Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane
Encyclopedia
Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane is an American comic book
series focusing on a teenage Mary Jane
, the love interest of superhero
Spider-Man
. The series, published by Marvel Comics
, is a teen drama
set outside the regular Marvel continuity, and aimed at teenage girls, as opposed to the traditional male comic book audience.
It was originally written by Sean McKeever
with art by penciller
Takeshi Miyazawa
(who left after issue #15 and was replaced by David Hahn
, but continued providing covers) and colorist
Christina Strain
. The series began publication in December 2005 and was preceded by two miniseries
from the series' original creative team, Mary Jane in 2004 and Mary Jane: Homecoming in 2005.
The original series ended in July 2007 with issue #20, and relaunched as a five-issue miniseries in August 2008 with new writer Terry Moore
and artist Craig Rousseau
.
imprint, a line of comic books by Marvel Comics aimed at younger readers. Marvel had decided to launch a comic book series with a female lead to attract young female readers after seeing a growing number of girls becoming comic readers through manga, and had chosen Mary Jane because of her popularity stemming from the Spider-Man film series (Spider-Man 2
was released two weeks after Mary Jane #1). Mary Jane was also the subject of a popular young adult novel by Judith o'Brien the year before. However, due to low sales the series was discontinued after its fourth issue, with Marvel waiting to see how the digest-sized
trade paperback
collecting the four issues would sell, before deciding whether the series should be canceled for good or not. Simultaneously, a collected edition of the series was also released in magazine size with a cardstock cover, exclusively available at Target Stores.
After the initial sales figures for the digest came in, Marvel announced a second four-issue miniseries, Mary Jane: Homecoming, which began publication in March 2005. Unlike the first series, Homecoming was not published under the Marvel Age imprint, but as a regular Marvel Comics title, because Marvel Age had by then been restructured into the Marvel Adventures imprint. The second miniseries also saw a slight change in the creative team, as the original miniseries' inker
Norman Lee
now only inked the covers, while the interior pages were colored straight from Miyazawa's pencils. A second digest, collecting Mary Jane: Homecoming, again sold well enough to justify the continuation of the series. Following writer McKeever winning an Eisner Award for Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition in summer 2005, Marvel announced that the third series, titled Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane and launching in December 2005, would be an ongoing title and not another miniseries.
Beginning with May 2006's Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #6, guest artist Valentine De Landro took over from Miyazawa for two issues, illustrating the so-called "Dark MJ Saga" (the title being a reference to the "Dark Phoenix Saga
", a popular X-Men
storyline), which retells Spider-Man's origin from Mary Jane's point of view.
In late July 2006, artist Miyazawa announced he would leave the title after issue #15, published in February 2007, to pursue a career as a manga artist
in Japan; but he continued providing covers for the series. His successor was David Hahn
. Writer McKeever also left the series after issue #20, as he had signed exclusively with DC Comics
. Following rumors that the series would end with McKeever's departure, Marvel announced that Strangers in Paradise
writer Terry Moore
would take over the series, which will relaunch with a new #1. Although it was originally announced that Moore would be joined by former Runaways
artist Adrian Alphona
, the new miniseries was illustrated by Craig Rousseau
, while Moore himself provided covers. The series lasted for five issues.
, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane (and the two preceding miniseries) are set outside the mainstream Marvel continuity
and the series' plot differs slightly from Mary Jane's story as established in mainstream Marvel continuity. For example, Mary Jane lives with her parents, not with her Aunt as she did in the original continuity, and she has a crush on Spider-Man (although develops stronger feelings for Peter Parker). Furthermore, the focus on Mary Jane rather than Peter means that classic Spider-Man characters such as Aunt May, J. Jonah Jameson and various other characters and villains are either de-emphasized or absent altogether.
As the Homecoming dance is approaching, Mary Jane cannot think of anyone to go with and thinks about not going at all. Her best friend Liz suggests their friend Harry as Mary Jane's date and thus - despite Mary Jane's reservation against dating a friend and her crush on Spider-Man - the two start going out. Then, riding home on the subway
after her first date with Harry, Mary Jane's train is attacked by the supervillain
Electro
and Spider-Man rescues her, reinforcing her crush on him; She now wants Spider-Man to be her Homecoming date.
Mary Jane decides to get a job to be able to afford her dress for the Homecoming dance, and because she feels dependent on Harry as he is paying for everything on their dates. After going through several different jobs and getting into trouble at school for being tired from working, she wants to stop working to avoid any more problems, but then the owner of the store where she wanted to buy her Homecoming dress offers her a job as a salesperson.
