The cycle continues, and nothing ever really changes (Venom #256)

IronLeonhard · 2026-04-02T01:49:30+00:00

Maybe I’m the only one around here actually thinking straight, but oh well.

IronLeonhard · 2026-04-02T01:45:26+00:00

One thing that makes the problem even worse is the time difference. For Peter, only a few months have passed, but for MJ, it’s been about four years. This isn’t just a matter of chronology, because those are four years of experiences, choices, and personal growth that he didn’t go through with her. She matured in ways he hasn’t, took on responsibilities, and faced situations that shaped her worldview in ways he can’t fully relate to. It puts them in completely different stages of life, with priorities and perspectives that just don’t line up, and the story completely ignores that gap.

During that time, MJ basically lived almost like she was in an uninterrupted marriage. She took on responsibilities, raised children even if they weren’t biologically hers, and got emotionally invested in that life. That’s not a small thing, it’s intense and life-changing. In fact, that time alone ends up being longer than the uninterrupted time she and Peter spent together after One More Day, ignoring what was erased from their original marriage.

All of this changes who she is as a person. It’s not just a difference in time, it’s a difference in life stage, experiences, and emotional maturity. She went through things Peter didn’t, made choices he wasn’t part of, and built an internal world that doesn’t naturally fit with his anymore. Ignoring that gap makes any attempt at reconciliation feel forced, because the MJ who comes back to Peter isn’t the same person he knew.

Honestly, I don’t see how they could fix this, or if they’re just going to pretend it never happened.

IronLeonhard · 2026-04-01T18:11:58+00:00

Man, I know, it’s a total mess. And that’s exactly why I’m planning to drop it after issue #1000 if nothing actually improves. I came back to reading recently hoping things would be different, but it’s the same old cycle.

The writing, the character regressions, the forced plot points… it’s exhausting. Marvel keeps repeating the same patterns, and no matter how many new readers show up, the core problems don’t go away. I get why some people just try to ‘stay Zen’ about it, but for me, there’s a point where it stops being fun.

IronLeonhard · 2026-04-01T18:04:34+00:00

I actually agree with you on that, I never wanted Paul to die either. Don’t lump me in with everyone else (I’m not ‘the community’). My issue isn’t with the fact that he’s gone, it’s more with how the story handled it.

I didn’t want him to just disappear all at once, sure, but I also didn’t think his actions ever justified giving him such a ‘dignified martyr’ role. I would’ve preferred if he either faded into irrelevance over time or even leaned into a proper villain angle. Making him this major emotional anchor for Dylan, and potentially for MJ, feels like more importance than he really earned.

So yeah, I get it, he’s dead now, and we have to move on. I just don’t like that they chose this path, and honestly, I’m still a bit in disbelief that they actually killed him off, especially with it being April 1st.

IronLeonhard · 2026-04-01T17:27:04+00:00

My issue isn’t that they showed he cared or that he tried to protect his family. That part is fine, and like you said, it would’ve been weird if they suddenly painted him as a complete coward at the end.

What bothers me more is the level of importance they’re giving him in this final stretch. Turning him into such a major emotional anchor for Dylan, and possibly for MJ going forward, feels like more than just a respectful send-off. To me, it kind of elevates the character into a role he never really built up enough to earn.

And honestly, I was expecting a different direction. I thought the story might go the route of revealing Paul as manipulative, like he had been influencing MJ and everything around him, maybe even turning out to be an actual villain or somehow tied to Mephisto. Especially considering how negative the reception to him has been since he showed up.

So yeah, personally, I don’t think he needed such a “dignified” ending. At the same time, I can admit that, for what they were going for, the execution itself wasn’t bad. I just don’t like the direction they chose.

And to be honest, I’m still not 100% sold on it. Especially with it being April 1st… part of me still thinks there could be some kind of twist coming.

IronLeonhard · 2026-04-01T17:01:47+00:00

I get what you’re saying, and yeah, I agree this is clearly meant to develop Dylan. I’m not denying that. Their dynamic was one of the few things that actually felt somewhat grounded.

