Make Mine Marvel... No More!

I spent the better part of an hour trying to articulate my thoughts on why, effective immediately, I will not being supporting any product made by Marvel Comics including comic books, novels, merchandise or movies.

I've read a number of convincing arguments from other people as to why they can no longer support the company in the wake of Secret Empire #0.  From the Veteran who was inspired to serve his country because of Captain America to the Jewish and LGBT comic shop owners who balked at being asked to dress as Nazis in order to promote the comic, there are a lot of people who have legitimate, personal reasons to be upset by this comic.

I sympathize completely. I was similarly torn by One More Day and the idea that Peter Parker - who lived and breathed the idea that With Great Power, There Must Also Always Be Great Responsibility - would sacrifice his marriage in a Faustian Pact rather than work past the guilt of having indirectly caused the death of his Aunt May.

I boycotted all things Marvel from that point on until I was convinced to lift the ban so that I could see The Avengers movie. The argument from a fellow Browncoat that I shouldn't deny myself a new Joss Whedon movie over some comic that would be changed back to normal sooner or later swayed me. I still abstained from all things Spider-Man, but I would read titles written by writers I enjoyed under the Marvel banner.

The problem I face now is that any rallying cry I make for a boycott will ring hollow. Until recently I'd only been reading two Marvel Comics on a monthly basis and I'd already dropped one of them since it looked like it was going to start requiring me to read other titles. I lack the words to make up for my lack of gravitas.

Thankfully, I have an image that captures my feelings perfectly.

The Irony of Mockingbird #8 & The Stupidity of Anti-Feminists

I've never thought much of Mockingbird. What thoughts I've had about Bobbi Morse have not progressed much beyond "Black Canary rip-off".

While that's a little unfair to the character - who existed for nearly a decade in a variety of roles before she became Mockingbird - the historical record is clear on this point. Mockingbird was paired up with Hawkeye for the first time in his 1983 solo mini-series. This occurred several months after Green Arrow (famously paired with Black Canary for over a decade at that point) appeared in his own 1983 solo mini-series. And Mark Gruenwald - who wrote the Hawkeye mini-series - was known for taking inspiration from the Distinguished Competition. (There's a reason comic critics call the original Squadron Supreme one of the best JLA Elseworlds stories ever.)

The sad truth is that Mockingbird's writers did little to distinguish her as a unique character. Her most notable story-line before her death involved her being drugged, brainwashed and raped by The Phantom Rider and Hawkeye divorcing her for allowing her rapist to fall to his death, but really because he felt that she'd cheated on him. This is because Clint Barton is the worst, but I digress.

Take that general sense that there's no real character there apart from Mrs. Hawkeye. Throw in my general antipathy towards Marvel Comics at present as well as anything tied into Civil War II (The Search For More Money!) and the odds of my ever picking up an issue of Mockingbird were slim to none.

Then this cover came out and all Holy Hell broke loose.


Faster than you could say "two tubby Tribbles in trilbies", a certain contingent of fandom arrived to take back comics from The Feminist Menace. These attacks drove Mockingbird writer Chelsea Cain from Twitter once she got sick of dealing with sorting through hate speech to get to important messages. Why they went after the writer of this book rather than the artist who drew this cover I have no idea. Then again, this contingent of fandom - well-represented by this one fellow who claimed that "comics are the last safe space for men" - are not noted for their reasoning skills.

Thankfully, their efforts at harassment have backfired horribly. Because if there's one thing the majority of comic readers can't stand regardless of political credo, socioeconomic status or religious affiliation, it's bullies. As a result, the first TP collection of the the Mockingbird series is topping the Amazon sales charts, with the print book at #1 and the Kindle edition at #2. Vol. 2 of the series is at #8 on the charts, despite not being due out until April 2017.

In all this hullabaloo over a cover, I hadn't heard anyone say anything about the content of the book. I sought out a copy of Mockingbird #8 to see how the book's interior compared to the exterior. It turns out you can judge a book by its cover and had any of the people going after Chelsea Cain bothered to read this book before complaining about it, they would have been pissed off royally.