Mary Jane has an argument with Liz because she thinks it is wrong that Liz always calls Flash stupid. She also wants to break up with Harry, because he is only a friend to her, but just as she is about to dump him, she realizes what a nice guy he is and how much she likes him. Later, after accidentally taking home Flash's notebook and flipping through it, Mary Jane finds out that Flash has a crush on her.
Liz tells Mary Jane she suspects Flash has a crush on somebody else. During a school football game Liz loses it and attacks an opposing cheerleader who was talking to Flash. After the incident, Mary Jane tells Liz, who still does not know that Mary Jane is the one Flash has a crush on, she will talk to Flash. After the game, Mary Jane waits for Flash at his home and returns his notebook, telling him that she is not going to do anything about his crush on her and that, contrary to what he might assume due to her constant insults, Liz really loves him. However, as Liz, who was going to apologize to Flash for her previous behavior, sees the two together in front of Flash's house, she suspects Flash is having an affair with Mary Jane.
Harry's father is disappointed with Harry's grades and, assuming it is because Harry is dating Mary Jane, forbids him to see her (and particularly to go to the Homecoming dance with her). Thus, Harry plans to cheat on the upcoming physics test so he is allowed to spend more time with her. Meanwhile, Liz is avoiding Mary Jane because she thinks she is having an affair with Flash. When Mary Jane and Harry have to stay in class after school for passing notes, Harry sees his chance to steal the test papers, as Mrs. Feester is called to the office to pick up some flowers her husband sent her. However, Mary Jane offers to go pick up the flowers instead. Harry, mad that she sabotages his plans to cheat, breaks up with her.
Liz finally tells Mary Jane that she has been avoiding her because she thinks Mary Jane is having an affair with Flash and Mary Jane assures her that they aren't (making Liz call herself stupid). Meanwhile, Flash convinces Harry to apologize to Mary Jane and to get back together with her.
On the day of the Homecoming dance, Mary Jane is thinking about Spider-Man again after running into him twice that day while he fights the Vulture
, but Liz does not want to hear about it as she is looking forward to the Homecoming dance and to becoming King and Queen with Flash. However, things do not go as Liz planned them: While Flash does become Homecoming King, not Liz but Mary Jane – who wasn't even on the ballot – is voted Queen as a write-in candidate.
Mary Jane is shocked that she won and worried how Liz, who suddenly disappeared, reacts. Flash, who still is not over his crush on Mary Jane, thinks fate brought them together and tries to kiss her during the ceremonial post-crowning dance, just as Liz comes back. While Mary Jane tries to explain everything to Liz, Harry, who had been looking for Liz, comes back and starts fighting with Flash as Liz tells him Flash and Mary Jane made out. Mary Jane storms out and accidentally meets Peter at the Coffee Bean and he later walks her home, where Liz has been waiting for her to apologize and tell Mary Jane that she wanted to become Homecoming Queen so she – despite being her friend – would not hate her anymore for being so popular.
More problems arise for Mary Jane at school. Flash, still hurt by Mary Jane's rejection, bullies Peter and demands that he ends his friendship with her. When Mary Jane tells Flash that he can either stop hurting Peter or stop being her friend, he chooses the latter. Mary Jane wins the lead in the school's production of Twelfth Night, angering another actress, Lindsay Leighton. Lindsay begins dating Harry to make Mary Jane jealous. Peter and Liz work together to split them apart. Unfortunately, this has the side-effect of increasing the wedge between Mary Jane and Harry. To make it up to Mary Jane, Peter fulfills her dream by asking her for a date as Spider-Man.
Complicating matters further is Peter's growing attraction to Mary Jane. He wants to date her as Peter Parker, not Spider-Man, and makes his feelings clear to her the night of her date with Spider-Man. Though Mary Jane rejects him, he still meets with her later that night in costume. They have a pleasant but unsatisfying date, and Mary Jane finally realizes that Spider-Man’s job as a superhero (as well as his hidden identity) would make a romantic relationship impossible. Mary Jane also realizes that Peter is the boy she really loves after all—unfortunately, when she sees Peter the next day, he is entertaining a pretty transfer student named Gwen Stacy
.
Mary Jane senses the immediate connection between Gwen and Peter, and chooses not to tell him she loves him for fear of coming between them. Peter and Gwen begin dating. Trying to hide her pain, Mary Jane develops the public persona of an unflappable, flirtatious party girl. During this time Flash begins dating Liz again, and he mends his friendship with Mary Jane. Harry is still in love with Mary Jane but he hides his feelings behind a rich playboy exterior.
