History Characters / MarvelComicsMaryJaneWatson

* ''VideoGame/SpiderManPS4'' (2018), voiced by Creator/LauraBailey

In 2019, Mary Jane received her first ever ongoing monthly title, ''The Amazing Mary Jane'', focusing on her acting career. Originally intended to be a mini, the book's popularity extended its lifespan. Unfortunately, COVID-19's impact on the company forced them to quietly cancel this series partway through the extension, [[LeftHanging right at the start of a new arc.]]

* MostCommonSuperpower: One of the biggest examples, yet ironically, she's not a superhero.

!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #42 (November, 1966)

-->-- ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #42, written by Creator/StanLee.

Mary Jane "MJ" Watson is a Creator/MarvelComics character created by Creator/StanLee, John Romita Sr., and Creator/SteveDitko, first appearing in ''Amazing ComicBook/SpiderMan'' #42 (dated November 1966). MJ is best known for being the longtime wife of Peter Parker, and in general Spider-Man's most famous and publicly known {{Love Interest|s}} by far, represented in most media and adaptations and alongside ComicBook/LoisLane is one of the most well-known supporting characters and LoveInterests in comics and wider media, having appeared and headlined her own spin-off titles and becoming the rare non-powered supporting character who was more famous and well-known than other superhero characters in the wider culture (in a manner not unlike Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, J. Jonah Jameson).

%%!!!'''Notable Aliases:'''

Until their marriage, Peter and MJ had an on-and-off romance with moments of strong affection and romance mixed with neurotic baggage on both sides. Peter decided to propose to her but she turned him down, and then a few issues later they broke up (offscreen) and she was PutOnABus for nearly 40 issues until she returned in ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #238. This time Mary Jane returned a little OlderAndWiser, more mature, and this led to her new role as Peter's best friend and confidant after the revelation in ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #258 that she had known that Peter was Spider-Man all along and sharing some family secrets of her own, strengthening their bond. When the decision was made to marry them by [[UsefulNotes/MarvelComicsEditorsInChief EIC]] Creator/JimShooter, Peter proposed to her on the rebound from the end of his relationship with [[ComicBook/BlackCat Felicia Hardy]], and between ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #290-293, MJ accepted and the couple were married in ''Amazing Spider-Man'' Annual #21 in a story called "The Wedding". The history of their relationship was elaborated upon in the graphic novel ''Parallel Lives'' by Creator/GerryConway which revealed that she had known Peter was Spider-Man since the night of Uncle Ben's death and that her entire history when she posed as a party girl in the Lee-Romita era was ObfuscatingStupidity. MJ is the first member of Peter's supporting cast with whom Peter could discuss his Double Life. A pretty big deal for Peter who never really had his own Alfred, Pa or Ma Kent, or anyone as a confidant about his masquerade[[note]]Both Harry Osborn and Felicia Hardy knew it, but the former became Green Goblin and estranged from Pete when that happened, and Felicia Hardy was a villain-turned-hero who notably preferred Spider-Man to Peter Parker. Captain George Stacy also revealed that he knew in his dying breath, but DeathBySecretIdentity is in effect there[[/note]]. She was also the first of his love interests to like Spider-Man and Peter Parker, with her only reluctance about his superhero career being fears for his safety rather than prejudice for one or the other (a flaw shared by Betty Brant and ComicBook/GwenStacy who liked Peter and hated Spider-Man, and Felicia vice-versa).

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mary_jane_7.png]]

->''"Face it Tiger... you just hit the jackpot!"''

She was first mentioned in ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #15 by Aunt May, who wanted to set her and Peter up for a blind date. Aunt May's neighbor, Anna Watson, was MJ's aunt, and she and May both agreed they'd make a good couple. Something that Peter wasn't exactly thrilled about, since, first, he was dating Betty Brant at that point, and second, because he thought that Mary Jane "needing" to be set up on a blind date meant she had to be [[ChicAndAwe ugly, obnoxious or both]]. Peter tried to avoid the date for as long as he could. MJ technically appeared onscreen in ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #25, although [[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManLeeAndDitko Lee and Ditko never showed her face]] but made it clear that she was incredibly beautiful based on the reactions of Betty Brant and Liz Allan, teasing out her appearance and expectations among readers if she would live up to the hype. Her first appearance in ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #42, designed and drawn by John Romita Sr., in one of the most famous panels and character introductions in comics history, both confirmed and exceeded expectations with a design that was instantly iconic and charismatic.