The basic plot of Mockingbird #8 is that Bobbi is on a Comic Convention cruise and is being harassed by the ghost of her aforementioned rapist, The Phantom Rider. He's trying to torment her with news that Clint Barton is on trial for murdering Bruce Banner and trying to win her back with "sweet talk" that will sound familiar to any woman who ever rejected a "nice guy". Thankfully, Bobbi is not without friends and everyone on the cruise - from the superstar nerds to the most humble of cosplayers - are united in fighting "The Phantom" menace.

Let us pause to consider that for a moment. A bunch of anti-Feminists lost their minds over the cover of a book - not knowing the story inside the book is about fandom standing up against harassment - and wound up inspiring a mass uprising of fandom against harassment. The irony is so thick you could slap a trilby on it and call it a Men's Rights Activist.



Ignoring all irony and my instant attraction to anything involving a cameo by The Doubleclicks, Mockingbird #8 is a damn fine comic. The script by Chelsea Cain is full of wit and humor. The artwork by Kate Niemczyk, Rachelle Rosenberg and Joëlle Jones looks fantastic. In fact, I was so impressed by this issue, I went and bought the rest of the series to date on Comixology.

So do I still think Mockingbird still a Black Canary rip-off?  Yeah, I do. But I enjoyed reading this book a lot more than I did the last Black Canary book. And if a dyed-in-the-wool Dinah Lance fan like me can say that with a straight face, there's no reason for you not to pick up Mockingbird Vol. 1 yourself.

Fear And Loathing Of Love And Marriage In Superhero Comics

Who said that comic fans don't want to see people getting married?

What prompted this question is today's news that J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman are leaving Batwoman as of Issue #26, citing editorial interference in their plans to have Kathy Kane and Maggie Sawyer get married.  Williams was quick to note that DC Comics' objection was to marriage in general - not a marriage between two lesbians.  The evidence does bear him out, given that nearly every major married couple in DC Comics pantheon of superheroes has either been broken up since the New 52 revamp or not appeared at all. 

Clark Kent and Lois Lane?  Not an item.  Barry Allen and Iris West?  Flirting but he has a new girlfriend.  Wally West and Linda Park?  Don't even exist!  Ditto Ralph and Sue Dibny.  Heck, the only married couple I think is still around is Aquaman and Mera and they've interacted so little in his book you'd hardly know they were married!

Of course DC Comics is far from alone in being guilty of this sort of thing.  Do the words One More Day ring a bell?  Does everyone remember how that whole mess started because Joe Quesada thought the reason Spider-Man's sales were dropping were because the fans couldn't relate to a happily married Peter Parker?  Do anyone but me and the guys writing Spider-Fan.org remember that they tried killing Mary Jane off because of that theory and all it did was upset the fans?

"But Starman," I hear you metaphorical masses say.  "Superheroes get married and divorced all the time!  It's a common element in drama in many genres!" 

That is true, dear masses.  Yet there is a world of difference between simple drama preventing marriage from occurring and a refusal to consider a plot element completely. 

It seems that the very idea of marriage itself is under attack in our comics due to some mistaken belief that young readers do not want to read about married couples.  This seems odd given the belief some publishers have that their key demographic is 45-year old males, but that's a whole other argument.  So we still have the question - where did this idea come from?

Any ideas?  I'd love to hear about them.

Comic Readers Shocked To Learn Professor X Still Alive

Comics readers were stunned this Wednesday morning as Marvel Comics revealed the latest shocking twist in the Avengers vs. X-Men storyline as Professor Charles Xavier - founder of the X-Men - was killed by his star pupil Scott Summers (a.k.a. Cyclops). However, the most shocking thing about this storyline may be that readers were not stunned by the death itself but by the fact that Professor X was still alive in the first place.

