MJ? BLACK CAT? AUNT MAY? RIP???

[MattBrady]

Despite somewhat vague wording, Diamond Comics Distributors is reporting in their Splash Page section in the newest edition of Previews that someone close to Peter Parker is headed six feet under during One More Day, "Gwen Stacy style".

Reads Diamond’s piece:

“HEADED FOR THE CHOPPING BLOCK?

“Black Cat, Mary Jane, and Aunt May?

“Is it one of these ladies that take a dirt nap in the upcoming storyline ‘One More Day’? You heard it here, folks. A re-assuring voice and shoulder-to-lean-on is going to be taken out permanent-style in this four-issue storyline, which kicks off in Amazing Spider-Man #544 and Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #24. This body check is whipped up by war horses J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada. Pain is promised. No tissues will be issued!

“Who next gets thrown under the bus like the long-lost Gwen Stacy? Details are hard to come by, but what we do know is that there ain’t much joy in Mudville. Spidey’s gonna get left out in the rain again, and oh, how the tears will flow.”

Just to review the syntax for clarity, despite mentioning Black Cat, Mary Jane, and Aunt May, these characters are only referenced in an open question manner. The only definitive claim made by Diamond is a “re-assuring voice and shoulder-to-lean-on is going to be taken out permanent-style”, seemingly implying it isn’t necessarily one of those characters

For their part, Marvel responded, “no comment” when asked by Newsarama for clarification of this story.

Talk amongst yourselves…

[nietoperz]

Every time I see a blurb for a Spider-Man solicit I get depressed nowadays.

[seethruhero]

It's getting so tiresome that neither Marvel, nor DC can understand that you don't need death to tell an entertaining story.

It's pathetic.

[Bill Myers]

"Is it one of these ladies that take a dirt nap in the upcoming storyline ‘One More Day’?"

Huh. I always thought the whole "someone's gonna die" schtick works best when you actually care about the characters. When you promote it as somone taking "a dirt nap" it kinda takes the pathos out of it.

Of course, all of these characters have managed to die and come back, some more than once. I guess that kind of takes the pathos out of it, too.

The last truly shocking death I remember from the Spider-Man books was that of Jean DeWolff. It wasn't the mere fact of her death, but the way the story was told (by none other than Peter David) that made it so compelling.

I think there's a moral in there somewhere...

[BornToRun]

I would be much more entertained by a good story in which we thought death was going to happen, but it was cheated at the last minute, than by a "shock value" death with no shock value becuase we all knew it was coming and would happen.

[C_Striker]

Originally Posted by seethruhero

It's getting so tiresome that neither Marvel, nor DC can understand that you don't need death to tell an entertaining story.

That's why I read Wildstorm


But my Money's on Aunt May to take a dirt nap...again

[Dragavon]

According to Marvel, either MJ or Aunt May was supposed to die in "Back in Black"

Now one of them is dying in "One More Day"

[bebopeva88]

Joe Q has said killing MJ is worse than having her around and married to Pete, and Felicia hasn't had much of a presence in the Spidey books for awhile, so goodbye Aunt May, and PLEASE stay dead this time.

[Grenadier]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

A re-assuring voice and shoulder-to-lean-on is going to be taken out permanent-style in this four-issue storyline,

You know, that could also be someone like Robbie Robertson, with the "Spidey's women" thing being a red herring.

[tesh_karde]

i'll be upset if it's black cat. for jms to kill a character he hasn't even written? seems a little cheesy. i'm not sure that that's up jms's alley

[MatthewSmith]

I hope its May. Then I can ignore this story and just pretend like she actually died back in ASM 400. That's still one of my favorite stories.

[Eddie Young]

As far as Marvel goes, none of the deaths they seem to be pulling off are due to crappy stories. They didn't need to kill Cap to tell better Cap stories, it was the best its been for years. In fact, Bru being on that title was the first time I ever picked up single issues.
The same goes for SpiderMan. Back in the day it was thought that marrying off Peter to MJ was needed to tell better stories, it wasn't. But for the long term I think MJ needs to be out of the picture because there hasn't been that great everyman feeling with Peter that there used to be when he was single.
btw, I think MJ dies.

[Johnny Smith]

Originally Posted by Grenadier

You know, that could also be someone like Robbie Robertson, with the "Spidey's women" thing being a red herring.

That's what I was thinking ...

[grphxkindaguy]

if its one of those three choices, I have my money on the Black Cat dying. She hasn't been relevant in Spidey's life in years...

[IronWolf]

Cool Can't wait for the trade!

[d1jenkin]

well its not gonna be Black Cat

she hasnt appeared in amazing spider-man for a long time, last time she appeared in any spider-man comic was mark miller's run on MK spider-man. to kill a character you should at least have said charcater established in the title he'she is dying in BEFORE killing them. They cant just show up and bam killed. Plus she's over in Heroes for Hire right now and I dont think itll be cancelled before OMD

[Tom Daylight]

It ain't going to be any of those three.

[SaturnKnight]

A character's death at DC or Marvel ultimately can last for an extended period of time, only to be undone months, years or even decades later.

To me, the deaths are simply meaningless anymore. So whichever character dies, the odds favor their return and thus, there is no permanence to either the story or the deed.

It's not worth sadness or anger anymore.

[Gambit8370]

How many times now has Marvel played the "one of these characters will die" card?

I'm sorry. It's gotten so friggin old at this point and there have been so many resurrections that I just don't buy it anymore.

I remember buying the issue when Aunt May died the first time.

Funny though. I don't remember getting the refund check when she came back.

[O.J. Flow]

Kill ALL the characters!!!
That'll bring 'em in the stores and buying more comics!!!
KILL!!!

[DoctorTom]

If it's MJ, you'd think he'd be 'Back in Black' for a bit longer. If it's Aunt May, then the BiB arc should have tied up those threads about his wanting vengeance over it.

If it's J Jonah Jameson, you'd think the arc would be called something like "Free at Last!" or "Happy Days are Here Again" instead of "One More Day".

[Ravager]

Originally Posted by MatthewSmith

I hope its May. Then I can ignore this story and just pretend like she actually died back in ASM 400. That's still one of my favorite stories.

Same. MJ and Black cat I like too much.

[SaturnKnight]

Originally Posted by O.J. Flow

Kill ALL the characters!!!
That'll bring 'em in the stores and buying more comics!!!
KILL!!!

Then they can bring them all back in Crisis Of Infinite Skrulls.

[Spudmunkey Dot Com]

I'd bet my soul to the devil that it's Aunt May.

[KaijubotX]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

The only definitive claim made by Diamond is a “re-assuring voice and shoulder-to-lean-on is going to be taken out permanent-style”, seemingly implying it isn’t necessarily one of those characters

RIP Madame Web.