In If Her Hair Was Still Red, I take a look at all of Mary Jane Watson's comic book appearances in chronological order (by date of publication). Mary Jane's progression as a character fascinates me.

Amazing Spider-Man #176 (by Len Wein, Ross Andru and Tony DeZuniga) opens with a fascinating bit. Aunt May continues in her elderly rights activism (it is pretty funny how she's been doing this for, like, a year, and she seems like she's been arrested or almost killed seven times each!) and she has an altercation with a police officer who won't let her into City Hall to see the Mayor. During their struggle, May has what appears to be a heart attack. Peter rushes to her side, but the cop is in the way and Peter throws him out of the way and the cop ALMOST SHOOTS PETER! It is really interesting to see Wein come down so hard on a cop in a late 1970s Marvel comic book, as this cop was clearly out of line. He escalated things WAY too far WAY too quickly.

We then get a great thought balloon for Mary Jane as she goes to visit Peter and May in the hospital. Wein reiterates that Mary Jane hates hospitals, but she will bear with them for Peter's sake. It is interesting how the comment she interrupts makes it almost seem like she knows he is talking about being Spider-Man, right?

MJ then has a great bit where she tries to cheer Peter up...

Here's my problem, though, with the Peter/Mary Jane relationship, as of this moment. How are they still "just friends"? It doesn't feel real to me. They've basically a couple, but a platonic couple. Look at the way they say goodbye to each other!

It's like they're siblings! There's no spark and there clearly SHOULD be a spark! There was one before, but now it is this super platonic state that is so odd.

This last part has no connection to Mary Jane, but when the Green Goblin (who Peter assumes is Harry Osborn) throws Flash Thompson out of a window, I just love that Peter takes the time to say what is happening out loud! "Oh no, this is what happened to me before!"

DON'T TALK! JUST SAVE THE GUY!!

Some more platonic stuff in the following issue (Mike Esposito now on inks)...

But while Peter is away, May has a heart attack and they need Peter to authorize them to perform surgery on May! I don't think that's really how it works, but hey, whatever, the main thing is that Peter needs to be there and he isn't!

That bit seems to make it clear that Mary Jane DOESN'T know where Peter is, right?

The next issue is big for Mary Jane. So big that she even gets a rare cover spotlight!

Page 2: [valnet-url-page page=2 paginated=0 text='Mary Jane steps up!']

As we've established, Mary Jane doesn't like hospitals, but she is doing everything she can for someone ELSE'S Aunt, all because she knows that Peter would be crushed by the guilt. She knows Peter so well.

She is basically a superhero hero, racing to find Peter in time...

I like that Wein plays against the trope here by having Peter answer...

But, of course, he is attacked on the way to the hospital...

Mary Jane is none too pleased with Peter when he finally gets there...

Aunt May makes it through surgery fine. Robbie Robertson gives Peter some very nice advice. Robertson is almost TOO nice at times...

Peter then has to head to work for the Daily Bugle. Mary Jane must think so poorly of him at this moment...

He seemingly ignores everyone, his aunt almost dies and now he's heading off to do MORE of his gallivanting? Weird guy.

This is it for Len Wein and Mary Jane Watson and he really didn't leave Peter and Mary Jane in a particularly strong place in their relationship. It is a big improvement, though, over what is about happen next!

We're up to Amazing Spider-Man #182 if you have any thoughts you'd like to share that I might share with the others in the next column! Again, you can write me at brianc@cbr.com!