One more summer release, on sale tomorrow: Mary Jane: Face It, Tiger is a one-shot anthology celebrating 60 years of one of comics most dynamic and memorable female characters. My story—beautifully illustrated by Andrea Broccardo—picks up on a plot element from my second Spectacular Spider-Man run, as MJ deals with the fallout of her confrontation with the Chameleon. You can see the list of other contributors below. I'm delighted to be in such impressive company.
If you're an MJ fan—I have to say it—you've just hit the jackpot.
Well Dematteis, I bought it and I read it, and I am honored that is what you and Ms. Nocenti came up with when you met up to discuss how great I am, and she asked you for stories about me... I mean, I just naturally assume.
ReplyDeleteThough, I am a little concerned about you two bringing Straczynski. It make me concerned you are starting a cult around me.
Jack
Hope things are going well in the parallel universe you live in, Jack. ; )
Delete
DeleteNo parallel universe, I really did buy an dread it, I swear.
If I remember correctly, you and Ms. Nocenti were originally planning on reading ALL the books in the Running or "The Great American Novel," and have a podcat where you discussed them, and form a grand unifying theory about what "American" truly means, and then the two of you were going to write the definitive Captain America story. a graphic novel that would really capture the highs of the dream and how dark the reality can get.
Then your wife came in and said, "you two realize that will all take, like...time, right?"
So you decided to do this one-shot instead.
Jack
You amuse me, young man. You amuse me.
DeleteHola señor DeMatteis, le hablo desde Perú y quería decirle que fue parte de mi infancia , crecí en un lugar humilde de mi país, y cuando una empresa caritativa me regaló el segundo libro de Abadazad me inspiró con su fantástica historia y arte .
ReplyDeleteNo pude leer la primera y tercera parte de los libros , pero me volví fanático de lo poco que pude leer de su creación , espero que se encuentre bien y les mi mensaje algún día , gracias
E
Hello, Eduard! Thanks so much for writing to me and sharing your appreciation of ABADAZAD. That series means the world to me and the fact that it made its way to Peru, and into your hands, delights me. Wishing you all the best.
DeleteI really hope that you're second Spectacular run gets collected soon alongside all that other post-Clone Saga runs. That material rates real high on Omni request polling for Marvel. I got ahold of the Alyosha 3-parter when I was young and loved it. What brought you back to Spectacular at that time after staying to side on during the back half of the Clone Saga? Do you regard that time fondly like you did your original Spectacular run? Did you leave once you learned about the relaunches or just because you had done what you wanted to?
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'd love to see those stories reprinted.
DeleteWhat brought me back? They asked me...and I realized I missed writing Spidey. If memory serves, SPEC ended soon after I left the book and I then helped launch the short-lived WEBSPINNERS series.
Another amazing story with an amazing person, you always are able to unlock MJ's real potential as a partner and as a fiercely strong and courageous woman. Hope you're invited back to write more books or short stories with both her and Peter. I'd love to see Carlos Gomez, MJ's present illustrator and number one fan (besides you) paired up with you in future
ReplyDeleteThanks! So glad you enjoyed the story. I'm always delighted when I get a chance to write Pete and MJ and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
DeleteYou were able to acknowledge that they were married at the time and didn't have to play along with Mephisto's demand. Nice.
ReplyDeleteI love writing the Pete-MJ marriage.
DeleteGreetings, Mr DeMatteis.
ReplyDeleteYour story in this comic once again proves why Marvel should stop playing with our feelings and restore the Spider-Marriage once and for all.
I have to admit, however, that I'm quite interested to know what is going to happen around Mary Jane and Venom in the future after Queen in Black. Personally, I think this has evolved into a quite interesting "partnership", and the recent redesign of Mary Jane as a female black and golden Venom is fabulous... Especially when they make it the "mouthless version", without Venom's teeth and tongue.
Has Marvel told you something about finally letting you continue your "Spider-Man '94" comic? I really need to know your story about how Peter finally found MJ and brought her home. 30 years of torture by that cursed cliffhanger... I don't know if I'll be able to wait longer.
I hope you can answer my comment, please and thank you.
Glad you enjoyed the story.
DeleteRe: '94. No word on that, which leads me to believe that, even if it continues, I won't be involved with ongoing stories. Time will tell.
I really, REALLY hope they will allow you to continue.
DeleteThe success of your first comic is undeniable, so if they don't allow you to go further, Marvel will have proven they are heartless monsters that enjoy with our suffering.
By the way, I know this is not the kind of stories of your liking, but the idea of Mary Jane bonding with Venom would be fitting for the continuity of the 90s animated series. It wouldn't be the first time we see THIS Mary Jane with powers (there's the Water Clone and the time she got magic power from Mordo). Besides, the symbiote's shapeshifting abilities perfectly match for Mary Jane's natural modeling and acting skills. Just saying.
Besides, Eddie Brock's vendetta with Spider-Man is SO outdated nowadays, so Venom would clearly need to have a character's change.
