Perhaps because his name is in the title now, Spider-Man, along with his alter ego, Peter Parker, is in Super Crush much more than the previous volumes of the series. This is a good thing, since it is his presence that stops this from being a typical high school relationship drama. After the devastating events of Homecoming, Mary Jane has distanced herself from her friends, which means she's hanging out much more with nerdy Peter Parker, who's been tutoring her. Ahem. Also she's joined the drama club, and guess what? She's the best at drama ever. Okay, I get it, MJ is wonderful, let's let her have some flaws beyond her inability to cope with her own wonderfulness.

Between boyfriends, Mary Jane resolves to pursue Spider-Man more doggedly than ever, not that Peter thinks this is a good idea. There's some silly stuff about a jealous girl in drama club, but that leads to some excellent scenes where Peter and Liz team up to help Mary Jane without letting her know she's being helped. It all culminates in a frankly devastating scene where Mary Jane, on her way to her long-awaited date with Spider-Man, brushes right past Peter holding a rose and declaring his affection. Ouch. You feel for MJ because she can't get what she want, and you feel for Peter because he has the girl he wants, but he can't get her! Of course, the comic's ending makes it look like things are coming together... and then there's another wrinkle. Whoops, and I guess I gotta get the next volume ASAP.

As always, Miyazawa's art is great, and there is humor aplenty. My favorite was when Mary Jane recounts something Spider-Man said to a female superhero that she overheard: "...and then he's all, like, 'ooh, Heat Girl, you're so hot!"

Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane: « Previous in sequence | Next in sequence »

The first volume of the compilation of "Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane", directed more at teen girls and focusing primarily on Mary Jane and her relationships. This takes place just after Peter Parker had the fateful spider-bite, and doesn't necessarily adhere to the established Spider-Man or Ultimate Spider-Man events. Here, Peter Parker is Mary Jane's friend and tutor, with a major crush on her. Mary Jane, however, has a crush on Spidey, and does manage to get a date with him. Other entanglements show up in the persons of Harry Osborn, Flash Thompson, Liz Allen, and Gwen Stacy. The artwork is nice with a manga feel, and the writing is definitely geared toward the younger crowd. But it still holds the interest of middle-aged men, and is a worthy addition to the Spider-Man pantheon. ( )

Summary and Evaluation: Comprising the first five issues of Spider-man Loves Mary Jane, this title contemporizes the early part of the Spider-man story, focusing on the bizarre love triangle consisting of Peter Parker, Mary Jane, and Spider-man, Peter Parker’s heroic alter-ego. As Mary Jane attempts to get Spider-man to notice her romantically, she’s also trying to protect Peter Parker from other overly aggressive suitors, and getting involved in the drama program at her school, making new friends and stepping all over the queen bee’s toes. And as Peter Parker tries to get up the nerve to ask Mary Jane out, he stumbles on said queen bee’s plot to undermine Mary Jane’s confidence, and has to enlist Liz, Mary Jane’s old best friend, to help reveal and defuse the plot. I have really mixed feelings about this title, mostly because I’m not sure whom it is supposed to appeal to. If it’s intended for fans of the classic and current Spider-man series, the lack of action sequences in this romance might limit its appeal; if it’s been written for fans of other romance comix, then drawing on an established world and characters isn’t such an asset if the audience is unfamiliar with them. All the same, Miyazawa’s illustrations are wonderful, and she infuses all her faces with a great deal of expressiveness sometimes absent from manga-influenced comix, and the plot hits so many different themes of teen romance in such a short time they actually prevent it from seeming too clichéd.
Booktalk Hook: I think this would be a good title to pair with either other romance comix (as a superhero outlier) or with more traditional superhero comix (as a romantic outlier). The latter option provides interest for more typical teen girl readers, whose genre tastes tend away from cape and cowl. ( )

Love the drawing style, very adorable. ( )

Fluffy, cute, fun, forgettable. ( )