"I thought he died a while ago," said Jamie Alexander, a self-described casual comics reader. "I mostly just read the Wolverine book but I started flipping through AvX in the the store and I was all - woah, Wolverine is running a school now? Where is Professor X? And then I found out that Cyclops was on an island with Magneto and Namor. So I kinda figured Charles was dead. Again."

"Even the guys who read all the X-Men books were stunned," claims comic shop owner Buzz Winthrop. "I haven't read any X-Men books regularly since Joss Whedon was still on Astonishing X-Men and back then Xavier was off in Genosha or something. I did read X-Men Schism when the trade came out and Xavier wasn't in that at all! I just figured he'd died in somewhere and I'd missed it.

"I think this just shows how Marvel Comics is the most thrill-packed comics company in the world," boasted Marvel Comics Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada. "Those other guys? They might kill a beloved character to try and boost their sales. But us? Only we'd have the guts to kill a guy who everyone thought was dead to try and boost sales! It's a gamble but that's the way we roll, baby!"

Marvel Comics Editor In Chief Axel Alonso has promised a full investigation into whether or not Charles Xavier was already dead and promised a refund of all AvX #11 issues if that should be the case along with the release of a new six-issue Avengers vs. X-Men: X-Humed mini-series detailing Professor X's not-dying.

My thoughts on Marvel Now, for those who wondered...

SOURCE: Marvel NOW! refreshes creativity and characters

THIS JUST IN: Marvel And Disney Possibly Run By Total Maroons!

SOURCE: Marvel cancelling Avengers Earth Mightiest Heroes in favor a new show inline with Ultimate Spider-man






So here's the basic situation. 

1. Disney has a cartoon, Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, which airs on their Disney XD channel.  I've only seen a few episodes myself but I agree with the accessment of my friend Rob Bricken that it is the best cartoon based on a Marvel Comic in recent memory, if not ever.  It has lots of action for the kids but at the same time is smart enough that adults can enjoy it too.

2. Jeph Loeb, whom you might remember as the man who had a hand in making the show HEROES utterly unwatchable after its' second season, has been placed in charge of Marvel's TV properties.  He's elected - due to Disney not being thrilled about the relatively low ratings of A: EMH and a desire to make an Avengers cartoon more in line with their new Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon - to cancel the series.

3. This move is coming just weeks before a big Avengers movie is due out, at which point demand for kid-friendly properties involving The Avengers is probably going to soar.

4. Nobody has apparently thought to try moving the new episodes of A: EMH to a more adventageous time-slot (the new episodes currently air on Sunday mornings at a time most Americans are in church or sleeping in) or moving the show onto the main Disney Channel,which is available in more households, in order to improve the ratings.

So... yeah.  Can anyone give me any compelling evidence that Disney or Marvel wouldn't be better off being run by a pack of feral chimps at this point?

Advertising Fail: Avengers Role-Play Accessories

SOURCE: Avengers, Assem-- Wait, Why Are You Rapping?

*sighs* Just roll it.

My Thoughts....

1. Rap music to promote a line of toys based on an all-white superhero team, modeled by a group of all-white boys?  1991 called.  They want their ad-man back.

2. Those "kids" look a little old to be playing superheroes.  Just saying.

3. No Black Widow props?  Of course not!  Because girls don't want to pretend to be superheroes!  They want to play dress up and look pretty!  (Don't worry ladies - there will be a faux-leather catsuit for you all in time for Halloween!)

Help Ghost Rider Creator Gary Friedrich!

SOURCE: Donate to Gary Friedrich

30 Days Of Night scribe Steven Niles has gotten in touch with Ghost Rider creator Gary Friedrich and has organized a PayPal drive on his behalf.

If you can give, do so. If you can't, spread the word.

One More Good Reason Not To See Ghost Rider 2 And/Or Boycott Marvel Entirely

SOURCE: MARVEL COMICS DEMANDS $17,000 from BROKE CREATOR of GHOST RIDER!

