Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #3

Background

With Mary Jane now on the drama team and making a big splash with the drama students, the prior head drama-queen, Lindsay Leighton, is hell bent on putting MJ in her place but still keeping MJ believing they are good friends. One moment Lindsay is sweet and supportive to Mary Jane and the next she's plotting with one of her friends how to hurt her behind her back. Talk about two-faced. Since MJ came in and took the lead role in the next play, Lindsay believes she must take something close to MJ. Erin, Lindsay's friend, mentions that MJ has been spending a lot of time with Peter Parker and that maybe Lindsay could steal him. Lindsay says no way, that Peter is too much of a loser, but the idea has sparked another idea in Lindsay.

Story 'The Hurtful Thing'

It seems that the popularity that Mary Jane is acquiring from her fellow drama department students is making Lindsay see green. Being completely jealous of MJ for coming in and stealing the show from her has turned her into a secret enemy of Mary Jane, one moment being friendly and all smiles when the two of them are talking, but the moment MJ is gone, Lindsay shows her true colors by plotting a way of taking something from MJ for stealing the lead role from Lindsay in the play.

In the halls later, MJ and Peter are hanging out between classes when they see Harry Osborn and Lindsay sucking face in the middle of the hallway right in front of everyone. Peter wonders when that started and whether there are rules for playing tonsil hockey in school. MJ, obviously flustered, takes off before being seen.

In the next couple of days Mary Jane sees Harry and Lindsay all over each other throughout the school. It seems every time she turns around, there the two are with not an inch between them. Sitting in the back of the auditorium studying, Peter over hears Lindsay and her friend talking about her plans to use Harry to upset MJ, finally learning what exactly is going on.

MJ knows that Lindsay and Harry will be at a party she's going to and she doesn't want to be there without a little support from a friend, which is why she brought Peter. No one is more surprised then Peter himself for being invited to a party and actually showing up. Once there, Lindsay separates the two, grabbing Mary Jane and pulling her into another room, so she can work over on her, speaking out of the side of her mouth, asking her if she's ok with her seeing Harry. In the other room, Peter questions Harry how things between the two started and if Harry's is trying to make MJ jealous by throwing his new relationship in her face. Harry believes he is in the clear and shouldn't have to feel guilty for anything, seeing as how it was MJ who broke up with him. If she's jealous then it's her own fault.

Peter comes up with a way to deal with Harry and Lindsay and makes his way to the Coffee Bean. Peter sits down across from one pissed off Liz to talk to her about what they can do about Lindsay. Liz is still angry about Mary Jane spending all her time with Peter and hardly ever with her anymore, but since she still cares for her, Liz will help out. After Peter explains to her about what Lindsay is doing, Liz becomes furious and vows to get back at both of them. Peter tells her its not Harry's fault and that its all Lindsay's doing. Peter would rather Harry not know about anything, as well as MJ because if she knew what Lindsay was doing, in a attempt to distance herself from any drama (yes, I know she's in the drama club) she'd quit the department and stop acting all together and Peter doesn't want that to happen.

Later at MJ's house Peter confines in her that he ran into Liz at the Bean and they talked. MJ is pretty surprised that Liz and Peter actually shared a conversation, but Peter tells her that Liz is upset that they hardly see each other anymore. Mary Jane reveals that she's been afraid of going anywhere anymore, especially the Coffee Bean, because she wants to avoid seeing Harry and Lindsay together. She believes she should be happy for Harry but she just can't.

After Liz confronts Lindsay in a dressing room and seriously threatens her to make her break up with Harry and leave Mary Jane alone and to not mention their little talk to anyone, Harry accuses Mary Jane for having a part in Lindsay breaking up with him. Harry says some pretty harsh words to her causing them to be even more apart, making their possible friendship together after their brief relationship an impossibility.

Since Liz did something to help out Mary Jane, Liz asks Peter what he is going to do for MJ as well. Later that night, as Mary Jane is putting away some old photos of her and Harry together, Spider-Man sticks his head in her window and asks her if she wants to go out sometime.

General Comments

Deciding the best way to get back at Mary Jane for being offered the lead part in the play, Lindsay starts going out with Harry and makes sure everyone, MJ especially, knows this by making out every chance she can in very public places. Later Peter overhears Lindsay talking about how her plan to bring MJ down a notch and using Harry is working perfectly. Not wanting to go to Harry or MJ for fear of upsetting both of them, Peter goes to the last person you'd think he would, Liz Allen. She's still angry that she's being left behind by her close friend but she still promises Peter that she'll deal with Lindsay in a way that Harry or MJ won't learn about it. Confronting Lindsay in a dressing room, Liz seriously threatens her to leave MJ and Harry alone or else she'll seriously hurt her. With Liz doing her part to help MJ, Peter decides that MJ deserves a date with the one person she really wants to go out with, Spider-Man.

Peter did try to separate Lindsay and Harry without it spilling over on MJ, but even though MJ had no part of Liz threatening Lindsay, Harry still believes it was all her doing. Harry believes that MJ just couldn't stand to see him happy and went out of her way to make Lindsay break up with him. He's now in a place where I don't see Harry and MJ ever becoming friends again unless something is surfaced but even then I think that won't happen for awhile to come.

Overall Rating

Great character development making us, the readers, hate Lindsay even more and now we're witnessed to a new side of Liz Allen; strong, loyal friend. I like seeing the interaction between Peter and Liz when he manages to convince her to help get Lindsay off of MJ's back without Harry and MJ finding out about it, sparing both of their feelings. Even though Liz feels like she's still on the outs with MJ, it's touching to see that she'll still look out for her friend.

What could be more exciting then seeing MJ on a date with Spider-Man? We'll have to wait until next issue to see how that turns out but I for one am really looking forward to it. I would like to see more feelings than just friendship begin to blossom between Peter and MJ and now with her date with Spider-Man, it could be a interesting plot twist to have a love triangle between two people.