This always irks me to no extent. Marvel certainly now likes to follow a strict formula with spiderman and never change it when originally he was meant to evolve and change.

In the Civil War comics, Peter Parker revealed on live television his identity to the world and exposed his secret he kept hidden for years and let his villains know who he truly was. He later went against Iron Man's team and became not only a wanted fugitive by the law, but by every villain that hated and loathed his existence. Spider-Man, to many, was a bane of existence and a lot of stuff Peter did would never outweigh some people's hatred for him. This is a story that could have been done that could have explored new possibilities for Peter but instead Marvel decided to do OMD which is deemed a terrible decision that fans hate and will constantly bring up till the end of time or until they get rid of it.

What I'm trying to say is that we lost out on one of the most fantastic concepts of a story for Spider-Man. A series of comics of he and MJ on the run traveling from place to place to keep hidden while the demmand for great responsibility still continues to hold weight within their family.

I could have saw him fleeing New York with MJ in a small car and taking to the road with what little they had. They'd probably start their adventure going to MJ's sister's house and making sure her family was safe and deciding if they should find her a safer place to live with her and her kids. A villain does show, they thwart em and have to immediately flee after ensuring MJ's family is safe.

They then realize they probably will never get a chance to themselves anymore, will be constantly on the run and will never have a moments rest...but are okay with this because this is the life they chose and as long as they are together, they can take on the world. Maybe at this time, MJ realizes she is pregnant and though they are going through such hardships, Peter is overjoyed and vows to protect this child and ensure this time, they will become a family. The story would be like Peter and MJ on a huge roadtrip through the US, meeting other heroes and foes along the way. Issues would be filled with team-ups and special appearances while letting us learn of more backstory to other heroes in the Marvel universe. Of course even when keeping themselves really well hidden, when villains appear, peter can't help but to pull out the webshooters and take down some crooks. Though this blows their cover and they have to flee again, MJ states she wouldn't have it any other way since this is the man she had married, a selfless man who will always do the right thing.

I even think there would be people out there that make it their duty to protect them. Like a web protector group, people who think Spider-Man is a good guy and when encountering him, give him a place to stay, money, supplies, or any sort of help that wouldn't alert higher ups. With people like this appearing, Peter would finally get to see how his actions really do impact people all over. This guy usually blames himself ten fold when something goes wrong and seems to think many people hate him. Just think of how moving it would be if he met people who told him otherwise and he learns how he impacted them. I feel like that would have been wonderful. Like even maybe do a whole issue about two police officers who recognize peter and the two are on opposite ends as to how to handle this situation. The first cop, who worked for Captain Stacy years ago, feels that Spider-Man is way too reckless and needs to be arrested, while the second cop actually worked the case of Gwen Stacy's death and believes Peter needs to be left alone as he has suffered so much and does such good. I think they did this kind of a comic in the late 90s but it was really light . I would love to have the two officer thing go a bit deeper and I think this would have been a perfect moment.

Maybe on their travels they wander into a safe house owned by Norman Osborne and find their baby who was supposedly dead. You never know but it had potential to work there.

Like the finale of this adventure, MJ has the baby but the thunderbolts or the sinister 6 have caught wind and are coming. There is no time to escape, their rescue wont come in time and the villains are closing in and wont take any prisoners. Without hesitation, Peter meets them in the front of the hospital, takes off his webshooters and tells them they can hit him all they want and he wont fight back. As long as they don't attack his wife, his kid, the hospital or anyone there, he wont fight back. They hit him a few times a bit shocked and then get more brutal realizing he isn't lying...And they just go at it. They have a field day on Peter Parker, screaming at him, taunting him, shredding him to ribbons...but that's when citizens fight back.

