Web of Love: “He’s my Husband!”

Greetings Crawlspacers and welcome to “Web of Love”.  As most of you know, most of us here at the crawlspace love and think that Peter and Mary Jane should always be together.  This feature shows examples on how genuine and real this relationship is and my retrospects.

Welcome Crawlspacer’s!  This edition of “Web of Love” has two very important significant aspects to it.  I’ll explain later on what they are, but first let’s get to the story at hand!  The Sensational Spider-Man Annual #1 (2006) written by Matt Fraction with art by Salvador Larroca.  It has been said that this issue is one of the greatest Peter and Mary Jane stories of all time.  If not the greatest, definitely the top five!  The issue starts off with Peter covering Mary Jane’s eyes because he has a surprise to show her.  She assures him that she’s ready and when Peter removes his hands Mary Jane is blown away at the amazing scenery of New York City.  Up high on a tower looking down, MJ can’t get over the fact of the view and rewards her husband with a kiss.  Now you are asking “How did they get to this spot?”.

Earlier Mary Jane went to the Coffee Bean when she ran into an old “friend” Brady.  You see, Brady used to work security for Mary Jane back when she lived in L.A.  Appears that he’s in town and offers to buy MJ a cup of coffee.  Brady also has a little crush on Mary Jane, but keep those fists of yours at bay.  MJ takes really good care of herself in this situation.  As the two take a seat MJ thinks fondly on the Coffee Bean when she used to come here when she was young with Harry, Peter, and Gwen.  The moment is ruined though when she snaps back to reality discovering that Brady is now an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D and Mary Jane is completely surrounded.  Brady wants Peter Parker or she’s under arrest.

This issue takes place back in the first Civil War.  Superhuman Registration Act ring a bell?  Peter sided with Iron Man during this event (oops) and realized that he made a mistake when he did (D’OH!).  When he sided with Iron Man he revealed to the world by taking off his mask publicly on T.V.  When he switched sides, realizing that Tony Stark was doing what Peter thought, to be morally wrong, he became a criminal.  Now on the run with Mary Jane and Aunt May, the Kingpin hires a sniper and shoots Aunt May.  She’s now in the hospital, dying.  All caught up?  Good.  Moving right along…we see Detective Lamont at Hooper’s Diner holding a note from Spider-Man and Peter shows up in disguise (hat, hoodie, fake mustache) to ask Lamont to arrest him, in exchange for MJ and Aunt May to have immunity and kept safe.  Lamont refuses since this kind of thing is above his pay rate.  Right now Lamont is the only cop Peter trusts and Lamont has deep respect for Spider-Man.

Back at the Coffee Bean, Brady exchanges the same deal to Mary Jane.  He wants Peter and in exchange Mary Jane and Aunt May will have immunity and be kept safe.  MJ explains to Brady that he has no clue on what Peter has gone through and what it cost him.  She explains that Spider-Man life was Peter’s burden to carry and with that, all his loved one where involved.  Scene shifts back to Peter and Lamont as the good detective rips Peter’s fake mustache off.  He thinks what Peter is asking him to do is wrong to to think of his wife.  Peter goes on to say that he’s ALWAYS thinking of Mary Jane an begins to explain on what she means to him.  Back the Coffee Bean, Mary Jane is doing the same thing to Brady.  Telling a backstory of her and Peter’s relationship when they started dating.  We see Mary Jane’s point of view about the “mix tape” conversation and then the scene cuts to Peter sharing with Lamont his point of view of the same situation.

Lamont gets the call about Mary Jane, but Peter’s spider sense is already going off.  Mary Jane has secretly paged Peter.  He darts off to his wife.  Brady tries to comfort MJ with “interior motives”.  Basically, his plan is become a hero to Mary Jane and save her from this mess that Peter and Mary Jane are in.  Steal her away so to speak.  No dice.  Mary Jane is wise on what Brady is trying to accomplish and calls him out.  She’s on to him, confronts him and ends it with a “He’s my Husband, you’re just some dude!”.  I was smiling from ear to ear when I saw that page.  Brady knows he’s not going nowhere with this and is frustrated that he was just rejected and gives MJ one last chance.  MJ flashback to her and Peter’s first kiss at the airport and responds back to Brady to arrest her.  He about to cuff Mary Jane when he see’s Peter about to swing and smash through the window.  Mary Jane was stalling this ENTIRE time!