Gwen's relationship with Peter comes under stress due to several of his unexplained absences and weak excuses during their dates (in actuality, he leaves abruptly to fight crime as Spider-Man). A misunderstanding forces the love triangle to come to a head; Gwen learns the truth about Peter's history with Mary Jane and realizes that he is in love with her. She breaks up with him. However, at the same time, Mary Jane decides to put her feelings for Peter permanently aside and reunites with Harry, but student Felicia Hardy soon complicates their relationship as she pursues Harry for his affections.
Spider-Man soon acquires a new love interest, the redheaded mutant superhero Firestar
, but is apprehensive about sharing his private life with her. As Peter Parker, Spidey faces the hopeless task of maintaining a friendship with Gwen despite her wanting him as a boyfriend, and refusing anything else.
Felicia's interventions eventually force Harry to snap, and he tells her that she will never have him as he is in love with MJ, but MJ soon comes to the realization she does not truly love Harry, and remains too close to Peter and Spider-Man. Harry is infuriated when he discovers the truth and leaves her devastated.
Peter eventually breaks up with Firestar as Spidey, and refuses to give Gwen the satisfaction of controlling his life to be with her. He and MJ close out issue twenty reunited, MJ assuring him she was always his friend despite recent events. MJ reaches for Peter's hand as the two watch the snow descend around them.
The original miniseries has also been reprinted in one magazine-sized volume that was exclusively available at Target stores
, while its four individual issues have additionally been reprinted as library binding
hardcovers by Spotlight Publications in January 2006.
of a movie poster
for Almost Famous
http://www.samruby.com/Series/MaryJane/Large/SMLovesMJ08.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/dd/Almost_famous_poster1.jpg, but also bears a strong resemblance to Untold Tales of Spider-Man
#16 http://www.samruby.com/Series/UntoldTales/Large/UTOS16.JPG. The cover of Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #9 is an homage of the movie poster for The Breakfast Club
.http://www.samruby.com/Series/MaryJane/Large/SMLovesMJ09.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/50/The_Breakfast_Club.jpg
American comic book
An American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
series focusing on a teenage Mary Jane
Mary Jane Watson
Mary 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...
, the love interest of superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
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...
. The series, published by 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...
, is a teen drama
Teen drama
A teen drama is a dramatic television series with a major focus on teenage characters. The genre was relatively non-existent for the first 45 years of television; it came into prominence in the early 1990s...
set outside the regular Marvel continuity, and aimed at teenage girls, as opposed to the traditional male comic book audience.
It was originally written by Sean McKeever
Sean McKeever
Sean Kelley McKeever is an American comic book writer.-Career:Since the end of his creator-owned teen drama series The Waiting Place, which was published from 1997 to 2002, McKeever has written several series for Marvel Comics, including The Incredible Hulk, Sentinel, Mary Jane, Inhumans and...
with art by penciller
Penciller
A penciller is an artist who works in the creation of comic books, graphic novels, and similar visual art forms.The penciller is the first step in rendering the story in visual form and may require several steps of feedback with the writer. These artists are concerned with layout to showcase...
Takeshi Miyazawa
Takeshi Miyazawa
Takeshi Miyazawa is a comic book artist who was born in Canada and attended Queen's University in Ontario to study art. His art style incorporates a manga sensibility.-Bibliography:Incomplete comic book checklist:...
(who left after issue #15 and was replaced by David Hahn
David Hahn (cartoonist)
David Hahn is a Portland, Oregon-based comic book artist born in Los Angeles in 1967. He is best known for his work illustrating the comic book mini-series Bite Club and its sequel Bite Club: Vampire Crime Unit for DC Comics, where he also illustrated stories for Robin, Fables, Batman: The...
, but continued providing covers) and colorist
Colorist
In comics, a colorist is responsible for adding color to black-and-white line art. For most of the 20th century this was done using brushes and dyes which were then used as guides to produce the printing plates...
Christina Strain
Christina Strain
Christina Strain is an American comic book colorist currently working with Marvel Comics, notable for being the colorist of the award-winning series, Runaways.-Career:Strain got her start in comics working for Crossgen in 2003...
. The series began publication in December 2005 and was preceded by two miniseries
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
from the series' original creative team, Mary Jane in 2004 and Mary Jane: Homecoming in 2005.
The original series ended in July 2007 with issue #20, and relaunched as a five-issue miniseries in August 2008 with new writer Terry Moore
Terry Moore (comics)
Terry Moore is a comic book author, graphic novelist and illustrator.He created the popular series Strangers in Paradise, and was involved in the founding of Homage Comics.-Biography:...
and artist Craig Rousseau
Craig Rousseau
Craig Rousseau is an American comic book artist.During his career Rousseau has worked for various comic book companies, but is best known for his work on DC Comics titles like Harley Quinn, Batman Beyond and Impulse...
.