I think it should be done more often and recognized as a great storytelling method...when citizens, powerless or not, fight back. Superhero comics especially like to show citizens as frightened sniveling cowards that complain and do nothing else. I see it done more in the comic films than in the books that civilians just stand up and fight back even though they have no superstrength. These are the people I want to see more of. No one leading them, no hero taking command, they decide for themselves what is right and band together. The citizens of this random town in some state, wont sit by while spider-man is getting murdered and try to fight a group of villains on their own. The foes were caught off guard and stunned by the wave of people and thus flee the scene as hero allies of Peter and MJ make the scene. I suggest their heroic cavalry is the one and only Tony Stark Iron Man who apologies for all that has happened to Peter and offers to make it right by erasing everyone's memory of Spider-Man's identity.

Peter goes back to his life in NY with MJ and their kid. Though its the return to something old, it would grant something new...like yes, Peter is returning home but home will never be the same again, but after all he and MJ saw on their travels, they will be alright.

That's what I think could have come if not for OMD. Any other creative writers out there that have their own opinions of what should or was to commence if not for Mephisto?

In my opinion, the only alternative to OMD was for Marvel to end the Earth-616 universe and start a new one that could had avoided the ASM Annual where Peter and Mary Jane got married, as well as the Secret Wars II storyline(1985); the introduction to Longshot becoming a member of the X-Men. In contrast, Kwannon(in her own Asian body) should be Psylocke from Day One instead of Betsy Braddock, who should have remained in the Marvel UK universe. In addition, the creation of X-Factor could had been avoided as well because this way, Jean Grey would have remained dead, and Scott Summers and Madelyn Prior would still be married with their son Nathan who would had nothing to do with Cable. Although, it would been cool to see Rachel and Scott work together for a time before heading back to her own timeline with the power of the Phoenix Force to destroy the terror that plagued her world in the same manner as Dragonball Z's Future Trunks...

The Peter and MJ fugitive road-trip sounds like my kind of book.

@itsaworld: @zariusii: I've thought of this in the past during Back in Black the three titles did a very good job of showcasing the kind of stories that can be told with Peter as a fugitive and that it's not something that needs to be instantly "fixed" by a devil deal far from exhausting story possibilities they really just whet one's appetite.

Peter's status as a fugitive would have years of good stories but how many it could be mined would be dependant on the number of titles and the publication schedule. I agree it would be good to see Gayle especially since despite being so important to MJ's character she only appears when it's INCREDIBLY conveniant for the writers.

I don't think a mindwipes a good idea when there are alternatives for example if Marvel never did OMD they would only have to wait a year before Secret Invasion just have thr Avengers tell the world the Peter that unmasked was a Skrull it would be a good way to get rid of the marriage if they wanted to they could pull a Lyja and have it revealed MJ's a skrull which would create so much drama how many years has she been replaced? What lies has she told or has she believed herself the genuine article? Where's the real Mary Jane? Which one does he love? After being rescues from captivity how does the real Mary Jane feel and how much of Peter's life has she witnessed? Can he have a relationship with either of them now that he knows the truth?

It would be great if Peter encountered his pseudo-sister Pity on the road and trained her as a hero you could even tie her to Cloak, Dagger and Mr. Negative maybe her mother was a mutant and the drug that gave them her powers was harvested from her mother and replicated/synthesized from her or something.

Which brings to mind how Teresa being a CIA agent would also be very useful protecting Peter, having secret meetings, providing intel on supervillains and arranging a cover story regarding his identity all the while dealing with corrupt elememts in the CIA and SHIELD that are all to happy to release supervillains if it means putting Peter in a bodybag.

You sir have a very creative mind and should attempt to write comics yourself. It all has exemplary potential and if Marvel had asked for help because they didn't know what to do with Spider Man anymore (which led to OMD) your story could have been a great solution.

