I finally took the time to really sit down and reread AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #544, the 1st part of the infamous "ONE MORE DAY" storyline, which changes the status quo of the Spider-Man mythology forever. Knowing there's at least some type of nod to a world with a married Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson in the upcoming 2015 Marvel mega-crossover SECRET WARS is a little comforting, but I really wanted to revisit what was going on in the series at the time of the Spider-Man soft relaunch.
In the story (taking place during the whole Marvel CIVIL WAR) Aunt May is hospitalized for a gunshot wound that leaves her life hanging by a thread. Pete and MJ struggle with the fact that since Peter Parker went public with his identity, their life has now become a nightmare. He's on the run from the law and his friend and mentor Tony Stark (aka IRON MAN) wants to arrest him. In desperation, Peter breaks into AVENGERS TOWER and confronts Stark himself, asking for his help in paying for May's treatment in the hospital. Stark is moved by May's injuries, but refuses to help Peter. He does, however, inform Jarvis, who had grown fond of May from the time she lived in AVENGERS TOWER and delivers some must needed money to the hospital. The story ends with Peter heading off into the city to approach someone else for help and the series continues.
The story and artwork are pretty good under the circumstances, but knowing that everything that readers have known about SPIDER-MAN for 20 years is about to change forever is bittersweet. If anything, reading this issue has got me excited for SECRET WARS, and personally, I'd love it if we saw Pete and MJ married again and all would be right with the world.
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