The Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows, Vol. 1: Brawl in the Family

The Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (2016) (Collected Editions) #1

by Gerry Conway, Ryan Stegman (Illustrator)

Collects Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #1-5.

The Parker clan web-sling and wall-crawl their way into your hearts! Life is good for husband and wife Peter Parker and Mary Jane: their daughter Annie is their pride and joy, they’re both working and (barely) making ends meet, they’re keeping the streets of New York City safe from super villains…you know, normal everyday stuff . Oh, did we mention MJ and Annie have super-powers just like Peter? Being Spider-Man just became a family aff air! And when the Mole Man attacks NYC, only the sensational Spider-Family can stop him!

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Spider Man, Comic Book, Superheroes, Fiction

124 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 27, 2017

About the author

Gerard Francis Conway (Gerard F. Conway) is an American writer of comic books and television shows. He is known for co-creating the Marvel Comics' vigilante the Punisher and scripting the death of the character Gwen Stacy during his long run on The Amazing Spider-Man. At DC Comics, he is known for co-creating the superhero Firestorm and others, and for writing the Justice League of America for eight years. Conway wrote the first major, modern-day intercompany crossover, Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, a Spider-Man comic that actually has me liking Peter and MJ still being together. Peter has used Regent's tech to share his powers with MJ so know we have the whole family fighting crime. Veteran Spidey writer, Gerry Conway, gives a distinct voice to each member of the family. I love in the first two issues where in the thought balloons for Peter and MJ they are trying to juggle their family to-do lists in their head while they swing through buildings, just like the rest of us adults do while driving in the car. This book is Fun with a capital F.

[Molly™☺ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute for the most part, but nothing to write home about. The focus on family is what sets this apart from other Spider-Man entries. Seeing MJ and their daughter, Annie, fighting alongside Peter offers a fresh spin on Spidey's heroic antics. Unfortunately, whilst fresh, it's not overly engaging. There are nice moments, especially when they're all together, but it's an overall bland package.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much fun.



Pretty art.

Gerry Conway surprised me as much as anyone that he could write in a modern voice. One of the writers I grew up on, I’m thrilled to see how he (a) gets the cadences and brevity of modern comics dialogue, (b) avoids the tics of old, (c) writes MJ in a way that sounds like an adult woman, and (d) writes a kid like he’s recently been one. Annie May is a perfect blend of sassy, deferential and impatient.

And MJ is framed as a powerful, interdependent partner to Peter (who thankfully doesn’t dominate the action or the conversations, except as a doting father and husband). What a breath of fresh air for stodgy-responsibility-junkie Peter this is - we don’t have to slog through him dragging his many albatross’ around!

I love that the parents’ arguing is just like a Peanuts cartoon:



This comics is, in fact, pretty hilarious. I wish I had half the spunk Annie May has.

And can someone please explain to me why Family Fun Night (issue 5) is the best comic in this whole collection? How does a completely non-superhero story take the cake like this (even with some supes action, this was clearly all about family)? I just couldn’t even...when I read the opening page. (Maybe it’s because I don’t have kids and always secretly wanted a daughter like Annie May.)


As my friend Chad said, this book is fun with a Capital "F". Gerry Conway has impressed the hell out of me by breaking the "old comics writers can't escape the terribly rotten writing of their past" stereotype.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow talk about super freaking fun. This is Marvel's best idea for Spider-man in forever.

I enjoyed Renew Your Vows by Dan Slott but didn't love it. The ending left me kind of meh on it (the start was great though) however this...this is where it's at. Gerry makes sure to note that FAMILY is the key factor here. Once you wrap your head around that you're really gonna enjoy this series. Much like Superman for DC Rebirth, Renew your vows makes sure to get the family dynamic right. With May being the key star here. Little Spider-girl living her daily life at school, getting use to her powers, and living with Peter Parker and MJ as mom and dad it works really well.

When the MOLE man of all villains attacks the family must team up to take him down. Can the family of Spiders be the heroes of the day!?

Good: I LOVE the family banter. All the back and forth was great with the family, and the little stories outside the main one were adorable. I also LOVE the artwork, so damn good! The little different types of artwork to fits the story. Also, how great is watching Moleman as the main enemy try his best to be some big bad? The family can't even take him serious.

Bad: I dislike the direction they went with Harry's son. He seems too typical evil for me to really enjoy it. I guess he'll be a big player later but right now he comes across silly and not in a good way.

Overall I had a ton of fun with this title. I think this is what SPider-man needs to be. Light hearted, all about family, and amazing art to boot. Besides the thing with Harry's son I had a blast reading this and can't wait for more! A 4 out of 5.

[haven ⋄ f (hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

okay comic. art was good. plot was decent, though got tiring after a bit. im not sure how much a domino mask obscures someone's face tho...