From the very beginning, Mary Jane was extremely popular. The well known comics-fan Alley Awards granted her the title "Best Female Supporting Character" in 1967, the year of her first appearance (Jameson had the Best Male Supporting Character by comparison). She owed this popularity not only to her famous build-up and iconic first appearance but also to the fact in Peter Parker's extremely hostile social life she brought much needed warmth, levity and cheer in his life. Likewise, she reflected a more contemporary spirit, being very much a child of TheSixties in her fashion sense, her comfort with her sexuality, the fact that she lived on her own in her own apartment. She was a unique mix of comic relief, love interest, and [[VitriolicBestBuds vitriolic best bud]]. A dynamic that carried through even during her marriage with Peter, being one of the few characters who shared Spider-Man's unique sense of humor. For much of the Lee-Romita run, Spider-Man became a kind of romance comic, not surprisingly because Romita started his career in that mold and much of the stories revolved around the soap opera LoveDodecahedron between Harry, MJ, Peter and Gwen, which more or less ended with Gwen's tragic death, where MJ began to get closer to Peter. The Romita-Lee set-up continued in the highly popular [[ComicStrip/SpiderMan Newspaper Comic Strip]] written by Creator/StanLee which was much LighterAndSofter than the 616 storyline. It was on these pages in the late eighties, that Stan Lee himself decided to marry Peter and MJ finally — an event which inspired the marriage in the regular continuity.

** Creator/JScottCampbell's cover for ''Amazing Spider-Man 601'' which became controversial for its MaleGaze nonetheless introduced another iconic outfit, a white sleeveless top and blue jeans with torn frayed edges, with a red spidey heart-shaped logo that resembles the logo of their Wedding Annual.

'''MJ:''' I've known your secret for years! Up until today, I always thought I could cope with it if I ever had to experience it firsthand -- but I can't! I can't--! I just can't cope with the fact that Peter Parker is secretly Spider-Man!

* HeroesWantRedheads: Not only is she the TropeCodifier for comic books, she's also arguably THE most iconic example in Western popular culture.

!! Mary Jane Watson has appeared in the following works:

[[AC: Alternate Continuity]]

[[AC: Literature]]

[[AC: Film]]

[[AC: Western Animation]]

!! Mary Jane Watson provides examples of the following tropes:

** Is this in ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderMan2022'' [[spoiler:but to a new character altogether, complete with a pair of kids]]. However, this was later revealed to have been a mistake by the writers/editors in the editorial of a latter issue in the ongoing series.

** Is this in ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderMan2022'' [[spoiler:but to a new character altogether, complete with a pair of kids]]. However, this was later {{retcon}}ned into being a mistake by the writers/editors in the editorial of a latter issue in the ongoing series.

She returned in time as a regular supporting cast, as Peter's friend and confidant again, with much tension and unresolved emotions that continued to simmer as both of them became involved in a series of dead-end rebound relationships. In the aftermath of ''ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan'', MJ went to Chicago and after a series of incidents, ended up joining Stark Industries as ComicBook/IronMan's assistant and became part of Tony's supporting cast. In ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #802, she returned to Spider-Man's supporting cast and started her relationship with Peter again in ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderMan2018''. Meanwhile, in most AlternateUniverse titles published in the same period, MJ remains by Peter's side. Such as the Newspaper Strip which is where they were married first, ''ComicBook/SpiderGirl'' which deals with her daughter, and is the longest-running title for any female character published by Marvel. Another AU called ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManRenewYourVows'' showed her married with Peter with another daughter. This time, she gains a set of Spider-Man powers, a costume, and becomes an active superhero -- Spinneret -- with the help of her husband's webbing tech for the first time.