Publication history
The initial four-issue miniseries, Mary Jane, originally intended as an ongoing series, began publication in June 2004 under the Marvel AgeMarvel Age
Marvel Adventures is an imprint of Marvel Comics intended for younger audiences, including small children. Unlike the standard comics published by Marvel, which often take place in story arcs spanning several issues, each Marvel Adventures comic tells a standalone story.The idea was initially...
imprint, a line of comic books by Marvel Comics aimed at younger readers. Marvel had decided to launch a comic book series with a female lead to attract young female readers after seeing a growing number of girls becoming comic readers through manga, and had chosen Mary Jane because of her popularity stemming from the Spider-Man film series (Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2
Spider-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...
was released two weeks after Mary Jane #1). Mary Jane was also the subject of a popular young adult novel by Judith o'Brien the year before. However, due to low sales the series was discontinued after its fourth issue, with Marvel waiting to see how the digest-sized
Digest size
Digest size is a magazine size, smaller than a conventional or "journal size" magazine but larger than a standard paperback book, approximately 5½ x 8¼ inches, but can also be 5⅜ x 8⅜ inches and 5½ x 7½ inches. These sizes have evolved from the printing press operation end...
trade paperback
Trade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
collecting the four issues would sell, before deciding whether the series should be canceled for good or not. Simultaneously, a collected edition of the series was also released in magazine size with a cardstock cover, exclusively available at Target Stores.
After the initial sales figures for the digest came in, Marvel announced a second four-issue miniseries, Mary Jane: Homecoming, which began publication in March 2005. Unlike the first series, Homecoming was not published under the Marvel Age imprint, but as a regular Marvel Comics title, because Marvel Age had by then been restructured into the Marvel Adventures imprint. The second miniseries also saw a slight change in the creative team, as the original miniseries' inker
Inker
The inker is one of the two line artists in a traditional comic book or graphic novel. After a pencilled drawing is given to the inker, the inker uses black ink to produce refined outlines over the pencil lines...
Norman Lee
Norman Lee
-Selected filmography:Director* The Streets of London * Strip, Strip, Hooray * The Pride of the Force * The Outcast * Doctor's Orders * Spring in the Air * A Political Party...
now only inked the covers, while the interior pages were colored straight from Miyazawa's pencils. A second digest, collecting Mary Jane: Homecoming, again sold well enough to justify the continuation of the series. Following writer McKeever winning an Eisner Award for Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition in summer 2005, Marvel announced that the third series, titled Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane and launching in December 2005, would be an ongoing title and not another miniseries.
Beginning with May 2006's Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #6, guest artist Valentine De Landro took over from Miyazawa for two issues, illustrating the so-called "Dark MJ Saga" (the title being a reference to the "Dark Phoenix Saga
Dark Phoenix Saga
"The Dark Phoenix Saga" is an extended X-Men storyline in the fictional , focusing on Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force, and ending in Grey's apparent death...
", a popular X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
storyline), which retells Spider-Man's origin from Mary Jane's point of view.
In late July 2006, artist Miyazawa announced he would leave the title after issue #15, published in February 2007, to pursue a career as a manga artist
Mangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
in Japan; but he continued providing covers for the series. His successor was David Hahn
David Hahn (cartoonist)
David Hahn is a Portland, Oregon-based comic book artist born in Los Angeles in 1967. He is best known for his work illustrating the comic book mini-series Bite Club and its sequel Bite Club: Vampire Crime Unit for DC Comics, where he also illustrated stories for Robin, Fables, Batman: The...
. Writer McKeever also left the series after issue #20, as he had signed exclusively with DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. Following rumors that the series would end with McKeever's departure, Marvel announced that Strangers in Paradise
Strangers in Paradise
Strangers in Paradise is a long-running, mostly self-published black-and-white comic book, written and drawn by Terry Moore. The series has reached its planned conclusion, finishing off in 2007 with issue #90 of volume 3....
writer Terry Moore
Terry Moore (comics)
Terry Moore is a comic book author, graphic novelist and illustrator.He created the popular series Strangers in Paradise, and was involved in the founding of Homage Comics.-Biography:...
would take over the series, which will relaunch with a new #1. Although it was originally announced that Moore would be joined by former Runaways
Runaways (comics)
Runaways is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series features a group of teenagers who discover that their parents are part of an evil crime group called the Pride. Created by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona, the series debuted in April of 2003 as part of Marvel Comics'...
artist Adrian Alphona
Adrian Alphona
Adrian Alphona is a Canadian comic book artist best known for his work on Marvel Comics' Runaways, which he co-created with writer Brian K. Vaughan....