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Read as single issues]
Marvel are able to have their cake and eat it too with this spin-off mini-series set in the same universe as the Battleworld Renew Your Vows series, in which Peter and Mary Jane are happily married with their daughter, Annie May Parker.

With the threat of Regent behind them, Peter and MJ set about starting their own crime fighting family, with an inventive use of past technology to enable MJ to fight alongside Peter. Of course, Annie isn't about to let them have all the fun, and soon the three are fighting the Mole Man together in these first five issues.

Writer Gerry Conway captures the family dynamic between these characters perfectly, with Annie sounding exactly as a child should, while Peter and MJ's push-and-pull parental overbearing is fun to see unfold. Aiding him is Spider-Man artist extraordinaire Ryan Stegman, who has cut his teeth on Amazing Spider-Man, Superior Spider-Man, Scarlet Spider, and more in his Marvel tenure so he's well at home here.

If you're still sore about Pete and MJ not being together, this book will more than whet your palette for that status quo.

[Deepu Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's nice to see a cute family working together, and it's got some funny other comic series in between the main story too.
I really liked it

[Adam Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuing out of the Secret Wars storyline, we find our Spider-Family still saving the day. Having seized the tech from Regent at the end of Vol. 0, MJ now has a suit that siphons off power from Peter, and fights crime right along side of him as Spinneret (love this name!). Annie May, their daughter, gets into her own set of trouble with her spider powers, and eventually get dubbed Spiderling.
The main baddie of the book is Mole Man, coming up from underground to get some of Regent's left over tech, but both Norman Osborn (MJ calls him Normie because he's only 10 years old!) and Sandman (robbing the bank next door to Bouncy Bunny, a Chuck-E-Cheese rip off) make appearances and get taken down by the Parkers.
I really appreciate this book for making it a family affair. Peter and MJ as parents feels very natural to me, and would have probably happened if not for the events of "One More Day". To see them all with powers and fighting together while still keeping the book lighthearted and funny is a great joy to me. Very excited for the next Volume as we were left with the teaser "Next: Meet the X-Men"! Perhaps we will see how this whole pre-cog power that Annie May seems to have pans out.

High recommend.

[Alex E · Rating 3 out of 5]

During Secret Wars, one of the worlds we got to visit is the world where Spiderman is still married to MJ, they have a kid, and at the end of the volume, its revealed they will join up with him to fight crime as a family. Which is pretty out there, but kinda cool in a way. This book picks that story up to delve deeper into that world.

I grew up with Peter and MJ being an item, so right away when I started reading this book and I started seeing Peter and MJ just interacting and being loving to each other, it really struck a chord with me. I don't know if this nostalgic feeling of goodness taints my overall review, but I have to be honest that it definitely played a part. And then the fact that their kid is a spider kid as well, and she keeps them on their toes... it's just very cool to see. I think the charm and fun of this book is really what sold me on it. The story itself is a bit lack luster, Mole Man antics usually are, but it's really Gerry Conway's way of just showing us the Parkers' world, and how they interact with each other.

The Ryan Stegman art is another definite plus, as that guy can draw a very dynamic scene, especially with Spidey.

I think this was a fun and strong start to the series. I'm definitely on board to see where we go from here.

[Traumal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jako výkop je to dobrý, dynamika ve spider-rodince funguje, foreshadowing okolo pavoučího instinktu Annie je příjemný plus vzhledem k tomu jak tahle věc dovrší ve spider-geddonu, především ve spider-girls. Ale vzhledem k délce, těžko hodnotit. Zatím spíš oddychovka s přidanou hodnotou pro shippery, co byli dlouhou dobu frustrovaní z absence vztahu mezi Peterem a MJ. Uvidíme, co dál

[Gary Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

37th book read in 2018.

Number 474 out of 697 on my all time book list.

More like 3.5 - Disappointing. This book is redeemed only by the two shorts that are amazing. The main story is dull and predictable.

[Diz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy stories about families in superhero comics, and this starts well with a bit of breakfast hijinks. However, it descends into bickering between Peter and MJ about her role as a hero. Peter is written as being a bit too old-fashioned and over-protective in this story for my tastes. It takes some of the fun out of Spider-man.

[Khurram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Family business

It is so great to see the Spider Family together. Peter and Mary Jane Parker together and raising their daughter.

Of course, raising children is not the easiest job in the world, but try raising one that has not only inherited the family powers but the family responsibility as well.

I love the part of the family, especially the way the current state of the Spider-man comics is trying to erase everything I loved and respected about the characters.

Another thing I really like in the book is the mistakes made. Spider-man is used to working alone, and the others are unaccustomed to their powers add to that Peter's natural protective/obsessive tendencies mistakes will be made, but in the true Spider-man way they will get through it.

