In 2007, twenty years after the two were wed, Marvel Comics made the controversial decision to break up Peter Parker and Mary Jane. The magical retcon meant that the marriage between one of Marvel's most popular couples had now never existed, with MJ's role in the Spider-Man books drastically changed as a result.

RELATED: What Did Mary Jane REALLY Say to Mephisto?

Ten years after the event, which divided fans like never before, CBR examines MJ's long history and explores whether there's still a place for her within the Marvel Universe.

The Red-Headed Stranger

Mary Jane was a presence in Spider-Man's world long before her on-panel debut, with Aunt May's attempt to match-make her and Peter being a running joke. An obscured cameo in Amazing Spider-Man #25 suggested that MJ might exceed Peter's meager expectations, but it wasn't until #42 that she made her first on-panel appearance with an iconic John Romita image.

mary-jane

Mary Jane quickly became a vital part of Peter's supporting cast, her introduction shaking up the soap-opera dynamics that were central to the title. While the initial relationship between Peter and MJ never expanded beyond casual dating, it allowed Peter to compare MJ's effervescent personality with Gwen, his longtime crush. His musings that MJ was "pretty as a pumpkin seed, but just about as shallow" seemed to sum up her portrayal during this era as a fun loving party-girl.


View Full Article On One Page, Or Leap To A Section:


MJ's portrayal during the '60s stood out because unlike the majority of her friends, she didn't appear to have family drama weighing her down. While her relationship with Aunt Anna was often shown, her parents and wider family were seldom mentioned. Later writers would show that MJ's extrovert manner was a way to mask private pain, but as she danced and flirted her way through the '60s, it seemed as if she was worry free.

Stan Lee would later claim that he had always intended Peter to end up with Gwen, but that plans changed when MJ appeared more fun and interesting, though it's unclear whether this was indeed the case or an example of historical revisionism. The MJ of this era was often portrayed as a fairly shallow and unlikable character, with Peter's inner monologue frequently questioning her character. Distraught over Gwen's death, Peter finally told MJ what he thought of her in Amazing Spider-Man #122, an issue that marked a turning point for both MJ's portrayal and her and Peter's relationship.

A New Romance

By choosing to stay with a grieving Peter, MJ showed for perhaps the first time that she was more than a superficial party girl. In ASM #143, Peter and MJ finally shared their first kiss, marking a new stage in their relationship. In true comics fashion, however, this new found contentment wasn't to last long. The seeming return of Gwen Stacy marked the start of the original Clone Saga, causing both Peter and MJ to reevaluate how they felt about each other. For Peter, it was his feelings for MJ that convinced him he was the real deal, not a clone. For MJ, the situation made her realize the strength of her feelings for Peter, convincing her to face her problems head-on rather than cut and run.

The 1989 graphic novel, Parallel Lives introduced the retcon that MJ had always known Peter was Spider-Man. While there was no evidence of this in the comics of the time, MJ's fear of getting too close to Peter, as well as her frustration with his absences and excuses, could all point to someone struggling with this unspoken secret. Her initial refusal of Peter's marriage proposal, in Amazing Spider-Man #183, also conforms to this narrative. When faced with the prospect of marriage and settling down, she again takes cover in the persona of the party-girl free from all responsibilities.

After a couple of brief appearances over the next few months, MJ vanished from the Spider-books for almost five years. Readers grew used to seeing Peter Parker with other women and MJ might have become just another in a long line of forgotten Marvel love interests. Instead, the opposite was true. When she returned to the Spider-books it set the scene for a bombshell revelation that would change her and Peter's lives forever.

Page 2: [valnet-url-page page=2 paginated=0 text='Wedding%20Bells%20Ring%20for%20Spider-Man%20and%20Mary%20Jane']



Mr And Mrs Parker

Shortly after Mary Jane returned to the Spider-books, she finally admitted the secret that she had been keeping for so many years: She knew that Peter Parker and Spider-Man were one and the same. It's hard to overstate the impact that this had on Peter and MJ's relationship; Peter finally had someone in his life who knew about both of his identities, while MJ was finally able to truly open up to another person.

