Why Sony’s ‘Brand New Day’ Title Could Spell Disaster for Spider-Man Fans

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According to the Radio Times report, Sony Pictures plans to utilize a title from one of the infamous Spider-Man tales of the late 2000s, a situation that has unfortunately persisted as a longstanding issue for almost two decades since then.

In an unexpected move, the title for the upcoming Spider-Man movie has been revealed as “Brand New Day,” a choice that may come as a shock to some followers of the Marvel superhero, given its association with one of his most contentious story arcs.

At the Cinema Con industry gathering, Sony Pictures unveiled the title for their upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film and shared early snapshots of the highly anticipated Spider-Man: Beyond the Multiverse.

As a diehard fan, I’ve got to say it’s quite daring to title Tom Holland’s fourth Spiderman film as “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” given that many of us fans are still not fully on board with the narrative shift that this storyline introduced nearly two decades back.

The plot continues after the startling event “One More Day,” where Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson made a pact with the malevolent villain Mephisto, all for the sake of Aunt May’s life. However, this agreement came at a steep cost: their marriage!

Essentially, One More Day rewinds Peter Parker’s life to a previous point, eliminating his marriage to MJ in the Marvel universe and undoing his secret identity revelation (during the Civil War comics).

Brand New Day continues as Peter finds himself in strangely recurring situations yet again, such as chasing after photos of Spider-Man for the Daily Bugle, running into Mary Jane seemingly for the first time, and residing with his Aunt May.

At the start of Brand New Day, Peter Parker initially came across as rather lazy, causing May to express frustration towards him. The ordinary state of affairs that Joe Quesada imposed on the Spider-Man series wasn’t “bold,” but instead, it could be described as cowardly, a term I wish the news site had used because that’s more accurate.

Distinct figures that rose to prominence during the Brand New Day comic book period are Jackpot, a role assumed by several women, such as Mary Jane, and Mister Negative, who served as the main adversary in Marvel’s Spider-Man video game for PlayStation 4.

It’s quite likely that the introduction of Mr. Negative into a video game’s cast was intentional, not an oversight. While it’s important to note that fictional characters aren’t responsible for their own creation, I personally prefer not to invest my time or resources into games like these. They were developed by individuals who seemingly care little about the elements that made Spiderman successful years ago. These contemporary writers seem more concerned with money than upholding dignity and integrity.

For decades, devotees who had kept up with his thrilling journey found themselves dismayed when the stories they cherished seemed irrelevant. The accomplishments that Peter achieved vanished as if they never existed, right before their stunned gaze.

Marvel’s editors explained the change by stating that the comic’s main audience tends to be younger, and thus they might find less appeal in stories featuring a married, settled-down, mature character because such a storyline may not reflect their current lives.

Over time, numerous devoted readers have tried refuting that perspective, yet so far, no one has managed to persuade Marvel to reverse the plotline. However, fans did receive a small comfort in the form of a recent development.

In 2024, I found myself diving into a refreshed take on the Marvel Universe – the Ultimate Marvel Universe to be exact. This isn’t your typical continuity; it’s designed for new readers like me. One of my favorite titles is Spider-Man, where we follow a Peter Parker who never parted ways with MJ and even shares two lovely kids with her. It’s an exciting spin on the classic storyline!

As someone who wasn’t initially drawn to comic books, I found Quesada’s methods off-putting, which is why I’ve lost interest in the newer live-action films. It was infuriating to discover that Quesada and Brian Bendis were part of a screenplay committee for Marvel movies around 15 years ago. Frankly, it seemed illogical to me that I should continue funding the very individuals who had previously damaged mainstream comics. The justification provided by Marvel’s team back then felt like an affront to intelligence, as it suggested that today’s younger generations are somehow unwilling or unable to marry – a ridiculous consequence of modern political correctness.

In other words, a Spider-Man from an alternate universe who’s married isn’t as good as the original. It seems that the writers at Radio Times might not be big enough comic enthusiasts to understand this, though. So, I wonder what they were trying to imply?

IGN also addressed the history of this bad tale, and flubbed with the following description:

Among the well-known Spider-Man tales, “Brand New Day” stands out due to its link with the controversial “One More Day” storyline. The choice of

Initially, it’s unfortunate and maybe not surprising that people would label Brand New Day as “well-known”. In reality, given the numerous unfavorable aspects that emerged shortly after, it’s far from that. It’s hard to believe they tried to present Brand New Day at its start as if only minor changes had been made, like Harry Osborn’s death in 1993, while also being absurd how the original Gwen Stacy was left undisturbed in her grave. This only served to reinforce the perception that misogyny was a prevalent theme throughout the narrative.