Peter smashes in, grabs his wife with a “Hi Honey” and dodges every single shot Brady’s men are taking at him, while hold Mary Jane in his arms.  Brady just has the stupidest look on his face when Peter and Mary Jane flee the scene.  Yeah, good luck explaining how you messed this one up to S.H.I.E.L.D!  Mary Jane assures Peter that they are in this together and that their marriage means something to her and to them.  Issue ends with them leaping off into the horizon..

Okay let’s breakdown this issue!  Both Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca did a fantastic job!  In real time present to the flashbacks, they stayed on cue to each of the characters.  The marriage chemistry between Peter and Mary Jane is never and WAS NEVER ‘FORCED”.  Shoot, Nick Spencer proved that in Amazing Spider-Man #1 (vol 5) on sale NOW!  Fraction does a nice job with Peter here, feeling the burden but doing what he can to protect and make sure his family is safe.  He needs guidance though and falling on Lamont, yeah, I can see that.  I feel the real star of the comic though is Mary Jane.  She’s smart and stealthy.  She makes her point across provides undying loyalty to Peter!

Our favorite redhead takes no BS.  This is one of the things if not the main thing that draws me to Mary Jane.  Peter has had three girls in his life that are considered important.  Mary Jane, Felicia Hardy, and Gwen Stacy.  All physically attractive women, but Mary Jane (in my opinion) stand out than the rest.  Felicia Hardy liked Spider-Man, then (not at first) liked Peter Parker.  Over the years they became good friends, but that went on and off like turning on a light switch.  Enemies, Partners, Lovers, Enemies again, Friends (she even befriended MJ), Partners, then Enemies again.  Gwen was the good girl and imaged based of Stan’s wife Joan.  She was the police captain’s daughter and her fame only really struck a cord when Emma Stone played her.  Even though Bryce Dallas played her in the easily forgettable movie Spider-Man 3, is was really Stone that put her on the map.  Mary Jane, however is a Marvel Legend!  An important character in both Spider-Man’s universe and in the comic book industry.  When you think about Peter’s soulmate, Mary Jane automatically comes up.  The thing is, unlike Felicia and Gwen, her character, her history, her origin feels VERY REAL.  It’s relatable!!  She doesn’t need to be the “damsel in distress” like Gwen was, she doesn’t need to be in the “costume community” like Felicia is, she can handle commitment on her own wearing a sweatshirt and jeans.  Her past and what she went through makes her very strong!

Fraction shows that when she’s having coffee with Brady.  Unknown to him at the very last second, she wasn’t rambling on or remembering the old times like she appeared to be doing.  She played it smart and was actually STALLING, give Peter time to swing on over there.  I love how Fraction shows classic Spidey stories that played out but with inner thoughts of both Peter and Mary Jane.  Do these panels look “forced” to you?  It feels real!  Shows great chemistry between the two characters!

We now know what these characters were saying and what they were really thinking!  Smart play.  This issue credits John Romita’s artwork and design as well.  The way Mary Jane explains to Brady about the Mix Tape to Brady is hysterical.  A normal person would think songs, but Peter isn’t a normal person.  He makes a mix tape on “Magnetic Fields”.  Nerdy and confusing then, but MJ finds it hysterical and cute now that she’s more mature and understands.  She even felt bad teasing him about it when he gave it to her.  They are very muck like magnetic field though and Peter feels the same way.  Her and Peter (back then) were very muck different, but opposites do attract each other and Peter shares that with Lamont.

Like I said, Mary Jane expresses much loyalty to her husband and let’s Brady know about it.  Another attractive feature, she has said it many times “Peter I have a lot of friends, but only ONE husband.”.  Her she lets Brady KNOW that it’s NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!  It just makes you cheer and smile.  I love Brady’s face.  He laid that rejection on him like spreading rotten butter on toast and made him eat it!  “He’s my husband, you’re just some Dude.”

Well written and illustrated it’s hard to come to the conclusion on WHY One More Day came to pass.  This issue was almost RIGHT before it.  Was it a “last horrah” or was Fraction saying “Look, it can work!”  I guess we’ll never know, but Nick Spencer has very much referenced this issue in his first issue of the current Amazing Run.  It’s good reading Amazing again with them back together, but looking back at this issue really warms your heart.  Peter full in character.  Mary Jane full in character.  Both showing chemistry and proof that their marriage was never “rushed”.  Quickly published? Yeah sure, maybe, the but the chemistry and history has always been there, all along!