There are two points where I have concerns. The first one would be that for your story to kick off Aunt May would've died. If this is how you pictured it then I have no qualms about it. Also it would be great for Teresa Parker, Peter's supposed sister to help her dear old brother while on the run. The other would be that Iron Man doesn't have the power to make people forget Peter and Spider Man are the same person. In that last part where Spidey is getting beat by the Thunderbolts and the Sinister Six, where the civilians fight back to protect Spidey, it would make more sense for Iron Man to arrive in order to calm down the situation and help Peter and MJ. He would use his authority to remove Peter's criminal status and the beginning of amends to the Parker family. The only one who could make everyone forget Peter was Spider Man would be Doctor Strange since he was a neutral party in Civil War and afterwards aided the fugitive heroes. Spider Man, MJ and their kid (Annie from RYV preferably cause I found her kinda charming and cute) would seek Doctor Strange's help and he would cast a spell to make everyone forget Peter's Spider Man save for Doctor Strange himself, MJ and their newborn kid.

After the mind wipe, the Parkers would move back to New York where the whole fallout of the Civil War would start to calm down. Peter would NEVER regress to being a photographer again and instead he would get employment at Horizon Labs while Mary Jane founded her own nightclub. Peter and MJ have gone through hell and have emerged the stronger for it and with a family to show for it as the One Above All prophesied. The Parker family would go on to move forward with past problems solved and new challenges ahead. A future story-line that could be cool would be that Peter and MJ's daughter developed her powers and Peter would train her in its use similar to RYV. Also it would be awesome to see the Parker family and the Richards family interacting a little more with Peter hanging out with Reed as a fellow scientist and Johnny as superheroes while MJ hangs out with Susan and Annie hangs out with Franklin, Valeria and the Thing. Possibilities man, possibilities. Your story was great and these are just my thoughts.

@knightwriteri:These are some really creative ideas. Heck yeah! Having a CIA agent backing Peter would assist in keeping him one step away from death. Not to mention she probably could have set up a secret service of some kind to close family like MJ's family or even Aunt May if she so survived.

@ursaber: Wow! I appreciate all the compliments! I would be lying if i said I was never interested in making comics. Nowadays I found myself enjoying writing ideas far more than drawing them as well.

Yes, the story would begin with Aunt May's death or an alternative option where she survived. Now that would bring the question, how? Well a lot of people didn't like Peter inheriting this OTHER ability and receiving spidergod whatever powers. To destroy something like that, you just need good writing, not a devil ultimatum since it would still make no sense that they had vanished. What if Peter got help by magical means, since Doc Strange as you said was a neutral party and Peter went to him before during Aunt May's last hours, he'd have probably went to him and found another solution and sacrificed the powers of the other to save his dying aunt. These spidertotem blessed abilities revived him from death, so who's to say Aunt May couldn't be saved by them as well if sacrificed for her benefit?

Another option, wich would flip people out and make an people cling on to the next issues, is that when she dies, she disintegrates...like a clone. In other words, the May peter rescued in the 90s was never real and his Aunt did die in clone saga, meaning that Norman Osborne caught wind that his subordinate alerted the Parkers their child was alive, and made an Aunt May clone to trick Peter. So thus we could have a saga of rescuing their kid while on the run.

And definitley right again! Tony Stark did not have that ability (he later had invented a device which could erase a few days of memory he used on DareDevil but lets face it, no way he is going to affect the whole world) but I suggested him because of how they did in in the OMD aftermath being Strange, Reed and Tony gave Peter the chance to make everyone forget he was spider-man, even his old allies. I like your idea far more. Tony would be best arriving to ensure the removal of the thunderbolts or sinister six and to make ammends with Peter and his family. It would not only be restoration of their broken friendship or mentor student thing, but also Tony making up for his past aggression against Peter and attempting to force Spider-Man to go against his morals. Through this adventure, we'd probably maybe see Tony picking up on reports about spiderman and probably feeling guilty that this all was occuring and probably blamed himself a bit as he encouraged Peter to reveal his identity which lead to his aunt's attack and all of Peter's fears coming to life. Removing the criminal status would keep peter safe for some time and perhaps he would offer someplace for the Parkers to stay, who knows. In fact, think of when Norman Osborne gets into the power status Tony once had and Tony has to hide away all that information. Norman would have all the power he wanted to LEGALLY go after Spider-Man. He could even state to the masses that Spider-Man is responsible for the Stacy deaths and la la la, and thus helping people agree with him and causing Peter to be ever so more determined to punch him in his Goblin Face! And now that Peter doesn't have the assistance of Iron Man anymore, and Norman has the government on his side, the American Son story-line become even more suspenseful and amazing.

