One Moment in Time (comics)
Encyclopedia
"One Moment in Time" is a 2010 Spider-Man
storyline that takes place in The Amazing Spider-Man
#638-641, and follows the The Gauntlet and Grim Hunt storylines. Joe Quesada
has said that the acronym of O.M.I.T. was intentional and will have an impact on the story. It is notable for revealing what changes Mephisto
made to dissolve the wedding of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson
, and to save Aunt May
's life between the end of the controversial One More Day
and the beginning of Brand New Day
. However at the end of the storyline, it is still unknown if Mary Jane remembers her marriage and the deal with Mephisto and it remains to see how Spider-Man lost his totemic powers.
#638, the story is told as a mixture of flashback
s and current events. The flashbacks are from the end of "One More Day
" or Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21. The flashbacks use actual pages from the original comics, and are mixed in with new pages that illustrate how events were changed by Mephisto
.
In Amazing Spider-Man #639, the story is told as a mixture of flashbacks and current events. The flashbacks are from "Civil War
" and Amazing Spider-Man
#539-543. These flashbacks are only panels from the original comics and not full pages.
In Amazing Spider-Man #640, the story is told as the altered events of "Back in Black
" and "One More Day", as well as other events contemporaneous with those storylines.
whispers to Mephisto
that Peter will not trade his marriage for Aunt May's life unless Mary Jane tells him to accept the agreement, and that Mephisto will leave Peter alone forever once the deal is done. Mephisto agrees to these terms. In present time MJ shows up at Peter's door. They talk about how they have been acting towards each other lately and both agree they want to be friends with each other. Then they reminisce about what happened on what was supposed to be their wedding day. Spider-Man stops Electro and his gang. One of the gang members, Eddie, makes note of the arresting officer's name. Then Mephisto, as a red pigeon, swoops down and unlocks the door of the police car Eddie is in, allowing him to escape while the officers are occupied with cuffing Electro. Spider-Man is out patrolling that night and hears the gunshots of Eddie shooting at the arresting officer and his wife. While saving the policeman and his wife, Spider-Man gets hit in the head with a cinder block. He chases after Eddie and tackles him off the side of a building. Though Spider-Man foils the murder, during his struggle, he and Eddie fall from a building to the ground, with Spider-Man absorbing most of the impact. Eddie escapes, declining to kill Spider-Man because he saved Eddie's life. On the wedding morning, Mary Jane shows up but Peter does not as he is lying unconscious in an alleyway.
After Peter misses his wedding he tries to explain what happened to Mary Jane, but she knows that it is because of his crimefighting, and says she will only marry him if he gives up being Spider-Man. Peter declines, and Mary Jane leaves him. After Mary Jane's Aunt Anna
urges her to reconsider, Mary Jane goes to Peter, and tells him that she always imagined having a daughter with him that took after both of them. She adds that she can’t have children with him because his life as a superhero would not be fair to them. They are still together when Aunt May gets shot during the events related to Civil War
. Refusing to accept her death, Peter performs CPR, miraculously bringing her back to life.
Wilson Fisk
, informed of May's survival by a disguised Mephisto, decides to send a masked hitman after Anna Watson
. The assassin is interrupted by Mary Jane, who then becomes his target, and then by Spider-Man, who dispatches and unmasks him, revealing him to be Eddie. Spider-Man brings the wounded Mary Jane to Doctor Strange
, who performs a healing spell on her. Peter insists that Doctor Strange should make people forget he is Spider-Man. Doctor Strange contacts Tony Stark
and Reed Richards
for advice on the matter, because they are partially responsible for Peter's identity becoming public.
Both Richards and Stark agree with Strange, but it takes some convincing. They decide that nobody, including themselves and Mary Jane, will remember anything. Peter enters a protective shell to shield himself from the changes. At the last moment, he leaps out of the shield and pulls Mary Jane in with him so she won't forget either. They wake up in the motel and Peter explains what has happened. Mary Jane asks why he couldn't just let her forget. She explains that she can't be with him because it's only a matter of time before somebody rips off his mask and they go after her family, a danger she cannot allow. Back in the present, Mary Jane explains that he has to move on and find somebody who can be with him. Spider-Man, standing on a rooftop, says that the best person he has ever known has set him free, that he can face anything in life and that today feels like a brand new day.
