MERGE: Is Romance Dead in the MU? (possible spoilers)

[336Deadpool616]

cyclops isn't with jean anymore
peter and mj dont remeber a thing
gambit and rouge (whats up with them anyway)
vision scarlett witch
sharon carter captain america
daredevil elektra
colossus kitty
wasp giant man

all of marvels best couples are not together (except reed richards and suestorm)

[Expletive Deleted]

Angst.

tenchar

[Monty_Cristo]

why doesn't Marvel like long-term costumes? what's w/ the hairstyle changes?

[Michael P]

I'd hardly call Gambit & Rogue one of Marvel's best couples.

Elektra was created to die. Shame the readership couldn't figure that out.

I'd also add to Ex's post that a lot of comic writers have some dunderheaded idea that you can't have characters be in a long-term stable relationship and still have conflict. Possibly because so few of them have any idea what a long-term stable relationship is like.

[RedRonin]

Cause it's boring, IMO.

[marvell2100]

Drama and more Drama

[DeadXMan]

cyclops isn't with jean anymore
peter and mj dont remeber a thing
gambit and rouge (whats up with them anyway)
vision scarlett witch
sharon carter captain america
daredevil elektra
colossus kitty
wasp giant man

all of marvels best couples are not together (except reed richards and suestorm)

dead
dead insinde
dead and crazy
dead and brainwashed
dead again and is married to a creazy person
no longer dead and riding a magic bullet
skrull and soon will be dead.

[Michael P]

Hey, look, a case in point.

[Monty_Cristo]

why doesn't Kanye like cameras? and freedom?

[RedRonin]

Possibly because so few of them have any idea what a long-term stable relationship is like.
That's a really dumb assumption.

[Monty_Cristo]

That's a really dumb assumption.

not that dumb when you consider how unusual it is for a creative team to be "stable." these characters are passed from writer to writer. why wouldn't change be expected?

[XPac]

Think how often TV show couples will break up and get back together. In the case of comics, these are relationships that don't just last a few years, but rather span decades.

Sooner or later, you'll want to shake things up an bit and do something different.

And in many (though not all) of those cases, I do think the couples will get back together down the line. Peter and MJ for example.

[mcgaffer]

Best couple in Marvel right now is Absorbing Man and Titania, really says something for Marvel when those two are second only to Reed and Sue in longivity for current relationships.

[RedRonin]

not that dumb when you consider how unusual it is for a creative team to be "stable." these characters are passed from writer to writer. why wouldn't change be expected?
I agree that change should be expected given how often creative teams shift on books over the years, however it didn't sound like Michael P was talking about creative teams. Rather writers in their personal lives.

[Monty_Cristo]

Best couple in Marvel right now is Absorbing Man and Titania, really says something for Marvel when those two are second only to Reed and Sue in longivity for current relationships.

uhhh, who else would they date, besides each other? and i'd argue that Andreas and Andrea Strucker had been together; longer.

[chaosakita]

Why don't soap operas like long-term couples???

[mcgaffer]

Titania could probably get any number of Marvel villains. Creel though, he's not going to do so well if Titania ditches him.

[Monty_Cristo]

Titania could probably get any number of Marvel villains. Creel though, he's not going to do so well if Titania ditches him.

i totally disagree. Crusher can transform his body into pretty much anything. Titania's a superstrong needy chick with a massive inferiority complex "masked" by her obsession over defeating She-Hulk. any guy in her life is going to have to continually prop up her ego. and, when she has one of her rage attacks (which she does often), she's going to snap you in half. what's worse; Crusher being ugly or Skeeter being crazy?

[Abrojo]

Boring!

...and that nothing brings more drama to a story than killing off or somehow breaking apart a couple. Laugh at soap operas but they are popular for a reason.

[Kirayoshi]

This isn't meant to be a rant against One More Day/Brand New Day, just something I've noticed recently. Is it just me or is Marvel losing all of its major couples?

