And does this mean we've seen the last of May "Mayday" Parker?
Next month we will see the debut of Araña's new title, Spider-Girl. Araña's real name, as you may know, is Anya Corazon. She made her debut in 2004's Amazing Fantasy #1. She had her own series and later appeared in Ms. Marvel and Young Allies. After the events of The Grim Hunt in Amazing Spider-Man, Anya decided to take on a new name and new costume. Neither are necessarily new.
Araña will be taking the name of Spider-Girl and will be wearing a costume very similar to Julia Carpenter, formerly known as Arachne. I have to ask if this change is really necessary.
Araña's original look might not have been the best costume out there but it was fitting for her character. The same could be said for her name. While I have always liked Julia's costume (which of course inspired the Venom symbiote's appearance), it just doesn't look right on Araña.
Of course there's one other major problem with Anya taking the code name Spider-Girl. == TEASER == Where does this May "Mayday" Parker from the MC2 universe? As the daughter of Peter and Mary Jane Parker in an alternate future 'universe,' this Spider-Girl has appeared in over 250 issues. Sales for her books were never great but the fanbase was always there to beg and plead for Marvel to continue her adventures. She has once again faced cancellation and I fear that with Araña taking the name of Spider-Girl, we may not be seeing Mayday Parker again any time soon. Publishers don't often allow different characters to use the same name at the same time.
What is the real reason Araña is changing her name? It's not really because of Madame Web's sacrifice and Julia Carpenter's...promotion at the end of The Grim Hunt. It most likely has to do with boosting Araña's sales and giving her more of a tie to Spider-Man.
During The Grim Hunt, several of the spider-characters were brought together to fight a common threat. Araña does need a proper role model to help guide her into becoming proper superhero. It just feels that in trying to boost Araña's profile, Mayday has to be the sacrifice.
This goes back to my questioning whether or not heroes should be "allowed" to change their name. In some cases it could be argued that a name change makes sense. In this case, I'm not sure if I really seen the point.
What are your thoughts on Araña's name change? Do you think it will help her "career"? Will it have any affect on the MC2 Spider-Girl?
The problem was, Marvel didn't have to go having Anya have her new series be called "Spider-Girl" when they just cancelled the previous one that starred a completely different character. I love Anya but her series making it past the first year is probably not going to happen. Her sales are worse than May's previous series.
The first Spider-Girl was for an alternate universe, Earth-982. This Spider-Girl is for the mainsteam Marvel Universe, Earth-616. The mainstream Marvel Universe needs a Spider-Girl in it. so what if there's another Spider-Girl, she lives in an alternate universe. Plus, they are both cool!
Marvel is just heading straight for the wall again with this change. She was somewhat interesting with the whole exosqueleton spider-like costume, but not interesting enough to have her own title. If They wanted a Spidergirl they should have used Julia Carpenter's daughter. Its time for marvel to make this characters grow. Ant man's daughter was a great idea. When we se characters grow within our make believe universe it adds a sense of time and reality. With Marvel....everything is like frozen in time, stagnant, or moving very slowly....
I wish they just kept her old name and costume. At least then, she was uniquely herself. Now she is just another "Spider-girl" with a hand-me-down costume at that, and one that doesn't even suit her personality (in my book anyways).
1) Mayday is a future character, and a story set in the future is only going to last but so long. Spider-Girl was a fun title, but just about everything had to be worked up new.
2) I think giving Arana the Spider-Girl name is about a) putting the name in the present day Marvel Universe, b) preserving the rights to the name, and c) "Spider-Girl" is a more readily identifiable name than Arana. You say "Arana," and people have to answer, "What's that mean? What's she do?" and inevitably, "Why didn't they just call her 'Spider-Girl?'" You say, "Spider-Girl," and the answer is, "Oh, like Spider-Man? Cool."
In story, it might be a little harder to justify it, but business-wise, it makes all kinds of sense.
After Mavel cancelling Spider-girl books a bazillion times...they take off her name and give it to Araña.... Poor Mayday :/ Plus Araña's name AND costume really made her stand out amongst the other Marvel superheroes... and now she recycles Arachn's costume as well! :(
The editorial non-sense decisions of the Spider-books continues~
I actually never read a Spider-Girl comic but browsing through Arana's image gallery, I can say that I like her new costume. I felt like the one with the goggles felt like DC's Impulse (Bart Allen) and Spiderman had a love child. One thing is for sure, this "Off My Mind" has got me looking into Arana's character and curious about her comic.