, the new miniseries was illustrated by Craig Rousseau
Craig Rousseau
Craig Rousseau is an American comic book artist.During his career Rousseau has worked for various comic book companies, but is best known for his work on DC Comics titles like Harley Quinn, Batman Beyond and Impulse...
, while Moore himself provided covers. The series lasted for five issues.
Continuity
Unlike most other Spider-Man-related comic books, which share the same continuityContinuity (fiction)
In fiction, continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer over some period of time...
, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane (and the two preceding miniseries) are set outside the mainstream Marvel continuity
Earth-616
In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place.-Origin of Earth-616:...
and the series' plot differs slightly from Mary Jane's story as established in mainstream Marvel continuity. For example, Mary Jane lives with her parents, not with her Aunt as she did in the original continuity, and she has a crush on Spider-Man (although develops stronger feelings for Peter Parker). Furthermore, the focus on Mary Jane rather than Peter means that classic Spider-Man characters such as Aunt May, J. Jonah Jameson and various other characters and villains are either de-emphasized or absent altogether.
Main characters
- Mary Jane Watson: Called "MJ" by her friends, one of the most popular girls in high school and seemingly always in a good mood. Despite her sunny exterior, MJ has many insecurities that even her closest friends are unaware of. She once had a crush on Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-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...
, which was later complicated by her feelings for Peter Parker. - Liz Allan: A cheerleader and MJ's best friend. Liz tends to be very bossy and self-centered, which puts a strain on her relationships with Flash and Mary Jane.
- Flash ThompsonFlash ThompsonEugene "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 football playerAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
in high school and Liz's boyfriend. Hurt by Liz's constant criticisms, he becomes infatuated with the more sensitive Mary Jane. He has a tendency to bully the timid Peter Parker. - Harry OsbornHarry OsbornHarry Osborn is a fictional character, a supporting character of Spider-Man in the . In addition to being Peter Parker's best friend, Harry was the second Green Goblin and is the son of Norman Osborn...
: Friends with Mary Jane, Liz and Flash. Briefly dated Mary Jane, but their relationship ended after the fight at HomecomingHomecomingHomecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
. His father is Norman Osborn, a wealthy industrialist. Harry often carries the image of a spoiled rich boy (such as when offering Peter a large sum of money to help him cheat on a test), but he can be kind and sensitive as well. - Peter ParkerSpider-ManSpider-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...
: A good friend of Mary Jane Watson and Harry Osborn. Lonely and timid, he is more interested in his studies than his social life. He's been dubbed "Puny Parker" by Flash. Despite Peter's reputation as a "nerd", both Mary Jane and Gwen Stacy are attracted to him. - Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-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...
: A wise-cracking superhero who has crossed paths with Mary Jane on more than one occasion, and even saved her life. He knows her name and where she lives. Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker, but MJ seemingly does not know this (though in the original timeline, she eventually found out Peter was Spider-Man), and nor would the reader without a pre-existing familiarity with the characters. - Gwen Stacy: A new transfer student, Gwen quickly becomes attached to Peter and starts dating him, becoming Mary Jane's rival for his affections.
Minor characters
- Betty BrantBetty BrantElizabeth "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 .-Fictional character biography:...
: Betty Brant was the old girlfriend of Ned Leeds, Mary Jane's boyfriend. After getting re-acquainted with her, Ned decides to go out with her and dumps Mary Jane. - Firestar: Firestar makes a small cameo in issue #2. Mary Jane watches Spider-Man and Firestar battling crime together (and flirting while doing it), causing MJ to become jealous. In issue #16, Spider-Man and Firestar once again team up, and eventually kiss.
- Jessica: Jessica was Mary Jane's old friend, until Jessica became a gothGoth subcultureThe goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in England during the early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify...
. During the time when Mary Jane was in brief state of depression, she hangs out with Jessica until she is soon happy again. - Lindsay Leighton: The school's resident "Drama Queen", Lindsay becomes jealous of Mary Jane after she wins the lead in the play Twelfth Night. She takes her revenge by dating Harry. Lindsay is a possible parody of teen actress Lindsay LohanLindsay LohanLindsay Lohan is an American actress, pop singer and model. She began her career as a child fashion model before making her motion picture debut in Disney's 1998 remake of The Parent Trap at the age of 11...
, who is known for similar roles in Confessions of a Teenage Drama QueenConfessions of a Teenage Drama QueenConfessions of a Teenage Drama Queen is a 2004 American Teen musical comedy film directed by Sara Sugarman and produced by Robert Shapiro and Matthew Hart for Walt Disney Pictures...
and Mean GirlsMean GirlsMean Girls is a 2004 American teen comedy-drama film directed by Mark Waters. The screenplay was written by Tina Fey and is based in part on the non-fiction book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman, which describes how female high school social cliques operate and the effect they can have...