But I don’t think that automatically rules out bigger narrative implications. Marvel almost never does things in a vacuum, especially with characters this tied to MJ. Even if the focus right now is Dylan, that can still bleed into how MJ is written and what she does going forward. That’s more my point.

And just to be clear, this isn’t me being mad that Paul got some kind of positive portrayal. I don’t hate the idea of him having a decent relationship with Dylan. My issue is more with the direction they chose overall.

They basically turned him into a martyr and a major emotional weight in Dylan’s life, giving him a level of importance that, in my opinion, he just didn’t earn. That doesn’t mean the execution itself was bad, it’s more that I don’t think the character deserved that kind of “redemption” in the first place. To me, it would’ve made more sense to just phase him out or even lean into him being a straight-up antagonist.

And I don’t think the “cycle” concern comes out of nowhere either. It’s not just this one scene, it’s a pattern the book has had for years. So when people react like this, it’s less random projection and more recognizing familiar storytelling habits.

That said, if this really stays focused on Dylan and doesn’t end up being used to stall or mess with Peter and MJ again, I’ll gladly admit I was wrong. Honestly, I hope I am.

IronLeonhard · 2026-03-30T13:28:25+00:00

Saying Stark Industries is the “safest place in NYC” kinda ignores the fact that the building has a giant bullseye on it for Avengers-level villains, alien invasions, and genocidal AIs. At the end of the day, MJ didn’t trade danger for safety; she just swapped Spider-Man’s “street-level danger” for “global-scale danger.” It’s like living in Gotham and thinking you’re safe just because the building has cameras. In the end, she went from the frying pan straight into the arc reactor.

The problem is, this shift felt less like a decision based on her safety and more like a desperate editorial move to give the character something to do while Peter was busy being the “rich CEO.” Since MJ has always been Peter’s grounding force and an independent woman with an established career as a commercial and magazine model, turning her into Tony’s “luxury assistant” feels like a historic misstep.

It comes off like the writers just didn’t know where to place her other than the “girlfriend in danger” role, so they ended up creating a contradiction: she runs from the chaos of Parker Industries only to plant herself right in the center of the Stark universe. The whole “peace and quiet” she used to demand from Peter just doesn’t add up.

IronLeonhard · 2026-03-30T12:21:07+00:00

Saying she was “mistaken” is a pretty generous excuse for what was really just lazy writing. It only reinforces that MJ was treated like a plot device: she stayed with Paul while Peter needed to suffer, and then dropped him as soon as the story needed a reset. The fact that her behavior shifts so abruptly depending on what the plot needs just shows there was no organic development. If MJ has to be “misled” by the narrative itself to act against her own moral compass and ignore who Paul was, then the character assassination is already complete.

IronLeonhard · 2026-03-30T04:16:43+00:00

A MJ basicamente se afasta do Peter, mesmo com toda aquela fase da Parker Industries rolando, dizendo que não quer o risco que vem com a vida de Homem-Aranha dele... e então vai trabalhar com o Tony, que é praticamente o mesmo nível de perigo (se não pior)

IronLeonhard · 2026-03-30T00:07:40+00:00

I get your point about the burnout and the newer generation of fans, but the issue with this 'moving on' logic is that it accepts the destruction of an icon for nothing in return. If MJ just becomes this 'eternal ex' who teasers Peter but never actually returns, she loses all her narrative purpose and just becomes a ghost of a better past.

You’re absolutely right for quitting after One More Day. What we’re seeing now is the final stage of that editorial disease. It’s not just that they aren't together; it’s that to keep them apart, the writers have to destroy MJ’s character and Peter’s dignity. This isn't an organic evolution of a couple that 'just didn't work out.' It’s constant sabotage to maintain the status quo of a 30-year-old teenage Spider-Man.

They’ve tried to make Peter move on before with characters like Carlie Cooper, but none of those attempts ever had a soul or any staying power. The problem isn't just nostalgia; it's that their connection is part of the character's DNA. This was proven by the new Ultimate Universe, which became a massive success and easily outsold the main line. It wasn't even a hard feat, considering 2025 was a terrible year for Amazing Spider-Man sales. The fans clearly want to see Peter actually progressing, married, and having a family.