The two officially became a couple again in Amazing Spider-Man #289, with Peter popping the question in the very next issue. Stan Lee had decided to marry Peter and MJ in the Spider-Man newspaper strip, so the comic reconciliation and marriage was quickly arranged to coincide. In Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21, Peter and MJ tied the knot, with Stan Lee officiating at a real-life enactment at New York's Shea Stadium. As the headline writers quipped, "With this ring I thee web."

The marriage brought out the best in both Peter and MJ, and it's to creators' credit that despite the rushed wedding timetable they clearly showed the deep love between the two. In the 'Kraven's Last Hunt' storyline, it was Peter's love for MJ that gave him the strength to emerge from his makeshift grave, while other stories highlighted the Parkers dealing with the problems that plagued many newlyweds.

The contrast between their personalities made Peter and MJ work well together, each helping to bring out the best in each other. Peter helped provide the loving stability that MJ craved, while her outgoing nature helped a man who, at times, still struggled to shake off the social awkwardness of his teenage years. So, with the two seeming well-matched and ready to face the future, what could possibly go wrong? Only a little thing called 'The Clone Saga'.

Growth And Reset

1994 was a tumultuous year for the Parker marriage. Peter's fragile state of mind was worsened by the return of his presumed-dead clone, now calling himself Ben Reilly. The highs during this period, such as MJ revealing that she was pregnant, were outweighed by the lows. Infamously, Peter lashed out at MJ upon finding out that he was the clone, and later attempted to kill her while influenced by post-hypnotic suggestion.

Marvel's initial plan to reveal Ben Reilly as the 'real' Spider-Man was the first sign of the publisher's squeamishness over the thought of Peter growing up, thereby becoming "unrelatable" to readers. Thus, when the decision was made to restore Peter as the true Spider-Man, it was decided that MJ should lose her baby. From this point onwards a change was evident in how the Parker marriage was portrayed. Peter and MJ were at pains to point out how youthful they were, the implication being that they had married too young.

This was particularly noticeable in the Howard Mackie/John Byrne relaunch of the Spider-titles, which led to MJ's presumed death in Amazing Spider-Man #13 (1999). Although the couple were reunited the following year, MJ was quickly written out of the Spider-books. Strangely, MJ's absence from the core Spider-books coincided with a period in which her she was prominent in other adaptations. She was a central character in the Ultimate Spider-Man comic, and was Peter Parker's love interest in Sam Raimi's 2002 Spider-Man film. To comic fans and moviegoers alike, Mary Jane and Peter Parker seemed a natural fit.

It was therefore no surprise when Mary Jane and Peter finally reunited in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man #50. Their joyful reunion convinced many fans that this was the start of a brand new era for the Spider-marriage. If they only knew...

Page 3: [valnet-url-page page=3 paginated=0 text='Why%20Peter%20and%20Mary%20Jane%20Were%20Split-Up%20%28But%20Not%20Divorced%29']



Superheroes and Civil Wars

Writer J. Michael Straczynski's run on Amazing Spider-Man did an excellent job of portraying Peter and MJ's relationship. Under his pen, their relationship fully convinced as a couple that supported each other against everything the world could throw at them. Straczynski's MJ was no silent superhero love interest; she was a real person, with hopes and dreams of her own. One of the major turning points of this run was Peter joining the New Avengers, with Peter, MJ and Aunt May all moving into Avengers Tower. This brought MJ fully into Peter's world, and she dealt with it admirably.

The events of the 2005 Civil War crossover put these strong bonds to the test, with Peter's decision to oppose superhero registration making him and his family wanted fugitives. The MJ of the 1960's may have shirked from such responsibility, but the modern MJ was fully supportive of her husband: both because she loved him and because she knew that he was taking a stand for what he thought was right.

Alongside this heavy focus in the core comic titles, MJ continued to be featured heavily elsewhere, with her and Peter's relationship key to the emotional heart of Spider-Man 2. Also in this period, Mary Jane gained her own series: Spider-Man loves Mary Jane. Set during Spider-Man's high school days and told from MJ's point of view, the Sean McKeever-written series is one of Marvel's overlooked gems.