With May Parker she is my favorite comic book character for me. With Arana (and yes I am calling her Arana and will not call her Spider-girl) she is one of those characters that for me is forgetable and will not last. I think her title is just going to be like Young Allies that she was in and will not do good. The reason I think they are changing her name to Spider-girl is that way people see the connection with Spider-man and they will buy the comic only because of the connection but, not because her story is good and because of a great development of her character which will probably never form in the first place. Do I think this series will do good? In my opinion the first issue will do good but, by the 5th people are going to be dropping it from their pull list. They cancelled May's title right after the news of this title. So, they are obviously saying there is not enough room for 2 Spider-girls. But the thing with May is that the sales were not that great because people did not see a need to buy it because it did not effect their other books and she was from a different universe. But if they actually gave it a chance they would see May was different from so many other heroes and even from all different teenage girls. So, replacing May for Arana who did not have to change her name but, changed her name for a fighting chance to have sales was a very stupid idea. Like I said I have nothing against Arana but, she can never beat the real Spider-girl. May "Mayday" Parker was stuff of legends and nothing is ever going to change that not even Arana.
Well, it sounds like Araña has graduated to the flashing-people-in-spandex class. Spider-man so does not need a side-kick. Too bad about Spider-girl though, even though I only read the comic for Black Tarantula. :-)
this is good. marvel is in need of a famous hispanic character. not saying that there isnt. but there isnt any currently that have there own arc right now. this is good.
I always thought Araña was a character out of continuity, not connected to the real marvel universe. So I guess they are trying to make her a bigger more important part, they could justify the name change as her stepping into a more grown up role, the next stage of her life. Like when Robin (Dick Grayson) became Nightwing. But I agree its a shame that May Parker had to be sacraficed. Maybe her could have changed her name to Arana instead. Switch names. Heh? Seriously though, its too bad. I liked Spider-Girl, and the future she came from. Her cancellation, will that also mean the cancellation of the entire M2 universe? Maybe Spider-Girl/May Parker can appear in the Next Avengers (not sure what the comic was called).
" @FoxxFireArt: I don't remember that ad. Must have missed it.
But the baby did make it in Amazing Spider-Man. Alison Mongrain was working for Norman Osborn and slipped Mary Jane something that made her go into premature labor. Then she switched the baby, making Peter and MJ think theirs was stillborn. She later was seen with a baby-shaped object when she went to the Scriers. "
I don't believe the ad was a phone in, but something where you cut out one option and mailed it into Marvel. I believe the image was of Mary Jane sitting out on the fire escape of their apartment, Spidey was hanging upside down, and they were toasting.
That was just how they would explain why the baby disappears from the actual universe. I remember the basic idea of the Spider-girl comics was that Peter Parker in the future discovered the truth, went after his daughter, and in the process lost one of his legs. This caused Peter to retire as Spider-man. Until Mayday Parker became Spider-girl in the future. There was an opportunity to bring Mayday into the canon series.
Thanks to OMD/BND, the pregnancy didn't happen since the marriage never happened. Since they supposedly became estranged from each other after the failed attempt at marriage. I don't believe he had the opportunity to get MJ pregnant in the first place. It was events from the marriage that led to the pregnancy. Though, don't even get me started on the whole idea that Peter would make a deal with the devil over his elderly aunt May, but no such thoughts for making any deal for the life of his own daughter that he thought had died.
My opinion on this would probably be longer that Tony's article itself... I'll try and keep it simple.
Yes they are both from different dimension but May Parker has created an iconic enough persona in the Marvel U that giving that title to someone else would just be wrong. Spider-Girl did die recently in the MC2 universe so that was set up so she wouldn't return at all.
User ForbushBug made a good point in a blog post... Her ethnic Puetro Rican look is being slowly taken away now.... She looks white now. Which is what bugs me even more. Araña was distinguished more as the Latina Spider... but with the costume, name and look change Marvel seems to be making her more Americanized and less original, just boost sales.
If Marvel is smart, and they want to keep fans of Araña (like me) happy then midway of the series they'll change her title/name back to Araña. The Spider-Girl title is obviously for marketing purposes, and I understand that, but once the sales pick up (if they do) then reverting her back to her original "form" is the best idea.
Latin Super Heroes tend to be overlooked a lot... so Anya might be the light at the end of the tunnel for them.. --Latino Speakin'!