Believe me, they are NOT "heartless monsters." Everyone at Marvel loves comics and these wonderful characters. But publishing is, and always has been, a business: if it looks like a project isn't going to be profitable, it's not going to happen. And the people making these decisions might be just as disappointed about that as you are.
DeleteIf I might interject a thought...
DeleteAs someone who has spent literally their whole life around publishing... though admittedly mostly the news world... there is often a little more complication to the idea of it being a business.
The truth is, depending on the time, a publication may be more conservative with what they out out. Not in a political sense, but in the idea of being more risk averse. And that can take many forms.
Looking at just Marvel, about 10 years ago, Marvel was forced to cancel some books, and it cancelled several books selling slightly better than Captain Marvel. While that was very annoying, as someone who was reading one of the cancelled books, the Captain Marvel movie had just been announced. Carol Danvers had not been Captain Marvel very long, and the sales were not the worst, so they most likely saw it as a type of promotion for the major money making MCU.
IN term of comic sales that was probably a slightly bad move... again it was only selling slightly worse than the cancelled books that were rally only being cancelled because they wanted a crop of new books, also in service of the movies... t was probably a strong idea for the Marvel brand.
More importantly, if we are throwing in thoughts about MJ, I liked the choice you made to make her a teacher in that mini from a few years ago that took place when they were in Portland.
MJ as a teacher for an after school theater program, helping kids use theater to work through their issues as she did, and more further discovering herself through the actions... that would be a good read.
It probably would not happen given the notable lack of punching, it is neither 1970s Marvel or late 80s Dc, so such a grounded book probably would not fly, but I still like it.
Hell, if we are living on what we want, remarry her and Pete and call the Book Spider-man Sensational Wife... Mary Jane!
Jack
My point was that these decisions aren't made lightly...or vindictively...they're carefully considered. Sometimes those decisions are right, sometimes they're wrong. (Just look at the seemingly-capricious ways some TV shows are canceled.) But they're not made by people who are looking to punish the readers. Almost everyone I've ever encountered in this business is a fan, first and foremost.
DeleteAnd, yeah, I thought teaching theater was a great gig for MJ. I'd love to see her do more of that. (But isn't she somehow super powered these days?)
I honestly don't see MJ with powers as an alteration of her personality or identity, just a way to give her a way to survive in the insane world she lives. MJ is a strong and independent woman I have admired all my life, but it's really difficult for a woman like her to survive encounters with monsters like Carnage or the Green Goblin on the loose.
DeleteEven if she's Spinneret from "Renew Your Vows" or the new Female Venom in Black and Gold, I see those as a way to make realistic his ability to survive and be able to punch hard enough on the Green Goblin's face next time.
Lois Lane has become "Superwoman" several times in the comics, but that never changed the kind of woman she was. It was just a way to garantee her husband doesn't have to worry about her next time Brainiac attack.
One of the strengths of a book like Spider-Man is that he's surrounded by normal people. I think when too many of them end up getting powers, becoming super, it upsets the reality that balances the super-heroics. This isn't a knock on the stories where these characters get powers—many of them are well done—but my preference is always to keep a character like MJ a real person with nothing super or supernatural about her.
DeleteI was not trying toncontradict you Dematteis, I was trying to add some muance for out friend who might not be as familiar with the publishing world as you or I.
DeleteI have leanred that to most people, the media as a whole, and comics in particualr, is like a forbidden city.
A few months back, I saw a video by a youtuber, who had talkd baout comics for a deacade, say that the problem with comics is that they have to many ads, and they need to replace them with 10 more pages of story to better balance out the price to sotry ratio. This person genuinely thought they were giving a good idea.
However. you or I would note that comic books were not created to make money off teh sale of comics, they make money off teh sale of ads. Which is why saying fewer house ads and more revenue producing ones. am not trying yo make that argument right now, I am pointing out the differnt thought prcocesssies.
We then might point out that artists are not salried employees, so gove page rates, the book would actually likely cost more.
Hever, it does not occur to people because it is not in their perview. You said most people working in comics are fans, but their are jerky fans,,, I have met them. So, unless you break it down it is not necesarlly as much of a explanation.
it is sort of like how people complain about how sensationalizationa and opinion shows and opinion podcasts have taken over news... often while calling into opinion shows that sansationalize. ALways assuming some plot, instead of that their very actions create this reality.
Everyone thinks their normal is...well... normal. So somtimes you jus tneed to break it down.
Jack
If we are technical, Mary Jane was already "super" without powers. I mean, she's clearly not an ordinary woman thanks to her character and personality. Having powers only makes her manifest what is already inside of her. It's not a big deal.
DeleteAlso, it's not like there are many people close to Peter with powers. Until now, Flash and Felicia were the only ones with powers. All the others, either Avengers o other Spiders (like Miles Morales), are like "work friends" in some way. Robbie Robertson, Aunt May, Betty Brant... They are all "Normal People", meaning they don't have powers, but they are another kind of "super", if you know what I mean.