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
storyline that takes place in The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the adventures of the fictional superhero Spider-Man. Being the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a monthly periodical and was published continuously until it was...
#638-641, and follows the The Gauntlet and Grim Hunt storylines. Joe Quesada
Joe Quesada
Joseph "Joe" Quesada is an American comic book editor, writer and artist. He became known in the 1990s for his work on various Valiant Comics books, such as Ninjak and Solar, Man of the Atom...
has said that the acronym of O.M.I.T. was intentional and will have an impact on the story. It is notable for revealing what changes Mephisto
Mephisto (comics)
Mephisto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Silver Surfer #3 and was created by Stan Lee and John Buscema, loosely modeled on Mephistopheles - a character from the Faust legend.Debuting in the Silver Age of comic books,...
made to dissolve the wedding of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson
Mary Jane Watson
Mary Jane Watson, often shortened to MJ, is a fictional supporting character appearing, originally, in Marvel comic books and, later, in multiple spin-offs and dramatizations of the Spider-Man titles as the best friend, love interest, and one-time wife of Peter Parker, the alter ego of Spider-Man...
, and to save Aunt May
Aunt May
May Reilly Parker-Jameson, commonly known as Aunt May, is a supporting character in Marvel Comics' Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, she first appeared as May Parker in Amazing Fantasy #15...
's life between the end of the controversial One More Day
Spider-Man: One More Day
"One More Day" is a four-part, 2007 comic book crossover storyline, connecting the six main Spider-Man series concurrently published by Marvel Comics at the time. Written by J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada, with art by Quesada, this story arc concludes the fallout of Spider-Man's actions...
and the beginning of Brand New Day
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
"Brand New Day" is the title of a run of comic book storylines in The Amazing Spider-Man, published by Marvel Comics in 2008. It chronicles the start of Spider-Man's adventures in the aftermath of the big status quo change in the "One More Day" storyline, and continues afterwards into "Spider-Man:...
. However at the end of the storyline, it is still unknown if Mary Jane remembers her marriage and the deal with Mephisto and it remains to see how Spider-Man lost his totemic powers.
Storytelling
In The Amazing Spider-ManThe Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the adventures of the fictional superhero Spider-Man. Being the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a monthly periodical and was published continuously until it was...
#638, the story is told as a mixture of flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
s and current events. The flashbacks are from the end of "One More Day
Spider-Man: One More Day
"One More Day" is a four-part, 2007 comic book crossover storyline, connecting the six main Spider-Man series concurrently published by Marvel Comics at the time. Written by J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada, with art by Quesada, this story arc concludes the fallout of Spider-Man's actions...
" or Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21. The flashbacks use actual pages from the original comics, and are mixed in with new pages that illustrate how events were changed by Mephisto
Mephisto (comics)
Mephisto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Silver Surfer #3 and was created by Stan Lee and John Buscema, loosely modeled on Mephistopheles - a character from the Faust legend.Debuting in the Silver Age of comic books,...
.
In Amazing Spider-Man #639, the story is told as a mixture of flashbacks and current events. The flashbacks are from "Civil War
Civil War (comics)
Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...
" and Amazing Spider-Man
Spider-Man: Back in Black
"Spider-Man: Back in Black" is a five-part 2007 Marvel Comics storyline written by J. Michael Straczynski and illustrated by Ron Garney , Bill Reinhold , Matt Milla and VC's Cory Petit . All parts were published in the comic book series The Amazing Spider-Man #539-543...
#539-543. These flashbacks are only panels from the original comics and not full pages.
In Amazing Spider-Man #640, the story is told as the altered events of "Back in Black
Spider-Man: Back in Black
"Spider-Man: Back in Black" is a five-part 2007 Marvel Comics storyline written by J. Michael Straczynski and illustrated by Ron Garney , Bill Reinhold , Matt Milla and VC's Cory Petit . All parts were published in the comic book series The Amazing Spider-Man #539-543...
" and "One More Day", as well as other events contemporaneous with those storylines.