...in fact, lets back it up a bit! To when Peter is on the run and MJ is pregnant. Something could happen during the pregnancy and thus Mary Jane is admitted to a hospital. Peter cannot be by her side or see her without granting unwanted attention, and to top it off, he's being chased by a bunch of 'hero hunters'. He has to make sure they loose his trail. After a long struggle he either does so or thwarts them, but once he arrives at the hospital, he finds that SOMEONE hid Mary Jane's real identity, gave her a fake identity to use, and even paid off the bill. Peter comes to find that it wasn't just a happy Samaritan who likes him, it's his old friend Harry Osborne, who he thought was dead. Harry does that whole explanation that his dad granted after OMD that he was really in a coma or whatever and he pretended that his son was dead. Harry explains this and came back to at least help Peter with this but will leave knowing he does not deserve Peter's trust after the fiasco with the..well...the whole robot parent thing is pretty bad...but does state that he regrets not being able to terminate the project during his coma since he was speaking truth the night he supposedly died in the ambulance, he really does consider Peter his best friend.

He leaves, and when his father gets into power, he becomes conflicted as to who's side to take. Does he take his father's or his best friend? So much potential wasted!

That or definitley Doc Strange is approached and helps Peter become a secret to the media once more. I'd rather the people who already knew his identity before civil war know who he is (black cat, iron man, fantastic 4, ect) and thus grant him more of a nice welcoming home instead of making it feel like he is more terrified than ever to grant his identity to those he trusts. Id have also liked if there was a certain catch or penalty to the memory wipe...Like certain people that learned he was Peter Parker during civil war, will continue to remember his secret identity. Maybe its people he actually touched during his travels, so several civilians, heroes and even villains will remember him. Maybe it could be people with more powerful minds? Perhaps its just a random few within the woodwork? I feel like it would be fantastic to have a kind of looming worry that someone knows who Peter is grant maybe a fantastic story where someone is sending him and MJ messages stating they know his secret and will rip him apart, and the Parkers have to find out who this is before they kill them.

SO MUCH POTENTIAL!

And YES! FORGET PHOTOGRAPHER AS HIS MAIN JOB! He either sticks with a school job that slowly evolves to him becoming a professor, or becoming part of Horizon labs like in the comics. As a teacher, he could have more easily guest starred with fellow teenage heroes and even started working as a science teacher at Miles school to help him out. Maybe he does a teammup with Squirrel Girl at her college when he is substituting for one of her professors. And yes, MJ gets that night club just like in the comics. Maybe she later goes and becomes an assistant of Tony Stark, or ya know, becomes a small TV star on b-list movies like those Syfy flicks or maybe being part of shows that have a large following but may not help her get any other gigs like a walking dead like series. That way she is kinda well known but mostly to an audience that watches stuff like that.

@knightwriteri: Skrulls are also a good option!!! Just stating that the Peter Parker was a skrull and the real one is back. We could also have some fun showing Peter trying to get back into his old MO of hiding his identity since he has become accustomed to not needing it anymore.

I don't understand what really is their beef with the marriage to be honest. I mean they tried killing MJ off late 90s to early 2000s and it didn't work in their favor either. People love them together and they need to deal with it. But it could be kinda cool to have a story where MJ during this event was a Skrull and peter has to find the real one and figure out how long his MJ was kidnapped for. It fact it would just make their romance even stronger too if done right.

These are really great ideas guys! I LOVE IT WHEN WE BAND TOGETHER AND MAKE FAR BETTER COMICS THAN WHAT WE ARE GIVEN!!!! And please, don't hesitate to tell when one idea doesn't work or if you think it would go another way. I love creativity and fellow minds working together for the best outcome.