By Jim Beard
When considering the family of the Amazing Spider-Man, you can't forget the wallcrawling superstar's daughter.
That's right—we said
daughter.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #1, out on August 6, features a brand-new Spider-Girl prequel story by writer Tom DeFalco and artists Ron Frenz and Sal Buscema. We caught up with DeFalco who eagerly dished details on "Mr. and Mrs. Spider-Man!"
"Curt Conners has changed into the Lizard and Spider-Man has to stop him," the scribe explains. "In the course of the story, Pete and Mary Jane learn that the Connors family is sick. Unfortunately, the formula that can cure them may also present a danger to reptiles that live in the Everglades – the creatures that compose the Lizard's family."
Whoa—hold on there! What's all this about Pete and MJ being
married? Patience, True Believers—the writer offers explanation…
"Marvel wanted to do a series about Mr. &
Mrs. Spider-Man," notes DeFalco. "Since, yes, Pete and Mary Jane are no longer—and never were—married in the real Marvel Universe, former editor Molly Lazer suggested that this series take place in the MC-2 Universe and that I was the logical choice to write it."
For those not in the know, Spider-Girl sits at the center of the MC-2 Universe, a possible future for the Marvel pantheon wherein Peter Parker and Mary Jane birthed a bouncing baby girl, who grew up to be every inch her father's daughter. The all-new AMAZING SPIDER-MAN FAMILY anthology title affords DeFalco the opportunity to create a Spider-Girl side-series to supplement her own current ongoing series, AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL.
"The first 'Mr. and Mrs. Spider-Man' story will eventually have an impact on the ongoing Spider-Girl saga," he relates. "The second story—which will appear in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #2—actually shows the origin of a villain that is currently appearing in AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL and will help explain some of this person's motivations."
While the new series rewards regular fans of May Parker with heretofore unknown pieces of her history, it also serves as the perfect introduction to one of Marvel's finest heroines.
"In Spider-Girl continuity, [AMAZING SPIDER-MAN FAMILY story] occurs between the time [that] baby Mayday was returned to the Parkers and when Pete lost his leg while battling the Green Goblin," he says. "In [classic] Spider-Man continuity, it occurs roughly between AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #436 and #440. But none of that really matters. We're going to assume that our readers aren't familiar with either continuity. We'll give you all the information you need and make these stories totally accessible to new readers."
Check it out for yourself on August 6, in the pages of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #1, and also be sure to give a look-see to May's continuing adventures in AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL #23, hitting stands on August 13. For more Spider-Girl, head over to Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited. Also, take a look at the first part of our look at AMAZING SPIDER-MAN FAMILY!
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 "AMAZING SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #1 cover by Adi Granov")
 "Preview art by Ron Frenz & Sal Buscema")
 "Preview art by Ron Frenz & Sal Buscema")
