Spider-Man in Marvel Age 1000

[Leoparis]

Lizard.
Randy and Peter are flatmates.
Betty Brant works for Jameson.
Peter works as photographer for Jameson: JJJ "says you haven't given him anything good in months."
Joe Robertson works for JJJ. "We're gonna sell so many papers tomorrow."
Peter has been late for Sunday dinner for the last six weeks. Dinner with MJ, May, Randy, Joe Robertson, JJJ. He calls them his support group.
Peter says "Parker Industries. How can I direct your call?"

I only know of two times when Randy was Pete's roommate--in 2000 and during Nick Spencer's run. Given the work relationships, 2000 seems the better period to place this, even though it seems early to me for such a support group. The ties between the Parkers and the Daily Bugle staff got closer when May married Jameson Sr and later, when Randy worked for F.E.A.S.T., May's charity.

Anyone familiar with these two periods? I've got Spencer's Vol 1 omnibus and will get Vol 2. But I'm unfamiliar with the 2000s period, which is poorly covered in collections.

[DotStinks]

In 2000, MJ is presumed dead and Peter doesn't get back together with her until 2002, when he's a Science teacher. So Spencer's run is probably the better fit, ideally before MJ leaves NY to shooting Mysterio's movie. A problem probably lies with Lizard.

"Parker Industries. How can I direct your call?" is intended to be a joke, so it can fit after the collapse of PI.

[DotStinks]

Okay, I believe I have worked out a placement for this story, between ASM5 13 & 14. Also to note, Ryan Stegman says it takes place in a "general" setting.

Mary Jane gets the offer to star in Mysterio's movie in ASM5 25 (1 - 31), "days" after the Hunted sequence in ASM5 14–23, then leaves New York in ASM5 29. Lizard goes back and forth from his reptilian form to Curt Connors back and forth during the run, so his appearance seems good if you assume the Lizard became villainous again for some unknown reason. Peter already has an anti-Lizard serum developed, and he attends dinner with the Connors family in ASM5 14 to consider the offer of being an assistant TA at ESU.

The MCP places a lengthy gap between ASM5 11-13 (Christmas) and ASM5 14-25 ("June"), in which a lot of issues are placed, surely enough for Peter to miss 6 weeks of Sunday dinner. Peter & JJJ working for the Bugle is odd, but this can be handwaved. JJJ does know that Peter is Spidey and is known to exaggerate. Also Robbie says in ASM5 11 that JJJ hasn't been talking to him, so this really should be after that.

BRANT, BETTY
…
ASM 800
PPSSM 308
USQG2 40
ASM5 11-BTS
M/AGE 1000/2 <— ADD

JAMESON, JOHN JONAH JR.
…
PPSSM 308
PPSSM 309
DEF5 10
PPSSM 311
PPSSM 312
PPSSM 313 (1 - 18)
ASM5 11
ASM5 12
ASM5 13
M/AGE 1000/2 <— ADD
WOTR 1-BTS

LIZARD/DR. CURTIS CONNORS
…
ASM5 21-FB
ASM5 1
ASM5 2 (8 - 15:1)-FB
ASM5 3-FB-FB-OP
ASM5 2 (15:2 - 20)-FB
ASM5 3
USQG2 41
ASM5 4
M/AGE 1000/2 <— ADD
ASM5 14
ASM5 15
ASM5 16
ASM5 19.HU (1 - 19)
ASM5 19
ASM5 19.HU (20)
ASM5 20
ASM5 21
ASM5 22
ASM5 23-FB
ASM5 25
…

PARKER, MAY REILLY
…
ASM5 1 (14 - 22)-FB
ASM5 1
ASM5 3-FB-FB
ASM5 4
FNSM2 1/2-FB
FNSM2 1/2
FNSM2 3-BTS
FNSM2 4
FNSM2 5
M/AGE 1000/2 <— ADD
ASM5 14
ASM5 15
WOTR:WS 1/4

ROBERTSON, JOE "ROBBIE"
…
ASM5 1-FB
ASM5 1
ASM5 11
M/AGE 1000/2 <— ADD

ROBERTSON, RANDOLPH "RANDY"
…
FCBD18:ASM
ASM5 1-FB
ASM5 1
ASM5 3
ASM5 5-FB
ASM5 6
PPSSM 311
ASM5 11
FNSM2 1
FNSM2 2-BTS
M/TU4 1
M/TU4 3
M/AGE 1000/2 <— ADD
ASM5 15

SPIDER-MAN/PETER BENJAMIN PARKER
…
FNSM2 6
SGWEN:G-S 10
MG&DDINO 42
FF6 5/3
M/AGE 1000/2 <— ADD
ASM5 14
ASM5 15
…

WATSON-PARKER, MARY JANE
…
ASM5 1-FB
ASM5 1
ASM5 2
ASM5 3
ASM5 5
ASM5 6
ASM5 8-FB
ASM5 9
ASM5 10
ICE4 3
FNSM2 1/2-FB
M/AGE 1000/2 <— ADD
ASM5 14
…

[StrayLamb]

The MCP places a lengthy gap between ASM5 11-13 (Christmas) and ASM5 14-25 ("June"), in which a lot of issues are placed, surely enough for Peter to miss 6 weeks of Sunday dinner. Peter & JJJ working for the Bugle is odd, but this can be handwaved. JJJ does know that Peter is Spidey and is known to exaggerate. Also Robbie says in ASM5 11 that JJJ hasn't been talking to him, so this really should be after that.