Read it and weep at how a company that has millions of dollars, backed by another company that has billions of dollars is still trying to stiff it to an ex-employee who currently has no job, no savings and no chance of paying what is chump change to The Powers That Be.

I've heard word of a movement to start a legal defense fund for Gary Friedrich. As soon as it is confirmed and legitimized, I will be posting a link.

I'm already boycotting all things Marvel so all I can do is encourage some of you to join me and to tell Marvel why you won't be supporting them anymore.

Marvel Announces Big Crossover Shocker - Heroes Fighting Heroes!

SOURCE: Marvel Comics pits 'Avengers vs. X-Men' in 2012

Anybody else miss the days when superheroes fought crime instead of each other?

The (not so) Amazing Spider-Man Trailer and Why This Movie Will Suck.

Is it just me, or does this movie look really depressing?

Now, I know what you're thinking - isn't Peter Parker sort of a depressing character, defined by tragedy? After all, let's consider his past. His parents were killed, leaving him to be raised by his elderly aunt and uncle. He's directly responsible, through inaction, for the death of his beloved Uncle Ben. He's indirectly responsible, through association, for the deaths and injuries of at least a dozen loved ones because his vigilante lifestyle has put so many people in danger.

The answer is yes - Peter Parker is defined by tragedy. But - and this is the important thing - he should not be consumed by it. Because at his core, Peter is someone who refuses to let the bad things beat him down or make him stop trying to make things better.

I don't see any sign of that in this trailer. All I see is lots of angst and emo behavior on the part of Peter. There's none of the sense of fun that Spider-Man should convey, particularly in the lifeless CGI swinging scenes.

So yeah... despite my love of Spider-Man and Emma Stone being far easier on my eyes than Kirsten Dunst, I don't think I'll be lifting my ban on all things Marvel to see this one.

House Of Bad Ideas Continues To Throw Money Away

SOURCE: Jon Favreau Won’t Direct Iron Man 3.

One informed source hears that [Favreau] was frustrated with Marvel’s urge to stuff more of their in-house heroes into the next film in the wake of The Avengers. In a recent interview with MTV News, Favreau explained that based on his conversations with Marvel Studios executives, he had no clarity as to what a third Iron Man film would even be about. “In theory, Iron Man 3 is going to be a sequel or continuation of Thor, Hulk, Captain America and Avengers,” said Favreau at the time, “This whole world … I have no idea what it is. I don’t think they do either, from conversations I’ve had with those guys.”

This comes as no surprise. Critics who liked the first Iron Man movie for offering a sophisticated morality play about a flawed man's efforts to change himself for the better and do good in an increasingly hostile world tore apart the second movie, which sacrificed a lot of the Tony Stark character moments for totally unrelated (and, in some cases, confusing) scenes meant to set up the next batch of Marvel Comics movies.

The problem is that while we now have technology that allows us to make live-action movies that look just like comic books, the people calling the shots at Marvel don't seem to realize that you can't write a movie like a comic book.

Comics are built on the cliff-hanger. The "And so the world is safe for now... but for how long?" moment at the end. Movies, by contrast, have to have some degree of closure. You cannot make a multi-million dollar film that is made up of sneak-peaks of "Next Year's Storyline" and expect it to please anyone other than the action movie fans who are more concerned with cool visuals and Scarlet Johansson's perfect butt-cheeks encased in black leather.

Which, now that I think of it, is the stereotype of the average male comic reader.

My point in all of this is that it seems remarkably short-sighted on Marvel's part to give the axe to a talented director who is a fan of the material simply because he feels having a coherent story is more important than promoting The Next Big Thing. And I ain't talking Ben Grimm.

The sad thing is... we've seen this story before. And we already know how this drama is going to play out.

It happened in Spider-Man 3, when Marvel forced Sam Raimi to shoe-horn Venom into the movie when he didn't want to. To Rami's credit, I think he rebelled and all the stuff the Venom fans complained about (i.e. the symbiote awakening Peter's love of dance and piano playing, muscleman Eddie Brock being played by skinny Topher Grace, dying like a punk) was done specifically to highlight just what a ridiculous character Venom is.