. - Mr. Limke: Mr. Limke was a counselor at Mary Jane's school. He was ultimately revealed to be the supervillain "The LooterLooter (comics)The Looter is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the Spider-Man comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:...
". The character was named after Jeffrey Limke, the consulting editor on McKeever's creator-owned comic book The Waiting PlaceThe Waiting PlaceThe Waiting Place is a comic book series created by Sean Kelley McKeever in 1997. Recommended by the author for young adults aged 14+, the series is a teen drama which centres around the lives of a group of teenagers living in the remote American town of Northern Plains...
. - Ned Leeds: Mary Jane's first serious boyfriend, he broke up with her in favor of his old girlfriend, Betty BrantBetty BrantElizabeth "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 .-Fictional character biography:...
, a year before the series begins. - Felicia HardyBlack Cat (comics)The Black Cat is a fictional character, a superheroine in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Keith Pollard, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #194 ....
: A tough transfer student who is considered "bad luck" due to her violent past, Felicia flirts with Flash and challenges Liz to a fight. As yet, there are no signs that Felicia has adopted the "Black Cat" identity or that she even has superpowers.
Spider-Man villains
A number of Spider-Man villains have made brief appearances or have been mentioned in the comic. These include the following.- ElectroElectro (comics)Electro is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a supervillain and an enemy of Spider-Man who gained the ability to control electricity after being struck by lightning while working on a power line. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, he first...
- Doctor OctopusDoctor OctopusDoctor 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...
- Green GoblinGreen GoblinThe Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
- VultureVulture (comics)The Vulture is the name of six comic book supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. The best known Vulture in the Marvel Universe is Adrian Toomes, an elderly enemy of Spider-Man created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in The Amazing Spider-Man #2 .-Golden Age Vulture:In Young Men #26, a scientist...
- MirageMirage (Marvel Comics)Mirage is a fictional Marvel Comics villain. He first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #156.-Fictional character biography:Desmond Charne was a former holography technician who wanted to be a supervillain. To that end, he used holograph technology which could make him invisible or create 3-D...
- The BeetleBeetle (comics)Abner Ronald Jenkins is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:...
- Morbius
- ShockerShocker (comics)The Shocker or just Shocker is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #46 and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Romita, Sr.-Fictional character biography:Herman Schultz was born in New York...
- The LooterLooter (comics)The Looter is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the Spider-Man comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:...
- Rocket RacerRocket RacerThe Rocket Racer is an African-American super-hero in Marvel comics.-Publication history:Rocket Racer first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #172 as a super-villain. He returned in issues #182 and #183 in a battle against the Big Wheel...
- LightmasterLightmasterLightmaster is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:Edward Lansky was born in New York City...
- Paste Pot PeteTrapsterThe Trapster , originally known as Paste Pot Pete, is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe.-Publication history:...
- RhinoRhino (comics)The Rhino is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Romita, Sr., the character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #41 The Rhino (Aleksei Mikhailovich Sytsevich) is a fictional character that appears in comic...
Mary Jane miniseries
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
after her first date with Harry, Mary Jane's train is attacked by the supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
Electro
Electro (comics)
Electro is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a supervillain and an enemy of Spider-Man who gained the ability to control electricity after being struck by lightning while working on a power line. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, he first...
and Spider-Man rescues her, reinforcing her crush on him; She now wants Spider-Man to be her Homecoming date.
Mary Jane decides to get a job to be able to afford her dress for the Homecoming dance, and because she feels dependent on Harry as he is paying for everything on their dates. After going through several different jobs and getting into trouble at school for being tired from working, she wants to stop working to avoid any more problems, but then the owner of the store where she wanted to buy her Homecoming dress offers her a job as a salesperson.
Mary Jane has an argument with Liz because she thinks it is wrong that Liz always calls Flash stupid. She also wants to break up with Harry, because he is only a friend to her, but just as she is about to dump him, she realizes what a nice guy he is and how much she likes him. Later, after accidentally taking home Flash's notebook and flipping through it, Mary Jane finds out that Flash has a crush on her.
Liz tells Mary Jane she suspects Flash has a crush on somebody else. During a school football game Liz loses it and attacks an opposing cheerleader who was talking to Flash. After the incident, Mary Jane tells Liz, who still does not know that Mary Jane is the one Flash has a crush on, she will talk to Flash. After the game, Mary Jane waits for Flash at his home and returns his notebook, telling him that she is not going to do anything about his crush on her and that, contrary to what he might assume due to her constant insults, Liz really loves him. However, as Liz, who was going to apologize to Flash for her previous behavior, sees the two together in front of Flash's house, she suspects Flash is having an affair with Mary Jane.