I'm not sure that ASM5 13-15 are correctly placed. In ASM5 15, Pete notices that May is distracted, but doesn't know what's on her mind. I think that ASM5 14-15 should go between FNSM2 1/2 & FNSM2 1, with ASM5 11-13 being just before Christmas. Also, it's still winter in ASM5 14-15. Kraven and Arcade's scheme may take some time to hatch.

[DotStinks]

I'm not sure that ASM5 13-15 are correctly placed. In ASM5 15, Pete notices that May is distracted, but doesn't know what's on her mind. I think that ASM5 14-15 should go between FNSM2 1/2 & FNSM2 1, with ASM5 11-13 being just before Christmas. Also, it's still winter in ASM5 14-15. Kraven and Arcade's scheme may take some time to hatch.

I checked the issues again. Billy leaves the Connors sewer house in ASM5 15 to attend a party in New York, and arrives there in issue 16. I don't think that scene in 15 can be separated from the rest of the issue much, it's written as a day or two later, and Rhino is fully captured the scene after Billy leaves, which shouldn't take too long I assume. I don't think we can place the FNSM2 issues between 15 & 16. But it should be noted that Spencer's storytelling is hectic and non-linear at times, and I was mainly looking at a place to have M/AGE 1000/2 before Hunted.

Unless Lizards take a very, very long time to go from the sewers all the way to Manhattan...

[Leoparis]

I've taken the opportunity to start my ASM by Spencer omnibus...

Okay, I believe I have worked out a placement for this story, between ASM5 13 & 14. Also to note, Ryan Stegman says it takes place in a "general" setting.

Except that a generic setting where Parker, Brant and Robertson work for Jonah has not existed for a quarter century at least. By chance or design Stegman's story doesn't explicitly state the work relationships between them.

The work relationship between Peter and Jonah can indeed be attributed to Jonah's new role as Spider-Man's PR agent but that would have to be kept secret from Betty and Robbie. I can imagine JJJ complaining to Betty about Peter's failure to deliver but JJJ has a radio show and a photograph isn't much help. Or is Peter sending the photo to JJJ, who in turns sells it to the Daily Bugle?
What's Peter's source of income once fired by Robbie? Is he a freelance photographer? He's only hired back as a freelance photographer in Daily Bugle 1 (March 2020, ie. ca ASM5 37, unless the mini takes place one year earlier). And while Jonah begrudges Robbie (he reluctantly gave him the rights to the Daily Bugle name in ASM 648, and he was the original backer of Frontline), he may still take credit for the new Bugle's sales.

The Daily Bugle mini was never completed and the first two issues could take place after ASM5 11, that would certainly smooth the placement of the M/AGE 1000 story in that spot if no later spot is possible.

[DotStinks]

The work relationship between Peter and Jonah can indeed be attributed to Jonah's new role as Spider-Man's PR agent but that would have to be kept secret from Betty and Robbie. I can imagine JJJ complaining to Betty about Peter's failure to deliver but JJJ has a radio show and a photograph isn't much help. Or is Peter sending the photo to JJJ, who in turns sells it to the Daily Bugle?

I guess that can work. Maybe Jonah & Robbie settled their differences off-screen.

The Daily Bugle mini was never completed and the first two issues could take place after ASM5 11, that would certainly smooth the placement of the M/AGE 1000 story in that spot if no later spot is possible.

At a glance, the Daily Bugle series doesn't seem to reference current issues of ASM (38-40), so we can place it after ASM 11, so M/AGE 1000/2 flows better. From ASM 29-50.LR, MJ is in Hollywood filming Mysterio's movie, and 50.LR is part of a continuous storyline that ends in 59. Robbie next appears in ASM 61-66, and by then Betty's visibly pregnant, which she is not in Marvel Age. I say the earlier, the better.

[StrayLamb]

Unless Lizards take a very, very long time to go from the sewers all the way to Manhattan...

Lizards are notorious for their lack of sense of direction. When the retro mini-series comes out in twenty years, chronicling Billy's adventures while lost in the sewers, he meets up with Morlocks, the Sewer People, apparently not all whom drowned, and the previously unrevealed Kockroaches, along with three previously deceased villains, with no explanation as to how they happen to be alive, and Ms Marvel, in the wrong costume, all the while setting the story between Halloween and Thanksgiving.

...if you assume the Lizard became villainous again for some unknown reason.

Lizard's non-aggression chip could have been malfunctioning. He's developed several iterations of them.

The Daily Bugle mini was never completed and the first two issues could take place after ASM5 11, that would certainly smooth the placement of the M/AGE 1000 story in that spot if no later spot is possible.

Looks like you've found a good spot for those two issues of Daily Bugle..

[StrayLamb]

Betty Brant's flashbacks with Robbie and Glory, and her meeting up with Ned Leeds in ASM5 67-68 might also fit nicely in here. Betty's already working on something big at the start of ASM:DB 1, but Robbie doesn't yet know what it is. In ASM5 68-FB, Betty shares what she has with Robbie and Glory. Some of the language used is very similar. In ASM:DB 1, Robbie says he wants them to do in-depth, original investigative work to put the Daily Bugle back on the map. In ASM5 67-FB, they think could blow the story wide open, and really show that the Bugle is back.

ASM5 11-13
ASM:DB 1-2
M/AGE 1000/2
ASM5 68 (7 - 8:3)-FB
ASM5 67 (6:3 - 6:5)-FB
ASM 14...