Published May 9, 2026, 5:00 AM EDT
Jared is a writer, editor, and Communications Studies graduate who loves popular nerd culture (almost anything to do with Marvel, DC, Star Wars, or The Lord of the Rings) and the interactive storytelling medium. Jared's first console was the PS1, wherein he fell for Spider-Man, Spyro the Dragon, and Crash Bandicoot.
In the prelude to Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man/Venom: Death Spiral event, Spider-Man fans were still clinging to the tattered threads of hope that the flames of Mary Jane Watson and Peter Parker’s romance would be rekindled, ideally while they were working with one another to solve a murder mystery that led them to the enigmatic serial killer Torment.
The Amazing Spider-Man legacy issue #1000 is fast approaching, and readers want to believe that MJ and Peter will be together again by then to celebrate the occasion. However, there may be more distance between them now than ever before in the aftermath of Death Spiral. For instance, Venom #258 has teased a restoration of their relationship, yet what is actually likely to occur is the most severe division MJ and Peter have suffered since the “One More Day” storyline.
MJ And Peter’s “Heart-To-Heart” Is Turning Sour
At the end of Death Spiral, in The Amazing Spider-Man #27, MJ/Venom kills Torment by dropping him from a rooftop, and it is not decided between the two who committed the act. Plus, MJ and Peter already had a heated debate about their clashing ideologies regarding a no-kill policy, and all this is consequently teased to result in a fight between Spider-Man and Venom, as per the solicitation for Venom #258:
THREE’S A CROWD! In the aftermath of Death Spiral, Mary Jane Watson and Peter Parker have a long overdue heart-to-heart... but when the masks go on, Venom and Spider-Man have some unfinished business! And one way or another, this is going to lead to a BIG change for Venom and MJ!
Now, adding fuel to the fire is Venom #258 artist Carlos Gomez on Instagram, coyly implying that the cover is misleading. Because the cover depicts MJ and Peter’s “heart-to-heart” and Spider-Man and Venom fighting, it seems as if what is “misleading” here is that MJ and Peter’s conversation will be a pleasant or touching one.
They’re Better Off Apart, Sadly
Marvel Comics is continuing to do everything in its power to plant a wedge in their relationship, and perhaps Peter and MJ truly should stay out of one another’s love lives. Besides, MJ has entertained the idea of pursuing a romance with Anti-Venom’s Eugene “Flash” Thompson—pairing Venom and Anti-Venom, ironically—while Peter has a gorgeous and steadfast alien companion, Raelith, who he brought to Earth from outer space and waits eagerly to kiss him when he walks through the door.
We know now, too, that The Amazing Spider-Man #1000 will probably be centered around Aunt May’s upcoming “family secret,” which is almost guaranteed to be related to the secret cousin Peter never knew he had. Meanwhile, MJ/Venom are key characters in the upcoming Queen in Black event, and it may finally be time to reconcile with the fact that MJ and Peter have grown apart irreparably in Spider-Man’s mainline comic book universe.
Unlike any other battle they have had across various universes and continuities, it will be gross and alarming if MJ and Peter’s argument does escalate into a physical conflict between Spider-Man and Venom in Venom #258, as that would mean MJ and Peter are the ones throwing punches.
It is difficult to see how they could recover emotionally from this, and, symbiote or no symbiote, it is tough to believe that they would willingly strike each other. Either way, a fight does not bode well for their supposed “heart-to-heart.”
Depending on how this encounter is resolved, Venom #258 has the potential to either annihilate or salvage the frail strand of webbing that tethers MJ and Peter together 20 years after they were violently torn apart. Perhaps the most upsetting aspect of this fight is that it is occurring right before The Amazing Spider-Man #1000, when this Spider-Man comic’s 63-year legacy is meant to be celebrated, and yet the perpetual dissolution of their relationship does not leave much to be celebrated.
Venom #258 is scheduled to be released on May 20, 2026.
First Appearance Amazing Fantasy
Alias Peter Parker, Ben Reilly, Otto Octavius, Yu Komori, Kaine Parker, Pavitr Prabhakar, William Braddock, Miles Morales, Kurt Wagner
Alliance Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Secret Defenders, Future Foundation, Heroes for Hire, Mighty Avengers, New Avengers, Web-Warriors
Race Human
Spider-Man is the name given to several individuals who have employed a spider-moniker throughout Marvel Comics. Typically gaining their powers through a bite from a radioactive spider, the different Spider-Man heroes employ super-strength, agility, and intellect while utilizing webbing to swing and tangle up their foes. The most notable of these Spider-Men is Peter Parker, who remains one of the most popular superheroes throughout the world.
English (US) ·