This is a great start to the new universe (that I wish was the real universe). Anyone not liking the current direction of the Spider-man comics should read this to remind ourselves why the character was so great and family support is important.

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once upon a time MJ and Peter were married. Once upon a time Marvel messed up and retconned their relationship out of existence. Once upon a time, they even had a baby.

Fast forward to this alternate universe take. In another miniseries, they defeated a bad guy (Regent) who had a tech suit that copied abilities. The Parkers are still married. Their child is in grade school. It's a side we don't normally see in the main Marvel universe.

I can see why it did so well and was popular for awhile. I wonder if the Spiderverse crossovers mucked things up for them.

Bonus: little Normie Osborn is creepier in this universe, compared to his Red Goblin stint.

[Kiky❄️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

amo tutto

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decade ago, the controversial "One Day More" storyline saw the Spider-universe hit a ginormous reset button and remove the marriage of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson from the continuity. Years later, another huge crossover event would, the second (or is it the third) Secret Wars storyline saw the creation of a parallel universe where Peter and MJ are still married and raising a daughter.

Their daughter, May, has similar powers to those of her father. In the wake of an evil overlord named Monarch who seems intent on collecting all the super powers he can get his mitts on, Peter is hopping to stay one step ahead of the latest detection devices for himself and his daughter. But when they get noticed and rumors of the Spider-Man's return begin to surface, Peter finds himself fighting to defend his family -- and now the family wants to join the fight.

The resolution of that storyline encompasses volume 0 of this series and then things really get going on volumes 1 and 2. Written by long-time Spider-writer Gerry Conway, these collection of arcs is a lot more fun than they have any right to be. Having recently revisited Conway's tenure on Amazing Spider-Man, I wasn't sure what, if anything, I should expect from these issues. But after trying to read much of the current storylines taking place in the Spider-Man universe, I found these refreshingly easy to digest, straight-forward and welcoming to readers who haven't memorized every detail of comic book continuity for the past decade. Seeing Peter try to juggle his secret identity along with the demands of the two women in his life to be part of the crime-fighting team gives the story some much needed depth. The second collection even raises the stakes a bit by having MJ become motivated to contribute to the team (tech left over from Monarch lets her share Peter's powers) and turning to Liz Allen for a new version of the Venom symbiote.

These three collections are some of the best recent Spider-Man stories I've read and they reminded me of what it was that I initially loved so much about my favorite wallcrawler.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collects Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows (2016) issues #1-5

My head wants to give this a 4-star rating, but my heart wants to give it a 5-star rating. Even though I'm not buying this series issue-by-issue, I really hope it continues. It is fun seeing a parallel universe world in which Peter Parker and MJ are married, and are raising their spider-powered daughter. Using Regent's technology from Volume #0, MJ is able to tap into Peter's powers giving this family trio a chance to fight crime all together. This book is good (not great) and fun, and I'm looking forward to reading more. Solid writing and solid artwork.

[Matthew Velazquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read! (See what I did there?)

Jokes aside, this was a fun adventure to read through. Seeing Peter wrestle with the concerns and fears of being a husband and father was relatable. Also, I thought it was cool how, while both Peter and M.J. we’re out crime fighting, their thoughts were on things like the grocery list.

It felt as if the regular challenges of civilians was sometimes more challenging for them.

M.J. and A.M. kicking butt was just badass. I’m surprised that I didn’t hear about this before. I’m definitely adding future volumes to my wishlist.

🎶“Spider-Fam, Spider-Fam, does whatever Spider-Man can’t.”🎶

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best Spider-Man one could imagine or hope for but still a fun and adorable read. I especially liked the short story about MJ and Annie fighting Rhino --- well, perhaps not exactly fighting but very quickly kicking his butt ;)

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows, Brawl in the Family" is such a fun book. In this book, Peter is not the only one with powers. MJ does too and she takes up the superhero name, Spinneret. Their daughter, Annie, also has powers.

The result of this is adorable and fun chaos. Some of it is predictable. Annie is a kid, and she is both trying to adjust to having powers as well as balance out school (all while having a strong Spidey Sense). While she is impulsive, she also is a good kid who is not afraid to stand up to bullies or protect her loved ones. She's a fun character. It was especially fun reading the two mini-stories in this book. One was spending the day with her dad both at home and during his adventures. The other was spending her day with her mom while they're at MJ's clothing shop - all while it is attacked. Both of these mini-stories are wholesome and a joy to read.

So were the main stories. One of them involved Peter, MJ, and Annie taking on the Mole Man and the other had all three of them take on the Sandman during a bank robbery. They're a bit predictable and the antagonists weren't the best, but also are a lot of fun and it was great seeing them work together. They work together well and the writing of their bonds felt natural. Peter and MJ have especially good chemistry and their dialogue - including both their banter and arguments - are well written.

