Spider-Man Fans Shocked: The True Best Love Interest Isn’t MJ or Gwen—Meet Betty Brant!

by

Mary Jane Watson is widely recognized as Spider-Man’s most well-known romantic partner, often featuring prominently in discussions about the character. However, due to her notoriety and the debate sparked by the storyline “One More Day,” Mary Jane’s influence overshadows Peter Parker’s other relationships. Gwen Stacy, a significant figure in Peter’s life and the creator of Spider-Gwen, maintains prominence. Other love interests tend to fade into the background. The ongoing controversy surrounding the erasure of Peter and Mary Jane’s marriage has led many fans to prefer Spider-Man with no other woman but MJ.

It’s disappointing that discussions about Spider-Man’s love interests often focus on Mary Jane Watson and Gwen Stacy, when in reality, one of his most meaningful romances was with Betty Brant, who worked as the Daily Bugle’s secretary before them. In fact, Betty Brant was Peter Parker’s primary love interest before either Mary Jane or Gwen appeared in the comics. Betty Brant’s storyline is often considered one of the most heartwarming and poignant in Spider-Man’s history, despite being frequently overlooked in adaptations. As a longtime supporting character in the Spider-Man mythos, Betty Brant deserves more recognition for her enduring role. Although Peter Parker and Mary Jane have a captivating relationship in the comics, Betty Brant serves as a reminder of a simpler time in the Spider-Man universe.

Betty Brant Has Been There from the Start

In the time when women characters were often portrayed as having minor roles or being related to the main heroes, Betty Brant emerged as Peter Parker’s primary love interest in Amazing Spider-Man #4. Although Sally Avril and Liz Allen appeared before Betty as female interests for Peter, she was the first woman who returned his affection. Initially, Betty represented a traditional romantic interest in the style of Stan Lee, holding a low-level job where Peter worked and providing moral support to the hero. At this point, Betty hadn’t yet adopted her signature bob hairstyle, sporting curls instead. Betty’s character resonated with other romantic relationships created by Stan Lee, such as Pepper Potts, Jane Foster, and Karen Page. In contrast to Betty, Foster was a nurse working for Doctor Donald Blake in the Thor comics, while Potts and Page were secretaries for Iron Man and Daredevil respectively.

In the inaugural Spider-Man Annual, the rescue of Betty Brant, together with Aunt May, took center stage – a significant event that showcased Spider-Man’s villains and appearances by other Marvel characters. Brant played a crucial role in Spider-Man’s initial year, establishing herself as his primary love interest, much like Potts and other superheroes’ girlfriends. However, the dynamics of Peter’s relationship with Betty changed after her brother, Bennett, was killed in Amazing Spider-Man #11. Betty held Spider-Man responsible for Bennett’s death as he was battling Doctor Octopus and a gangster at the time. Despite this, she continued to be Peter’s main love interest for several issues, but their relationship grew distant. Eventually, Betty started dating Ned Leeds in an attempt to provoke Peter’s jealousy, but their romance never reignited.

Betty Brant Has Always Been One of the Best Spider-Man Characters

Despite Aunt May urging Peter to meet Mary Jane, a friend’s niece, on multiple occasions due to various issues, Peter didn’t have any significant romantic interests until college and encountering Gwen Stacy in “Amazing Spider-Man #31”. Over the next 90 issues, Gwen became Spider-Man’s primary love interest, while Mary Jane was introduced as a contrast. Betty Brant, however, didn’t fit into Peter’s growing romantic entanglements and instead became his close friend. Since then, she has maintained this role. Betty’s love life turned out to be quite convoluted, leading to her marriage with Ned Leeds, which ended tragically when he was framed for being the Hobgoblin. Afterward, she had numerous romantic involvements within the Spider-Man circle, most notably with Flash Thompson during his tenure as Agent Venom. Their relationship ended when Betty was compelled to shoot the new Crime Master, her resurrected brother.

1) Betty is reunited with Ned Leeds, who deceitfully staged his own death and was subsequently exonerated as the Hobgoblin. Soon, she will give birth to Ned’s son. Betty’s friendship with Peter has remained a constant throughout the character’s long history in superhero dramas that span over five decades. Unlike her other relationships, such as her previous romance with Mary Jane, Betty provides Peter with a unique sense of stability. Marvel’s decision to maintain a strictly platonic relationship between Betty and Peter, even after their failed romance, is commendable, given the rarity of deep male-female friendships in media.

Despite the fact that Pete’s and Betty’s relationship holds a nostalgic charm, symbolizing a less complex period in their lives, Peter’s inability to sustain this romance served as a crucial milestone in his personal growth. This failure was instrumental in propelling him towards Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson. Although Marvel consistently portrays their relationship as platonic in the primary continuity, there remains an intriguing “what if” scenario surrounding their dynamic. Surprisingly, there are not many comics or alternate realities where the couple endures, underestimating the significance of this relationship during the early stages of Amazing Spider-Man. In another universe, perhaps Peter and Betty found lasting happiness together, but Marvel prefers to explore alternate universes where Peter is wedded to Gwen Stacy or tormented by Mary Jane’s demise. The romance between Pete and Betty was a truly captivating aspect of the storyline that deserves more acknowledgement than it receives, offering a glimpse into the Silver Age. While Gwen and Mary Jane are exceptional love interests for Spider-Man, it is high time to recognize Betty Brant as one of his defining romantic interests with equal merit.

Read More

2025-05-02 18:10