Arana was originally going to be named Spider-girl when she first debuted but fans knew what Marvel were planning. Basicially Marvel didn't like that Mayday couldn't have tie-ins with all the other Marvel titles and wanted a Spider-girl more under their control
Another great edition of Off My Mind G-Man. You should do the next one on superhero battle damage and the damage it does to surrounding areas e.g construction damage if you haven't done one on that already
Titles with the #1 on them tend to be bought more than other titles regardless if it's a new character or old character. Marvel is allways looking for a new younger audience, while May Parker may have appealed to consumers 5 years ago Arana has a chance to appeal to consumers now. Marvel constantly creates and cycles characters do to response of it's audience like a new popstar Arana is like Miley Cyrus while May Parker is like Hilary Duff. It's just about marketing to a younger audience. I personally like Daken better than Old Man Wolverine.
I personally like the costume although I agree on the name it's really unoriginal and doesn't serve much of a purpose but honestly the Mayday Spider-Girl was becoming to bland and out dated to me and was in need of canceling for good. The stories had a very good run and lasted much longer than a lot of books do going over 100 issues but just like 2099 it's day is done my biggest concern with Arana is the continuos lost of her powers and I hope she gets them all back to their max
"It's issues such as this, OMD, BND, and OMIT are why I can't take Spider-man seriously as a story anymore. It's basically become Marvel's equivalent of a soap opera. "
You mean Spider-Man is Marvel's version of DC Universe's Infinitie Crisis done on a single character.
Don't think the fact that she's going to go by Spider-Girl means anything for May Parker....that's the beauty of a multiverse just like all the various Spider-Men out there. If your worried about confusion I don't think it will be an issue because if you know Marvel than you know the distinction between the worlds and if your only a casual reader you probably don't know about May "Mayday" Parker anyways. As for the look, I'm glad they kept Carpenter's costume because it's a simply of passing on responsibilities to the next generation just as Carpenter took the name Madame Web after those powers were passed onto her. The costume still looks great and still allows Arana to be distinguished from Spider-Man and Spider-Woman without needing to take a codename like Arachne. At the same time I wouldn't say Arana isn't in need of guidance. Though she's been working as a hero for awhile both Peter and Jessica have YEARS of experience for her to take advantage of and now that she's an official member of the "Spider Family" (hey, that kind of sounds like what is going on with Batman over in the DC Universe) she has someone of similar powers as well as crime fighting background (in Peter being more of an urban fighter than anything else) to seek guidance from. But the cool aspect I hope the writers will work with is how Peter reacts to her presence and I would love to see Peter actually get a normal partner/side-kick given his immense role in the Marvel universe. Marvel has generally minimized the idea of sidekicks in their universe and it would be awesome if one of their flagship characters were to take one, even if Arana only showed up every few issues or when Peter needed a bit of help.
"Marvel is just gonna cancel this just like Young Allies which was a good book, when it comes to new characters with their own series they never tend to last at Marvel "
Nobody was buying.You expected fans to buy a comic with Rikki Barnes as the leader and a bunch of characters they didn't know when there are 4 Avengers Books to get including Avengers Academy which is pretty much the same as Young Allies?
Marvel is just gonna cancel this just like Young Allies which was a good book, when it comes to new characters with their own series they never tend to last at Marvel
But since Marvel won't do that, they could at least pair up Carol and Ana in SG's title, rather than putting her with Spidey. Or, continue he whole thing between Ms. M and Spidey and have them both teaching SG.
Agreed, bring back Ms. Marvel's solo title and let Carol be her teacher/role model. I mean come on, what better role model for young female heroes could one possibly find?
But since Marvel won't do that, they could at least pair up Carol and Ana in SG's title, rather than putting her with Spidey. Or, continue he whole thing between Ms. M and Spidey and have them both teaching SG.
"As much as I like May "Spider-Girl" Parker, I am looking forward to this. I look at the whole name change for her as kind of like a Robin thing. Dick Grayson outgrew Robin so he became Nightwing and Tim Drake outgrew Robin so he became Red Robin, both more stand alone characters that are more mature. I'm hoping this is how it goes for her... "
As much as I like May "Spider-Girl" Parker, I am looking forward to this. I look at the whole name change for her as kind of like a Robin thing. Dick Grayson outgrew Robin so he became Nightwing and Tim Drake outgrew Robin so he became Red Robin, both more stand alone characters that are more mature. I'm hoping this is how it goes for her...
" they are just goin to build her up so when the kill her off it will be a bigger deal so when she comes back to life later on it will be a bigger deal and sell more books............oh wait thats DC "
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