Peter is a great character. As one would expect, he retains the humor that we know him for, especially when he teases antagonists. At the same time though, he's also quite protective and has his struggles with balancing family needs with his superhero life (along with being underpaid by J. Jonah Jameson). While he is a good dad, he does get overprotective of MJ and Annie, which leads to well-written conflict with them both.

MJ is a great character too. She's not protective, but she's a stricter parent than Peter. Like Peter, she also has struggles with work, particularly with rising expenses and a big mistake by one of her employees. At the same time, she is also a very fun character and is selfless and courageous. She's a great mom too.

Overall, this book is a fun and adorable read. The story's pretty straightforward but it is wholesome and made me smile throughout. It has great characters too.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this. Peter and Mary Jane were one of the greatest love stories in comics - I went so far as to stop reading Marvel for years after their marriage was demonically annuled. So seeing them back together (with daughter Annie in tow) was great. The Parker family bits of this were great to read.

However, there's a metaphor here that I'm deeply uncomfortable with. Mary Jane is given superpowers (because comics), and it's eventually revealed that when she uses those powers she's sapping Peter of his strength. The implication being that marriage weakens you, which is an unfortunate metaphor to have (whether it's intentional or not), and which undermines the whole point of having these characters together.

[Terry Mcginnis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This should be titled, "Renew your interest in Spider-Man." This is a great alternate universe story with Spider-Man, Mary Jane, and their daughter, Annie. If you miss old school Spidey, especially him being married to Mary Jane, look no further. The dialogue is witty, the story is equal parts fun, serious, and family-oriented (dynamic wise). This volume follows the miniseries and nicely sets up the second volume with a great cliffhanger from none other than a 10-year old Osborn (the 3rd). Good stuff, and highly recommended for Spider-Man fans. 4 stars.

[Darren-lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lame...

[Tomungo X · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was cool a family that fights crime together stays together.
Artwork is anazing story is quick and fast. Shows the value of a family with special abilities.

[Gerry Sacco · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this more, because the artwork is so awesome, and I almost did... but Anna May was possibly one of the most annoying characters I've ever read in a trade.

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine little Spidey family drama.

[Will Robinson Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything a Spider-man fan boy would want in a Spider-man comic series. After introducing us to the Spider Parker family clan in Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows for the Marvel Secret Wars event it was time to legitimately give this concept of Peter Parker family man a try. The truth is that this series exist only so Marvel can have its cake and eat it too. The heads at Marvel do not want to undo the events of Spider-Man: One More Day in which Peter's marriage to Mary Jane Watson was wiped away from the Marvel universe continuity. I am one of the many fans who felt that Peters marriage was the beginning of a new step in the adventures of Peter Parker. Lets be honest having Peter stay a teenager or just single guy living with his aunt May can get a bit old. Readers deserve to see a progression. I personally feel that now that Miles Morales exist he should be the teenage spider guy while Peter should move into a mentor position and we get to see an adult spider-man deal with the everyday struggles of work, a wife, kids and save his city. The Family man Peter Parker is something I have always wanted to see. Longtime Spider-man scribe Gerry Conway has made my dream come true. In the first volume of the Renew your volume series we get to see Peter balance his superhero career against his strong willed wife Mary Jane (Spinerette) and his equally strong willed daughter, Annie (Spiderling). What makes this book work is the family dynamic between the Parkers. The artwork by series regular Stegman is great as well. There are some great closeup panels in the book. Even the colorists are doing a fantastic job here. This is just a fun and amazing looking book . I can not wait to pick up the next volume. I am probably going to purchase this series for support that someday this version of Spider-man will become a part of the main continuity.

[Alex Sarll]

A continuation of the miniseries following an alternate world Peter Parker whose marriage wasn't sold to Satan. And not only is he still with MJ, but she and their daughter both share his powers (and the daughter seems to have a little something extra too). If anything it's more enjoyable now the mini's rather dull new villain is out of the way - instead we get classic Marvel foes (including the second funniest Mole Man I've ever read), but they serve mainly as a backdrop for the family comedy A-plot. And it's just so refreshing to see a happy, albeit bickering, family allowed to form the heart of a superhero comic.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I have read WAY more books than I've actually reviewed, so this is a knee-jerk reaction. Too many books to read and review... so little time!*

I am seriously IN LOVE with this series! Spidey as a husband and father. Sweet, cute, funny.... I love families! I love watching them grow together and grow as individuals. I just adore those dynamics. I... agh! Like I said... I LOVE this series!!!

[David Farrell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't win me over. The mole man is (as usual) a pretty poor villain, the Sandman appearance was brief. Norman Osborn Jr is a child, so this all felt childish. I felt like the sharing of powers wasn't explained here and required previous reading, MJ and Peter seem very lax with the parenting and I didn't appreciate seeing the same events three times from different perspectives.