It happened with X-3: The Last Stand when Bryan Singer left and Marvel got a director who was willing to cram in more mutants and put Halle Berry front and center. And what did we wind up with? A sprawling mess with lots of characters we hardly knew and didn't care about, doing things that were barely understood and the realization that Monsters Ball was the fluke, not Catwoman.

And I don't want to say that Marvel Comics tends to encourage the employment of sycophants who will toe the company line over creative and talented artists with a proven track record of creating quality material... but how else can you explain that their habit of letting talented directors like Singer, Raimi and Favreau go free while putting someone like Jeph Loeb in charge of the development of all of their TV properties.

Jeph Loeb who, in case you needed reminding, was responsible for most of the storyline of Season 3 of Heroes and was fired because of "execs' frustration with the creative direction of the show" and "hefty budget overruns... that are going well beyond its already sizable $4 million per-seg pricetag".

Which, given how cheap Marvel is apparently becoming, can't end well for Loeb.

THIS JUST IN: Marvel Puts The Screws To Cash-Tight Readers Again!

SOURCE: Marvel Point One Aims to Give New Readers a Jumping On Point With '.1' Issues

Do you all remember how shortly after DC Comics announced that they were dropping the price on their $3.99 books to $2.99, Marvel announced they were doing the exact same thing?

The bad (if unsurprising) news is that Marvel was lying. It turns out that they were referring to a new series of ".1" books, aimed at new readers who have no idea what is going on in the current storyline of Marvel's most popular titles.

Now, I know what you're thinking - that's actually a pretty good idea and it would throw a life preserver to all the would-be comics readers adrift on the sea of continuity. And I'll admit that if you ignore the lies and the countless on-line resources that allow a casual fan to get into the swing of things in a hurry, that is a good idea...

... except for the VERY Bad News.

The very bad news is that these .1 issues will also be used to premiere new material and information. Indeed, Marvel is going to introduce a new Venom in the first Amazing Spider-Man .1 issue.

So really... not only is Marvel NOT lowering the price of their comics - they are introducing yet another gimmick book that the die-hard fans MUST have in order to know what is going on in their favorite titles.

CCO = Cheap "Creative" Officer

SOURCE: Joe Quesada promoted to Chief Creative Officer

How typical of Marvel - to create a new position identitcal to the one DC Comics created three months ago and then brag about how original and creative they are.

Feh.

Her-Oes hit Marvel. Feminist Comic Fans Ready To Hit Marvel Editorial.

SOURCE: "Her-Oes" Hit Marvel

Her-Oes? I'd feel better about this if they hadn't chosen to capitalize tHOse two letters...

*face palms*

Marvel, in their latest attempt to attract young female readers - is now planning a "teen-centric mini featuring younger versions of some of the biggest superheroines from their Avengers franchise".

Odd definition of biggest, seeing as how it includes...

1. A heroine who is currently dead in most of the Marvel Universes (Wasp)
2. A heroine who is a weaker knock-off of a male hero (She Hulk)
3. A heroine who is currently dead in the main Marvel universe AND a weaker knock-off of a male hero. (Namorita)
4. A heroine who was - until recently - dead in the main Marvel universe (Ms. Marvel)
5. Uh... some blonde girl. Seriously, the article I read didn't identify the 5th member of the team!


Meanwhile, DC Comics is bringing back Birds of Prey with fan favorite Gail Simone writing.

Marvel's War On Women Continues With... wait for it... GIRL COMICS!

SOURCE: Marvel announces GIRL COMICS

Sweet Suffering Geebus On A Pogoball!

Do I even need to start to explain what is wrong with this concept? Beyond the fact that Marvel - as part of "...a big push for some events built around women — as characters, as creators, and as readers..." has decided their first big project should be a mini-series called GIRL COMICS?!