Mary Jane: Homecoming
Liz finally tells Mary Jane that she has been avoiding her because she thinks Mary Jane is having an affair with Flash and Mary Jane assures her that they aren't (making Liz call herself stupid). Meanwhile, Flash convinces Harry to apologize to Mary Jane and to get back together with her.
On the day of the Homecoming dance, Mary Jane is thinking about Spider-Man again after running into him twice that day while he fights the Vulture
Vulture (comics)
The Vulture is the name of six comic book supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. The best known Vulture in the Marvel Universe is Adrian Toomes, an elderly enemy of Spider-Man created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in The Amazing Spider-Man #2 .-Golden Age Vulture:In Young Men #26, a scientist...
, but Liz does not want to hear about it as she is looking forward to the Homecoming dance and to becoming King and Queen with Flash. However, things do not go as Liz planned them: While Flash does become Homecoming King, not Liz but Mary Jane – who wasn't even on the ballot – is voted Queen as a write-in candidate.
Mary Jane is shocked that she won and worried how Liz, who suddenly disappeared, reacts. Flash, who still is not over his crush on Mary Jane, thinks fate brought them together and tries to kiss her during the ceremonial post-crowning dance, just as Liz comes back. While Mary Jane tries to explain everything to Liz, Harry, who had been looking for Liz, comes back and starts fighting with Flash as Liz tells him Flash and Mary Jane made out. Mary Jane storms out and accidentally meets Peter at the Coffee Bean and he later walks her home, where Liz has been waiting for her to apologize and tell Mary Jane that she wanted to become Homecoming Queen so she – despite being her friend – would not hate her anymore for being so popular.
Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane
Having ended her relationship with Harry, Mary Jane once again focuses her attention on the "unattainable" Spider-Man. During this time she also becomes closer with Peter Parker, who is now her algebra tutor. Peter and Liz both discourage Mary Jane's interest in Spider-Man. Undaunted, Mary Jane tracks Spider-Man down and asks him for a date, which he plainly refuses.More problems arise for Mary Jane at school. Flash, still hurt by Mary Jane's rejection, bullies Peter and demands that he ends his friendship with her. When Mary Jane tells Flash that he can either stop hurting Peter or stop being her friend, he chooses the latter. Mary Jane wins the lead in the school's production of Twelfth Night, angering another actress, Lindsay Leighton. Lindsay begins dating Harry to make Mary Jane jealous. Peter and Liz work together to split them apart. Unfortunately, this has the side-effect of increasing the wedge between Mary Jane and Harry. To make it up to Mary Jane, Peter fulfills her dream by asking her for a date as Spider-Man.
Complicating matters further is Peter's growing attraction to Mary Jane. He wants to date her as Peter Parker, not Spider-Man, and makes his feelings clear to her the night of her date with Spider-Man. Though Mary Jane rejects him, he still meets with her later that night in costume. They have a pleasant but unsatisfying date, and Mary Jane finally realizes that Spider-Man’s job as a superhero (as well as his hidden identity) would make a romantic relationship impossible. Mary Jane also realizes that Peter is the boy she really loves after all—unfortunately, when she sees Peter the next day, he is entertaining a pretty transfer student named Gwen Stacy
Gwen Stacy
Gwendolyn "Gwen" Stacy appears as a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #31 ....
.
Mary Jane senses the immediate connection between Gwen and Peter, and chooses not to tell him she loves him for fear of coming between them. Peter and Gwen begin dating. Trying to hide her pain, Mary Jane develops the public persona of an unflappable, flirtatious party girl. During this time Flash begins dating Liz again, and he mends his friendship with Mary Jane. Harry is still in love with Mary Jane but he hides his feelings behind a rich playboy exterior.
Gwen's relationship with Peter comes under stress due to several of his unexplained absences and weak excuses during their dates (in actuality, he leaves abruptly to fight crime as Spider-Man). A misunderstanding forces the love triangle to come to a head; Gwen learns the truth about Peter's history with Mary Jane and realizes that he is in love with her. She breaks up with him. However, at the same time, Mary Jane decides to put her feelings for Peter permanently aside and reunites with Harry, but student Felicia Hardy soon complicates their relationship as she pursues Harry for his affections.
Spider-Man soon acquires a new love interest, the redheaded mutant superhero Firestar
Firestar
Firestar is a fictional mutant superhero in the . Debuting in 1981 on the NBC animated television series Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, she has the ability to generate and manipulate microwave radiation, which allows her to generate intense heat and flames, and to fly...