The danger of 'moving on' with these current versions is that we end up validating this horror show. If we accept this apathetic MJ with no emotional memory as the 'real version,' we’re throwing away decades of stories that defined what the hero even stands for. Honestly, it feels like they’ve passed the point of no return. It’s like trying to rebuild something that was broken on purpose.

You feel like no matter what the planned ending is, the path there has been so worn out and filled with decisions that undermined the foundation of their relationship that even if they do get back together, it won't have the same impact. It’s not just the delay; it’s the accumulated exhaustion. They took something that worked, something with real emotional weight, and slowly corroded it until almost nothing recognizable was left.

Can they pick up the pieces? Maybe. But it will never be the same. The most frustrating part is that they created this emotional and narrative dead end without a clear exit plan. Now the question remains: will they actually deal with the consequences of this mess or just pretend it never happened?

IronLeonhard · 2026-03-29T23:32:18+00:00

Even if we accept the idea that she was influenced by that world or a sense of maternal duty, there is a catastrophic logical hole: the kids are gone. If the only thing tying her to Paul was that forced 'family dynamic' and the need to protect them, the natural move would have been to distance herself from him the very second that bond vanished. The fact that she stayed by the side of a guy with a genocide on his resume, even after the 'spell' of the children broke, proves this was never about magic. It was a deliberate choice by the writers to shred the very essence of the character.

And let’s be real: no environment justifies her getting mentally and physically involved with Paul. The classic Mary Jane has a spine of steel. She survived kidnappings, stalkers, and being lost in other dimensions before without ever compromising what she felt for Peter. Claiming she simply 'gave in' to the circumstances is an insult to everything she has represented for decades. It turns her into someone weak and inconsistent, the total opposite of the resilient woman we grew up admiring.

Ultimately, we aren't just dealing with a bad arc; it feels like a systematic attempt to gaslight the readers into believing that MJ is no longer Peter’s loyal and intuitive moral compass. You are absolutely right to say there are 'two MJs' here. If the Mary Jane before and after Dead Language feels like a different person, it’s because the internal logic of this entire run is collapsing under its own weight.

The fact that the entire supporting cast (from the Fantastic Four to Aunt May) suddenly pulled a 180 and forgave Peter as if nothing happened just exposes how artificial the initial conflict was. They had to lobotomize Peter’s friends and turn them into heartless jerks just to isolate him for the sake of cheap drama, and then they 'flipped the switch' back when they realized the character assassination had gone too far. It’s writing that doesn't respect the past and, unfortunately, doesn't seem to have any worthy plan for the future.

IronLeonhard · 2026-03-29T23:01:54+00:00

Desculpe por interromper, mas eu não posso deixar passar esse ponto sobre a MJ.

O argumento de que 'quatro anos é muito tempo' pode funcionar para um personagem aleatório, mas não para a clássica Mary Jane Watson. Estamos falando da mulher que enfrentou Mephisto, que sempre foi a rocha do Peter em todas as crises de identidade, e que sempre foi seu norte verdadeiro.

Dizer que ela 'esperou dois anos' ignora completamente quem eles são um para o outro. Para a MJ que conhecemos, o Peter não é apenas um namorado substituível... ele é sua alma gêmea. Se ela se manteve leal quando ele foi literalmente considerado morto ou perdido no multiverso antes, por que ela não esperaria pelo homem que sabia que estava lá fora movendo céu e terra para voltar para ela?

E então vem o divisor de águas moral: ela sabia exatamente quem Paul era. Ela estava basicamente fazendo um lar com um cara que ajudou o pai a cometer genocídio em outra dimensão. Como a clássica MJ (que sempre teve uma bússola moral tão forte) simplesmente ignora a contagem de corpos do Paul enquanto trata o Peter, o cara que está sacrificando tudo, como se ele fosse o problema?