Girl Comics?! Seriously?! In the 21st century?!

Here's an idea, Marvel. If you're really interested in trying to improve the lot of female creators at your company, how about trying to hire some of these female creators on for a REGULAR series?! How about letting a real live woman have a chance to write some of your female protagonists instead of throwing it at Brian Reed or (god help us) Peter David?

Secret War on Women? It's about as secret as the actual Secret War.

SOURCE: Marvel Comics's Secret War On Women

Seriously? Secret War on Women?

Not much of a secret, is it?

How secret can it be when the Editor In Chief told a female reader who was concerned about the blatant sexism of the Marvel Divas series that "...if you’re Marvel reader and truly feel we’re sexist, then why are you reading our books? Now, perhaps you’re not a Marvel reader, then if that’s the case, I’m not quite sure what you’re criticizing if you don’t read our books..."

Or, in more coherent and gramatically correct language, Why are you reading our books if you think we are sexist? And if you are not reading our books, why are you complaining about them?

Feh. If anyone needs me, I'll be rereading Wonder Woman: The Circle.

Just When You Thought Marvel Couldn't Get Stupider/More Evil Regarding Marketing To Women & Girls...

... here comes their new line of superhero-inspired costumes for women and girls!

Yes, they come in girl's sizes too! So you too can begin training your elementary-school aged daughter for a high-profile career in the exciting world of exotic dancing!

The best part about this? The descriptions on the site!

Inspired by some of the most well known Marvel super heroes we have created a line of fashion forward costumes for women and girls who have the desire to be fun and playful for Halloween.

Because why would you want to dress like one of our many wonderful female heroes when you could be dressing like a sexy Captain America?!

And as far as "fun and playful" goes, from the look of it I'd say "Emma" is strictly play for pay.

Great to team up with a few of your fellow super heroines to save the world.

Unless you're dressed up as one of the two characters who, at their best, have always been anti-heroes if not outright villains. But who cares as long as you're having sudsy fun?!

You know, I really have to tip my hat to whoever designed these. It takes some doing to create a line of superhero-inspired costumes where the Black Cat and White Queen outfits are the LEAST trashy while somehow being completely inaccurate to the original character design. But damn me if costume designer/manufacturer Disguise didn't manage it!

Let's Send Disney A Message About Marvel's "All-Ages" Books.

I avoided writing about this for the last few days. Partly because I hadn't read the issues in question and partly because so many others were covering the story in a better fashion than I ever could. In case you've somehow avoided hearing about the "Spider-Man Rape Scandal" until now, you can read all the dirty details, with image scans, here.

Actually, you can read all about them at more than a few sites. The story has become so big it has broken into the mainstream media at multiple points. So why break my silence now?

Because I still believe that with great power comes great responsibility. And minute as my power as a comic-reviewing blogger is, I do feel a responsibility to use it.

Because I don't think that heroes - especially heroes in a book advertised as being suitable for young children (Amazing Spider-Man is rated "All Ages" according to Marvel Comics) - have any business drinking to the point of insensibility.

Because I don't think that it is appropriate to imply sexual activity - particularly irresponsible sexual activity - in a book that is apparently intended for younger audiences. And make no mistake - according to Marvel assistant editor Tom Brennan, "what you think happened is pretty much what happened."

Because I don't think portrayals of women as hateful, nagging shrews who can be turned into clingy, obsessive bimbos after one sexual encounter rape make-out session are funny or appropriate in the 21st century.

But mostly - because I don't like having my intelligence insulted. And I can't think of any word besides insult that I can use to describe a Marvel Comics editor Steve Wacker insisting that "readers have imagined more than is on the page" after they depict a woman wearing a man's shirt and underwear as she immediately starts setting down rules for their relationship and telling him what they are going to do together.

They've implied a sexual act occured between The Chameleon and Peter's roommate, Michelle. Plain and simple.

And you can argue the legal definiton of rape, based on whichever country, state, provience or prefecture you live in - it's still sleazy and wrong by any decent moral standard.