Let's look at the last few years:

Peter and MJ Parker: retconned out of existence.
Scott Summers and Jean Grey: she's dead again.
Vance Astro and Angelica Jones: split.
Luke Cage and Jessica Jones: split.
Steve Rogers and Sharon Carter: he's dead.
Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne: split, he's been replaced by a Skrull, status unknown.
Matt Murdock and Milla Donavan: she's gone crazy.
Peter Rasputin and Kitty Pryde: she's trapped on the Breakworld Bullet.
Ben Grimm and Alicia Masters: after getting back together in Dan Slott's short lived run on The Thing, we aren't even told what happened, but he's with someone else.
T'Challa and Ororo: judging from the solicits for the X-Men: Worlds Apart, I suspect that one's on life-support.
Reed and Sue Richards: Well, the current FF arc is called "Death of the Invisible Woman" so make of that what you will.
At this rate, Scott and Emma will be the only couple over a year old left!

Is Joe Quesada obsessed with a need for all Marvel heroes to remain single? What's wrong with the hero getting the girl once in awhile? Or the heroine getting the guy?

[XPac]

Couples in any fictional medium will break up and get back together.

I'm sure whatever couples that are broken up now will likely end up together... and down the line break up again. Even the ones that involve death could easily be together again a decade from now. That's just how comics work.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Don't worry. Madrox and Layla Miller should be getting married soon.

[Kirayoshi]

Couples in any fictional medium will break up and get back together.

I'm sure whatever couples that are broken up now will likely end up together... and down the line break up again. Even the ones that involve death could easily be together again a decade from now. That's just how comics work.
I guess the problem here is that so many couples are splitting at once. Usually it balances out; some couples are on the outs while others are reuniting. Right now, it's like every major romance in Marvel is either dead or endangered.

[marshal99]

Hasn't been following comics , what's the deal with Vance Astro/Angelica Jones and the Luke Cage/Jessica Jones split ?

Civil war and all that crap ?

Crusher Creel and Titania still together ?

[Leocomix]

On the reverse I expected romance to come back now that Pete and MJ are separated. Marriage is the end of romance.

[Golden_Guardian]

I suspect very many people will disagree with that statement, lol

[Kirayoshi]

Hasn't been following comics , what's the deal with Vance Astro/Angelica Jones and the Luke Cage/Jessica Jones split ?

Civil war and all that crap ?

Crusher Creel and Titania still together ?
Vance and Angelica broke up pre-CW. She had an affair and told Vance she wasn't ready for a long-term relationship.

Luke and Jessica broke up pre-SI; she chose to join Iron Man's team to protect their daughter.

[CMBMOOL]

I must say that is has been a while since I last saw a good romance within Marvel Comics. :frown:

[Ex_]

It's interesting. Nobody wants to read happily ever after, because it's boring. I'd love to see the characters achieve happiness, but eventually..something happening is more exciting than something not happening. Plus, it's even more indicative of the whole theme that if they want to put their lives on the line to help people, they're also putting others at risk that they care about. It's tragic, but that's a big part of the superhero idea.

[CMBMOOL]

It's interesting. Nobody wants to read happily ever after, because it's boring. I'd love to see the characters achieve happiness, but eventually..something happening is more exciting than something not happening. Plus, it's even more indicative of the whole theme that if they want to put their lives on the line to help people, they're also putting others at risk that they care about. It's tragic, but that's a big part of the superhero idea.

Take a look again into the world of Amazing Spider-girl and tell me about Happy endings.:tongue:

[Guest_1001]

Is it just me or is Marvel losing all of its major couples?

Let's look at the last few years:

Peter and MJ Parker: retconned out of existence.
Scott Summers and Jean Grey: she's dead again.
Vance Astro and Angelica Jones: split.
Luke Cage and Jessica Jones: split.
Steve Rogers and Sharon Carter: he's dead.
Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne: split, he's been replaced by a Skrull, status unknown.
Matt Murdock and Milla Donavan: she's gone crazy.
Peter Rasputin and Kitty Pryde: she's trapped on the Breakworld Bullet.
Ben Grimm and Alicia Masters: after getting back together in Dan Slott's short lived run on The Thing, we aren't even told what happened, but he's with someone else.
T'Challa and Ororo: judging from the solicits for the X-Men: Worlds Apart, I suspect that one's on life-support.
Reed and Sue Richards: Well, the current FF arc is called "Death of the Invisible Woman" so make of that what you will.

At this rate, Scott and Emma will be the only couple over a year old left!


Great list. :biggrin:

A few more to add:

Captain Britain and Meggan: she disappeared/possibly died during Disassembled.
Union Jack and Spitfire: split.