, but is apprehensive about sharing his private life with her. As Peter Parker, Spidey faces the hopeless task of maintaining a friendship with Gwen despite her wanting him as a boyfriend, and refusing anything else.
Felicia's interventions eventually force Harry to snap, and he tells her that she will never have him as he is in love with MJ, but MJ soon comes to the realization she does not truly love Harry, and remains too close to Peter and Spider-Man. Harry is infuriated when he discovers the truth and leaves her devastated.
Peter eventually breaks up with Firestar as Spidey, and refuses to give Gwen the satisfaction of controlling his life to be with her. He and MJ close out issue twenty reunited, MJ assuring him she was always his friend despite recent events. MJ reaches for Peter's hand as the two watch the snow descend around them.
Reprints
The individual comic books are being collected into digest-sized trade paperbacks as part of Marvel's line of digests, with each volume reprinting five issues of the monthly series (four for the two initial miniseries). Both original miniseries as well as the first five issues of Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane were also reprinted in one oversized Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane Hardcover (ISBN 978-0785126102), released March 28, 2007 by Marvel Comics. A second hardcover, reprinting the remaining 15 issues of Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, was released in August 2008.The original miniseries has also been reprinted in one magazine-sized volume that was exclusively available at Target stores
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
, while its four individual issues have additionally been reprinted as library binding
Library binding
Library binding is the term used to describe the method of binding serials, and re-binding paperback or hardcover books, for use within libraries. Library binding increases the durability of books, as well as making the materials easier to use...
hardcovers by Spotlight Publications in January 2006.
List of digest trade paperbacks
| Title | ISBN | Publication date | reprinted issues |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Jane Vol. 1: Circle Of Friends | ISBN 0-7851-1467-X | November 3, 2004 | Mary Jane #1–4 |
| Mary Jane Vol. 2: Homecoming | ISBN 0-7851-1779-2 | October 5, 2005 | Mary Jane: Homecoming #1–4 |
| Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane Vol. 1: Super Crush | ISBN 0-7851-1954-X | July 12, 2006 | Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #1–5 |
| Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane Vol. 2: The New Girl | ISBN 0-7851-2265-6 | January 10, 2007 | Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #6–10 |
| Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane Vol. 3: My Secret Life | ISBN 0-7851-2266-4 | May 16, 2007 | Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #11–15 |
| Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane Vol. 4: Still Friends | ISBN 0-7851-2564-7 | October 3, 2007 | Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #16–20 |
List of library binding hardcovers
- Mary Jane: The Real Thing (ISBN 1-59961-039-6) reprints Mary Jane #1
- Mary Jane: The Money Thing (ISBN 1-59961-038-8) reprints Mary Jane #2
- Mary Jane: The Loyalty Thing (ISBN 1-59961-037-X) reprints Mary Jane #3
- Mary Jane: The Trust Thing (ISBN 1-59961-040-X) reprints Mary Jane #4
Homages
The cover of Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #8 is a homageHomage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
of a movie poster
Movie poster
A movie poster is a poster used to advertise a film. Studios often print several posters that vary in size and content for various domestic and international markets. They normally contain an image with text. Today's posters often feature photographs of the main actors. Prior to the 1990s,...
for Almost Famous
Almost Famous
Almost Famous is a 2000 musical comedy-drama film written and directed by Cameron Crowe and telling the fictional story of a teenage journalist writing for Rolling Stone magazine while covering the fictitious rock band Stillwater , and his efforts to get his first cover story published...
http://www.samruby.com/Series/MaryJane/Large/SMLovesMJ08.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/dd/Almost_famous_poster1.jpg, but also bears a strong resemblance to Untold Tales of Spider-Man
Untold Tales of Spider-Man
Untold Tales of Spider-Man is an American comic book series starring Spider-Man published by Marvel Comics for 26 issues from September, 1995 to October, 1997....
#16 http://www.samruby.com/Series/UntoldTales/Large/UTOS16.JPG. The cover of Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #9 is an homage of the movie poster for The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club is a 1985 American teen drama film written and directed by John Hughes. The storyline follows five teenagers as they spend a Saturday in detention together and come to realize that they are all deeper than their respective stereotypes.-Plot:The plot follows five students at...
.http://www.samruby.com/Series/MaryJane/Large/SMLovesMJ09.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/50/The_Breakfast_Club.jpg
External links
- Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane (2005-07) at Marvel.comMarvel ComicsMarvel 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...
- Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane (2008-09) at Marvel.comMarvel ComicsMarvel 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...
- Mary Jane section at Sean McKeever's official website
- SpiderFan.org Mary Jane reviews
- SpiderFan.org Mary Jane: Homecoming reviews
- SpiderFan.org Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane