John Dodge is an MTV Writer for CBR who specializes in movies, television, comics, and pop culture. He has a deep knowledge of franchises like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Marvel, and DC Comics, along with a passion for indie and horror titles. An expert on obscure productions from the ’80s and ’90s, John is known for his encyclopedic recall of cult classics like Beetleborgs.
George R.R. Martin calls out comic book retcons, specifically taking aim at Spider-Man's most controversial change.
Speaking to Popverse, the Game of Thrones author opened up about his love of the comic book medium, as well as his biggest issue when it comes to the way major publishers tell their stories. "I do have frustrations with it, too, I have to admit," Martin stated. "I sometimes… I don't like retcons. I don’t like reboots."
"You know, I'm watching, I’m following a character or a superhero or something for years, sometimes decades, and then they come and say, 'Oh, no. None of that stuff happened. We're just going to start the whole thing over again.' That always annoys the hell out of me," Martin continued. Martin then took aim at Marvel Comics, particularly in regard to the infamous One More Day/Brand New Day storyline from 2007. "Peter Parker married Mary Jane. You can't undo these things, but they do nowadays. But what can you do?"
The events of One More Day began in 2007's Amazing Spider-Man #544 by J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada. The storyline picked up in the aftermath of the first Civil War and Back in Black when an assassin sent to kill Peter Parker instead fired a bullet straight into the hero's beloved Aunt May.
When no other hero on the planet could do anything to turn the situation around, Peter and Mary Jane were approached by the demon Mephisto, who offered an especially unsettling bargain. In exchange for saving May's life, Mephisto asked not for lives or souls, but for Peter and Mary Jane's marriage. When the pair accepted the deal, decades of Marvel history was undone in an instant, affecting everyone from Spider-Man himself to his closest loved ones and oldest enemies.
How the MCU is Bringing Brand New Day to the Big Screen
Image via Marvel StudiosWhile the Spider-Man of Marvel Comics spent years trying to recover from the events of Brand New Day, the Spider-Man of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is gearing up to face his own with the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day on Jul. 31., 2026. The fourth film in Marvel Studio's Spider-Man series, Brand New Day will see Tom Holland's titular Wall-Crawler stepping into a world that has effectively forgotten who he is following the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Alongside Holland himself, Spider-Man: Brand New Day will also see MCU fan-favorites Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, and Mark Ruffalo return to their respective roles of Michelle "MJ" Jones-Watson, Ned Leeds, Frank Castle a.k.a the Punisher, and Bruce Banner a.k.a the Hulk. Spider-Man: Brand New Day will also mark the MCU debut of Stranger Things star Sadie Sink, who is taking on a still undisclosed role that is being kept tightly under wraps.
Filmmaker Jon Watts, who previously directed the first three of the MCU's Spider-Man films, recently opened up about his connections to Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is being directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. "We talked a little bit at the very, very beginning, but I’m very close to that franchise," Watts explained. "So I just had to step back and let everyone do their job. It’s going to be genuinely weird for me going to see that movie for the first time. It’s going to be a really interesting feeling. It’s a passing of the torch and I’m curious to see where it goes."
Spider-Man can be read wherever Marvel Comics are sold.
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