Perhaps not what you'd call "major couples" but, personally, I've never even heard of Vance Astro or Angelica Jones. And does Iron Man have a regular love interest? What about Thor and Sif, could they be called a couple?

[Camron Amaya]

I don't think it's dead cuz the big couples are gone I think it's dead cuz it's just not a factor anymore....in modern marvel comics everyone is so cynical about it lol its all just "i'll use you for sex" type of thing.

not that there's anything wrong with that :biggrin:

[HeckBoy]

Vance and Angelica broke up pre-CW. She had an affair and told Vance she wasn't ready for a long-term relationship.

Luke and Jessica broke up pre-SI; she chose to join Iron Man's team to protect their daughter.
Who'd Firestar have an affair with? I just remember they split up b/c while Vance wanted to get married, Angel didn't and instead wanted to do the whole college thing. It was in one of those Marvel Valentine/I <3 Marvel (something to do w/ "love" stories) minis awhile back.

[Mississippienne]

Who'd Firestar have an affair with? I just remember they split up b/c while Vance wanted to get married, Angel didn't and instead wanted to do the whole college thing. It was in one of those Marvel Valentine/I <3 Marvel (something to do w/ "love" stories) minis awhile back.

I don't think she cheated on him at all, Angel just went out partying with some friends and realized she wasn't ready to settle down yet. Vance has always been one of those 'wait for marriage' types.

[RedRonin]

I don't see the big deal. I don't think characters or books need romance to be interesting.

[agrich]

I don't think it's a recent phenomenon. First, two of the couples you mention broke up a long long time ago -- Steve Rogers and Sharon Carter had been apart for ages before hooking up shortly before he died. Hank and Janet also broke up way back when, not recently (granted, they got back together once or twice or something). Jean Grey also died way back in the early 80s, even though that was later altered.

And think of all the couples broken up by death dating back to the '70s and '80s. Peter and Gwen Stacy. Hulk and Jarella. Namor and Lady Dorma. Hawkeye and Mockingbird. Wolverine and Mariko. Colossus and Kitty. Daredevil and Elektra. Daredevil and Heather Glenn (who was certainly as major a character as Milla ever was, more so really). And on and on.

Finally, I view Luke and Jessica as being more physically separated than split up -- it's not like they're going to start dating other people or anything. She took their baby to safety, that's it. I think ultimately they'll be back together (just an opinion, of course).

[Red Savina]

Most of these couples either never interested me or lost their novelty quite a while ago.

I just don't find the romantic couple in a team dynamic all that interesting.

[Scavenger]

This isn't meant to be a rant against One More Day/Brand New Day, just something I've noticed recently. Is it just me or is Marvel losing all of its major couples?

Let's look at the last few years:



Also Phyla and Moondragon, and Marlo hasn't been seen around Rick Jones recently.

[Iron Maiden]

...from long ago, add Karen Page and Daredevil to the list. I think she went to Hollywood, got addicted to drugs and was later killed.

[celticguy]

Iron Fist and Misty knight have been together for a while.

Scott summers and emma frost

Alex Summers and Lorna Dane (are they still)

Black Bolt and Medusa (once he comes back)

[Kirayoshi]

Iron Fist and Misty knight have been together for a while.They back on again? I thought she was free and single during the CW-era Heroes for Hire run.

Alex Summers and Lorna Dane (are they still)Status on hold until they finally resolve that Vulcan/Starjammers debacle.

Only new couples I've heard about recently are:
Johnny Storm and that superpowered thief(and I think he already dumped her)
Ben Grimm and Debra(lukewarm about her, still want to know where Alicia is)
Ms. Marvel and Wonder Man(those two show some promise, I'll admit)

[mikekerr3]

On the reverse I expected romance to come back now that Pete and MJ are separated. Marriage is the end of romance.

That has got be be one of the most absolutely ignorant statements ever made in the internet much less these boards. You di not have a clue:rolleyes:

Marriage ends nothing of value and can be even more romantic than dating, in fact quite often is.

[Aquacadet #6031]

What about Komodo and Hardball from The Initiative?

[Kage Kisaragi]

Iron Fist and Misty knight have been together for a while.

Scan because she wasn't with him during the entirety of HFH, and infact said she hasn't had a date in ages and would have gone out with Orca had he had the courage to ask her out.