and i also disagree with the implied notion that an unhappy, angry Peter makes for better storytelling (although the potential is definitely there). good storytelling is good storytelling, it can be but it’s not required to have a dark edge to it.

again, where’s the compelling argument?

“I’m still not hearing any compelling reason for why a married Peter Parker makes for better stories, aside from personal preference. What kinds of stories can be done with a married Peter that couldn’t be done with a single Peter, and what makes those stories inherently better?”

Not necessarily better, but different. Peter as a single guy, having to run off from a hot date to battle Electro, the quasi love triangle between Peter-Spider-Man-Girlfriend of the moment those situations created, has been done. Again and again. I’d like to see something different. They married off Peter, then basically told the same kind of stories for the next twenty years, susbstituting the word “wife” for the word “girlfriend” and the word “divorce” for “break-up.”

So before they throw out the whole thing, I would have liked to see something different done with the marriage. Would those stories have been “better” than single Peter ones? I dunno. Suppose, as in most stories, it depends on who told them. But they would have been something different, and that’s worth something.

In the meantime, to read about “classic” single Peter, read Ultimate Spider-Man. I do, because those stories are still enjoyable. I just also want to see some real “married” stories, too.

Because it makes Peter less happy and content with his life, to know that he doesn’t have a beautiful and understanding supermodel waiting at home.

That’s an easy fix – just make her a catalouge model or a struggling actress – good looking, but not on an international level.
There’s nothing that odd about a nerdy/geeky guy with a good looking girl – I’ve got one, and I know plenty of others who do to.

Because it makes Peter less happy and content with his life, to know that he doesn’t have a beautiful and understanding supermodel waiting at home. It’s already really hard to make franchise superhero stories dramatic, knowing that the character is never going to age or die and the story is never going to end. Giving them a fixed, safe constant in their personal life just exacerbates the problem.

Plus, I don’t particularly like MJ’s transformation as a character, going from the wild and crazy Veronica to Gwen’s Betty, to a near-clone of safe, boring Gwen herself ( with the wild and crazy stuff being retconned as deep unhappiness from a dysfunctional childhood ). If Peter has to be married, can’t he be with someone more challenging?

That’s why I don’t like the marriage; it makes the books too safe.

2) let’s play devil’s advocate and argue the flip side, how does making Peter single again make the stories inherently better?

3) and you just know if they dissolve the marriage, they aren’t going to come up with another crappy story arc to bring them back together.

1. It’s done. He’s married. For good or bad. I’d rather accept the limitations it arguable may create by keeping it going than deal with another ham fisted retcon.

2. There are stories that grow out of Peter being single. There are stories that grow out his being married. From 1962-1987, we read the stories that grew out of him being single. But since 1987, we have seen very few stories grow out of his marriage. I’d like to read some of those stories at some point. Instead of retconning the marriage, use it to generate some new and different stories.

3. I like that Peter has grown up. Stan Lee had him grow up-he graduated high school, went to college, left home. I would not object to Peter becoming a father. He is one of those characters that benefits from change and analagous real world growth (albeit gradual change).

4. I can read about single, angsty, romantically troubled Peter in Ultimate Spider-Man (Oh, who should I date? How can I decide?). In fact, I do read about there. Why can’t we have our cake and eat it too-changing, growing Peter in Amazing, traditional, single Peter in Ultimate? Isn’t that one of the points of the Ultimate line?

As the only “limitation” Peter being married is not being able to date all those hot women who are always attracted to him like Mary Jane and….uhm…oh, and uh…Well Black Cat…but they broke up well before because she’s a criminal and doesn’t like Peter Parker….and ….uh..Betty…but they dated like twice and she went on to be Peter’s pal….hmmm.

As for how…people, Doctor Strange is on the cover of the book.

“Gosh Doctor Strange, Mary Jane is in danger because of my ID reveal…could you make is so I didn’t reveal my ID and she’s not involved in my life so she’ll be safe, but we’ll wind up together anyway, because the cartoons and movies and licensing ties us together anyway….oh, and don’t worry about fixing that mutant problem, Civil War, or Cap’s death…lets’ just change time for me, hmmkay?”

I can’t think of anything Peter being married adds to the stories

When did you start reading Spider-Man? Because I, for one, can’t think of anything having Peter single would add…

Wow. That was rude. Is that who I am now? Rude, and not ginger?

Man, if that’s you rude, I’d bet you’re the kind of guy who apologizes for getting cut off.

Man, Brian, I was thinking of a snappy reply to your bending over comment, but sheesh I am slow as a fucking snail on weed today. Too much work make Marko’s brain bland. :O
But anyway, all the negative space leaves enough room for me to spell my surename in BIG LETTERS for everbody to learn as homework.

Cheers mate

M

Just as long as your reply wasn’t, “My next cover is going to have MJ scrubbing Peter’s costume.”

Wait a minute – are all three of these covers variants for JUST ASM 544 or are they variants for Spectacular and Friendly respectively instead?

Oops, sorry. Yeah, I was way unclear.

They are the variant covers for the first three parts of One More Day. So yeah, they are for Sensational and Friendly Neighborhood, as well.

I agree that it will likely be some whacked out retcon break in the space/time continuum that does the trick, all without ‘aging’ Spidey even a day.

What’s great about the marriage? I’ve always liked that Pete had one good thing going for him, that, for all the crap that he’s continually going through, at least one thing went right.

As far as the covers go, I think the Djurdjevic covers beat the socks of Quesada’s – Q’s have something weird going on with their heads these days, reminds me of Glen Fabry on a bad day.

Cheers mate

M