Plot
Mary Jane WatsonMary Jane Watson
Mary Jane Watson, often shortened to MJ, is a fictional supporting character appearing, originally, in Marvel comic books and, later, in multiple spin-offs and dramatizations of the Spider-Man titles as the best friend, love interest, and one-time wife of Peter Parker, the alter ego of Spider-Man...
whispers to Mephisto
Mephisto (comics)
Mephisto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in Silver Surfer #3 and was created by Stan Lee and John Buscema, loosely modeled on Mephistopheles - a character from the Faust legend.Debuting in the Silver Age of comic books,...
that Peter will not trade his marriage for Aunt May's life unless Mary Jane tells him to accept the agreement, and that Mephisto will leave Peter alone forever once the deal is done. Mephisto agrees to these terms. In present time MJ shows up at Peter's door. They talk about how they have been acting towards each other lately and both agree they want to be friends with each other. Then they reminisce about what happened on what was supposed to be their wedding day. Spider-Man stops Electro and his gang. One of the gang members, Eddie, makes note of the arresting officer's name. Then Mephisto, as a red pigeon, swoops down and unlocks the door of the police car Eddie is in, allowing him to escape while the officers are occupied with cuffing Electro. Spider-Man is out patrolling that night and hears the gunshots of Eddie shooting at the arresting officer and his wife. While saving the policeman and his wife, Spider-Man gets hit in the head with a cinder block. He chases after Eddie and tackles him off the side of a building. Though Spider-Man foils the murder, during his struggle, he and Eddie fall from a building to the ground, with Spider-Man absorbing most of the impact. Eddie escapes, declining to kill Spider-Man because he saved Eddie's life. On the wedding morning, Mary Jane shows up but Peter does not as he is lying unconscious in an alleyway.
After Peter misses his wedding he tries to explain what happened to Mary Jane, but she knows that it is because of his crimefighting, and says she will only marry him if he gives up being Spider-Man. Peter declines, and Mary Jane leaves him. After Mary Jane's Aunt Anna
Anna Watson
Anna Watson is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe and an supporting character of Spider-Man. She is Mary Jane Watson's aunt and Aunt May's best friend...
urges her to reconsider, Mary Jane goes to Peter, and tells him that she always imagined having a daughter with him that took after both of them. She adds that she can’t have children with him because his life as a superhero would not be fair to them. They are still together when Aunt May gets shot during the events related to Civil War
Civil War (comics)
Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...
. Refusing to accept her death, Peter performs CPR, miraculously bringing her back to life.
Wilson Fisk
Kingpin (comics)
The Kingpin is a fictional character, a supervillain in the . Kingpin is one of the most feared and powerful crime lords in the Marvel Universe. The character is a major adversary of Daredevil, the Punisher, and Spider-Man...
, informed of May's survival by a disguised Mephisto, decides to send a masked hitman after Anna Watson
Anna Watson
Anna Watson is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe and an supporting character of Spider-Man. She is Mary Jane Watson's aunt and Aunt May's best friend...
. The assassin is interrupted by Mary Jane, who then becomes his target, and then by Spider-Man, who dispatches and unmasks him, revealing him to be Eddie. Spider-Man brings the wounded Mary Jane to Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
, who performs a healing spell on her. Peter insists that Doctor Strange should make people forget he is Spider-Man. Doctor Strange contacts Tony Stark
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
and Reed Richards
Mister Fantastic
Mr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
for advice on the matter, because they are partially responsible for Peter's identity becoming public.
Both Richards and Stark agree with Strange, but it takes some convincing. They decide that nobody, including themselves and Mary Jane, will remember anything. Peter enters a protective shell to shield himself from the changes. At the last moment, he leaps out of the shield and pulls Mary Jane in with him so she won't forget either. They wake up in the motel and Peter explains what has happened. Mary Jane asks why he couldn't just let her forget. She explains that she can't be with him because it's only a matter of time before somebody rips off his mask and they go after her family, a danger she cannot allow. Back in the present, Mary Jane explains that he has to move on and find somebody who can be with him. Spider-Man, standing on a rooftop, says that the best person he has ever known has set him free, that he can face anything in life and that today feels like a brand new day.
Reception
- The first issue received a rating of 5.5 out of 10 from IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, and a 3.5 out of 5 from Comic Book ResourcesComic Book ResourcesComic Book Resources, also known as CBR is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion.-History:Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1996 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland had created to discuss DC...
. - The second issue received a 6.0 out of 10 from IGN, and a 3.5 out of 5 from Comic Book Resources.
- The third issue received a 6.5 rating out of 10 from IGN, and a 3 out of 5 from Comic Book Resources.
- The fourth issue received a 6.5 rating out of 10 from IGN, and a 2.5 out of 5 from Comic Book Resources.