Spider-Man’s Newest Story Is a Slap in the Face to His Most Important Character

Mary Jane is, indisputably, Spider-Man’s biggest character. She was teased as Anna Watson’s mysterious niece all the way back in Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #15, finally making her debut in issue #42. From the moment she blasted onto the scene, she was on the fast track to becoming an essential member of Spider-Man’s supporting cast. She was an instant hit. Her party-girl attitude and cavalier love of life endeared her to us, but it was the endless growth and deepening connections that really earned her a permanent spot in our hearts. Mary Jane is a comic book icon, but Marvel’s continuous problem with her status is only becoming more and more exasperated.

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Mary Jane made her first appearance in the mainline Spidey storyline in months in Amazing Spider-Man (2025) #1001, showing up exactly when Peter needed her most. Her presence alone was enough to motivate him to save the day, and while this moment goes to show exactly how important she is, it also highlights every problem Marvel has with her. See, Marvel wants to use MJ because of her connection and status that nobody else could ever have, but using her like this is just a slap in the face because it diminishes her character by using her without letting her actually do anything.

A Single Role for an Iconic Character

Specifically, the moment that is upsetting to MJ fans came when Peter was at his lowest point. Aunt May’s long-lost supervillain son, Cormac, had stolen May’s memories of Peter and used his vast resources to replace him as her caretaker. By this point, everyone is against Peter. Cormac has May and the law on his side, her boyfriend Ric thinks Peter is irresponsible and unreliable, and even his alien roommates are on the outs with him. He was spiraling down into a breakdown with his Spider-Sense gearing to explode, but then MJ showed up. Just her presence was enough to stabilize Peter and give him perspective. From there, he thought about how to save the day and ran off.

When I first read this scene, I quite enjoyed it. It was a fantastic showcase of how important MJ is and how she can pull Peter back from the brink. No matter how deep into the dark he is, MJ will always pull him back into the light. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this scene encapsulates everything wrong with MJ. Sure, it works on the surface, but Peter literally leaves in the dust without explaining anything. She didn’t do anything in the story but show up. Aunt May is family to her, but she didn’t even get a rundown of the situation or confirmation that May was alive. She showed up to save Peter and was immediately written out of the story, just like Marvel has done with her for nearly twenty years.

MJ is important to Peter. Irreplaceably so, but she holds that position because of how often she’s been there and what she’s done to stand alongside him. Just take a look at the five Spider-Man characters with the most appearances, barring Spidey himself.

No character appears more times than Spider-Man has mainline issues without being a character ripe for change and evolution. MJ used to wear a hundred hats, from supportive wife to struggling party-girl and hopeful actress. She would constantly push the story forward in her own way, giving a unique perspective that would add to Peter’s and make the comic even better. Ever since “One More Day,” however, she’s been pushed to the sidelines. Yet, Marvel can’t entirely fill the void that her lack of presence leaves, either.

A Disrespect that Can’t Overcome MJ’s Importance

So, Marvel wants to separate MJ and Peter, but also can’t properly tell a Spider-Man story with Peter at his lowest without her. So, they continuously keep MJ and Peter apart, but bring her back into the fold whenever the plot requires it for Peter to get back on his feet. Of course, they can’t stay together, and letting MJ be present in the story would let her fall back into her old important role, so they have to kick her out again at the first opportunity. MJ has become nothing more than a plot device to help Peter find himself, stripping her of all character and agency to keep her trapped in the strangest, most insulting limbo any character could be in.

Marvel clearly doesn’t want to throw Mary Jane away, and the fans wouldn’t want that either. She might not star in Spider-Man’s comics nowadays, but she’s almost always in a miniseries or ongoing book, most recently as Venom and soon-to-be in Friendly Neighborhood Mary Jane. She’s trapped in a strange circumstance where her true character can’t shine because she’s kept away from Spider-Man’s comics for all but important moments, and even those moments are becoming more and more dilutions of her presence without her character being allowed to shine through. As of right now, whenever she’s around Peter, she’s just a comforting face, but she could be so much more.

What do you think about how Marvel has been treating MJ? Let us know in the comments below!

Amazing Spider-Man #1001 is on sale now!

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