Love Is A Battlefield

If you've ever been in the doghouse with your significant other, you know the requisite squirming that you normally have to do before you're let out again. That's when you have to pick up a comic book, and see how the pros handle the situation--and we don't have to look any further than Peter Parker, whose activities as Spider-Man often force him to fumble with some excuse that lets him slip away from his girlfriend, suit up, and go after that issue's bad guy. Well, substitute "hockey night" or "poker game" for "bad guy" and what works for Peter is going to work for us! Right?

In a nutshell: Don't try this at home.

Thank goodness that Mary Jane is really into Peter, because we know that she has a very low threshold for guys who fail to hold her interest or take her for granted.

Eventually, though, Peter and MJ get back on the same page, and take steps in the direction of getting closer. But there's still Spider-Man competing for Peter's time, and these were the days before MJ knew that Peter and Spidey were one and the same and could afford to be more understanding. So while attending the engagement party of Ned Leeds and Betty Brant (who are certainly taking their time in getting to the altar--they were engaged wayyyyy back in issue #43), Peter has to duck out to go after the Shocker. And when he sees MJ again, let's just say that she's less than pleased to see him.

But despite the virtual shrapnel that begins to fly in his direction, Peter perseveres, and at least gets his foot in the door. For all the good it does him.

So what's the guy to do? Well, you and I might nudge him to keep plugging away. MJ seems slightly receptive to making up, doesn't she? Peter could even playfully call her bluff, and jokingly pretend that it's over. But it looks like Peter has learned his lessons in tolerance well from MJ, and this time he's the one who isn't interested in playing games.

Peter really needs to work at this whole sucking-up thing, doesn't he. Call her bluff, fine--but don't throw napalm over the whole thing and torch it.

Still, maybe MJ has a handle on things, after all.

Yes, Mary Jane folds here.  But your doghouse mileage may vary.