And even though the most recent issue reportedly confirms that nothing happened between Michelle and the Chameleon besides a make-out session on the kitchen floor, portraying Michelle as clingy folowing the act - whatever it was - when she's been nothing but dismissive and insulting to Peter before now does not make a lick of sense.

At best, it's an insulting stereotype (i.e "bitch just needs to get laid!"). At worst, it's an insult to the intelligence of the readers to believe this sudden change of heart came about because of a simple make-out session on the kitchen floor.

Thankfully, there's a new power running things at Marvel now. And they don't take kindly to racial stereotyping, blatant sexism or rape as comedy.

http://corporate.disney.go.com/responsibility/feedback.html

I think they would appreciate hearing your polite, thoughtful letters about your concerns over this sort of thing being presented as "All-Ages Entertainment".

And THAT is why we call him Stan "The Man" Lee.

SOURCE: Atop The Fourth Wall

Linkara says it best in the video on his site, but allow me to sum up.

At the start of the year, the syndicated Amazing Spider-Man newspaper strip changed to reflect the reality in the comics as of Brand New Day (i.e. Peter is still living at home with Aunt May, is still in college and has no girlfriend much less a wife). Peter just went to bed one night and woke up in his old bedroom in Aunt May's house. No deal with the devil occurred; it just changed.

The newspaper strip, it should be noted, is still written by Stan Lee; the gentleman who co-created Spider-Man and handled the writing of the character for his first 100 issues. Stan is somewhat better known these days as the elder statesman and spokesman for the comics industry in general and Marvel Comics in specific. He has always toed the party line for the company he helped bring to prominence and has never had a bad word to say publicly about anyone who has worked for Marvel since he left. He's never even criticized any of the various storylines Marvel has published in the last 30 years since he left his editor position. Not even the ones the fans really hated.

That seems to have changed, as of yesterday.

Yes. Stan has changed things back to the way they were in the newspaper strip. Because You Demanded It!

Well... maybe not.

Awesome as it would be if Stan Lee were actually listening to the fans (unlike some Marvel (mis)management we COULD mention), some fans think it unlikely that the dinosaur that is syndicated newspaper comics could possibly inspire THAT much negative fan response in these days of dropping circulations and numerous established papers going bankrupt.

And apparently Roy Thomas may have announced four months ago on some database list that the change was planned to be a temporary one and that things were always going to go back to Peter and Mary Jane being married.

In either case, this is still a good sign for those of us who are hoping for a return of Mary Jane to the Spider-Man books and a return of sanity to Marvel Comics editorial team.

Why? Because Stan Lee is just as fastidious about continuity as he is polite about not saying a bad thing about HIS company. This is the man who established the interlaced nature of Silver Age Marvel, after all and set things up so that it was possible for other characters to cross-over with one another without any stories conflicting with one another. And it was Stan's plan that fans of the strips should not be confused by the comics (and vice versa) that lead to Peter and MJ marrying in the first place after Stan decided they should get married in the newspaper strip.

The fact that Stan Lee has allowed this split with mainline Marvel continuity as it is now says a lot about how Stan truly feels about the mess Joe Quesada has made of Spider-Man.

If it wasn't planned and honestly is the result of fan demand, than it's a sign that the fan outrage is finally working SOMEWHERE. It's not much - but our hopes weren't high with a company whose response to the massive outcry against Marvel Divas was to say "Well, you obviously aren't real Marvel fans, so why are you reading our books anyway?"

And if it was planned months ago, as Thomas suggests, it reflects badly on Quesada because it shows that Stan had no confidence in the idea being worth bringing over into his own work permanently.

Especially given that - by the way the text in the box at the end of the above comic is worded - Stan is painting it like fan demand WAS the cause for the change. That's a big F.U. to Joe Quesada and the first time Stan Lee has snubbed a editor like this.

And that is why we call him Stan "The Man" Lee.