05.28.07
Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane 18: Thoughts
Ok, so I got this comic because I heard that it was pretty good and I guess I wanted to give it a chance (and the bookstore I work at has an awful selection of DC titles - maybe five to choose from and all Bats or Supes titles). I was told this was Marvel’s big title aimed at women, especially teenage girls. I must say, I am not impressed! I like the art style fine (although there really isn’t anything remarkable about it), but the story drove me crazy and the cover made no freaking sense! The story entirely revolved around the minutia of teenage relationships, which isn’t the most impressive foundation (this comic failed the Bechdel test spectacularly), but didn’t bother me in and of itself because the relationships of teenage superheroes could be quite interesting indeed. This, however, drove me crazy!
First and foremost of my complaints was that the female characters in this are all morons. And they don’t need to be. We’ll start with Gwen Stacy, Peter’s ex-girlfriend. We’re told in the intro letter that she broke up with Peter because she “discovered that she inadvertently got in the way of Peter and MJ’s budding romance” and “has kept her distance from him ever since”. Ignoring how stupidly worded that is, does that sound like a teenage girl to you? It sounds fishy to me. In the issue itself we only meet Gwen once, when she speaks to Peter in a shop or cafe of some sort. During that scene it is clearly stated that she has not been speaking to him to punish him, but thinks that she is now ready to be his friend. Now, while I can sort of reconcile that with the above description of what happened, they in no way actually match and Gwen comes out seeming a little odd (and yet easily the least screwed-up and annoying girl in sight). Next we have Liz, MJ’s friend. Liz comes off very nosy and a bit self-centered, but also freely shares all of MJ’s relationship issues with her boyfriend, Flash, and then freely shares Flash’s thoughts on the issues with MJ, implying that it was ok to do so. This is weird and not very nice as a friend (or a girlfriend, really). Next is Firestar, the girl superhero. I’m generally in favor of female superheroes, but Firestar is not super. So she drags Spider-Man off to her house (blindfolded) and says “I want to share my life with you - you know, my other life.” Then she tries to take of her mask and tell him her name, but he stops her (because he has some sense). Then she sits on a swing (we’ll get back to that part) and calls herself an idiot and cries. Aren’t the girls looking great so far? And I haven’t even talked about MJ! Let’s talk about MJ! So, MJ likes Peter, and is flirting with Spider-Man evidently, according to our helpful intro letter, but she’s dating Harry. Again. But both of them have promised it won’t get serious. Right. So the story starts with MJ overhearing Harry yelling at his dad’s assistant on the phone about how he’ll be expelled if his dad doesn’t show up for conferences again. Then he smashes the phone. Ok, he’s either a very bad actor or seriously over-dramatic! Regardless, MJ buys it lock, stock and barrel and is very soothing, almost mothering. Later, she tells Liz all about it at a diner, agonizing about being there instead of comforting Harry and rationalizes that choice because she doesn’t want them to get close. Liz is, as I said before, unhelpful (not that any help really could be offered). Next we see MJ at lunch with Harry. She has made him lunch and presents it on a covered silver platter, to make up for not comforting him the night before. She is extremely distressed when he says he’s fine and the thing with his dad is no big deal. Cut to MJ and Liz analyzing the situation, as they did last time, only this time they’re on swings. Swings again. That’s too many times, especially when only the girls are ever portrayed sitting on them (and why the hell are there freaking swings everywhere anyway?). It’s totally a creepy infantalized image of the two teenage girls. Anyway, MJ hears what Flash suggested and, despite being mildly annoyed at him being told her personal problems in the first place, takes his advice. His advice is: punch Harry and call him a wimp until he talks! Stupidly, this works. Harry “pours out his heart” to MJ, she feels bad for him, kisses his cheek and we’re told that yes, Harry’s been playing her all along to get her to give up the “we can’t get close” thing. MJ’s a moron. And she is only dating him in the first place because she seems to feel she needs a boyfriend but Peter was taken. How messed up is that?
Yes, the women come out of this looking completely pathetic. The fact that Gwen, the girl who “punished” her ex-boyfriend is the one I think is the most admirable and sane is really REALLY sad. This comic really did nothing to improve my opinion of Marvel and their treatment of women in comic book stories. I was sorely disappointed by this comic on so many levels. It’s too bad too, I really wanted to like it.