Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, Marvel Comics, Spider-Man, Stan Lee | Tagged: Anazibg Spider-Man, one more day

Marvel Comics Replies To Letter About Spider-Man's Marriage

Today's Amazing Spider-Man #35 letters page publishes a letter asking why Marvel Comics doesn't just restore the Spider-Man marriage.

In today's Amazing Spider-Man, with Peter Parker, burdened with the sins of Norman Osborn, going up against Mary Jane Watson. While the letters page published a letter by "A Spidey Fan" asking why Marvel Comics doesn't just restore the Spider-Man marriage of Peter and Mary that was removed over a decade-and-a-half ago.

One More Day by J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada was published in the Spdier-Man books in 2007, sixteen years ago. Aunt May was shot by a stray bullet meant for Spider-Man, who had revealed his secret identity to the world. To save her life, he does a deal with the demon Mephisto, in return for Peter and Mary's marriage. Which went away, restoring Peter's secret identity in the process. Elements of the storyline were used in Spider-Man: No Way Home. But many people still seem to want the marriage to return, and, of late, the Amazing Spider-Man series has flirted with just that. But recently, after being separated by a dimensional temporal rift, both Peter and Mary moved on. But "A Spidey Fan" has not. They write;

"With that said, I'm sure the entire team receives an absurd amount of hate mail about "One More Day." I'm a part of the vast majority of people who hate that entire storyline. I'm sure it was written with love for the character, and I do not in any way think that "I could write it better!" or anything as it isn't my job–it's yours. With that said, I'm just genuinely curious as to why the Peter Parker of Earth-616 can't just…develop? Why shouldn't he be allowed to be married? Have a kid? Bruce Wayne has a ton of kids if you count all of the Robins. If you don't, then he has Damian Wayne. Clark Kent has Jon Kent and Lois Lane. Characters having their families doesn't make them unlikable or change the status quo enough to hurt them. We like them being happy. I know Peter being married and having a kid shakes up the status quo, but that does not have to be a bad thing. It does not feel like Peter is developing in any way. What would have been Aunt May's death during "One More Day" was a large, dramatic, and fitting repercussion from Peter revealing his identity and could have stayed that way for Peter to realize how heavily his actions influence his loved ones. I don't think necessarily that me sending this is going to even change anything. I feel like you probably get tens of thousands of letters a month complaining about this exact thing. So, I guess I'm wondering, if the Spidey team knows that a vast majority of fans dislike how things went down, then why is that still how things went down? Why hasn't it been retconned or something? I know sales are still good, but maybe sales would be even *better* if Spidey fans got what they've been mailing you that they've wanted for years?"

Nick Lowe, Group Editor of the Spider-Man comics at Marvel Comics, replies.

"Thanks for writing, A Spidey Fan, and I truly appreciate your civil and respectful tone. Going to respond to a few things here. We get fan mail, but we certainly don't get a lot of mail about "One More Day." That came out fifteen years ago. From my POV, you're overstating the "vast majority" thing. Most months, we don't get any letters about "One More Day." When we do a story with Peter and MJ, we sometimes get a dozen emails from fans who want them married again, like you. We get more letters from people talking about other things altogether! We don't get "tens of thousands of letters a month" about anything, to be honest, as most readers just read the book and feel however they feel about it. You're passionate, which I totally respect and appreciate, but you're also making a lot of assumptions about a large fan base and retailer community. Sorry to say, but these assumptions aren't borne out by our metrics. Again, I respect your opinion and appreciate you writing in."

Might this lead to a few more letters? Or does this prove that the matter is buried for good?

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #35
MARVEL COMICS
AUG230718
(W) Zeb Wells (A) Patrick Gleason (CA) John Romita Jr.
This sets up the next 24 issues of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. Do. Not. Miss. This. Rated T In Shops: Oct 11, 2023 SRP: $4.99

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