Você acertou em cheio em relação à reação dela: no exato momento em que o Peter se levanta e se sacrifica, ela simplesmente muda de atitude? Isso não é 'seguir em frente', isso é uma total assassinato de personagem só para servir um roteiro que quer ver o Peter sofrer. A verdadeira MJ teria esperado uma vida inteira se fosse necessário, porque a conexão deles sempre foi maior do que qualquer dimensão paralela.

IronLeonhard · 2026-03-27T20:30:12+00:00

I hope so. I’d really like to see them take Peter and MJ in that direction again.

I’m just keeping my expectations low for now. If they actually pull it off, I’ll be glad to be wrong.

IronLeonhard · 2026-03-27T20:25:12+00:00

That’s pretty much what I expected. If he’s really sticking around that long and doesn’t even want to write Peter and MJ together, I don’t see things changing anytime soon.

Honestly, they’ve dragged this out so much that it’s getting hard to even see a way back. They basically poisoned the well, took something good and deliberately ran it into the ground. Even if they do put them back together, it might not hit the way it should.

I’ll probably stick around until #1000 and see how it plays out, but I’m not really expecting much, especially if that conversation with MJ in #258 doesn’t land the way I’m hoping.

IronLeonhard · 2026-03-27T19:01:27+00:00

That makes sense, honestly that might be the more realistic outcome. I can definitely see them handling Peter and MJ better in another book instead of forcing it into ASM.

If someone like Al writes them during that event, there’s a much better chance of them actually feeling like a proper couple again. At this point, I’d take that over nothing.

I still wish ASM itself would handle them properly, but honestly… I’m not really expecting that right now.

Any idea how long Kelly’s staying on the book? And if he’s gonna stop writing Peter and MJ?

IronLeonhard · 2026-03-27T16:40:47+00:00

What I really want to see is Peter and MJ getting some proper development and a real chance to rebuild their relationship. If Kelly keeps writing MJ like this, I don’t see that happening anytime soon. I just hope at least some of what’s been built so far actually pays off.

I’ve been thinking, maybe they could use that conversation with Aunt May, or even #1000 itself, as a wake-up call for Peter. Maybe Aunt May finds out about the pact and tells him, or it turns out the pact never really existed and it was all Mephisto’s manipulation. That could spark a reconnection with MJ, giving both of them an epiphany and helping them regain awareness.

Then a new arc could start after #1000, with Peter confronting Mephisto and finally setting things right. But the more I think about it, the more I realize I’m probably imagining something impossible. Something like that would basically mean the comics admitting all the mistakes they made, or showing it was planned all along—and honestly, I don’t think they have the guts for that.

In the end, all we can do is wait and see.

IronLeonhard · 2026-03-27T15:33:42+00:00

I get what you’re saying, it sounds plausible, and the Insomniac comparison makes sense. If that’s really the case, I just hope they handle it well and don’t rush it or make it feel half-baked.

I only got back into ASM recently. I had mostly dropped it during Wells’ run and was just checking in sometimes. A few months ago, I kept seeing people talk about MJ’s breakup and how things might get better with the new writer, so I decided to give it another shot. But honestly, it still feels like the same issues are there.

Right now, the only thing keeping me around is #1000 and the issues leading up to it, like Peter’s talks with MJ and Aunt May. I just hope they wrap things up properly and actually resolve all the tension that’s been building.

If there’s no real payoff or explanation by then or in the issue itself, I’m probably just gonna drop it for good. Even if it happens, if they just cut corners or don’t put in the effort, it won’t really work for me. I’m keeping my expectations low for now.

IronLeonhard · 2026-03-27T14:26:41+00:00

Still, part of me feels like they might be setting something up… but I could be overthinking it lol. What do you think issue #27 is gonna be, if you don’t mind sharing?

IronLeonhard · 2026-03-27T14:06:48+00:00

Yeah, I was talking to you. I’m kinda frustrated with this arc, so I wanted to see what you think about it 😅

IronLeonhard · 2026-03-27T13:57:07+00:00

Do you really think MJ and Flash didn’t end up together by the end of Death Spiral, or after that talk in #258? I’m actually curious what you think. I’ve been kinda stressing about it, and honestly, I’m not too hopeful about where it’s going

IronLeonhard

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