* ''ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan'' (2013 -- 2014)

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: After the entire ''ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan'' fiasco, Mary Jane has had enough of superheroics and leaves New York. She ends up in Chicago, opening up a nightclub thinking "It's ''Chicago''! There's no heroes and villains here!" ComicBook/IronMan, ComicBook/DoctorDoom and Madame Masque beg to differ.

** Both this and ShipSinking. Ever since ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'', the writers have been mercilessly teasing the possibility of Peter and MJ getting back together, only to sink the hell out of that ship... and make it float again. Lather, rinse, repeat. Both in and out of universe. Notable examples are the build-up to ''ComicBook/OneMomentInTime'', the ending of ''ComicBook/SpiderIsland'' followed up by ''ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan'', and again the build-up to ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManRenewYourVows'' and the "Power Play" story arc. [[spoiler:The cycle was maintained for over a decade until it was finally broken by ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderMan2018''.]]

She returned in time as a regular supporting cast, as Peter's friend and confidant again, with much tension and unresolved emotions that continued to simmer as both of them became involved in a series of dead-end rebound relationships. In the aftermath of ''ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan'', MJ went to Chicago and after a series of incidents, ended up joining Stark Industries as ComicBook/IronMan's assistant and became part of Tony's supporting cast. In ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #802, she returned to Spider-Man's supporting cast and started her relationship with Peter again in ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManNickSpencer''. Meanwhile, in most AlternateUniverse titles published in the same period, MJ remains by Peter's side. Such as the Newspaper Strip which is where they were married first, ''ComicBook/SpiderGirl'' which deals with her daughter, and is the longest-running title for any female character published by Marvel. Another AU called ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManRenewYourVows'' showed her married with Peter with another daughter. This time, she gains a set of Spider-Man powers, a costume, and becomes an active superhero -- Spinneret -- with the help of her husband's webbing tech for the first time.

** After the CosmicRetcon of ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'' attempts were made to put on a more classic Silver Age pattern with Slott claiming that MJ knowing Spider-Man's double identity from the start raised questions about whether she liked "plain ol' Peter" but when [[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManNickSpencer Nick Spencer]] took over the franchise from Dan Slott, one of the first things he did was affirm that MJ always loved Peter Parker for who he is, recognizing that Peter and Spider-Man weren't separate individuals but essentially the same person.

* OfficialCouple: Was this with Peter until ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'' and enjoys this status in ''ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan'' and most adaptations and media. [[spoiler:As of ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManNickSpencer'', they're back together.]] In the original comics, Aunt May spent all her time trying to set her up with Peter on a BlindDate believing that she was "the one" for Peter which also made many fans believe that MJ was always Peter's true intended.

* SexualKarma: MJ and Peter are the poster couple for healthy sexual relationships in comics. Although always through SexyDiscretionShot (it's still a family-friendly franchise, after all), she and Peter have always been shown to have a pretty active sex life together even when they were dating, with suggestive details such as the fact that MJ had a key to his apartment (which offended one of Peter's rebound girls after they broke up later) and often waited up for him late, implied that they slept together pretty regularly. Particularly after they got married, since the marriage allowed the writers and artists to show them in explicitly sexual situations without fear of angering conservative types too much. The JMS-era after their reunion explicitly showed them in many post-coital situations, with [[ModestyBedsheet modesty covering sheets]], with them reconnecting sexually after their brief separation is a big part of their development ([[spoiler:the second issue of ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManNickSpencer'', their first scene after officially getting back together is them waking up in the same bed. Subtle that ain't.]])

** Both this and ShipSinking. Ever since ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'', the writers have been mercilessly teasing the possibility of Peter and MJ getting back together, only to sink the hell out of that ship... and make it float again. Lather, rinse, repeat. Both in and out of universe. Notable examples are the build-up to ''ComicBook/OneMomentInTime'', the ending of ''ComicBook/SpiderIsland'' followed up by ''ComicBook/SuperiorSpiderMan'', and again the build-up to ''ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManRenewYourVows'' and the "Power Play" story arc. [[spoiler:The cycle was maintained for over a decade until it was finally broken by [[ComicBook/TheAmazingSpiderManNickSpencer Nick Spencer]].]]