MJ's position in the Spider-books during this period seemed unassailable. Then came a little thing called 'One More Day'.

The Divorce That Never Was

For years, arguments had raged among Marvel creators about the merits of the Spider-marriage. Did fans want to see Peter Parker progress through the stages of life, or did marriage age the character and distance him from what made him successful? In 2006, the decision was made. The Spider-Man titles would be relaunched, featuring a newly single Peter Parker and a 'back to basics' approach. The really controversial part? Peter Parker and Mary Jane had now never been married. To save the life of Aunt May, Peter and Mary Jane had made a deal with the demon Mephisto. His price for saving her life was their marriage.

One More Day Deal with Mephisto

To many fans, the logic behind the demise of the Parker marriage was inexplicable. It's worth remembering that in 2007 when the marriage was dissolved, the Parkers had been married for 20 years. For a huge number of Spider-Man fans, a married Spider-Man was all they knew. What's more, many fans liked the notion of following Peter through the stages of his life, having grown tired of the repeated variations of Parker dating mishaps.

MJ was absent from Amazing Spider-Man for almost two years. When she returned, in #600, there was a strange disconnect with her appearances: she appeared too important to Spidey's world to exile forever, yet too much of a perceived problem to reconcile with Peter. Instead, with Aunt May no longer knowing Peter's secret, MJ was once again cast as the confidante, but now in the guise of best friend and former flame. As Peter stumbled from one romantic disaster to another, the decision to sideline MJ and the marriage seemed ever more misguided. But of course, it's not just in the comics where Mary Jane has been marginalized in recent years.

For years, Mary Jane felt that she had to compete with the memory of Gwen Stacy for Peter's affections. History has repeated itself, with Gwen Stacy being the main love interest in the Andrew Garfield Amazing Spider-Man films and starring in the successful Spider Gwen series. Mary Jane is also absent from the recent, Spider-Man: Homecoming, despite the tease to fans with Zendaya's character Michelle. A deliberate downplaying of MJ or a coincidence? Either way, her reduced presence in other media appears to be a logical result of her diminished role in the Spider-books.

Page 4: [valnet-url-page page=4 paginated=0 text='What%27s%20Next%20for%20Mary%20Jane%3F']



What Now, Mary Jane?

It's clear that many fans really miss Peter and MJ's marriage - the success of Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows, which follows the adventures of an older Parker family from another reality, clearly shows that. But with Marvel seemingly determined that her and Peter shouldn't be together -- at least not as man and wife -- in the regular Marvel Universe, where does that leave her character?  Her character development over the years has left her too strong a character to function purely as a member of Peter's supporting cast, to be cast in the role of supportive ex.

In a surprising move, Brian Bendis introduced MJ into his Iron Man stories, where she's employed by Tony Stark as his assistant. While it's been good to see MJ appear on a regular basis, it's a move that has yet to completely convince. Aside from a brief crossover with Amazing Spider-Man, there's as yet been little to suggest why it had to be MJ that filled this role, aside from mere name recognition.

Therein lies the crux of the matter. Can a character primarily known as Spider-Man's significant other ever forge a life away from his shadow? Would fans even want this, or would any new status quo inevitably be seen as inferior to her time as Mary Jane Parker? With the changes that Marvel has made in recent years, removing classic heroes and replacing them with newly-conceived legacy characters, the demise of the Spider-marriage feels ever more ridiculous. Even in Amazing Spider-Man, the rationale no longer applies. If being married aged Peter and made him unrelatable, how does that compare with his stint as the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company?

With luck, Marvel will eventually realize that there's no need to reinvent the wheel for Mary Jane, creating contorted rationales for her to appear alongside other characters. She already has a place in the Marvel universe, and it's by the side of the man that she loves -- her best friend and confidante. To paraphrase a great philosopher, when Peter and MJ found each other, they both hit the jackpot.