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Freudian readings of Spider-Man

Spider-Man is standing on Mary Jane’s head. And Mary Jane looks a lot like May from Trouble, doesn’t she? Didn’t it turn out in Trouble that Aunt May is Peter Parker’s real mom? Now here’s Mary Jane looking exactly like the young Aunt May, and standing right next to Aunt May! This is clearly a subtle reference to the buried Oedipal subtext of Spider-Man.

Superheroes in neverending serial publication have a big problem with Oedipal trajectories—they can’t complete them! Unless they stop being profitable and get a resolution, I guess. Poor Peter Parker got married and still couldn’t complete his Oedipal trajectory (if he’d completed it, he would have settled down and quit trying to save the world all the time—he’d just live with Mary Jane and have babies and grown-up stuff). Can’t complete his Oedipal trajectory and saddled with a wife—it’s tragic!

Actually, reading serial superhero comics in terms of the Oedipal trajectory would probably be very interesting.

Comments

  1. David Fiore says:

    “Actually, reading serial superhero comics in terms of the Oedipal trajectory would probably be very interesting.”

    It sure would be man! Get crackin’!

    Dave

    — 13 January 2004 at 5:20 am (Permalink)

  2. Steven says:

    Oh my, so many things I have to do. I’ll get right to it.

    — 13 January 2004 at 6:11 pm (Permalink)