To fully understand Brand New Day, let’s rewind to the pivotal moments that set it up. During the Civil War storyline, Peter Parker made a bombshell revelation – he exposed his superhero identity to the public. This was because he stood with Iron Man in the pro-registration faction of the conflict, necessitating superheroes to disclose their identities to the government. Unfortunately, this decision put Peter’s life at risk as the Kingpin ordered an assassination attempt on him. However, the would-be killer mistook Aunt May for Peter and shot her instead. With May critically injured, Peter seeks aid from any source he can find… which comes in a surprising form: Mephisto, who offers to save May’s life by erasing his marriage to Mary Jane.

This story was not just controversial; it was deeply unpopular among many fans. The infamous deal between Spider-Man and the Devil, forced by editorial mandate, is often cited as one of the most despised comic book stories ever published. However, once it was done, events unfolded leading to Brand New Day, which began with Amazing Spider-Man issue #546.

Brand New Day served as a reboot for Spider-Man‘s ongoing narrative, more of a marketing strategy than a standalone story, spanning across multiple smaller story arcs until Amazing #564. The main plot revolves around exploring the changes in the timeline following the Mephisto deal, featuring key events such as the world being unaware of Spider-Man’s secret identity, Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson never having been married, and the resurrection (and later revelation as a clone) of Harry Osborn.

As a devoted Spider-Man fan, I must confess my initial enthusiasm was dampened when C.B. Cebulski took over as EIC. Despite high hopes, he failed to revive Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson’s marriage in the 616 universe. Moreover, his leadership has steered Marvel Comics into some questionable directions, most notably the controversial “woke” era. Consequently, Spider-Man enthusiasts have been left feeling misled, and even if the marriage is eventually restored, it doesn’t guarantee that future Spidey books will be entertaining.

Indeed, it’s accurate to say that One More/Brand New Day is often met with disdain among fans. However, I must highlight a previous DC storyline, Identity Crisis, which was even more contentious due to its treatment of the topic of sexual violence. This narrative seemed to downplay the gravity of this issue in favor of a manipulative and sensationalist plot that appeared to sympathize with villains, implying their “rights” were prioritized over the dignity of women who were portrayed as innocent and defenseless.

In essence, just because you might find a particular Marvel storyline distasteful doesn’t mean we should ignore the possibility that DC could employ similar tactics, with potentially more disturbing consequences. Even companies like Archie, Image, and Dark Horse can produce less-than-desirable content if we don’t exercise careful vigilance.

It’s even more complicated now, according to Gizmodo, that Mary Jane has joined the list of characters, apart from Eddie Brock, who are being reimagined as Venom.

In the latest adventure of Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man, Al Ewing and Carlos Gómez are revitalizing Mary Jane Watson with a venomous twist. This follows the introduction of a second Gwenpool variant featuring Gwen Stacy, who has taken on her role in recent issues. It seems they’re intentionally stirring up romantic turmoil for Peter Parker’s Spider-Man by involving his love interests in relationships with some of his fiercest adversaries – if that appeals to readers, then so be it!

In the end, it was unveiled that Venom’s new host would change following several months of guesswork. Could it be Luke Cage, Rick James, Madame Mask, or Robbie Robertson? Many readers had their theories, with some believing Paul Rabin could take on the role. After all, he is a contentious character who appeared during Zeb Wells’ stint on Amazing Spider-Man and played a significant role in dismantling the relationship between Mary Jane and Peter Parker, a union that was allowed to be romantic again in main continuity for the first time since their marriage was annulled in 2007.

This new “stunt decision,” as they call it, is written by the same author who used Hulk for woke messaging. Given that history, it seems wise to steer clear of what appears to be another disappointing addition to the Spider-Man series. The issue with today’s Marvel and DC productions is that they often prioritize sensational stunts over genuine character development. In fact, this situation further illustrates how hollow past promises of focusing on “character growth” have been for quite some time now.

I have no intention of purchasing tickets for the upcoming Spiderman movie, as they don’t compare favorably to the superior comic books of yesteryear.

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2025-04-07 16:16