31 Days of Scans - Favorite Canonical Romance: Otto Octavius and Anna Maria Marconi

[cyberghostface]

One of the things I liked the most about Superior Spider-Man was the romance between Otto Octavius (in Peter Parker's body) and Anna Maria Marconi. It gave Otto some humanity but it was also nice to see a non-stereotypical little person for once (although it's getting better with characters like Tyrion from A Song of Ice and Fire).

Anna Maria was first introduced in #5 as 'Peter's tutor.





#6...






Later...



#10...







They started to date after this point.


In #21...



#22...



#30...

Later on, when the Green Goblin has kidnapped her, it's Anna Maria that causes Otto to give back his body to Peter.





#31...



Particularly tragic was this reveal later on in Amazing Spider-Man...



In case you haven't seen it, Peter came clean to her about the mind swap, she believed him and the two have remained friends with one another.

Finally in Superior Spider-Man #32 and #33 (which took place during a time blip earlier in the series where Spidey finds himself stranded in 2099) we have these two scenes.

Comments

[flint_marko]

I think if Otto were to come back now, Anna would still want to be with him.

[tugrul]

If that were to happen under a new writer or current writer Slott then I believe it'd be the writer making the story go like that, but she'd be ignoring gross violations if she ever went back. I'd be like "meh".

If he ever does come back I hope the then writer will make use of the situation for drama rather than an unbelievable happy ending.

[kevinroc]

Of course Otto will be back. (And I'm not just talking about in Spider-Verse.) He's one of the biggest Spidey villains out there.

As far as how gross it would be for Anna to run to Otto after everything, isn't this the franchise that had a Gwen Stacy clone run into the arms of a Jackal clone? (Eeeww...)

[obsidianwolf]

Which wouldn't prove a thing since plenty of folks in real life go back into screwed up unhealthy relationships for loads of reasons.

[flint_marko]

Have you seen Megamind?

[obsidianwolf]

Yeah why do you bring it up?

ETA: if your comparing Megamind as Bernard to Otto as Peter. That's a shaky comparison because to be blunt if Meganard had been sleeping with Roxanne he'd be a rapist. The fact they never got further than a single first kiss before the deception is revealed is the only thing that keeps the movie from crossing that line.

Way to many entertainment products are happy to show things that in real life are fucked up as part of their happy ending plot line. (See Every Rom com where Person A pretends to be something they aren't to get with Person B or to use spiderman again see Peter borderline stalking in his love interest in the Rami Trilogy and Amazing)

Otto knew Anna wouldn't stay with him if she knew so he was never going to tell her. That makes him a rapist. It is one reason the story line creeps me out especially with how many folks defend it. I mean the narrative already glossed over how freaking sick Otto was with his stunt. Otto is no different than real life killers who keep a victims phone and send text messages to family and friends giving them false hope only taken to the extremes that can only happen in a comic book.