Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson are easily one of the most popular comic book couples ever. Though things haven’t always been easy for the couple, the love between them is one of the most powerful forces in the entire Marvel universe.
Whenever the two are together, it seems as though there is nothing they can’t accomplish. Furthermore, while Spider-Man has had all sorts of love interests over the years, none have quite measured up to the likes of Mary Jane. With Valentine’s Day being just around the corner, here is our list of the 10 most romantic moments between Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson.
10 Love At First Sight
As most Spider-Man fans already know, Mary Jane Watson exploded into Peter Parker’s life with the famous line, “Face it Tiger, you just hit the jackpot.” However, it isn’t until one issue later, in Amazing Spider-Man #43, where the two actually go on their first date.
In his efforts to juggle the many aspects of his life, Peter briefly leaves Mary Jane to stop one of Rhino’s rampages. While it may not have been MJ’s best first date, it was definitely one of the more exciting ones, also laying the groundwork for the two’s relationship going forward. While the romance between them wasn’t at its strongest point during these two issues, they are definitely some of the most important moments shared between them.
9 The Amazing Mary Jane
For a very recent issue, The Amazing Mary Jane still features an incredibly romantic moment between her and Peter. As MJ starts to get into acting once again, she temporarily leaves New York in order to chase her dreams, but remains in her relationship with Peter.
Towards the end of the first issue, the two are on a phone call, with Peter being in a very public place. However, that doesn’t stop them from sharing a dance through the speakers, despite being hundreds of miles apart. Considering how far the two have come since their younger years, it is especially nice to know that they can still share moments like this.
8 Ultimate Spider-Man
Even in another universe, it seems as though Peter and MJ are destined to be together. Throughout the Ultimate Spider-Man series, the two constantly explore a lot of the same issues as their main counterparts, while also having their own, unique experiences that made the series so much fun to read.
From trying to save money for a nice date, all the way to stealing a truck, there are plenty of great moments between the iconic couple in this series. Likewise, Mary Jane had been a part of the series from the very beginning, and was even there after Peter Parker’s unfortunate death. While it may not be part of the main canon, Ultimate Spider-Man still gives readers one of the best examples of the iconic couple.
7 Web Of Romance
Considering how Web of Romance is literally the title, it makes sense that this story would feature some great moments between Peter and Mary Jane. Once again, this one issue alone gives readers a fantastic breakdown of the two’s relationship, making it easy to see why they work so well together.
While the art style may not be for everyone, the story alone is a must read for any fan of the couple. Seeing how the two interact with one another as well as their own thoughts on their relationship is just an incredibly welcome experience. Despite all the hardships along the way as well, it is nice to see the two so close in this story.
6 Renew Your Vows
In the Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows timeline, readers get to explore a Marvel universe that never saw Peter give up his marriage to Mary Jane. Because of this, the two end up having a daughter, Annie May, and become a superhero family all their own.
Though it definitely focuses on an older interpretation of the couple, Renew Your Vows still features plenty of incredibly romantic moments between Peter and MJ sprinkled throughout the series. Though it is not canon with the rest of the Marvel universe, seeing how strong their love is is still incredibly heartwarming.
5 The Second Proposal
Though most Spider-Man fans know that Peter and MJ eventually tie the knot, not everyone knows that she turned down his very first proposal. Granted, Peter’s first proposal isn’t exactly the most romantic thing ever. While that is definitely not the reason MJ turned him down, his second proposal was much stronger.
Even then, Peter’s second proposal isn’t the most romantic moment between the couple, but the spontaneous nature of it was a significant improvement from his first time. Unfortunately, MJ would turn him down once again, but it wouldn’t be terribly long before she changed her mind, and the two finally got married.
4 Reunited
After being separated for quite some time, Mary Jane and Spider-Man were finally reunited once again in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man #50. In this issue alone, the characters completely reevaluate their relationship, modernizing their romance while still pulling the couple in an all-new direction.
Throughout the issue, Peter and MJ realize just how much they need each other. It is also a great example of just how powerful their love can be. For all the bumps in their relationship over the years, this is definitely one of its highest points.
3 Inspiration
Spider-Man: Reign imagines an older Peter Parker in a New York that has outlawed superheroes. Acting as a sort of The Dark Knight Returns for Spider-Man’s character, the miniseries received a bit of backlash when it was revealed how Mary Jane died in this timeline.
Backlash aside, however, it still features one of the most romantic interactions between the couple yet. As the elder Peter is on the verge of death, he imagines himself as a 16 year old once again. After Mary Jane wanders up to him, Peter shares his doubts about himself with her, to which Mary Jane responds with an incredibly romantic and motivating speech. While the one element of the story may not be for everyone, Spider-Man: Reign is still a great example of the love the two share, and why they are perfect for each other.
2 The Wedding
Of course, the wedding between Peter and MJ has to be one of their most romantic moments. After several years and everything that happened to the both of them, the two were finally tying the knot, setting out on all-new adventures together.
After expressing their doubts about the wedding throughout most of the issue, the two finally decide to be together despite the dangers from Peter’s life as Spider-Man. The issue itself is a great look at just how far the characters have come since their first meeting. With everything culminating to a wonderful end, this is undoubtedly one for the most romantic moments between the two.
1 To Have And To Hold
Following the events of Marvel’s first Civil War, Peter Parker’s identity had become public knowledge. From that moment, leading all the way up to the “One More Day” arc, Peter and his family were constantly in danger. Fortunately, putting the characters in this situation gave readers one of the strongest moments between Peter and MJ yet, especially in the pages of Sensational Spider-Man Annual #1.
Matt Fraction’s excellent breakdown of the two’s relationship through separate conversations is a truly wonderful way to relate the two. Likewise, by the end of the issue, it shows just how accustomed MJ has become to Peter’s life, as well as how well the two work together. For such a random issue that few people have heard of, it is easily one of the most romantic moments between the couple.