Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane #5

Background

It's finally Friday night and MJ is on her way to her fantasy date with Spider-Man. Yeah, Peter Parker just asked her out on her way out the door, but she blew him off in favor of her super hero rendezvous instead. This issue picks up there.

Story 'The Unexpected Thing'

Mary Jane is getting a little apprehensive with Spider-Man being a little late but in the nick of time he sends down a web line with a note asking her if she is afraid of heights. He has picked out a nice spot in between some buildings in an alleyway to have themselves a picnic suspended high off the ground in a web. Spider-Man has made some PB&J sandwiches with some apples and water and to complete the menu with some macadamia-nut cookies for desert. Spider-Man happened to pick this location for the spectacular view of the New York city sky line to help set a romantic mood.

Not really sure what to talk about Mary Jane asks him about his personal life and Spider-Man, of course, can't talk to her about that so he asks her if she'd mind changing the subject off of his normal life. Instead she starts a conversation about super villains' names, when all of a sudden Spider-Man takes off to stop a woman from being mugged down in the street below them.

On his return MJ asks him why he does it, why is he so unselfish, putting other people before himself. He tells her that he does get a lot of satisfaction from helping others but the conversation starts veering towards his personal life again and isn't allowed to continue. Without anything besides his being Spider-Man to talk about, Spidey decides to forego any more conversation and takes MJ swinging throughout New York, passing by a lot of the famous locations in the city.

During a handsome cab ride in central park, Spider-Man has to pause the date once again, this time to help get a set of keys out from a storm drain for a couple. Without really knowing what's wrong, but being aware that something just isn't right, MJ asks Spider-Man to take her home. Instead of bringing her to her house, she asks him to drop her off at the subway station, where she kisses his masked cheek and they say their goodbyes. At the next stop MJ gets out and calls up Liz asking her to meet up with her.

MJ tells Liz all about her date with Spider-Man and also let's her know that she was completely right about the whole thing. MJ was pretty much let down by the entire date and it wasn't because she wasn't having a good time, it was more of the fact that they couldn't talk about anything besides super villains or foolish small talk, plus she couldn't look into his eyes or even tell if he was smiling or not through his mask. All in all its was just a boring date that didn't go anywhere. That's when Liz makes MJ realize just how much she really likes Peter and that she should have gone out with Peter instead.

After talking to Liz Mary Jane is now dead-set on talking to Peter and letting him know how she really feels for him, the only problem is that she can't find him anywhere. The next day in school she finally talks to Harry and asks him where Peter might be. Harry tells MJ that Peter is showing a new student around and that Peter is a pretty lucky guy, seeing as how the girl he's giving a tour to is incredibly hot. MJ hurries to the library where Harry told her she could find him and she comes face to face with Peter really hitting it off with the new girl, Gwen Stacy.

General Comments

On her fantasy date with Spider-Man, Mary Jane discovers that that is all it was, a fantasy. And now that it has become a reality, the reality of it is that the fantasy was so much better. Even though Spider-Man did everything he was suppose to do and brought MJ to some of the best places around the city, not being able to do the normal couples things during their date ruined it for her.

After talking to Liz, MJ realizes just how much she really likes Peter. The next day at school she tries to find him so that she can tell him exactly how she feels, only she finds that she's just a day too late. In the library it seems that Peter is really hitting it off with the new girl in school, Gwen Stacy.

Overall Rating

Another great issue from Sean McKeever. After finishing last issue I was completely expecting MJ and Spider-Man to have this amazing date together and by all accounts it should have been. With the picnic over looking the city, a swing around town, and a handsome cab ride through the park, I don't think I'd be able to come up with a more perfect date in New York if I tried, but for some reason Mary Jane just isn't having as much fun as she thought she would, and it's completely made apparent through McKeever's writing. Without anything substantial to talk about there were lots of awkward moments and just the fact that MJ can't see Spider-Man's face was an issue I never even thought of that would be an issue.

The ending with Mary Jane finally realizing that Peter is the one for her but getting there just a little too late as we're introduced to Gwen Stacy, who seems to be hitting it off wonderfully with Peter, was a great way to give MJ a little of that Parker luck when it comes to members of the opposite sex. I just loved seeing that it wasn't just Peter who was having a tough time dating in high school.

After seeing from the Fan Mini-Poll on the home page that more people dislike the Mary Jane comics than the number who do like it, I still think this is one of the best comics out there right now. Yeah it doesn't have Spider-Man as the main character so there are very few big fight sequences but what this comic lacks in action it more than makes up for in characterization.