Yesterday’s post about that “One More Day” teaser got me thinking about something that was said in June 2006 in the wake of Spider-Man’s shocking unmasking in Civil War #2:
… [Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada] also promised that Marvel won’t be backing-off of Spidey’s big revelation by zapping the public with a forget-me ray or saying the press conference was a dream or a hoax.
“We won’t be pulling a Bobby Ewing with this.”
That’s from The Los Angeles Times (the original link isn’t archived, but you can read the full article here). Now compare that with what Quesada says in the latest installment of his post-OMD interview at Comic Book Resources:
The wedding? Something happened on the wedding day that prevented it from happening. The unmasking? Mephisto makes people forget it; much like the Sentry, it happened — it’s just no longer remembered. And Harry? Well, there’s always a price to pay when you make a deal with the devil. Is it a perfect solution? Absolutely not. Does it get us to where we want to be? Yes.
I’ll ignore the if-a-tree-falls-in-the-forest puzzle created by an event that takes place but nobody remembers. But Mephisto is a big ol’ deus ex forget-me ray. There’s no getting around that.
I’ve never followed the Spider-books — the wonderful Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane excluded, of course — so I don’t have an emotional investment in the characters or events of the past four decades: I’m not outraged by the undoing of the marriage or giddy over the return of the mechanical webshooters. Or whatever.
However, I do find it strange (if not all that surprising) that Marvel would wave a magic wand over one of the most publicized plot points of its Big Event of 2006. At least so soon.
January 3rd, 2008 at 12:31 pm
It could be that Marvel is running out of plot possibilities involving Peter and Mary Jane as a couple. A split-up would open up more possibilities, such as a new girl (Black Cat again?) for Peter or a new guy for Mary Jane (a super villain in disguise?).
January 3rd, 2008 at 12:56 pm
So it brings back Harry but Cap is still dead?
So do they remember Civil War at all because I would like to forget it.
January 3rd, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Well, this that is the case (no more stories to be gotten out of a married Peter Parker) then the writers over at Marvel are creatively bankrupt. And don’t tell me that the Marvel writer’s idea of interesting and fresh plotlines involve Peter being late for a date because he had to battle another super-villain. That plot device is so tiresome and overused.
January 3rd, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Why is Marvel suddenly doing stories where major events occur but in the end it’s, “Oh, never mind. It doesn’t mean anything after all.” World War Hulk turned out not to be the fault of anyone on Earth but was one of Hulk’s new alien cronies who actually planted the nuclear bomb and set it off to destroy the peace and harmony the Hulk had brought to the alien planet. So the Hulk’s entire reason for wanting a reckoning with Reed Richards, Tony Stark, etc was just kicked to the side.
January 3rd, 2008 at 9:03 pm
1. “forget-me ray” appears to be the interviewer’s words. Quesada just stated that Marvel wouldn’t erase the unmasking later on. And, according to the CBR interview, they haven’t.
2. “However, I do find it strange (if not all that surprising) that Marvel would wave a magic wand over one of the most publicized plot points of its Big Event of 2006. At least so soon.” Really? You thought Marvel would let such a massive, status quo changing event stand? I suppose you also believe the New Cap is here to stay.
3. Mock all you will, I’m still excited to finally have the real Peter Parker back.
January 3rd, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Being a DC fanboy and enduring all the hate regarding the Countdown fiascos, I can’t help but feel a little bit of schaudenfraude at all the Marvel fanboy rage right now. Who’s worse now, Joe Q or Dan D. It’s kind of like Alien vs. Predator, “no matter who wins, we lose.”
January 3rd, 2008 at 9:14 pm
“Quesada just stated that Marvel wouldn’t erase the unmasking later on. And, according to the CBR interview, they haven’t.”
It happened, but nobody remembers? I’m pretty sure that qualifies as erasing.
January 3rd, 2008 at 10:56 pm
“It happened, but nobody remembers? I’m pretty sure that qualifies as erasing.”
Feh. A year-and-half ago, Quesada said it would stay cannon. It still is. My point stands.
January 4th, 2008 at 2:30 am
Kevin said: “It happened, but nobody remembers? I’m pretty sure that qualifies as erasing.”
Patrick said: “Feh. A year-and-half ago, Quesada said it would stay cannon (sic). It still is. My point stands.”
How is it canon if nobody remembers it? Yeah, it happened, but it’s no longer part of the status quo. Look up the definition of canon instead of “cannon” Patrick. Maybe that’s where you got it wrong.
January 4th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
“How is it canon if nobody remembers it? Yeah, it happened, but it’s no longer part of the status quo. Look up the definition of canon instead of “cannon” Patrick. Maybe that’s where you got it wrong.”
Woof. A grammar flame. You sure put me in my place.
Look, it’s a key plot point in OMD that Peter and MJ DO remember their old lives:
“You will not consciously remember this bargain, or this moment, or the life you lived to this point. But there will be a very small part of your soul that WILL remember, that WILL know what you lost.”
Quesada didn’t erase the unmasking. It still happened.
January 5th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
I thought that this issue of the unmasking still happening but nobody “remembering” was explained via the business with the Scarlet Spiders in ‘Avengers: The Initiative’ #7? Can’t they just have it be that Peter said he was Spider-Man even though he really wasn’t?
January 13th, 2008 at 12:22 am
Joe Quesada has insulted the intellegence of every Marvel Fan, not Just Spiderman’s fans, the company’s. I’m sorry but Rumsfeild had the right idea to quit before he dug himself into a deeper hole, but Joe just locked the casket.
January 31st, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Great catch, Kevin.
And Heather? No. That might have been a plan at some point (as I think Slott originally thought it would be, hence his hyping the importance of the issue), but Joe went with the thorough solution of a magical wand.