spider-ManSpider-Man (1967 TV series)Spider-Man is an animated television series that ran from September 9, 1967 to June 14, 1970. It was jointly produced in Canada and the United States and was the first animated adaptation of the Spider-Man comic book series, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko...
animated series voiced by Peg Dixon. She was a prominent supporting characterSupporting characterA supporting character is a character of a book, play, video game, movie, television or radio show or other form of storytelling usually used to give added dimension to a main character, by adding a relationship with this character...
much in the manner of Lois LaneLois LaneLois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
in the SupermanSupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
franchise, being captured by villains like Parafino and trying to support Peter or Spider-Man when Jameson criticises them.
- Betty Brant appears in the 1980s Spider-ManSpider-Man (1981 TV series)Spider-Man is a syndicated animated TV series based on the popular Marvel Comics character of the same name.-Production background:The series was created to launch Marvel Productions, successor of DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, who had previously produced the 1978 New Fantastic Four and 1979...
TV series voiced by Mona MarshallMona MarshallMona M. Ianotti is an American voice actress. She is often cast in the role of young boys. Her roles have included parts in not only Japanese anime, but also in American cartoons as well. Mona Marshall has recently lent her voice to the talking bear Koby the Study Buddy...
.
- In the 1990s animated incarnationSpider-Man (1994 TV series)Spider-Man, also known as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, is an American animated series starring the Marvel Comics superhero, Spider-Man. The show ran on Fox Kids from November 19, 1994, to January 31, 1998. The producer/story editor was John Semper, Jr. and production company was Marvel Films...
, she did not appear and Glory GrantGlory GrantGloria Grant, more commonly known as Glory Grant, is a Marvel Comics supporting character of Spider-Man. She is introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man #140 as a neighbor of Peter Parker. Peter then helps her secure a position as J...
was Jonah's secretary instead. Betty Brant was supposed to eventually appear though. Instead of being J. Jonah Jameson's secretary, Betty was supposed to be the assistant of Joe "Robbie" Robertson and fond of Peter Parker. While a model sheet of the character was drawn for the show, the writers did not get the chance to use Betty because they had run out of new episodes.
- Betty Brant appears in The Spectacular Spider-Man voiced by Grey DeLisleGrey DeLisleGrey DeLisle is an American voice actress, singer-songwriter, and comedienne. To date, she has released four solo albums and has featured on the tribute album Anchored in Love: A Tribute to June Carter Cash and film soundtrack of Loggerheads...
. She is twenty years old in this version, and as usual, is the secretary of J. Jonah Jameson. She seemed to share some interest in Peter, and despite her apparent age, he didn't hesitate to ask her out. She turned him down because he was too young for her. He continued to ask her to his Fall Formal, and she almost agreed, however Aunt MayAunt MayMay Reilly Parker-Jameson, commonly known as Aunt May, is a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared as May Parker in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, who wanted Peter to go with Mary Jane WatsonMary Jane WatsonMary Jane Watson, often shortened to MJ, is a fictional supporting character appearing, originally, in Marvel comic books and, later, in multiple spin-offs and dramatizations of the Spider-Man titles as the best friend, love interest, and one-time wife of Peter Parker, the alter ego of Spider-Man...
, talked her into turning him down.
Film
- As Betty Brant receded into the background in the comics in favor of other love interests, particularly Mary Jane WatsonMary Jane WatsonMary Jane Watson, often shortened to MJ, is a fictional supporting character appearing, originally, in Marvel comic books and, later, in multiple spin-offs and dramatizations of the Spider-Man titles as the best friend, love interest, and one-time wife of Peter Parker, the alter ego of Spider-Man...
, she appears as a much more minor character, such as in the feature filmSpider-Man (film)Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film, the first in the Spider-Man film series based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Koepp...
series as played by Elizabeth BanksElizabeth BanksElizabeth Maresal Mitchell , known professionally as Elizabeth Banks, is an American actress. Banks had her film debut in the low-budget independent film Surrender Dorothy...
, and reappears in Spider-Man 2Spider-Man 2Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi, written by Alvin Sargent and developed by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon. It is the second film in the Spider-Man film franchise based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
and Spider-Man 3Spider-Man 3Spider-Man 3 is a 2007 American superhero film written and directed by Sam Raimi, with a screenplay by Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent. It is the third film in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
. As one of the Bugles staff and J. Jonah Jameson's secretary, Betty is usually seen either passing on messages to Jonah or receiving curt orders from him. While she never dates Peter, a subtle attraction to him is apparent in the first two films. In Spider-Man 3, Betty seems to have found a way of getting her comeuppance on her boss, by being tasked by his wife to inform him to avoid getting agitated and to remember to take his numerous medications, which she does to comic effect through a loud buzzer/intercom; later, she is hit on by Eddie Brock, JuniorEddie BrockEddie Brock is a fictional character created by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane. A comic book supervillain, Brock's earliest appearance is a cameo in Web of Spider-Man #18 before making his first full appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #299 as Venom...
, (with whom she wants nothing to do) and a symbiote-influenced Peter Parker (to whom she is visibly attracted), only to be interrupted by Jameson, who says "That's not the position I hired you for!" Elizabeth Banks stated that she first auditioned for the role of Mary Jane WatsonMary Jane WatsonMary Jane Watson, often shortened to MJ, is a fictional supporting character appearing, originally, in Marvel comic books and, later, in multiple spin-offs and dramatizations of the Spider-Man titles as the best friend, love interest, and one-time wife of Peter Parker, the alter ego of Spider-Man...
before taking the role of Betty Brant. Banks also admitted that the groundwork of her role as the fictional character's relationship between her and Peter Parker is much similar than the office romance that was shared in the comics.
Video games
- Betty Brant appears in the Spider-Man 2Spider-Man 2 (video game)Spider-Man 2 is the name of several computer and video games based on the Spider-Man universe and particularly the Spider-Man 2 film. It is a follow up to the game Spider-Man: The Movie and was followed by Spider-Man 3 to promote the release of the third film in 2007...
video game voiced by Bethany Rhoades.
- Betty Brant appears in the Spider-Man 3Spider-Man 3 (video game)Spider-Man 3 is an action game loosely based on the Spider-Man 3 film and released for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, Microsoft Windows and Game Boy Advance. The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions were developed by Treyarch, the PC version by Beenox while...
video game voiced by Rachel KimseyRachel KimseyRachel Kimsey, born August 28, 1978 in Tustin, Orange County, California, is an American actress. She holds a BFA from Brigham Young University, which she earned in 2000.-Career:...
.
External links
- Betty Brant at Marvel.com
- Betty Brant's Profile at Spiderfan.org