10 Messed Up Marvel Comics Moments We'll Never See In Movies
2. When Peter Parker’s Spidey Sperm Gave Mary Jane Cancer
The Offending Comics: Spider-Man: Reign series (2006-2007)
In a similar vein to Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, Kaare Andrews’ Spider-Man: Reign series was set in a dystopian future and saw an aging Spider-Man brought out of retirement to fight the good fight once more.
Now in his 70s, Peter battles his own demons along the way including the big reveal that the death of his one true love Mary Jane was his fault. Or rather the fault of his toxic body fluids, in particular his radioactive semen which gave her cancer presumably after years and years of condom-less sex.
It also deserves mention that this reveal unfolds while Peter is holding the body of his dead wife, which has just been exhumed by a dead Dr Octopus’s tentacles.
As if this wasn’t depressing and weird enough, the original print run of the series included a panel depicting an aging Peter Parker sitting on the edge of hid bed in the nude showing his toxic, cancer causing junk in all its rather unimpressive glory. Subsequently, the offending issue was recalled and removed from future print – probably a good call.