Baby May and Continuity Fun

 The exact point where the MC2 Universe (also called 982) branches off from the mainstream Marvel Universe (also referred to as 616 in the handbooks) is not entirely clear, though obviously the two worlds share a history up to at least '97 real-world time, apart from small details, such as later retcons. For example, Peter's Aunt May real does pass away as depicted in Amazing Spider-Man #400 (a classic), whereas in the 616 this is later retconned (badly, I might add) as being a genetically modified actress hired by Norman Osborn.

In fact, let's start there, shall we? Well, sort of. During the now-infamous Clone Saga, it is revealed Mary Jane is pregnant. After the end of this Saga, editorial having pinned the whole debacle on a newly-returned-from-apparent-death Norman Osborn, the original Green Goblin. Around the same time, MJ gives birth to an apparently stillborn baby May, with heavy implications that something else is really happening. Later, Osborn becomes wildly out of character and holds a mystical 'Gathering of Five' ritual and it's revealed 'May' is alive...only it's Aunt May. Oi Vey! Peter beats Osborn (who's gone even more crazy) and hangs up his webs just in time for a relaunch of the Spidey-titles.

Meanwhile, over in What if #105 we are introduced to Spider-Girl and the MC2, which gives us a very different (and I'd argue better) series of events. May's debut issue also gives us a few interesting points of back-story. Firstly, it depicts Peter and MJ at the hospital, happily holding the newborn May. Secondly, Peter continued as Spider-Man following May's birth. Thirdly, Peter's narrations specifically states that 'May was only two years old when I had my final confrontation with Norman Osborn, the original Green Goblin.' Norman died, and Peter lost any desire to continue as Spider-Man.

The next time we hear of this last confrontation in Spider-Girl #7, Mary Jane provides us with more details. Mary Jane was contacted by Johnny Storm aka the Human Torch. Mr Fantastic worked alongside surgeons to save him, but in the end Peter lost his right leg. Reed offers to make a bionic leg for Peter to continue web-swinging, but Peter realizes his real responsibility is to his wife and baby.

Soon after, Kaine is introduced into the Spider-Girl series, dropping hints and making cryptic references to Rumpelstiltskin. We are told that the Parker's owe a debt to Kaine for saving May's life as a baby, though it's not until Spider-Girl #48-#50 we get more details. Here, we learn Alison Mongrain was hired by Osborn to steal away with baby May, hiding in a yacht  until Osborn's Scriers took the infant. Kaine interferes and eventually tracks down and rescues the baby girl, returning her to Mary Jane before searching for Osborn.

It's notable that in the flashbacks here, Mary Jane now originally believed her baby had died at birth just as depicted in the 616 version of events. Peter intends to stop Kaine killing Osborn. The next flashback shows Spidey interrupting the 'Gathering of Five' ritual (rather than arriving long after in 616) and battling Osborn, his leg becoming webbed to Osborn's hand. As Peter tells Osborn about Kaine, the Goblin detonates a bomb, killing himself and claiming Peter's leg.

Amazing Spider-Girl introduces the idea that May could be a clone with the arrival of a second May on the scene. Amazing Spider-Girl #25 even provides more of Kaine's rescue of the infant May in his assault on the Scrier's stronghold. At the conclusion of the tale we learn that Osborn staged the proceedings, working with another baby (either the clone or the original) in his lab in the Swiss Alps, planning for an end game in two years time. Too bad he died before that came to pass.

Lastly, we have the Mr and Mrs Spider-Man tales, which depict Peter and Mary Jane with an infant May, with Peter still donning his webs occasionally and definitely not getting around with a walking stick or a limp. The last of these four tales implies Pete get's his better-paying  lab job with the police not long after.

From all of this, we have a pretty clear picture of the events but we also have a few issues to address. Obviously, the very first depiction from What if?! #105 which seems to show May born healthy in hospital must now be considered either incorrect, or possibly depicting a later time, perhaps a check up right after the reunion of parents and baby? Or it's a case of early installment weirdness, just as in pilot episodes of tv shows. Either way, it's not a big deal.

Secondly, Peter mentioned May being age two at the time of the final confrontation with the Goblin. Up until Mr and Mrs Spider-Man these stood out like a sore thumb, as it didn't seem to line up with anything else. But here's a theory: After Norman had May spirited away, Ms Mongrain spent several months with the baby girl, even mentioning growing attached to her, before the mean ol' Scriers swiped her back. Kaine learns of Osborn's plan and sets out to retrieve the infant May. Amazing Spider-Girl #25 gives the time of this rescue as 'a little over sixteen years ago.' At this point in the series, May has already celebrated her 16th birthday (Spider-Girl #67) and 'May's Special Day,' the anniversary of her return from kidnapping (Amazing Spider-Girl #15) which is quite some time after her birthday.

 Taking into account the idea that Osborn's ritual was delayed in this version of events and that Peter had at least one encounter with Araña (Spider-Man Family one-shot) before hanging up his webs, we can assume that Peter continued as Spider-Man for a while between May's return and his final confrontation with Osborn. In theory, you could stretch this to cover the mention of May being two years of age but honestly, I think Tom Defalco introduced the Mr and Mrs Spider-Man tales either to fill this apparent continuity gap or (more likely) to have fun telling married Spidey adventures, and what better place than his own universe?

This particular blog entry started out as a little worm of an idea in the base of my sub-conscious and it's been feeding on my idea's ever since. Mostly, this was just a thought experiment for me to see if the story ideas would hold together, but I hope it's been informative. Have I missed anything?

Until Tom Defalco retcons Swiney-Girl into the MC2, I remain 

frogoat