George R. R. Martin Calls Out One of Marvel’s Most Debated Stories

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George R.R. Martin recently discussed comic books with Popverse, saying he’s always been a fan of the medium’s vast number of stories. However, he also mentioned some current trends in the comic book industry that he finds concerning.

Popverse reports that George R.R. Martin gets annoyed when established details in long-running stories are altered or removed. He explained that after investing years in developing characters, he’s frustrated when publishers unexpectedly change or ignore significant parts of their history.

He admitted he understood the frustration, saying, “I really don’t like it when stories are rewritten or restarted. You get invested in a character or superhero over years, even decades, and then suddenly they erase everything that happened before and start over. It’s incredibly annoying.”

As someone who’s followed comic books for years, I have to agree with what Martin was saying. He used Marvel as a great example – remember when Peter Parker and Mary Jane actually got married? It was a huge moment! But then, Marvel just…undid it. They completely wiped that marriage from Spider-Man’s history, and honestly, it still bothers a lot of fans – myself included.

The conversation turned to the “One More Day” and “Brand New Day” comic book storylines. These stories involved Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson making a deal with the devil, Mephisto, which resulted in their marriage being erased. Martin commented, “Some things should be permanent, but they change things now. What can anyone do about it?”

Removing Spider-Man’s marriage is still a controversial decision among Marvel fans. Many felt Peter Parker and Mary Jane’s relationship demonstrated significant character development, as they had a long history together and their marriage was central to Spider-Man’s story. When Marvel undid their marriage, fans believed it unnecessarily reset the character, making him single and younger.

Honestly, what really bothered me, and a lot of other viewers, was how they changed things. Introducing a supernatural bargain to undo years of established history felt like a cheap way out, and it completely undermined the emotional connection we had with these characters. It felt like all that history meant nothing. Even now, it’s still brought up as a prime example of a retcon that really alienated longtime fans – and I can see why.

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2025-11-14 13:14