It’s the opening night of MJ’s new play and she’s a little nervous. Luckily, her ever supportive husband, who’s sitting on the front row, knows her really well. She’s delivered a box of roses from Peter before the show starts, with a note that says:
“MJ…
We win the second we decide to try. Just showing up is victory. You’ve already won, so just have fun and knock ‘em out. I love you.
P.”
Amazing Spider-Man #521
(via spider-xan)
![fuckyeahspiderwife:
MJ: Actors are paid to walk and talk and be dramatic. Models are paid to sit still, shut up, and be distant. We’re talking here about two different skill sets. Maybe I don’t have it. Maybe I should just be what I am, do what I’ve done.
MAY: Would you like my opinion?
MJ: Yes. Please.
MAY: The film roles you’ve done so far…in one you were the beautiful girlfriend who was in jeopardy, in another you were the beautiful girl who tempts people to their death…in another you were the beautiful woman who inspires the hero… It seems to me they hire you because they need someone beautiful to fill a niche in the plot, not because they want someone who can act. You haven’t played a character, MJ, you’ve only played things that move the story ahead.
MJ: I know. Which makes me think maybe I’ve been expecting too much…maybe I’m shooting too high. Is that possible?
MAY: Yes, Mary Jane, it is. But it’s just as possible you haven’t shot high enough. I left that paper behind on purpose, incidentally.
[MJ picks up the paper, which May has left folded to the listings for theater auditions.]
Amazing Spider-Man #506, J. Michael Straczynski (writing) and John Romita, Jr (pencils).
Motherhood isn’t always about who you’re related to.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3z6raHVw71qcgagno1_500.jpg)
MJ: Actors are paid to walk and talk and be dramatic. Models are paid to sit still, shut up, and be distant. We’re talking here about two different skill sets. Maybe I don’t have it. Maybe I should just be what I am, do what I’ve done.
MAY: Would you like my opinion?
MJ: Yes. Please.
MAY: The film roles you’ve done so far…in one you were the beautiful girlfriend who was in jeopardy, in another you were the beautiful girl who tempts people to their death…in another you were the beautiful woman who inspires the hero… It seems to me they hire you because they need someone beautiful to fill a niche in the plot, not because they want someone who can act. You haven’t played a character, MJ, you’ve only played things that move the story ahead.
MJ: I know. Which makes me think maybe I’ve been expecting too much…maybe I’m shooting too high. Is that possible?
MAY: Yes, Mary Jane, it is. But it’s just as possible you haven’t shot high enough. I left that paper behind on purpose, incidentally.
[MJ picks up the paper, which May has left folded to the listings for theater auditions.]
Amazing Spider-Man #506, J. Michael Straczynski (writing) and John Romita, Jr (pencils).
Motherhood isn’t always about who you’re related to.
(via i-wakeupstrange)
“‘Too pretty’…that’s one I’m not used to hearing.”
Because “she’s too ugly, who wants to see that on screen” and “she’s too pretty, she must be a dumb bimbo who can’t act” are two sides of the same coin.
Amazing Spider-Man #507 & The Many Loves of Spider-Man #1.
In MJ’s case I find the backlash against female characters who are coded as traditionally feminine to be particularly gross since — well, since she’s a favorite character and I’m biased, obviously, but also because Mary Jane struggles in-story against people who objectify her, slut shame her, and make snap judgments about her intelligence, skills, and personal character. Why does she get treated this way? Because she’s a beautiful woman who dares to work in the supposedly frivolous, feminized, and sexualized world of entertainment and fashion, dares to have an active social life with people she may or may not want to have sex with, and not only doesn’t apologize for her choices but actively revels in them.
What makes Mary Jane Watson such a great feminist role model, even if she’s not out there taking down supervillains with a baseball bat (not usually, anyway), and even if she does pose in lingerie for a living on and off, is that she will never apologize for who she is, no matter how many people try and shame her for it. And no matter how many readers sail right past the point.
While cleaning up my meta tag I noticed I’d already written one of the topics on my to-do list as part of a longer conversation, so I decided I’d tweak it a bit and repost solo.
Image from Amazing Spider-Man vol II #45 by J. Michael Straczynski (writer) and John Romita, Jr (pencils).
Typical Parker luck.
Amazing Spider-Man vol II #50 (April 2003), J. Michael Straczynski (writer) and John Romita, Jr (pencils).
(Source: captainwhizbang)
Amazing Spider-Man #500 (December 2003), J. Michael Straczynski (writer), John Romita, Jr. (pencils, left), and John Romita, Sr (pencils, center and right).
Happy 50th, Peter Parker!
TONY: Which reminds me… Since Peter’s been reborn, I’ve been working on a rebirthday present, and I should probably get back to work on it.
PETER: Is it a pony? With landing gear?
TONY: Mary Jane, do us all a favor—and silence him somehow, all right?
MARY JANE: That I can—DDMMMGGHH.
Amazing Spider-Man #528 (Mar 2006), J. Michael Straczynski (story) and Mike Deodato, Jr (pencils).
PETER’S NARRATION: But in the end, I suppose all that REALLY matters is that THEY understand. That THEY know. Because without Aunt May, without MJ, I wouldn’t have anything worth fighting for. Only things worth dying for.
Amazing Spider-Man #538 (Jan 2007), J. Michael Straczynski (writer) and Ron Garney (pencils).
MJ: Actors are paid to walk and talk and be dramatic. Models are paid to sit still, shut up, and be distant. We’re talking here about two different skill sets. Maybe I don’t have it. Maybe I should just be what I am, do what I’ve done.
MAY: Would you like my opinion?
MJ: Yes. Please.
MAY: The film roles you’ve done so far…in one you were the beautiful girlfriend who was in jeopardy, in another you were the beautiful girl who tempts people to their death…in another you were the beautiful woman who inspires the hero… It seems to me they hire you because they need someone beautiful to fill a niche in the plot, not because they want someone who can act. You haven’t played a character, MJ, you’ve only played things that move the story ahead.
MJ: I know. Which makes me think maybe I’ve been expecting too much…maybe I’m shooting too high. Is that possible?
MAY: Yes, Mary Jane, it is. But it’s just as possible you haven’t shot high enough. I left that paper behind on purpose, incidentally.
[MJ picks up the paper, which May has left folded to the listings for theater auditions.]
Amazing Spider-Man #506, J. Michael Straczynski (writing) and John Romita, Jr (pencils).
Motherhood isn’t always about who you’re related to.
“When you live with someone day after day, it’s easy to forget sometimes who they really are, and what they can do. Then when you see it, when you’re reminded of just what they can do … it’s a revelation. People see me swinging around skyscrapers and they think I’m pretty special. But it’s not me. It’s her. It’s always been her.”
Amazing Spider-Man #521, J. Michael Straczynski (writer) and Mike Deodato, Jr. (pencils).
(Via fire-and-diamonds.)
(Source: arrows-and-amazons)
