Love is not finding someone to live with. It is finding someone you can’t live without.
- Rafael Ortiz
Hi guys,
a couple of weeks ago I received the Mary Jane polystone statue and ever since MJ made her entrance into my collection, I have been flabbergasted by her.
I was aware that Mary Jane was the kind of woman who could make your heart skip a beat or two by simply being in your presence, but I never realized she was such a head turner and such a knock out.
Mary Jane's loveliness, beauty, charm and sex appeal have been caught beautifully in this statue and it is easy to see why Peter fell head over heels in love with her.
Mary Jane is the kind of woman who makes you realize Heaven must really be missing an Angel after you have seen her walk past by you on the street.
She is the kind of woman who makes you realize that there is still beauty, goodness and tenderness in this world no matter the ugliness and misery which seem to have surrounded us.
Heck, I am afraid that if I would have been Peter my spider-sense would only tingle when I would be around Mary Jane and not when I would be facing the entire Sinister Six all together.
Now that I think of it I am not sure if I, would I have walked in Peter's shoes, would ever leave home and fight crime if I would know MJ would be waiting for me at home and would worry about my safety.
That's the kind of girl MJ is and that's the effect that she has on the people around her.
She is so stunningly beautiful and charming that leaving her alone feels like a crime in itself which should be punishable by law.
MJ is a living miracle and her beauty and charm are masterfully captured in polystone for the centuries to come.
This statue really knocked me off my feet in a way I have not experienced in a long time!
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Background Information
Real Name: Mary Jane Watson
Citizenship: U.S.A.
Place of Birth: Montoursville, PA
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man #15 (1964; MJ was mentioned), Amazing Spider-Man #25 (1965; MJ had a cameo), Amazing Spider-Man #42 (1966; MJ was fully part of the story)
Occupation: Nightclub owner, television show host, actress; former model
Known Relatives: Anna May Watson (aunt), Philip (father), Madeline (mother, deceased), Gayle Watson-Byrnes (sister)
Education: College educated
Physical Attributes:
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 120 lbs.
Eyes: Green
Hair: Red
Abilities: Professional actress, dancer, and model
Mary Jane Watson was the guiding light in Peter Parker's life, and their love had overcome countless obstacles. But her upbringing certainly gave her no reason to believe in happiness.
Her parents, Madeline and Philip, met at high school and married aged eighteen. Madeline followed her strong-willed husband across the country as he began his academic career in modern American literature, and by twenty she had one daughter, Gayle. Mary Jane arrived four years later. Philip became a popular college professor and Mary Jane's mother devoted her life to their children - to the casual observer they seemed like the perfect couple.
But Philip had visions of himself as a great writer, another Fitzgerald, a Faulkner... though in truth, he possessed no such talent. Unable to accept his own failings, he turned his fury on his family. He dragged his wife and children from college to college, searching for inspiration.
Gayle Watson turned inwards, seeking solace in her ballet, while Mary Jane hid behind an exuberant personality. At every new school, she was the class clown and party animal. In public, nothing was ever wrong with Mary Jane, while in private, little was ever right.
Eventually, Philip's frustrations boiled over, and he struck his elder daughter over the cost of her dancing lessons.
While Madeline was prepared to endure her husband's bitterness, she would not stay to see her children suffer his violence.
A few weeks later, as Philip was receiving honors during his college's awards ceremony, Madeline left home with her daughters and two suitcases. She received nothing from the courts, and was left to shuffle from relative to relative.
For Mary Jane, life was scarcely improved.
They were resented by those who took them in, with one exception - her father's elderly sister, Aunt Anna Watson, who lived in Forest Hills.
Mary Jane loved her visits with Aunt Anna, though one downside was that Anna and her neighbor May Parker were always trying to get Mary Jane together with May's nephew, Peter. Mary Jane was thirteen when she first laid eyes on Peter, aged fourteen. Peter had just started high school, and through her window Mary Jane saw a serious-looking bookworm - kind of cute, in a nerdy sort of way.
When Peter finally met Mary Jane for the first time, she could tell he was so impressed by her charm and beauty that she confidently told him his life had taken a dramatic turn for the better:
"
Face it, Tiger... you just hit the jackpot!"
Mary Jane Watson is the quintessential girl next door, exuberant, beautiful and charming and in the years that followed after they first met, she became the undisputed center of Peter Parker's life.
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My Verdict
I am very enthusiastic about this statue and that made it very easy to rate this statue.
Mary Jane is the kind of woman who could make my heart stop beating by entering the same room I'd be and then make it start beating twice as fast again after smiling at me.
I do not know how J. Scott Campbell and Sideshow did it but somehow they have managed to capture this magic and put it into this statue.
When looking at the statue it is almost as if you can feel MJ's presence and hear her laughter embarcing you in a warm blanket.
In comics women are in most of the cases drawn as breathtakingly beautiful topmodels so it should not come as a surprise MJ is portrayed as a stunningly beautiful woman.
But when looking at the statue I think MJ is more than just beautiful on the outside. The impression she makes on me is that she is a really kind and tender woman.
