Here is an archive of all the past top five lists I've one over the years.
With the news that Mary Jane Watson will soon be a supporting cast member in the pages of Invincible Iron Man, I thought it would be interesting to spotlight Mary Jane's greatest moments with Peter Parker in the pages of the various Spider-Man comic books...
HONORABLE MENTIONS
This doesn't really fit here exactly, but I just loved how, for a little while there early in her early appearances, Stan Lee and John Romita would just have Mary Jane start dancing in the middle of talking to people in rooms...
Sadly, they stopped doing it before there was enough of these moments for a top five list. Darnit!
I don't think the wedding between Peter and Mary Jane was handled particularly well. The whole thing read as rushed as it was in reality, but eh, it IS their wedding, so I figure I should at least give it an honorable mention...
Tom Beland wrote an adorable Valentine's Day comic in 2006 with art by Cory Walker and Cliff Rathburn where Peter is trying to think of what to get Mary Jane for the holiday. What he comes up with is very cute...
Spider-Man Blue by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale is framed as Peter recording a message to Gwen as he reminisces about the past. At the end of the series, we learn that Mary Jane has been listening in on him and she has a great response to it all...
That's awesome and all, but at the same time, it's also perhaps TOO sweet of a reaction to your husband holing himself up in the attic dictating recordings to his dead girlfriend, ya know?
Go to the next page to start the top five!
5. "To Have and Hold"
Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca did this wonderful Sensational Spider-Man Annual #1 in 2007, during the point in time when Spider-Man's identity was exposed and he and Mary Jane were on the run from the authorities. During the story, MJ meets up with an old flame who is now working for SHIELD. He's talking to Mary Jane at a diner while they wait for Peter to show up to meet up with her. She spends the time telling the guy about her relationship with Peter. Meanwhile, Peter is trying to figure out a way to get her out of there, debating whether he should just surrender himself and ALSO looking back on his relationship with Mary Jane. Fraction does this cool bit where he shows the same flashback from both of their perspectives, and how each of them think that they are blowing it on various occasions. You know, stuff like her thinking that she's making him feel bad so he won't make a move while he's thinking that he's being too chicken to make a move. Cute stuff. Anyhow, Peter ultimately rescues Mary Jane and they escape. He takes her to the top of a flag pole and they discuss their situation...
4. Gerry Conway's Bookend
Gerry Conway ends his initial run on Amazing Spider-Man with this great scene at the end of Amazing Spider-Man #149. Peter has been a jerk to Mary Jane all throughout the initial Clone Saga, but in the end, he realizes that SHE is the one he wants to be with. Luckily, she's still interested...
The sequence works better when you see that it is a bookend with an earlier scene that is also going to show up on this list.
3. "Face it, Tiger..."
This is obviously one of the most iconic moments in Marvel Comics history, but I dunno, while it is amazing, I think other moments are slightly more important in context. This is still great, though. Peter has been avoiding the niece of Aunt May's friend for over a dozen issues by the time he finally meets her in Amazing Spider-Man #42 by Stan Lee and John Romita...
Still a classic.
Go to the next page for the top two!
2. "It's because you're not"
Besides being a major turning point in the relationship between Peter and Mary Jane (at this point, there's was almost a platonic friendship more than anything), this sequence from Amazing Spider-Man #143 is both wonderfully written by Gerry Conway but more importantly it is laid out stunningly well by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito...
Wow, that's some storytelling!
1. Gerry Conway's Other Bookend
SO many things going on in this Gerry Conway, Gil Kane and John Romita page. First off, it establishes the beginnings of the Peter/Mary Jane relationship. Secondly, it is a HUGE transition point in the characterization of Mary Jane, as she stops being just comic relief. And finally, it is just a well-written, well-drawn scene period.
It also work beautifully as a bookend to the previous moment from the end of Conway's run. The start of their relationship to their consummation of the relationhip, starting and ending with a click!
That's the list! Agree? Disagree? Let me know!