MJ is not a beautiful but empty shell; no, she strikes me as the kind of woman you would want to grow old with. A woman you would like to share your life with since you'd know your life your life would only be worth living as long as she would be part of it.
Of course there is nothing more personal than pointing out the merits and flaws of a statue but I will give it a shot nevertheless.
Ladies and gentlemen, please find below the verdict of the jury:
Statue Number: #4511/6000
Statue Size: 11.5" H (292.1mm) x 5.75" W (146.05mm) x 5.75" D (146.05mm)
Statue Weight: 5lbs
Design: J. Scott Campbell and the Sideshow Collectibles Design and Development Team
Sculptor: Steve Schumacher
Painter: Kat Sapene
Sculpt:9/10
The sculpt itself is very impressive and I had a hard time thinking of anything which was less than perfect.
The statue is not very large but what it lacks in height and width, it more than makes up for with regards to the incredible sculpt.
Mary Jane is sculpted in a disarmingly beautiful and heartwarming pose and her beauty and charm are masterfully captured in the sculpt.
Without being overly sexy and erotic, the sculpt still shows the beauty and appeal of MJ and it's easy to see why Peter fell for her from the very beginning.
I love the faxt that MJ has put Peter's Spider-Man-suit on her shoulders since it emphasizes she knows that her boyfriend is much more than just the boy next door. To me it shows that MJ is aware of and accepts the life Peter has chosen and the responsibilities he has even if it means he may not be able to spend as much time with her as she would like to.
It also shows however that MJ realizes that there is more to Peter than just the fact that he is the amazing Spider-Man. MJ loves Peter Parker and that he happens to be a superhero as well is part of the deal.
The other thing I like about the sculpt is the incredibly eye for detail: from the delicate webbing in the armpits of the Spider-Man suit to the fashion and lifestyle magazines on the cushion which show what her interests are and link beautifully to her career as a model and actress.
MJ's torn jeans are a fashion statement as well and these are beautifully sculpted as well.
I thought about giving a straight '10' but than I would overlook the fact that it would have been great if the statue would have been a little bit bigger. Furthermore I would have loved to see a bit more details in MJ's hair.
The sculpt is not perfect but it's pretty close!
Paint & Mixed Media: 10/10
The paintjob of the statue is amazing.
I really like the washed out blue color of MJ's jeans, her silvery-white shirt and the famous blue, red and black of Spider-Man's suit. Add to that the beautiful colour of MJ's hair, her beautiful make-up and eye-cathching red lips as well as the lifelike way in which the magazine covers are painted and it becomes clear that the paintjob really is a winner.
This statue does not have any mixed media but the lack of mixed media is not a bad thing by definition; especially not when when the sculpt and paintjob are of such a high level.
Design: 10/10
The statue has a clean and elegant design which makes it very easy focus on the strong points of the sculpt and the paintjob.
MJ is portrayed being at ease at home in a heartwarmingly beautiful pose. She is the sunshine of Peter's life in all of her beauty and charm and J. Campbell Scott masterfully captured everything that makes MJ so special in his artwork and design for this statue. MJ does not need any frills, cool poses or special weapons to capture your attention: by simply being herself she will take your breath away and never go unnoticed.
Production & Build Quality: 9/10
The statue is not very heavy but it feels solid enough. Unless you handle this statue very carelessly this statue should be a proud part of the collection of any Marvel fan for a very long time to come.
The statue is attached to the base and cannot be separated from the base. Personally I like that since it avoids problems with the statue not fitting properly or easily into the base.
All you have to do to enjoy the magic is to take the statue put of the box and onto your shelves.
Overall rating:
9.50/10 - Not to be missed and highly recommended!
Since pictures always say more than a thousand words I have taken some pictures which I will post below.
But before I do that I would like to thank
Ton for enabling me to add this incredible statue to my collection. Thanks Ton; as always it has been a great pleasure to meet you!
Alright then guys, it's time to stop talking and to get ready to pay the lovely and charming Ms. Watson a visit.
So make sure you look your best and are dressed sharply since you will never get a second chance to make a first impression on the amazing MJ... get ready to make her rock your world!
Hey Pretty Baby With The
High Heels On
You Give Me Fever
Like I've Never, Ever Known
You're Just A Product Of
Loveliness
I Like The Groove Of
Your Walk,
Your Talk, Your Dress
I Feel Your Fever
From Miles Around
I'll Pick You Up In My Car
And We'll Paint The Town
Just Kiss Me Baby
And Tell Me Twice
That You're The One For Me
The Way You Make Me Feel
(The Way You Make Me Feel)
You Really Turn Me On
(You Really Turn Me On)
You Knock Me Off Of My Feet
(You Knock Me Off Of My Feet)
My Lonely Days Are Gone
(My Lonely Days Are Gone)
- Michael Jackson: The Way You Make Me Feel
"
Face it Tiger...you just hit the Jackpot!"
- Mary Jane Watson
Rainer
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Nothing can stop The Juggernaut... NOTHING!
